This module emphasizes the processes of technological design as students investigate the size, shape and strength of various structures. Students determine what shapes make a structure strong and steady and identify the design elements of structures they find in their local environment. Students learn that changing the shape of a material can affect its strength and that joining materials together in certain ways does so as well. In this module, students investigate changes on the surface of Earth due to weathering and erosion. They learn about changes in land forms over time because of the interactions among soils, rocks, water and wind.
Students construct and use stream tables to model the flow of water over Earth's surface.
They describe sudden changes in Earth's surface due to volcanic eruptions, landslides, earthquakes and flooding and compare those with the slow changes due to weathering and erosion. Students focus on the interactions between living and nonliving things in natural and controlled environments. Students investigate two types of pollution problems, one personal and one environmental. First, students investigate the effects on the respiratory system of cigarette smoking. Second, students investigate some causes of air pollution in the environment, explore the harmful effects of air pollution on the respiratory system and propose ways that our society might reduce air pollution, improve air quality and thereby promote a healthy environment.