Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
Honors 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 Honors 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 Honors 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 know what time is the 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 Honors 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; investigate and verify scientific concepts and principles; analyze data; construct models; 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 Honors 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, there are different components your learner will interact with. These components will not be used every day. Getting Started Lesson: 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 about 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 past and present knowledge and will get ready for the lesson’s instruction. Discover: New content and instruction is 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 learner will be able to practice and answer questions as they work through the lesson. Show: Your 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 your learner 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 learners 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, your 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 them to think about their learning and their work habits. Quiz and Test Components: In addition to assignments and projects, this course also includes quizzes, tests, and exams. 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 learners with opportunities to engage in scientific practices and solve real-world problems. Curriculum Kit: Learners receive a box of science supplies that include materials for science labs and hands-on activities throughout the course. Honors Earth Science Notebook: Your learners will receive an Honors Earth Science Notebook in which they can take notes and reflect on their learning to support the online lesson. Honors 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 be able to explain the purpose of the scientific process. Learners will also analyze the difference between scientific theory and law. They will explore maps used in Earth Science and the careers available in the field of Earth Science. Throughout this unit, your learner will have the opportunity to explore their curriculum kit. 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 Earth Science help to advance technology? What is one take away from this unit that you did not know previously? What did you like most about this unit? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will explore how Earth Science has contributed to advancements in human experience. Your learner will also have the opportunity to go through their Curriculum Kit and inventory their materials for the course. Kit Materials curriculum kit materials, Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials Colored pencils, pens, pencils, erasers Earth’s Place in Space Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the formation of the universe and solar system. They will describe the parts of the solar system and how they interact with each other. Your learner will also complete their first project, which compares different types of planets. 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 one piece of information you did not know before that you find interesting now? What are the ways the sun influences Earth? What was your favorite part of the planets project? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will have the opportunity to complete their first project comparing terrestrial planets and gas giants of their choice. Learners will also describe parts of the solar system and how they interact. Kit Materials Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Earth’s History Unit 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 understand 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 What is one piece of information you did not know before that you find interesting now? How do geologists know about events in Earth’s history? What will you remember from the geologic history timeline assignment? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will complete a two-day activity on geologic history. Students will also complete an investigation of fossils in Pennsylvania. Kit Materials 21-Piece Fossil Kit, Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Earth’s Interior and Plate Tectonics Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the composition of Earth and its layers. They will make a connection between Earth’s layers and continental drift. Learners will also explore how earthquakes, volcanoes, and mountains are connected to plate tectonics and how to read a topographic map. 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 one piece of information you did not know before that you find interesting now? Why are topographic maps important? How has Earth’s landscape changed over time? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will complete an assignment on finding the epicenter of an earthquake. They will also complete an assignment on reading topographic maps. Kit Materials calculator, Discovering Topographical Maps Kit, Honors Earth Science Notebook, ruler, scissors, tape, waxed paper Household Materials colored water, eraser, paper towels, pens, pencils, white paper Earth’s Processes Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the carbon and nitrogen cycles. They will analyze how both cycles are connected, and how humans are impacting each of the cycle. 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 What is one piece of information you did not know before that you find interesting now? Why is it important for energy on Earth to be constantly recycled? How are humans impacting the carbon and nitrogen cycles? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will complete an assignment on the changing carbon cycle. They will create a graph, analyze the data, and draw conclusions based on their findings. Kit Materials Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Rocks and Minerals Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore the different rocks and minerals that make up Earth. Your learner will complete a rock and mineral identification lab, and analyze the rocks and minerals found in Pennsylvania. 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 one piece of information you did not know before that you find interesting now? How are rocks and minerals different? What was your favourite part of the rock and mineral lab activity? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will have the opportunity to complete their first lab. Remind your learner about laboratory safety practices and how to handle rock and mineral samples with care. Your learner will also explore the different rocks and minerals found in various parts of Pennsylvania. Kit Materials Honors 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 explore wind, water, mechanical, and chemical weathering. They will also explore erosion, deposition and how each is interconnected. Your learner will analyze how weathering, erosion, and deposition have changed and shaped Pennsylvania’s landscape. 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 the difference between weathering and erosion? How has weathering from glaciers changed landscapes over Earth’s history? How are landscapes shaped by weathering, erosion, and deposition? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will analyze the different forms of weathering and erosion. They will also compare different types of weathering, such as weathering from waves and glaciers. Kit Materials Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Water and Earth’s Surface Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore different forms of water on Earth. They will identify the parts of the hydrosphere, and how water flows through Earth’s systems. Your learner will also explore features of oceans, including the seafloor and how scientists map Earth’s water. To wrap up this unit, your learner will explore different Earth Science careers. 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 Why is it important for scientists to map the ocean floor? How does life exist in the different ocean zones? What are some different Earth science careers that interest you? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will explore different careers in Earth science by completing a career day! Learners will also explore different features of the ocean floor and the availability of freshwater. Kit Materials Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Weather and Climate Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will analyze the difference between weather and climate. They will learn to read a weather map, what factors influence weather, and how weather drives climate over long periods of time. Your learner will also explore the climate of Pennsylvania over Earth’s history, and Earth’s past climates in general. 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 are weather and climate different? How does geographic location play a factor in weather and climate? How is severe weather formed by changes in air pressure? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will complete an assignment on reading a weather map. They will analyze global climate zones and how factors such as elevation and latitude influence climate. Your learner will also explore Earth’s past climates and what past climate events have shaped Pennsylvania’s landscape. Kit Materials Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Earth and Human Interactions Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will explore how humans interact with each of Earth’s systems. They will analyze how human activities impact the hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere, and atmosphere. 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 Why do humans need to begin searching for other resources for infrastructure? What are some actions you can take to reduce your ecological footprint? What are some examples of renewable and nonrenewable resources? Unit Notables In this unit, learners will complete a non-graded activity to analyze their ecological footprint and impact on Earth’s systems. Your learner will also analyze human impact on Earth’s resources. They will compare and contrast renewable and nonrenewable resources. Kit Materials calculator, Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers Climate Change and the Future Unit Unit Overview In this unit, your learner will analyze how climate change has fluctuated over time. They will learn how people can reduce climate change for the future by examining impacts on climate change. Your learner will have the opportunity to analyze graphs, gas emissions, and real environmental data. 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 major events in Earth’s history have impacted climate data? What are some actions being taken to help curb climate change? What strategies can be used to reduce the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere? Unit Notables In this unit, your learner will complete several capstone activities analyzing climate data. One activity will be to complete a calculation of their carbon footprint. Your learner may need help with some of the household information to complete the calculation. Kit Materials Honors Earth Science Notebook Household Materials pens, pencils, erasers
Enrolling Now for 2026-27 School Year.
