Factual- How do factors such as food, water, shelter, and space affect populations in an ecosystem? What are the relationships and positive/negative interactions among producers, consumers, and decomposers? How is the flow of energy within food webs interconnected with the cycling of matter?
Conceptual- How do interactions and relationships among biotic and abiotic factors affect the balance of an ecosystem?
Debatable- What is the biggest threat to the sustainability of an ecosystem?
Unit Two: Earth's Waters
Key Concept: Change
Related Concepts: Consequence,
Interaction, Environment
Global Context: Fairness
and Development
Approaches to Learning: Communication and Media Literacy
Inquiry Questions:
Factual- How
is water distributed on Earth? Why are
Earth’s oceans considered a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases,
and life forms? How do we predict the
safety of water based on physical and biological factors?
Conceptual- How
is our good health affected by water quality?
Debatable- What are the
consequences of relying on clean water as a valuable resource? How can the application of science be used to
solve problems concerning Earth’s Waters?
Unit Three: Earth's History
Key Concept: Change
Related Concepts: Models and Evidence
Global Context: Orientation in Space and Time
Approaches to Learning: Organization and Critical Thinking
Inquiry Questions:
Factual- How
are relative and absolute dating used to infer the age of Earth, rocks, and
fossils? How are fossils, ice cores,
sedimentary rock layers, faults, and igneous rock formations used to provide
evidence of the history of Earth?
Conceptual- How
have life forms, climate, and Earth’s surface changed over time?
Debatable- What
caused the dinosaurs to go extinct? What are the limits of the scientific
understanding of our planet’s past? Unit Four: Evolution
Key Concept: Change
Related Concepts: Patterns and Evidence
Global Context: Orientation in Space and Time
Approaches to Learning: Affective Skills and Critical Thinking
Inquiry Questions:
Factual- What is the difference between natural selection,
artificial selection, and adaptation?
What are different pieces of evidence for change over time? How does taxonomy play a role in evolutionary
theory?
Conceptual- How has the theory of evolution changed over time
based on new research and evidence from different scientists?
Debatable- What are the strongest and weakest areas in the theory
of evolution and the evidence used to support it?
