About the Modules:
ESC Scope and Sequence



The ten modules, and their lessons, are described below:

 

Earth Systems Foundations

This module is designed to introduce several aspects of Earth systems science and mathematics.  The lessons are grouped into three themes that can be followed if you desire to teach multiple thematically-related lessons in sequence.

Earth Systems Foundations Theme 1:  Plants and Soils

  • Roots of the World (Entry)  Students learn that plant roots have many different shapes and sizes to allow plants to live in varying types of environments.  In discovering the "hidden underworld" of plants, students learn about many fascinating plant functions.   
  • Hold on Tight K-2 (Entry)  Students explore the important relationship between plant roots and soil.  Students discover that soil provides important nutrients and water for plant roots just as roots “hold” soil in place and prevent erosion.  Students learn that erosion due to the absence of plant roots can be seen on many levels, including images taken from satellites.   
  • Sun and Shade (Entry)  Students learn about how plant species are adapted to their environment by using differently shaped and positioned leaves.  Students develop understanding about how the environment surrounding a plant has much influence over the characteristics of that plant, particularly in plants that grow in sun versus those that grow in shade. 
  • The Compost Bucket (Entry)  Students will explore how dead plant material serves to replenish nutrients to soils as it decomposes (breaks down).   
  • Playground Pounding (Entry/Intermediate): Students learn that soils have structure and that this structure can be broken down if trampled by humans or animals.  They will examine places on their own playground where paths have been made and then examine photos and satellite images of other examples where similar soil-trampling occurs.  

Earth Systems Foundations Theme 2:  Maps and Images

  • Sensing Something (Entry): Children learn how the five senses are used to gather information, and discover that while some information is gathered by direct contact, other information is collected remotely.    
  • Playground Zoom (Entry): Students begin to explore the realm of satellites by observing and drawing small objects on the playground using a magnifying glass as a "remote sensing" tool.   
  • Satellite Mobiles K-2 (Entry): This lesson provides students with an overview of satellites - what they look like, and what functions they serve. Students view pictures of satellites and then create their own three-dimensional models of satellites.  
  • Playground Modeling K-2 (Entry):  Children use manipulatives such as blocks and other objects to build a 3-D scale representation of their playground and build skills of spatial visualization.  This playground model is later used to help students map their playground.  
  • Playground Mapping K-2 (Entry):  In this activity, children draw maps of their playgrounds and through the process learn about symbols, compass directions, changes in perspective, and spatial visualization.  
  • Lights, Camera, Action! (Entry/Intermediate):  Children learn that in order to make a visible image using a camera or using our eye, light is required.  Children will begin to learn the connection between light and color, and will explore how the human eye can let in more or less light, as needed.  In addition, children learn that in order to make images of the Earth, a light source is required—sunlight by day, and light bulbs by night!   
  • What a Colorful World (Entry):  Satellite images of the entire Earth are used to reveal the changes in color that can occur on the Earth through time.   

Earth Systems Foundations Theme 3: Migrations and Changes

  • Nomad Land K-2 (Entry): Students are introduced to the study of migration by studying the causes of their own migrations throughout the day and comparing the reasons for their migrations to the causes for animal migrations such as changes in climate or food availability.  Students are also treated to a movie story about one small Native American boy’s search for food for his nomadic village.   
  • Migration Nation (Entry): Students explore the migratory patterns of different animals to learn that animals can migrate by air, on land, or in the ocean.  Links among animal migration and environmental cues are explored through hands-on activities.   
  • Birds on the Move (Entry):  Students learn about bird migrations and in particular discover that a migration can span a very long distance.  Students also learn that animal migrations can be plotted on maps and images of the Earth for further analysis.  
  • Playground Changes (Entry): Students observe how the environment of their school playground changes throughout the year by drawing plants, animals, landforms, or playground scenery.  
  • How Wet Did it Get? (Entry): Students measure and graph precipitation on the playground as well as learn how satellite images of clouds and weather systems can aid in weather observation.   
  • What a Colorful World (Entry):  Satellite images of the entire Earth are used to reveal the changes in color that can occur on the Earth through time.   

 

Seasonal Changes

In this module, students investigate the ways in which plants and animals are influenced by seasonal changes. Throughout the lessons, students gain a basic understanding of how weather, plants, and animals interact as elements of the Earth system. 

