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Students learn about rainshadow/orographic effect by making observations of mountain range and ocean location, direction of prevailing winds, and vegetation on each side of the mountain range in a region that exhibits rainshadow effect. Students then collect temperature and rainfall data from the same region and write an explanation for the climate categories found in the region investigated during the explore phase. Students apply their understanding of the processes that drive by rainshadow effect by explaining why large lakes located in cold climate regions can cause lake snow effect.

Students learn about apparent pathway of the sun by making observations from a simulator depicting the apparent pathway of the sun and creating a diagram that they use to explain why Longyearbyen, Norway goes months without daylight. Students extend their thinking about apparent pathway of the sun and angle of insolation by creating a diagrammatic model of a solar panel that would optimally harness the energy from the Sun.

In this 5E lesson sequence students learn about how proximity to oceans impacts climate by collecting and graphing cooling/heating data for sand and water. Then students apply their learning to a climate through an analysis of two cities at similar altitude and latitude, one of which is coastal and one of which is inland. Students further their understanding of how oceans affect climate by exploring the climate implications of ocean surface current origin and temperature. Finally, students extend their thinking by learning how an El Nino event can affect the climate of western United States.

Students learn about topographic maps, including contour maps, by collecting data from a 3D model of a landform to create a contour map. Then the teacher provides direct instruction on contour map features, creating profiles, and calculating gradient, and students create profiles and calculate gradients for the contour map they created during the explore phase. Finally, students match typical geographical features to representations on a contour map and extend their thinking by identifying erosional processes on a contour map.

Students learn about differences in solar insolation across the Earth by collecting and graphing data from an angle of insolation lab or simulator and using their graph to explain how solar insolation varies across different latitudes on Earth. Students then learn about how the Earth's relative position and motion in relation to the Sun accounts for differences in insolation by making observations of a simulator and creating a diagrammatic model to explain their understanding of Seasons.

Modern technology has allowed us to study the universe, and now we know that stars are not static objects floating in space, but they are born from clouds of gas and dust, live as they get their energy from nuclear fusion that makes them shine and eventually die. In this 5E plan, students will use simulators which provide data that will allow them to explain the life cycle of stars with different masses, and use this understanding to determine which kind of star(s) are most likely to host habitable exoplanets.

The Earth, Moon, Sun and planets move in a predictable pattern. During this 5E sequence, students will demonstrate their understandings about different patterns of celestial motion by constructing a model that includes the role gravity and by making predictions about the orbital motion of planets.

Through the use of several simulations and readings, students will collect and analyze evidence with the goal of explaining why and how the astronomical evidence supports the Big Bang theory.

Students learn about why we see different phases of the moon by making observations of a 3-D Moon phase model and a moon phase simulator. Students then learn about the relationship between moon phases and tides by graphing daily tides and associating them with the phases of the moon. Finally, students extend their thinking by using their understanding of relative perspective to explain how solar and lunar eclipses happen.

Plate boundaries are associated with different geological processes such as earthquakes and to striking changes in Earth's crust, including mountains, volcanos, mid-ocean ridges, and ocean trenches. During this 5E sequence, students will investigate how the way plates move relative to each other is associated with a characteristic surface feature, providing an opportunity to refine their models of Plate Tectonics and to advance their understandings about the connections between the Earth's interior and surface features.

In this 5E plan, students will look at data to surface patterns in the structure of our solar system and explore the concepts related to these patterns through a lab and simulator in order to explain the patterns and how they are connected. A focus on density and temperature through particle models will help students understand the big idea from this 5E plan and the big ideas from many important topics later in the course, including convection in the mantle and atmosphere.

In this instructional sequence students will explore different types of rocks as they discover ways in which rocks are classified. Students then learn about how different types of rocks are formed by modeling the rock cycle in order to explain the common characteristics of sedimentary, metamorphic, and igneous rocks. Finally, students will apply their understanding of rocks by using the ESRT to identify various rocks.