ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth's Surface Processes
ESS3.A: Natural Resources
Unit 4 Big Ideas
About 70% of Earth is covered by water
Plants release water vapor into the air through their leaves by a process called tranpiration
The human body is made up of 60-75% water
Fresh water is not abundant. Only 3% of the Earth's water is fresh water
Most water must be treated before people can use it
The ocean floor can be divided into three major regions: the continental shelf, the continental slope, and the abyssal plain
Oceans keep Earth's climate mild because they heat up and cool down more slowly than land
Many things are used from the ocean as resources, such as seafood, sea salt, fresh water, pearls, and petroleum
Required Readings and Lessons (Chapter 9)
What is the Water Cycle? pp. 336-342
What are the Characteristics of the Ocean? pp.344-350
What Lives in the Ocean? pp.352-360
Unit Vocabulary water cycle evaporation condensation precipitation groundwater continental shelf continental slope abyssal plain current intertidal zone near-shore zone open-ocean zone coral reefs