  • Playground Changes (Entry): Students observe how the environment of their school playground changes throughout the year by drawing plants, animals, landforms, or playground scenery.  
  • Playground Green-up (Intermediate): Students learn how the color of vegetation changes during different seasons by documenting changes in the playground vegetation with digital photography and a scanner.   
  • Hickory Dickory Dock: The Biological Clock (Intermediate): In this lesson, students learn about environmental and biological cues that prompt animals to migrate. In particular, the notion of the biological clock - an internal timing system regulating animal behavior - is developed.   
  • Wet Weather, Wet Climate? (Intermediate): Students measure and graph the precipitation on the playground during the year with a rain gauge and surmise how the amount of precipitation affects plant growth on the playground.  Students also explore how weather patterns can be observed using satellite imagery.   
  • Global Green-up (Intermediate): Students examine satellite imagery to discover how the vegetation in a particular region of the Earth changes with the seasons. This concept of the 'greening-up' and 'browning-down' of portions of the Earth through time is built upon in subsequent lessons.   
  • Hawk in Flight  (Intermediate): Students explore the actual migratory path of a Swainson's hawk in the context of time-lapsed satellite images that reveal the relative "greenness" of North and South America over an 8-month period. Connections between the migratory pattern of the hawk and the seasonal climatic changes are emphasized.  
  • Cities and Seasons (Extended): Students use a sequence of satellite images to explore how seasonal changes affect the environment near seven cities in North and South America.   

Greenlinks

In this module, students investigate the central role of plants in the Earth system.  Throughout the lessons in this module, students gain understanding of how plants are connected to soils, animals, and the climate system.

·   Sun and Shade (Entry): Students learn about how plant species are adapted to their environment by using differently shaped and positioned leaves.  Students develop understanding about how the environment surrounding a plant has much influence over the characteristics of that plant, particularly in plants that grow in sun versus those that grow in shade. 

·   Roots and Shoots (Entry/Intermediate): Students learn that plants consist not only of shoots (stems, trunks, and leaves), but also of all-important roots.  Students will learn about different plant root types and functions by observing photos, documenting the root growth of a lima bean plant, and growing a “paper garden” to discover how roots access water underground.   

·   Plants to Soil (Intermediate): Students will explore how soils are dependent upon plant decomposition (breakdown) to be replenished.  After documenting the decomposition process of bean plant with drawings or digital photos, children will learn that materials such as nutrients (plant “vitamins”) are continually shared between plants and soils through time.

·   Hold on Tight (Intermediate): Students explore the important relationship between plant roots and soil.  Students discover that soil provides important nutrients and water for plant roots just as roots “hold” soil in place and prevent erosion.  Students learn that erosion due to the absence of plant roots can be seen on many levels, including images taken from satellites.   

·   Playground Pounding (Entry/Intermediate): Students learn that soils have structure and that this structure can be broken down if trampled by humans or animals.  They will examine places on their own playground where paths have been made and then examine photos and satellite images of other examples where similar soil-trampling occurs.   

·   Ecosystems Connect (Intermediate): Students learn that plants are key components of ecosystems.  They begin by investigating ecosystems near their school and then apply that knowledge to different ecosystems from around the world.  Both the Internet and satellite images are used to motivate understanding of these concepts.   

·   Plants & the Water Cycle (Extended): Students learn about the water cycle, and discover fascinating and important interrelationships among plants and the water cycle.  In particular, students conduct an experiment to discover that plants pump water into the air through a process called transpiration.   

·   Save the Trees, Please (Extended):  This multi-activity lesson consists of five distinct investigations whereby children learn about the many sides of deforestation.  Students use satellite images to explore examples of deforestation across the globe – with specific examples in Africa, South America, and North America.  Students explore important lessons about deforestation, including some causes of deforestation and efforts to conserve and re-forest these precious natural resources.

·   Salmon Run (Extended):  Students investigate the life cycle of salmon and their migratory patterns to and from the ocean.  In particular, students explore the role of salmon in transporting nutrients from the ocean to the headwater spawning grounds.  Students will learn how damming of rivers has disrupted salmon migration routes and affected reproduction of salmon populations by tracing migration routes (using satellite imagery and maps) and calculating the energy expenditure of salmon crossing dams.   

 

Global Visions

In this module, students investigate the ways in which satellites allow humans to "see" and study the Earth from afar. Throughout the lessons, students learn about what satellites are, what they look like, how they image the Earth, and what some of these images look like. This foundation of information about a satellite use and function provides the basis for many of the activities in other modules.

