Central Idea: Plants and animals have different processes and structures that allow them to carry out life processes such as obtaining energy and reproducing.

PHOTOSYNTHESIS

• Green plants produce their own food through the process of photosynthesis.
  • They use the green pigment, chlorophyll, along with carbon dioxide, water, and sunlight to produce food (sugar).
  • The leaf is the primary food-producing part of these plants.
  • Oxygen is released during photosynthesis
• Photosynthesis enables plants to trap energy from the sun and convert it into sugar that can be used by organisms.
• Because animals are not capable of producing their own food, they must consume other organisms to meet their energy needs.
  • Animals have different methods that help them get food.

---

PLANT PARTS

• For many green plants, there are anatomical structures that perform basic functions.
  • Roots anchor the plants and take water and nutrients from the soil.
  • Stems provide support and allow movement of water and nutrients.
  • Leaves are the primary sites for photosynthesis.
  • Flowers are the reproductive structures .

---

---

---

Weather conditions and phenomena may have significant impact on ecosystems. The prediction of weather events is possible by tracking weather conditions.

sun's energy makes Weather

Thermal energy transfer from the sun impacts air movement and weather conditions.

• The analysis of weather data is used to predict weather events which can affect ecosystems.
  • Such impacts include floodi ng, droughts, and destruction of habitats.
  • Average weather data over at least 30 years determines a region's climate.
  • Some weather components that make up climate include average temperature, humidity, wind, and amount of precipitation.
• Some components used to describe weather are temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind speed, precipitation, and cloudiness.
• Data describing these components, along with the knowledge of atmospheric processes, help meteorologists forecast the weather.

Clouds

Clouds are associated with certain weather conditions.

• Cumulus clouds are fluffy and white with flat bottoms.
  • They usually indicate fair weather.
  • However, when the clouds get larger and darker on the bottom, they become cumulonimbus clouds.
• Cumulonimbus clouds may produce thunderstorms.
• Stratus clouds are smooth, gray clouds that cover the whole sky (and block out direct sunlight).
  • Light rain and drizzle are usually associated with stratus clouds.
• Cirrus clouds are feathery clouds.
  • They are associated with fair weather.
  • Cirrus clouds often indicate that rain or snow will fall within several hours.

High Pressure - Low Pressure Masses

• High pressure air masses are associated with clear skies and light winds.
• Low pressure air masses are associated with stormy weather and strong winds.

Central Idea: Our solar system is composed of planets with unique characteristics, primarily due to their locations within the system. Earth is unique in that its characteristics and location allow for life to exist.

OUR SOLAR SYSTEM

• Our solar system is ancient. Early astronomers believed that Earth was the center of the universe and all other heavenly bodies orbited around Earth.
• We now know that our sun is the center of our solar system and the planets revolve around the sun

PLANETS

• Our solar system is made up of eight planets: Mercury, Venus, Earth, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune.
• Mercury, Venus, Earth, and Mars are considered terrestrial planets.
• Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune are called gas giants.

---


• Mercury is closest to the sun and is a small, heavily cratered planet.
  • Mercury looks like our moon.
  • Mercury is the smallest planet in our solar system and its atmosphere is very thin.
• Venus is the second planet from the sun.
  • Similar to Earth in size and mass, Venus has a permanent blanket of clouds that traps thermal energy which causes high surface temperatures.
• Earth is the third planet from the sun.
  • Earth's atmosphere, its liquid water, and its distance from the sun (among other factors) make Earth ideal for life.
• Mars is the fourth planet from the sun and is sometimes called the red planet.
  • The atmosphere on Mars is thin.
  • Mars has a vast network of canyons and riverbeds.
  • Mars is roughly half the size of Earth.

• Jupiter is the fifth planet from the sun, the largest planet in the solar system (eleven times larger than Earth), and it is considered a gas giant.
  • Jupiter has no solid surface.
  • Its colored cloud patterns are caused by enormous storms in its atmosphere.
• Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun.
  • Early scientists thought Saturn was the only planet with rings, but we now know that all four gas giants (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune) have rings.
  • Saturn's atmosphere is similar to that of Jupiter.
  • Saturn is almost ten times the size of Earth.
• Uranus is the seventh planet from the sun.
  • Uranus is a gas giant and is unique in that it spins on its side.
  • It has a large atmosphere and is a cold planet that is four times the size of Earth.
• Neptune, a very cold planet, is eighth from the sun.
  • Neptune appears blue because of its atmosphere.
  • It is roughly four times the size of Earth.
• Pluto is no longer included in the list of planets in our solar system due to its small size and irregular orbit .

Central Idea: The relationship of the Earth, moon, and sun in the solar system and to each other lead to seasons, tides, and the phases of the moon.

ROTATION, REVOLUTION, TILT

The proximity of the Earth to the sun and moon in our solar system influences Earth systems and enable life to exist on Earth.

