Earth Science

Students were tasked with making a model of how natural forces can change the surface

features of Earth. They make a pile of sand in front of an electric fan and turn it on. This model best represents which of the following changes to the surface of Earth?

• The formation of a delta at the mouth of a river.

• The building of a mountain on the edge of a continent.

• The movement of dunes caused by the blowing wind.

• The creation of a canyon by flowing water.

Stalagmites are structures that form on the floor of some caves. Most scientists explain this by saying that stalagmites form when minerals dissolved in water are left behind where water drips. Which evidence would support this explanation?

• Freezing water turns it into a solid.

• Water found in caves has minerals in it.

• Some stalagmites are taller than others.

• Many caves are found deep underground.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Over many years, the depth of a lake gets more shallow. What could cause this change?

• The climate in the area gets warmer.

• Sediments are deposited in the lake.

• The Sun evaporates the water.

• A hurricane brings heavy rains.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

What is the process called when a glacier deposits rocks in oceans and lakes?

• Deposition

• Drainage

• Pollution

• Depotism

Which layer of the Earth is made mostly of solid rock and includes both the crust and the upper part of the mantle?

• Core

• Mantle

• Lithosphere

• Asthenosphere

What evidence supports the theory of plate tectonics?

• The shape of continents

• The distribution of fossils

• The location of earthquakes and volcanoes

• All of the above

Tags

DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

What is the main source of energy for the Earth's systems?

• The Moon

• The Sun

• Wind

• Geothermal heat

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS1-1

NGSS.MS-ESS2-4

How does the tilt of the Earth's axis affect the seasons?

• It changes the Earth's distance from the sun.

• It causes the Earth to move faster in its orbit.

• It results in varying amounts of sunlight hitting different parts of the Earth.

• It has no effect on the seasons.

Tags

DOK Level 3: Strategic Thinking

A student argues that a destructive force can change the surface of Earth. Which of the following could be used to support this claim?

• A new island forms in the middle of an ocean.

• A plain becomes a deep canyon with steep walls.

• A sand dune shifts from one location to another.

• A mountain grows taller over a thousand years.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2

Students placed two desks next to each other, and then pulled them apart. This demonstration best models which change that happens to the surface of the Earth.

• Large cracks forming on the ground.

• Waves making a beach smaller.

• Sand dunes moving by winds.

• Weathering changing the shape of a mountain.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-2