  • Sensing Something (Entry): Children learn how the five senses are used to gather information, and discover that while some information is gathered by direct contact, other information is collected remotely.   
  • Playground Zoom (Entry): Students begin to explore the realm of satellites by observing and drawing small objects on the playground using a magnifying glass as a "remote sensing" tool.   
  • Satellite Mobiles (Entry): Satellite Mobiles provides students with an overview of satellites - what they look like, and what function they serve. Students view pictures of satellites and then create their own three-dimensional models of satellites.  
  • Lights, Camera, Action! (Entry/Intermediate):  Children learn that in order to make a visible image using a camera or using our eye, light is required.  Children will begin to learn the connection between light and color, and will explore how the human eye can let in more or less light, as needed.  In addition, children learn that in order to make images of the Earth, a light source is required—sunlight by day, and light bulbs by night!   
  • Scenes of the Earth (Intermediate): Scenes of the Earth is focused on the connection between the detail seen in an image and the extent of the image.  In this lesson, students view a small, circular area of the ground from various heights and compare the area of each circle with the amount of observable detail. Through this activity, students learn that changes in perspective can influence how one can view and study an object. 
  • Satellite Eyes (Intermediate): In Satellite Eyes, students learn more about perspective by exploring the ways in which satellite images provide details of the earth’s surface.  In this activity, students will build upon previous understandings of lenses, surface area and field of view developed in the lessons Playground Zoom and Scenes of the Earth.  Students will learn about the use of lenses as a means of magnifying the field of view seen by a satellite.   
  • Patchwork of the Planet (Intermediate/Extended): Students will learn how a composite of satellite images can be joined to make a picture mosaic of the earth.  Such mosaics help scientists examine particular earth features (e.g., mountain ranges, rivers, plains, oceans, coastlines, continents) that are themselves too large to appear in a single scene or field of view.  Students will use actual satellite images to make satellite mosaics of various regions of the United States. Students will then use a camera to photograph portions of a globe in the classroom, and combine these photographs to re-create the globe as a flat mosaic.   
  • Pixel Mosaic (Extended):  Students learn that images are made up of small "picture elements", otherwise known as "pixels".  Students engage in a coloring and pattern-recognition activity where they reconstruct various landscape scenes using various sized "paper pixels".    

Maps and More

In this module, students develop spatial sense through explorations of how spatial relationships can be represented both physically (through maps and images) and mathematically (through number lines and coordinate systems). These explorations are nested within various real-world scientific contexts including ecological issues such as pollution and forest fires.

  • Playground Modeling (Entry/Intermediate):  Children use manipulatives such as blocks and other objects to build a 3-D scale representation of their playground and build their skills of spatial visualization.  This playground model is later used to help students map their playground.  
  • Playground Mapping (Entry/Intermediate): In this activity, children draw maps of their playgrounds and through the process learn about symbols, compass directions, changes in perspective, and spatial visualization.  
  • Just Around the Bend (Intermediate): Students use satellite images and corresponding maps to decipher landforms as they ponder the impact of pollution on agriculture, irrigation, g round water and river water.   
  • Pollution Patrol (Intermediate): Pollution Patrol uses the context of rescuing two 50-gallon barrels of oil from the Missouri River to engage students in the exploration of number lines, units of measurement, distances, scales, directions and the effects of pollution.   
  • Patchwork of the Planet (Intermediate/Extended): Students will learn how a composite of satellite images can be joined to make a picture mosaic of the earth.  Such mosaics help scientists examine particular earth features (e.g., mountain ranges, rivers, plains, oceans, coastlines, continents) that are themselves too large to appear in a single scene or field of view.  Students will use actual satellite images to make satellite mosaics of various regions of the United States. Students will then use a camera to photograph portions of a globe in the classroom, and combine these photographs to re-create the globe as a flat mosaic.   
  • Search and Rescue (Extended): Using maps of a forested area in the Black Hills of South Dakota, students are asked to help field ecologists locate an injured crow named Kangi. Through this lesson students are introduced to the concepts of axes, coordinates, ordered pairs, and the origin.  Students also learn about mapped landmarks of cultural importance to the Lakota Sioux tribe.   
  • Deer Tracks (Extended): Students use satellite imagery of the maps from the Search and Rescue lesson to deepen their understanding of coordinate graphing, and identify and discuss various features in the imagery to learn their ecological significance.
  • Osprey Journey (Extended): Students investigate the migration paths of one Osprey over a two-year period by plotting data points on a map using longitude and latitude coordinates. Through this activity students "discover" that Ospreys follow nearly identical paths each year on their migratory journeys.   
  • Separate Vacations (Extended): Using latitude and longitude data about two Osprey mates, students plot the birds' migration paths to find out that these birds, although mates, migrate southward to different places on the Earth for part of the year.   
  • Two Ways About It (Extended): This lesson sends students on an imaginary quest for an energy source along the shore of a lake. As students learn about hydroelectric power, they use satellite images to develop understanding of positive and negative integers.
  • Quad Squad (Extended): Quad Squad engages students in thinking about forest fires - how they spread, their relation to ecological processes, and how the 4-quadrant coordinate plane can help individuals pinpoint locations on maps. Students make decisions on how to manage the wildfire through clues they interpret from forest maps and images.   