• The interactions and orientations of the sun, Earth, and moon lead to patterns that are evidenced in seasons, eclipses, and the phases of the moon.
• Earth's axial tilt causes the sun's rays to hit the Earth's surface at different angles.
  • More direct rays are more intense, resulting in higher temperatures at those locations.

phases of the Moon

• The phases of the moon are caused by its position relative to the Earth and the sun.
  • The phases of the moon are caused by the reflection of sunlight off the moon's surface and include the following phases:
  • new, first quarter, full, and last (third) quarter .
  
  

• The phases of the moon are responsible for the changes in tidal range.
  • Highest tidal ranges are associated with full and new moons, which are when the Earth, moon and sun are aligned.
  • The smallest tidal ranges are associated with the first and last quarter, when the earth, sun, and moon are at right angles.

SUN, MOON, EARTH -- SIZE & MAKEUP

• The sun is an average-sized yellow star, about 110 times the diameter of Earth.
  • The sun is approximately 4.6 billion years old.
• Our moon is a small, rocky satellite, having about one-quarter the diameter of Earth and one-eightieth its mass.
  • It has extremes of temperature, and no atmosphere or water to support life
• Earth's surface is constantly changing.
  • Unlike the other three inner planets, it has large amounts of life-supporting water and an oxygen-rich atmosphere.
  • Earth's protective atmosphere blocks out most of the sun's damaging rays.

Central Idea: Virginia has many natural resources, including watersheds, minerals, rocks, ores, soil, land, and forests.

WATERSHEDS

• A watershed is an area of land over which surface water flows to a single collection place.
• The materials from the watershed, including pollutants, add to the water flow and impact organisms that may serve as a natural resource for humans.
• The Chesapeake Bay watershed covers approximately half of Virginia's land area.
• The other two major watershed systems in Virginia are the Gulf of Mexico and the North Carolina sounds

VIRGINIA’S NATURAL RESOURCES

• Natural resources are necessary or useful to humans.
  • Many natural resources are distributed unevenly around the planet.
  • Virginia has many natural resources.
  • Some examples of Virginia's natural resources include minerals, plants, animals, water, soil, and land
• Virginia’s water resources include lakes, rivers, bays, and the Atlantic Ocean .
• Virginia has a great variety of plant and animal resources.
  • Plants hold soil in place to reduce erosion, which aids in improving water quality.
  • Plants provide food, materials for shelter, habitats, and add oxygen to the air.
  • Animals provide materials such as food, fiber, and leather.
  • Healthy populations of plants and animals are critical for life.
• Minerals, ores, and rocks are considered natural resources and have specific purposes in everyday life (e.g., building materials and fuel sources).

• Natural and cultivated forests are widespread resources in Virginia.
  • Uses of forests include providing building materials, fuel, and habitats.
• Virginia’s soil and land support a great variety of life and provide space for us to live, work, and play.

CENTRAL IDEA -Energy can occur in different forms, can be transformed from one form to another, but it cannot be created or destroyed.

ENERGY causes change & can be transformed.

Energy is the ability to cause change or do work. Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.

• Energy is the ability to cause change and that change can take multiple forms.
• Energy takes many forms such as motion, light, sound, electrical and magnetic fields, and thermal energy.
• Energy cannot be created or destroyed; however, it can transform from one form into another.
• Energy can take many forms such as thermal, radiant, mechanical, and electrical.
• Energy can change forms but cannot be created or destroyed.
  • For example, electrical energy is transformed into thermal energy when a stove is turned on.
  • The electrical energy does not just disappear and thermal energy does not just appear out of nowhere.

work

• Energy can be transformed from one form to another to do work.
• Work, in a scientific sense, is defined as a force acting upon an object, causing that object to move in the direction of the force.
• Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects, or through sound, light, or electric currents.

---

Central Idea: Energy can move from one location to another through electrical circuits; this energy can then be transformed into different forms for multiple uses.

ENERGY

• The flow of energy as a current through the circuit can be used to do work. The circuit is a system composed of various functioning components.
• Electricity is used every day. Humans transform electrical energy into different forms of energy to meet needs.

Central Idea: Visible light is a form of radiant energy that can be seen and can interact in different ways when it contacts an object.

RADIANT ENERGY TO LIGHT

Energy may take different forms, including radiant energy.

Radiant energy that can be seen by the human eye is called visible light.

• The sun produces radiant energy.
  • Many types of radiant energy cannot be seen.

• Light transfers radiant energy.
  • For example, energy radiated from the sun is transferred to Earth by light.
  • When this light is absorbed, it warms Earth's land, air, and water and facilitates plant growth through the process of photosynthesis.
• Current technology also transforms light energy into mechanical and electrical energy;
  • an example of this is the use of solar panels to produce electrical power.

