Courses

Earth Sciences Part A

ages 11-17 (gr.6-11)

Course Description:

Part A and B can be taken in any order.

Join us to explore Earth Science topics including the nature of science and Earth Science; the structure and history of planet Earth; minerals and rocks; Earth’s materials; plate tectonics; geologic activity including mountain building, earthquakes, and volcanoes; freshwater; oceans; soils; and erosion. 

Earth Sciences uses a ‘flipped’ model – where the student does the preliminary learning independently. Then in class each week, we will be using a wide variety of games, labs, and activities to apply the knowledge the students have gained through their interactions with the course material. They will be reading Ch.1-9, 13-14 and 21 of CK-12’s free online textbook, Earth Science for Middle School and watching its embedded videos. The text is compatible with text to speech software. 

This course (along with Part B – to be offered again in Semester 2) can be applied as either a high school lab science or a middle school science requirement. Part A and B can be taken in any order. Part B uses Ch.10-12, 15-20, and 22-23 to explore: atmospheric processes, weather, climate, Earth’s history, evolution, populations, ecosystems, Earth’s energy, the Solar System and beyond. We will also be reviewing Ch.1 The Nature of Science.

Schedule and Cost:

NOTE: Part B will follow in February 2025. Part A and Part B can be taken in any order

Day: Friday

**NEW** Time: 5:15 p.m. – 6:15 p.m. ET

Semester 1 Dates: Sept. 13, 2024-Jan. 31, 2025 (16 weeks, no classes Oct 4, Oct 18, Nov 29, Dec 27, Jan 3)

For Tuition Fees, Code of Conduct, and all the details, see THE FINE PRINT.

Required Homework:

Approximately 1 hr of reading AND 1 hr of videos to watch per week, including PRIOR to the first class. NOTE that the textbook is compatible with both Speechify and the free Chrome browser extension Natural Reader Text to Speech for those that prefer to hear the content.

Occasional short additional homework such as making a model of a crystal with Lego or marshmallows; exploring a virtual model; or finishing an activity started in class such as a topographical map exploration or a GIS scavenger hunt.

Course Materials:

TEXTBOOK (FREE):
CK-12 Earth Science for Middle School Flexbook2 Ch.1-9, 13-14 and 21
https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-earth-science-flexbook-2.0

ABILITY TO USE ArcGIS IN A BROWSER WHILE ON ZOOM:
You may need a second device to run ArcGIS in a browser while on Zoom for the weeks that we do ArcGIS activities, if the device you are using to Zoom with won’t allow you to do both. ArcGIS will not run on a phone. (It will load, but does not have the functionality required on a phone.)

PRINTOUTS AND OTHER SUPPLIES:
Printouts sent digitally throughout the semester

Typical school supplies including coloured pencils

Materials to build the model of a crystal:
Legos or marshmallows and toothpicks

Materials For the Salinity Density lab weeks:
4 colours of food colouring
salt
a test tube (or other small clear container such as a juice glass, empty spice bottle, or small 250mL Mason jar)
eyedropper
a kitchen scale
A measuring cup that can measure 100-250mL in mL
Salt
a 5mL measure
a calculator
a spoon for stirring

A Glance Ahead to Semester 2 February-June 2025:

Earth Sciences Part B

Part A and B can be taken in any order:

Join us to explore Earth Sciences topics including climate, Earth’s history, evolution, ecosystems, and space. Earth Sciences Part B uses a ‘flipped’ model – where the student does the preliminary learning independently. Then in class each week, we will be using a wide variety of games, labs, and activities to apply the knowledge the students have gained through their interactions with the course material. They will be reading from CK-12’s free online textbook, Earth Science for Middle School and watching its embedded videos. The text is compatible with text to speech software. We will be using Ch.10-12, 15-20, and 22-23 to explore: atmospheric processes, weather, climate, Earth’s history, evolution, populations, ecosystems, Earth’s energy, the Solar System and beyond. We will also be reviewing Ch.1 The Nature of Science.

TEXTBOOK (FREE):
CK-12 Earth Science for Middle School Flexbook2 Ch.10-12, 15-20 and 22-23
https://flexbooks.ck12.org/cbook/ck-12-middle-school-earth-science-flexbook-2.0

 ABILITY TO USE ArcGIS IN A BROWSER WHILE ON ZOOM:

You may need a second device to run ArcGIS in a browser while on Zoom for the weeks that we do ArcGIS activities, if the device you are using to Zoom with won’t allow you to do both. ArcGIS will not run on a phone. (It will load, but does not have the functionality required on a phone.)

PRINTOUTS AND OTHER SUPPLIES:
Printouts sent digitally throughout the semester

Typical school supplies including coloured pencils

Materials for the Pollution Lab:
4 white paper plates
petroleum jelly
duct tape
4 wooden blocks/bricks

Materials for the Bioaccumulation Lab:
-20 M&M sized tokens of one colour
-10 M&M sized of another colour
NOTE: You can use M&Ms, Smarties, Skittles, Two kinds of dried beans / lentils, single Lego pieces – they just have to be small like an M&M and you need 20 of one kind and 10 of the other.
-one cup to use as a shaker
-calculator