Library by NSES Standards
Visionlearning modules can be sorted according to their correlation with the National Science Education Standards. For more information, please see our National Science Education Standards module.
Library > Earth and Space Science (11 Modules)
| Earth and Space Science Sub Categories |
- Structure of the Earth System
- Geochemical Cycles
- Properties of Earth Materials
- Changes in Earth and Sky
| Earth and Space Science Modules |
Earth Structure: A Virtual Journey to the Center of the Earth - This lesson discusses the interior structure of the earth as defined by research on the behavior of seismic waves as they move through the layers inside of the planet. The lesson details both compositional layers as well as mechanical layers.
Earth's Atmosphere: Composition and Structure - This module explores the composition of the earth's atmosphere, how temperature and pressure vary in the atmosphere, and the scientific developments that led to an understanding of these basic concepts.
Minerals I: Definitions - This module addresses the history of our understanding of minerals, the definition of a mineral, and it describes how mineral identification can be useful to geologists.
Minerals II: Properties - This module describes the physical properties that are commonly used to identify minerals, including color, hardness, luster, and cleavage.
Minerals III: The Silicates - This module covers the structure of silicate minerals, which are the most common minerals in the earth's crust. X-ray diffraction is discussed in relationship to the development of understanding about the silicate minerals.
Plate Tectonics I: The Evidence for a Geologic Revolution - This module offers an introduction to the concepts explored by Alfred Wegener, Harry Hess, and others. It is the first in a series on plate tectonics.
Plate Tectonics II: Plates, Plate Boundaries, and Driving Forces - The distribution of earthquakes and volcanoes around the world confirmed the theory of plate tectonics first proposed by Wegener. These phenomena also help categorize plate boundaries into three different types: convergent, divergent, and transform.
The Carbon Cycle: What Goes Around Comes Around - This module provides an overview of the biogeochemical carbon cycle. Major sources and sinks of carbon are discussed as well as the impact of human activities on global carbon levels.
The Hydrologic Cycle: Water's journey through time - This module discusses the hydrologic cycle and its impacts on the planet Earth. Additionally, the module addresses connections between the hydrologic cycle, climate and the impacts humans have had on the cycle.
The Nitrogen Cycle: Of Microbes and Men - This module provides an overview of the nitrogen cycle and the chemical changes that govern the cycle.
The Rock Cycle: Uniformitarianism and Recycling - This module addresses the rock cycle, including the historical development of the concept. The relationships between uniformitarianism, the rock cycle, and plate tectonics are explored both generally and through the specific example of the Cascade Range in the Pacific Northwest.
