Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Earth Science Learning Coach Guide Contents Introduction to Earth Science Unit13 Earth’s Place in Space Unit14 Earth’s History Unit15 Earth’s Interior and Plate Tectonics Unit16 Earth’s Processes Unit17 Rocks and Minerals Unit18 Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Unit19 Water and Earth’s Surface Unit20 Weather and Climate Unit21 Earth and Human Interactions Unit22 Climate Change and the Future Unit23 Part A:Welcome to Earth Science Welcome Letter Dear Learning Coach, Thank you for partnering with CCA and investing in your learner’s education. This Learning Coach Guide is intended to help you support your learner in their Earth Science course. Within this guide, you will find the goals, components, and features of the online course. Please take time to read and review this information so you understand how to help your learner interact with all the course’s elements. The Learning Coach Guide also includes information about each of the units in this course. On each page of unit information, you will discover the following. The Unit Overview will tell you what the focus, content, and skills of the unit will be. The Unit Assessment section is a place for you and your learner to preview the graded work in the course. At the start of each unit, work with your learner to look at the unit in edio and find out which types of graded work are in this unit. Write them in the box and use it as a checklist. You can check off each one as your learner completes it. The Unit Materials section tells you the materials your learner will need to complete the activities in this unit. You will also find the materials list repeated within each lesson so that your learner has exactly what they need at the right time. The Unit Discussion Questions are optional questions that you may want to ask your learner during the unit to increase home and school connections about what your learner is studying. In the Unit Notables section, you may find optional activities, career connections, technology tips, ideas to help your learner if they get stuck, or safety tips. CCA wishes you and your learner a terrific school year! Supporting Your Learner Your role as a Learning Coach is very important. Here are a few ways you can help your learner do their very best in the course. Help your learner to know what time guided or live class instruction is scheduled for, and prompt them to attend sessions or watch recordings. Remember, it is okay for your learner to get stuck. Learning new material takes time. Encourage them to take breaks, keep trying, and even ask the teacher for help. Help your learner navigate technology. That may mean helping them type information or upload work into edio. Always encourage your learner to do their very best. Review the course syllabus for your learner’s course. Maintain communication with your learner’s teacher. Part B:Course Information Course Goals In Earth Science, your learner will use the foundations they learned in previous science courses to explore the basic concepts of Earth Science. Your learner will apply their scientific knowledge to exploring and researching new information about Earth and its processes. By the end of the year, your learner will be able to: communicate scientific ideas; demonstrate problem-solving and reasoning with scientific concepts; develop their scientific literacy skills; analyze scientific data; construct models; investigate scientific concepts and principles; construct scientific arguments supported by evidence; explain Earth’s place in the universe; explain the importance of Earth’s processes; investigate how human activities affect Earth’s processes; and reflect on their own interactions with Earth’s systems. Course Format Lesson Components: Each day, your learner will spend 45–60 minutes completing an Earth Science lesson. Some days may take less time, while other days may take a little more time. The lesson does not need to be completed in one sitting. Encourage your learner to take short breaks as they need. This section will help you to understand how your learner’s course is structured in edio. Lesson Bundling: A lesson bundle is a collection of lessons that stack up to equal one full class period. On some days, learners will see bundles, such as a Knowledge Check and the daily lesson or a combination of a Quiz Review and Quiz. See example below. Within the lesson bundles, your learner will interact with different components, some of which will not be used every day. Getting Started: There is one Getting Started lesson in this course. It can be found on Day 1 of Unit 1. This lesson includes important information about the course and contact information for your teacher. Unit Overview: Each unit will include a unit overview. This describes what your learner will learn in the unit and how many assessments the unit will have. Prep for Success: At the beginning of each unit, your learner will find Prep for Success. This component offers learners tips to be successful in the course, such as study tips, important software information, safety reminders, and more. Knowledge Check: There will be one Knowledge Check in each unit. The Knowledge Check is designed to check prior learning and understanding of key skills and concepts that will be taught in the unit. The Knowledge Check is not a graded assessment. Vocabulary: This section includes the lesson objectives and any new and prerequisite vocabulary. Lesson: Following the vocabulary instruction, learners will move into their regular science lesson, which will follow the pattern of Engage – Discover – Show. Lesson Components: Each lesson has its own components to help guide your learner through the lesson. Lesson Overview: At the beginning of every lesson, your learner will see the lesson overview. This section contains lesson objectives, lesson vocabulary, materials your learner will need for the lesson, and the suggested lesson length. Engage: The first section of the lesson is Engage. In this section, your learner will be introduced to the lesson by making a connection to the past and present knowledge and will get ready for the lesson’s instruction. Discover: New content and instruction are presented in the Discover section. Your learner will interact with the lesson content through defined vocabulary terms, videos, audio, and Pause and Think activities. Your learners will be able to practice and answer questions as they work through the lesson. Show: Learners will demonstrate what they have learned in the lesson through a series of practice questions. Optional More to Explore: At the end of some lessons, an Optional More to Explore Activity will appear. The activity will introduce your learner