Content Standard F: The Earth "Big Ideas"

Revised 8/6/03

'Big Idea'
Grades K-2
Grades 3-4
Grades 5-8

Grades 9-12

1.The Earth is made up of interrelated systems.

F5, F7

F1, F3, F6

2.Different materials with different properties make up the Earth's surface, interior, and atmosphere.

F3

F2, F5

3.Many of Earth's materials are used by humans.

F6

4.The Earth has internal and external sources of energy.

F4

F6

5.The Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago.It is constantly changing. Some changes happen quickly, some take a long time.

F3

F1

F4, F5

F2, F3, F5, F6

6.Processes that shape and change landforms today are similar to those that happened in the past.Constructive and destructive forces shape and change landforms.

F4

F3, F6

7.Fossils and rock sequences provide evidence of how the Earth has changed and date those changes.

F3

F4, F5

8.Predictable motions of the earth explain various phenomena.

F2

F1

9.The sun is a major source of Earth's energy and drives many earth processes.

F1

10.Conditions on Earth make it a unique planet that supports life.

F2

11.Matter cycles through solid earth, oceans, atmosphere, and organisms.

F2, F4

F5, F7

F3

12.Earth's weather changes from day to day and over the seasons. Climate is fairly constant, but changes over long periods of time.

F1, F2, F3

F2

F1

Local Assessment Benchmarks
F3
F4 & F5 & F6
F2 & F6 &F1

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