8th Grade Science Guide

8.4 Natural Resources 3 Dimensions & Progressions

Unit 4

● Coal extraction is important to Utah’s economy. Coal mining and the use of coal can cause changes to Earth’s systems. ● Mineral extraction is important to Utah’s economy. Mineral extraction often affects water use or quality (fnd a local example; e.g., the potash mining operation near Moab requires water which then evaporates into the atmosphere; contamination exists in the groundwater near copper mines in Salt Lake County).

END OF UNIT COMPETENCY WITH LANGUAGE SUPPORTS ● I can explain the effect of use of natural resources on Earth’s systems. ○ Language Supports:

■ Abstract nouns to introduce concepts (effect, relationship, systems, mitigate, decrease, increase) ■ Connectors to link clauses (as a result of, therefore, instead, however, on the other hand) ■ Clause types to express causality (if/then) ■ Declarative statements (When humans consumption of natural resources increases _____, etc.)

DIFFERENTIATION IN ACTION

● Videos showing potential effects of natural resource use. ● Newsela - What is sustainability? ● Students can calculator their carbon footprint. Carbon Footprint Calculator ● Students could create an infographic persuading others to decrease their consumption of natural resources.

Skill Building

Extension

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT ● No formative assessment at this time.

ELA CONNECTIONS ● RST.6-8.1 Cite specifc textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. ● RST.6-8.7 Integrate quantitative or technical information expressed in words in a text with a version of that information expressed visually (e.g., in a fowchart, diagram, model, graph, or table). ● WHST.6-8.1 Write arguments focused on discipline content. ● WHST.6-8.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. ● WHST.6-8.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.