 

Landscape Changes

In this module, students build their understanding of changes through time by investigating how landscapes change in urban and rural ecosystems. Throughout the lessons in this module, students observe their own local landscape, as well as compare and contrast landscapes in different settings.

  • Playground Changes (Entry): Students observe how the environment of their school playground changes throughout the year by drawing plants, animals, landforms, or playground scenery.  
  • Playground Pounding (Entry/Intermediate): Students learn that soils have structure and that this structure can be broken down if trampled by humans or animals. They will examine places on their own playground where paths have been made and then examine photos and satellite images of other examples where similar soil-trampling occurs. 
  • Urban Changes (Extended): In this five-part lesson, students discover that cities undergo constant changes, and are challenged to consider what the landscape looked like prior to their own city's development. Students examine several case studies to view the development of numerous cities and consider the environmental changes that have accompanied this urban development.  As a culmination activity, students construct their own “model” city.   
  • Save the Trees, Please (Extended):  This multi-activity lesson consists of five distinct investigations whereby children learn about the many sides of deforestation.  Students use satellite images to explore examples of deforestation across the globe – with specific examples in Africa, South America, and North America.  Students explore important lessons about deforestation, including some causes of deforestation and efforts to conserve and re-forest these precious natural resources.   
  • Quad Squad (Extended): Quad Squad engages students in thinking about forest fires - how they spread, their relation to ecological processes, and how the 4-quadrant coordinate plane can help individuals pinpoint locations on maps. Students make decisions on how to manage the wildfire through clues they interpret from forest maps and images.   

 

Migrations del Mundo

In this module, students investigate animal migrations and learn that animal movements are important clues to detecting changes in the Earth. Using actual animal tracking data collected via satellite, students begin to think critically about how seasonal environmental changes affect animal migrations, as well as the relationships between human activities and animal migrations. Students also learn about some current scientific research that is being done to better understand animal migrations. 

  • Nomad Land (Intermediate): Students are introduced to the study of migration by studying the causes of their own migrations throughout the day and comparing the reasons for their migrations to the causes for animal migrations such as changes in climate or food availability.  Students are also treated to a movie story about one small Native American boy’s search for food for his nomadic village.   
  • Migration Mania (Intermediate): Students explore the migratory patterns of four very different animals to learn that animals can migrate by air, over land, or in the ocean. Through their self-guided research on the internet, students learn about reasons for, and the details (e.g. distance and timing) of animal migration.   
  • Hickory Dickory Dock: The Biological Clock (Intermediate): In this lesson, students learn about environmental and biological cues that prompt animals to migrate. In particular, the notion of the biological clock - an internal timing system regulating animal behavior - is developed.   
  • Global Green-up (Intermediate): Students examine satellite imagery to see how the vegetation in a particular region of the Earth changes with the seasons. This 'green-up' and 'brown-down' of the Earth is connected to animal migrations.   
  • Hawk in Flight  (Intermediate): Students explore the migratory path of the Swainson's hawk relative to time-lapsed satellite images that reveal the relative "greenness" of North and South America over an 8-month period of time. Connections between the migratory pattern of the hawk and the seasonal climatic changes are emphasized.  
  • Osprey Journey (Extended): Students investigate the migration paths of one Osprey over a two-year period by plotting data points on a map using longitude and latitude coordinates. Through this activity students "discover" that Ospreys follow nearly identical paths each year on their migratory journeys.   
  • Travel Time (Extended): In this lesson, students discover the amazing details of how far and fast a migrating bird travels during its annual journey. Travel Time builds upon "Osprey Journey" in that students use bird migration tracking data to calculate increasingly accurate estimates of the distance and relative speed of different portions of the journey.   
  • Separate Vacations (Extended): Using latitude and longitude data about two Osprey mates, students plot the birds' migration paths to find out that these birds, although mates, migrate southward to different places on the Earth for part of the year.   
  • Salmon Run (Extended):  Students investigate the life cycle of salmon and their migratory patterns to and from the ocean.  In particular, students explore the role of salmon in transporting nutrients from the ocean to the headwater spawning grounds.  Students will learn how damming of rivers has disrupted salmon migration routes and affected reproduction of salmon populations by tracing migration routes (using satellite imagery and maps) and calculating the energy expenditure of salmon crossing dams.   

