Curriculum Guide
High School Science 3.2
9-12.Earth Systems.3.2 - As part of the solar system, Earth interacts with various extraterrestrial forces and energies such as gravity, solar phenomena,
electromagnetic radiation, and impact events that influence the planet's geosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere in a variety of ways.
Related Colorado Department of Education Sample Units:

Earth's Place In The Universe - High School Earth Science (Concepts: Interactions, Scale, History, Technology, Systems, Energy, Exploration, Motion,
Forces, Geosphere, Atmosphere, Biosphere
Essential Questions - 21st Century Skills and Readiness Competencies (District):
1. How do extraterrestrial forces and energies influence Earth’s geosphere, biosphere,
atmosphere, and its position in the universe?
2. What data is needed to explain the effects of gravity, solar phenomena, and
electromagnetic radiation on Earth?
3. What are some specific examples of how gravity, solar phenomena,
electromagnetic radiation, or impact events have affected Earth’s landscape?
4. How do scientists use imagery from satellites, orbiting telescopes, GPS, GIS, or
space probes to demonstrate the effects of extraterrestrial forces and energies?
Evidence Outcomes (District):
1. Develop, communicate, and justify an evidence-based scientific explanation
addressing questions around the extraterrestrial forces and energies that influence
Earth.
2. Analyze and interpret data regarding extraterrestrial forces and energies.
3. Clearly identify assumptions behind conclusions regarding extraterrestrial forces and
energies and provide feedback on the validity of alternative explanations.
4. Use specific equipment, technology, and resources such as satellite imagery, global
positioning systems (GPS), global information systems (GIS), telescopes, video and
image libraries, and computers to explore the universe.
Academic Vocabulary (District):
aerosol
asteroid
atmosphere
biosphere
El Nino
El Nino Southern Oscillation
electromagnetic radiation
extraterrestrial forces
geosphere
global information system (GIS)
global positioning system(GPS)
gravity
Hubble Telescope
impact crater
La Nina
Milankovitch cycling
radiative forcing
solar phenomena
thermohaline circulation
Assessment (District):
1. Evaluate the student's comparison of the real asteroid impact on the Earth and the
fictional impact they created on Impact Earth.
2a. Assess the accuracy of the Solar timeline.
2b. Check accuracy of journal writings on the topic of extinction.
3a. Use the lab report to assess the simulations.
3b. Use assessments included in the Environmental Unit presentation.
4a. & 4b. Check informational packets for accuracy.
Suggested Activities/Strategies (District):
1a. In this activity, students explore the effects of an asteroid impact on the
Earth. Have students create an impact on the “Impact Earth” website and record the
Resources/Technology (District):

Real-Time Sun

Gravitational Lensing Simulator
effects of this impact. Then, students should go to the “Impact Database” to find a real
impact in the Earth’s history similar to the one they created virtually.

1a. Impact Earth
1b. In the Crater Impact Database, students explore the history of impacts on the
Earth, searching by region or continent.

1b. Crater Impact Database
2a. The Extinction link presents evidence for the Chicxulub crater (impact structure left
over from K-T extinction event which doomed the dinosaurs) and how evidence of this
impact was collected from southern Colorado. Students should journal a summary of
the asteroid that created Chicxulub crater.

2a. Extinction
2b. Using the Solar Activity Timeline, students monitor solar activity over a given period
of time (short-term and long-term) and create a timeline charting solar activity, making
a note of extra terrestrial causes of solar activity.

2b. Solar Activity

2b. Solar Cycle Graphs
3a. Use the Phet orbital simulations to move the sun, earth, moon, and space station to
see how it affects their gravitational forces and orbital paths. Have students visualize
the sizes and distances between different heavenly bodies, and turn off gravity to see
what would happen without it.

3a. Phet Orbital Simulations
3b. Students create a product presentation of their choice, answer questions about
various extraterrestrial forces and energies, and demonstrate how they affect the
Earth.

3b. Environmental Unit Presentation
4a. Using the gallery and picture album of the Hubble telescope link, students should
use the digital imagery to create an informational packet.

4a. Hubble Telescope
4b. Students choose four different geographical locations, look up the digital imagery
using Landsat, and then create an informational packet on the land satellite images.

4b. Land Satellite Images




Earth Orbital Simulator
Types of Telescopes
Visualization and Simulations of the Earth
El Nino Simulation