to an extension that includes more information about the day’s lesson topic. Your learner may skip the activity and move directly to the lesson summary. Summary: This section recaps the day’s objectives and prepares learners for a future lesson or assessment. Assignments and Projects Components: The course includes assignments and projects. These graded assignments allow your learner to show what they have learned and apply their new skills. All CCA assignments and projects include these components. Assessment Overview: At the beginning of each assessment, your learner will see the assessment overview. This section contains the goals of the assessment, materials your learner will need, the length of the assessment, and directions for completion. Plan: In the Plan section, your learner will be introduced to the assignment or project. Your learner may be provided with a review of content from the previous lessons, strategies for completing the activity, graphic organizers, and grading rubrics. Do: Your learners will put their plan into action and work to complete the assignment or project successfully. This section also provides the grading expectations and/or rubric the teacher will use to grade the work. Reflect: In Reflect, learners will think back to the work they completed. They will reflect upon the experience and analyze how well they completed the task. These moments of reflection are important and allow learners to think about their learning and their work habits. Quiz and Test Components: In addition to assignments and projects, this course also includes quizzes and tests. Quiz Review: Before a quiz, your learner will have the opportunity to review the content they will be assessed on in a quiz. Quiz: A quiz may be given at the end of a topic or the end of a unit. A quiz will usually be worth 10–15 points. Test Review: Before a test, your learner will have the opportunity to review the content they will be assessed on in the test. Test: A test will assess learning across topics or at the end of a unit. A test is usually worth 25–50 points. Course Features This course includes and uses unique features such as: Science Labs: Science labs include hands-on or virtual investigations that provide your learner with opportunities to engage in scientific practices and solve real-world problems. Curriculum Kit: Your learner will receive a box of science supplies that include materials for science labs and hands-on activities throughout the course. Earth Science Notebook: Your learner will receive an Earth Science Notebook in which they can take notes and reflect on their learning to support the online lesson. Earth Science Notebooks will be used to collect data during science labs. Part C:Unit Information Introduction to Earth Science Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will learn about the field of Earth Science. They will learn and explore different fields of Earth Science along with different types of tools that are used to study parts of Earth. Learners will also explore career options in the field of Earth Science and the types of certifications required to pursue these careers. Unit Assessments Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What did you learn about the field of Earth Science? What tools are used by scientists to study Earth? What did you like most about this unit? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will review the fundamentals of scientific practices and the steps used to develop conclusions and create scientific theories that are evidence-based. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Curriculum Kit Household Materials erasers, pencils, pens Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Earth’s Place in Space Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the universe and the solar system. Your learner will understand how different types of celestial objects, such as stars and planets, form and interact with one another. Your learner will also compare different types of planets and evaluate their properties to determine the possibility of life existing there. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How was the universe formed? What are the ways the sun influences Earth? What are the differences between the terrestrial planets and gas giants in the solar system? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete their first Earth Science project, in which they will investigate and prepare a presentation on two different planets. Encourage your learner to choose the planets they find most interesting to explore. Remind your learner to read the instructions carefully to complete all parts of the project. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials erasers, pencils, pens Unit Overview In this unit, learners will explore the formation of Earth and its early history. Your learner will investigate the major events that occurred in Earth’s history and how they shaped life to how it is today. Your learner will learn about how the ages of fossils and rocks are measured and how fossils help with understanding Earth’s past. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How was Earth formed? How do geologists know about events in Earth’s history? What types of life survived the extinction events that happened? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will have the opportunity to learn about the geologic history of Pennsylvania and apply that information to the landscapes and features they see around them. Encourage your learner to apply what they’re learning to their real-world surroundings. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials erasers, pencils, pens Earth’s Interior and Plate Tectonics Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will learn about the composition of Earth and its interior layers. They will learn about how convection cycles in Earth’s mantle create the plate tectonic movement of Earth’s crust. Your learner will evaluate the motions of tectonic plates and make connections to the formation of landforms such as volcanoes and mountains. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How does convection in the mantle affect Earth’s crust? What is the evidence for plate tectonics? How are earthquakes and volcanoes related to plate tectonics? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will take their first unit test on plate tectonics. Encourage your learner to complete the review lesson before taking the test. Tell your learner to be sure to carefully read each question and choose the best answer. Also, tell your learner to answer each prompt when responding to a text answer question. Kit Materials calculator, Discovering Topographical Maps Kit, Earth Science Notebook, ruler, scissors, tape, waxed paper Household Materials Colored water, paper towels, pencils, pens, white paper Earth’s Processes Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will diagram the carbon and nitrogen cycles. They will also examine how carbon and nitrogen interact with each other and are influenced by different parts of Earth, including humans. Your learner will also identify different sources of energy that drive Earth’s processes. