Description
The uneven heating of the Earth is due to several factors that will be explored in this unit. Students will make a model to show their understanding of the uneven heating of Earth’s surface and how this influences weather and climate. This unit is designed to teach the NGSS MS ESS2-6 Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. This is from the Earth”s Systems strand. This resource is just what you need to show students how materials on the Earth are heated unevenly due to several factors. Each of these will be explored with an inquiry-based lesson in the 5 E format. Students will think critically while participating in labs. This unit explains these tricky concepts in a way that both teachers and students will understand that the Earth is heated unevenly and that this causes atmospheric conditions and regional climate. Watch the video and you can see one of the labs on convection currents. It is awesome!
This unit is based on the Earth and Space Science, Disciplinary Core Idea: Earth’s Systems, ESS2.D Weather and Climate: NGSS MS ESS2-6
Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates.
and also the Utah SEEd 6.3.3 Develop and use a model to show how unequal heating of the Earth’s systems causes patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. Emphasize how warm water and air move from the equator toward the poles.
There are over 100 slides and pages in this unit!
This resource has four slide shows:
1.Atmosphere – direct information about the makeup of Earth’s atmosphere
2.Fair Tests-Information on how to design an investigation and include dependent and independent variables.
3.Climate- Information on climate and what factors affect climate with rich diagrams and illustrations of scientific concepts
4. Heat Transfer in Climate-How Heat transfer principles help move solar energy in our weather systems
There are response pages, interactive notebook flaps, and worksheets throughout the unit. All of them have the answer keys! See uneven heating of the Earth’s surface on my blog for more ideas about this topic.
Students will learn that there are several reasons for the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface and that this uneven heating causes atmospheric conditions and regional climate.
Through this unit, the students will practice 21st-century skills of creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking while learning about climate and weather. Fully addresses the NGSS standards MS-ESS2-6. The nonfiction articles included help students with science literacy and are aligned with CCSS for Reading Informational Text.