WAVELENGTH & FREQUENCY

• Light travels in transverse waves and does not need a medium through which to move.
• Light waves are characterized by their wavelengths. A wavelength is the distance between any two corresponding points on successive waves (usually crest-to-crest or trough-to-trough).
• The wavelength can be measured from any point on a wave provided it is measured to the same point on the next wave.



• Frequency is the number of waves passing a given point in a designated time. The greater the frequency, the greater the amount of energy.

• The visible spectrum has a range of colors that are determined by wavelength.
  • The colors of the spectrum from the longest wavelength to the shortest wavelength are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and violet (ROYGBV).
  • The sum of these colors is white light

---

Central Idea: Matter is defined as anything that has mass and takes up space. Properties of various types of matter determine their uses.

WHAT IS MATTER?

Matter consists of atoms that have different properties. These properties determine interactions that can occur among different atoms. Different substances with different properties are suited to different uses.

• Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space (has volume)
• Mass is the amount of matter in an object
• Matter of any type can be subdivided into particles called atoms that are too small to see but can be detected by other means.
  • Examples include blowing up a balloon, compressing air in a syringe, and dissolving sugar in water

MIXTURES & solutions

• Sometimes when two or more substances are combined, they do not lose their identifying characteristics.
  • These substances are called mixtures.
  • Examples of mixtures include soil, concrete, and a mud puddle.
• Solutions are a special type of mixture in which one substance is uniformly dissolved in a liquid.
• Examples include sugar water, salt water, and soda.

PHASES OF MATTER : SOLID, LIQUID, GAS

• Many kinds of matter change from a solid to a liquid to a gas when undergoing a temperature increase.
• As temperature decreases, that matter changes from a gas to a liquid to a solid
• Matter does not gain or lose mass during phase changes.

Central Idea: Earth's geosystem is constantly changing; these changes are modeled in the rock cycle and through plate tectonics.

A system is a set of interrelated parts that make up a unified whole. The Earth system is composed of interrelated parts to include the atmosphere (air), geosphere (solid Earth), biosphere (organisms), and hydrosphere (water). Systems are seamlessly connected through the flow of matter and energy.

EARTH'S LAYERS

• Earth is constantly changing; these changes occur both on and beneath Earth's surface.
• Earth is composed of four concentric layers—the crust, mantle, outer core, and inner core—each with its own distinct characteristics.
  • The outer two layers are composed primarily of rocky material.
  • The innermost layers are composed mostly of iron and nickel.
• Pressure and temperature increase with depth beneath the surface.

PLATE MOVEMENT

• Earth's thermal energy causes movement of material within Earth.
  • Large continent-size plates move slowly about Earth's surface, driven by that thermal energy.
• Most earthquakes and volcanoes are located at the boundaries of the plates (faults).
• Plates can move
  • toward each other (convergent boundaries),
  • apart from each other (divergent boundaries), or
  • slip past each other horizontally (transform boundaries)


• Geological features in the oceans (including trenches and mid-ocean ridges) and on the continents (mountain ranges, including the Appalachian Mountains) are caused by current and past plate movements.

ROCK CYCLE

• Rocks move and change due to heat and pressure within Earth and due to weathering, erosion, and deposition at the surface.
• These and other processes constantly change rock from one type to another.
• Depending on how rocks are formed, they are classified as
  • sedimentary (layers of sediment cemented together),
  • igneous (melted and cooled), and
  • metamorphic (changed by heat and pressure).

WEATHERING & EROSION

• Rocks and other materials on Earth's surface are constantly being broken down by both chemical and physical weathering.
  • The products of weathering include clay, sand, rock fragments, and soluble substances.
  • Materials can be moved by water and wind (erosion) and deposited in new locations as sediment (deposition).

ANCIENT EARTH - FOSSILS

• Fossils provide information about life and conditions in the past.
• Fossils may be found in different rock layers, which allows scientists to infer changes in landscapes.

Central Idea: Some resources are considered renewable and others are not. It is possible to conserve energy.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed; however, the availability of certain energy sources differs. Most of the energy used in the United States comes from non-renewable sources.

• Nonrenewable energy sources are natural resources that cannot be replaced after they are used because they take millions of years to form.
  • Fossil fuels such as petroleum, coal, and natural gas are all nonrenewable energy sources.

• Renewable energy sources come from resources that are replaced naturally and can be used again.
  • Wind energy, water behind dams, and sunlight are examples of renewable energy sources.
• Energy use affects the environment in many ways.
  • In general, fossil fuels do more harm to the environment than the use of renewable energy sources.
  • Some harmful consequences of energy use include air and water pollution and wildlife and habitat loss.
• There are many ways to conserve energy.
  • In the home, actions such as turning off the lights and electronic devices when not in use, taking shorter hot showers, and adjusting the thermostat by a few degrees (higher in summer, lower in winter) will conserve energy.
  • Walking or biking instead of taking the car for short trips also conserves energy.
• Advances in technology continually improve our ability to harness and use energy more efficiently.