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How is energy cycled through Earth? How are humans impacting the carbon and nitrogen cycles? How is the carbon cycle changing, and what impact does that have on Earth? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will graph real-world data on carbon levels in the atmosphere. They will then analyze the carbon data to create evidence-based conclusions about carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and how it will impact the environment. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials erasers, pencils, pens Rocks and Minerals Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will investigate different types of rocks and minerals and their uses. Your learner will also explore the rock cycle and how different rocks are made by various Earth processes. They will also learn about the rock structures of Pennsylvania and how they shape the landforms throughout the state. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How do you identify minerals? How are different rocks formed? What types of rocks can be found in Pennsylvania? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will participate in multiple hands-on rock and mineral activities. Remind your learner about laboratory safety practices and how to handle rock and mineral samples with care. Encourage your learner to compare the properties of the samples to fully appreciate the formation process of rocks and minerals. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook, Mineral Identification Kit, Rock and Mineral Sample Set, Mineral Test Kit, Rock Identification Kit Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Weathering, Erosion, and Deposition Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will learn about the processes of weathering, erosion, and deposition and how they impact the formation of different landscapes. Your learner will explore the landscapes around Pennsylvania and understand how they formed. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How did the Grand Canyon form? What is the difference between weather, erosion, and deposition? How are landscapes shaped by weathering, erosion, and deposition? Unit Notables Your learner will have the opportunity to explore how different places on Earth formed such as the Grand Canyon, New England, and glaciers. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Water and Earth’s Surface Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will learn about the water cycle and the presence of water on Earth’s surface and atmosphere. Your learner will explore the oceans and the types of life that exist in the different ocean zones. Your learner will also learn about different careers in Earth Science. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How does life exist in the different ocean zones? What sources of freshwater exist on Earth? Which Earth Science careers did you find most interesting? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete a two-day project where they will explore the careers found in the field of Earth Science. They will choose a career field they are interested in and create a resume as if they are applying for a particular position. You can give your learner a completed resume as an example. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Weather and Climate Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the structure and composition of Earth’s atmosphere. They will investigate the role of water in weather patterns and cloud formation and the impact of winds and global circulation on the type of weather experienced in various locations. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Lab _________________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How do changes in air pressure form severe weather? What causes wind and global circulation? Can you predict what the weather will be like tomorrow? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete an assignment where they will practice reading and interpreting weather maps. Your learner will apply the knowledge of weather systems learned in this unit to forecast the weather. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Earth and Human Interactions Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will investigate how human populations impact the different environments they live in. They will explore the factors that are calculated into an ecological footprint. Your learner will compare renewable and nonrenewable resources and how humans use them. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions What is population density? What are some examples of renewable and nonrenewable resources? What are some ways humans can minimize their impact on natural resources? Unit Notables In this unit, your leaner will learn about the relationship between humans and Earth’s systems. They will investigate what happens when humans overuse available resources and ways that humans can create more sustainable living practices. Kit Materials calculator, Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Climate Change and the Future Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your leaner will explore climate change. They will investigate the role greenhouse gases play in climate change and how they are released into the atmosphere. Your learner will analyze evidence to show how climate change impacts different parts of Earth’s systems. Unit Assessments Quiz _________________________ Test _________________________ Assignment ________________ Project _____________________ Exam _______________________ Have your learner identify which assessment type they see in their unit. Check all that apply. Unit Discussion Questions How does climate change impact Earth’s oceans? What strategies can be used to reduce the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? What are some ways that you can reduce your carbon footprint? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will calculate their own carbon footprint to see how they impact the environment. Your learner may need help with some of the household information to complete this calculation. Encourage your learner to think about how they can reduce their carbon footprint. Kit Materials Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
