Science SOL - Earth Patterns, Cycles, and Change
3.8 The student will investigate and understand basic patterns and cycles occurring in nature. Key concepts include
a) patterns of natural events such as day and night, seasonal changes, simple phases of the moon, and tides;
b) animal life cycles; and
c) plant life cycles.
a) patterns of natural events such as day and night, seasonal changes, simple phases of the moon, and tides;
b) animal life cycles; and
c) plant life cycles.
Curriculum Framework
Overview
This standard focuses on students understanding that many events on Earth happen in cycles or patterns. Examples of these patterns are day turning into night and night into day. Seasons cycle from fall to winter to spring to summer and back to fall. Light reflecting from the sun causes the moon to appear illuminated. The phases of the moon appear in sequence as the moon makes one revolution around Earth. Seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth as it revolves around the sun. The main cause of the tides is the gravitational attraction between Earth and the moon. Plants and animals also undergo life cycles from birth to death. It is intended that students will actively develop and utilize scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
Background Information (Instructor Use Only)
This standard focuses on students understanding that many events on Earth happen in cycles or patterns. Examples of these patterns are day turning into night and night into day. Seasons cycle from fall to winter to spring to summer and back to fall. Light reflecting from the sun causes the moon to appear illuminated. The phases of the moon appear in sequence as the moon makes one revolution around Earth. Seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth as it revolves around the sun. The main cause of the tides is the gravitational attraction between Earth and the moon. Plants and animals also undergo life cycles from birth to death. It is intended that students will actively develop and utilize scientific investigation, reasoning, and logic skills (3.1) in the context of the key concepts presented in this standard.
Background Information (Instructor Use Only)
- A cycle is a repeated pattern. A sequence is a series of events that occur in a natural order.
- The pattern of day and night is caused by the rotation of Earth. One complete rotation occurs every 24 hours. The part of Earth toward the sun has daylight while the part of Earth away from the sun has night.
- The pattern of seasonal changes takes place because Earth’s axis is tilted toward or away from the sun during its revolution around the sun. Because the tilt of Earth on its axis is 23.5°, the sun’s energy is not equally intense at different latitudes. Rays striking Earth near the equator do so at close to a 90° angle. Rays striking Earth near the poles do so at a much smaller angle and thus the same amount of sunlight is spread over a larger area. For this reason, the same amount of energy from the sun will be less intense nearer the poles and these areas will have a colder climate. Earth takes 365¼ days, or one year, to make one revolution.
- The cycle of moon phases occurs as the moon makes one revolution around Earth. The visible portion of the moon that we see each night follows a pattern.
- The tides follow a pattern of two high and two low tides every 24 hours. This pattern is caused for the most part by the gravitational attraction between Earth and the moon.
- Plants and animals undergo life cycles (e.g., Frogs begin as eggs in water. The eggs grow into tadpoles, the tadpoles eventually become frogs, and the adult frogs lay eggs to start a new life cycle over again. In the plant life cycle, a seed grows into a new plant that forms seeds. Then the new seeds repeat the life cycle.).
Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Processes
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:
In order to meet this standard, it is expected that students will:
- explain how some events in nature occur in a pattern or cycle, such as the seasons, day and night, phases of the moon (first quarter, full, last [third] quarter, new), tides, and life cycles.
- recognize that the relationships that exist between and among Earth, the sun, and the moon result in day and night, seasonal changes, phases of the moon, and the tides.
- model and describe how Earth’s rotation causes day and night.
- model and describe how the sun’s rays strike Earth to cause seasons.
- observe, chart, and illustrate phases of the moon (first quarter, full, last [third] quarter, new), and describe the changing pattern of the moon as it revolves around Earth.
- collect and analyze data from simple tide tables to determine a pattern of high and low tides.
- explain the pattern of growth and change that organisms, such as the frog and butterfly undergo during their life cycle.