Lesson Plan: The Earth and the Atmosphere
This lesson plan includes the objectives and exclusions of the lesson teaching students how to describe the composition of Earth’s atmosphere and the structure of our planet.
Objectives
Students will be able to
- list the different gases present in our atmosphere and their respective percentages,
- state that the amount of some gases in our atmosphere is increasing over time and outline the consequences of these increases,
- give the names and orders of the different layers of the atmosphere from Earth’s surface to space,
- categorize different layers of the atmosphere into the lower and the upper atmosphere,
- identify the location of ozone within the atmosphere and outline the importance of ozone,
- list the three main layers of planet Earth,
- give details regarding the composition, temperature, and heat transfer in the crust, the core, and the mantle,
- outline the process by which the surface of Earth is changed through the formation of volcanoes,
- state the factors that affect the Earth’s climate and the impact of changing the climate.
Exclusions
Students will not cover
- details regarding the greenhouse effect or greenhouse gases,
- further details regarding global warming,
- the depletion of finite fuel resources and their effect on the atmosphere.