Earth Systems and Humans

In this module, students learn about the interactions among human activities/cultures and various aspects of the Earth system. Throughout the lessons in this module, students critically investigate human impacts and relationships with the Earth system while also learning essential mathematical skills and concepts.

  • Playground Pounding (Entry/Intermediate): Students learn that soils have structure and that this structure can be broken down if trampled by humans or animals. They will examine places on their own playground where paths have been made and then examine photos and satellite images of other examples where similar soil-trampling occurs.  
  • Nomad Land (Intermediate): Students are introduced to the study of migration by studying the causes of their own migrations throughout the day and comparing the reasons for their migrations to the causes for animal migrations such as changes in climate or food availability.  Students are also treated to a movie story about one small Native American boy’s search for food for his nomadic village.   
  • Just Around the Bend (Intermediate): Students use satellite images and corresponding maps to decipher landforms as they ponder the impact of pollution on agriculture, irrigation, ground water and river water.   
  • Pollution Patrol (Intermediate): Pollution Patrol uses the context of rescuing two 50-gallon barrels of oil from the Missouri River to engage students in the exploration of number lines, units of measurement, distances, scales, directions and the effects of pollution.   
  • Finding the Balance (Extended): Using prairie dog populations as the context, students explore a set of data to make an informed decision about whether or not the “town” of prairie dogs is increasing in population.  Throughout the lesson students will develop a beginning understanding of the three measures of central tendency: the mean, median, and the mode.  Along the way, students learn why prairie dogs are a crucial yet controversial component of grassland ecosystems throughout much of North America.   
  • Search and Rescue (Extended): Using maps of a forested area in the Black Hills of South Dakota, students are asked to help field ecologists locate an injured crow named Kangi. Through this lesson students are introduced to the concepts of axes, coordinates, ordered pairs, and the origin.  Students also learn about mapped landmarks of cultural importance to the Lakota Sioux tribe.   
  • Deer Tracks (Extended): Students use satellite imagery of the maps from the Search and Rescue lesson to deepen their understanding of coordinate graphing, and identify and discuss various features in the imagery to learn their ecological significance. 
  • Two Ways About It (Extended): This lesson sends students on an imaginary quest for an energy source along the shore of a lake. As students learn about hydroelectric power, they use satellite images to develop understanding of positive and negative integers.  
  • Quad Squad (Extended): Quad Squad engages students in thinking about forest fires - how they spread, their relation to ecological processes, and how the 4-quadrant coordinate plane can help individuals pinpoint locations on maps. Students make decisions on how to manage the wildfire through clues they interpret from forest maps and images.   
  • Animal Tracking (Extended):  This five-part lesson prompts students to explore ways in which humans and other animals are like and not like each other.  Activities include investigations of diet, shelter, and other environmental needs of animals and humans.  Numerous mathematical concepts are introduced and developed throughout the lesson.   
  • Urban Changes (Extended): In this five-part lesson, students discover that cities undergo constant changes, and are challenged to consider what the landscape looked like prior to their own city's development. Students examine several case studies to view the development of numerous cities and consider the environmental changes that have accompanied this urban development.  As a culmination activity, students construct their own “model” city.   
  • Save the Trees, Please (Extended):  This multi-activity lesson consists of five distinct investigations whereby children learn about the many sides of deforestation.  Students use satellite images to explore examples of deforestation across the globe – with specific examples in Africa, South America, and North America.  Students explore important lessons about deforestation, including some causes of deforestation and efforts to conserve and re-forest these precious natural resources.   
  • Salmon Run (Extended):  Students investigate the life cycle of salmon and their migratory patterns to and from the ocean.  In particular, students explore the role of salmon in transporting nutrients from the ocean to the headwater spawning grounds.  Students will learn how damming of rivers has disrupted salmon migration routes and affected reproduction of salmon populations by tracing migration routes (using satellite imagery and maps) and calculating the energy expenditure of salmon crossing dams.