Grade 3: Changes to Earth
What is a sudden change? Give one example
Changes the earth quickly. Examples include volcano eruption, landslide, wildfire, tornado, etc...
Solid rock, the thinnest layer
What is the lithosphere?
is the outer layers of Earth’s surface, is made of rocks, contains soils and minerals that support life
What is conservation?
the careful maintenance and upkeep of a natural resource to prevent it from disappearing
What is one way that humans can change Earths surface? What is one way that animals can change Earths surface?
cutting down trees, polluting water, paving roads
burrowing to make homes, pine beetles eating trees
What is a gradual change? List one example.
Changes that take a long time. Erosion due to wind, ice, water such as glaciers moving and changing the land or rivers creating valleys.
What is the mantle?
hot liquid rock that is always moving
What is the atmosphere?
is a gas layer that surrounds Earth, warms Earth’s surface, reduces extremes of temperature, contains oxygen, which is used for breathing
What is the name of the organization that works hard to protect and educate about Canada's national parks and cultural heritage?
Parks Canada
What is a fossil? How can you tell how old one is?
Bonus: where can they be found in Alberta today?
The preserved remains of plants and animals whose bodies were buried in sediments, such as sand and mud.
The deeper they are found the older they are!
Dinosaur Provincial Park in the Alberta Badlands.
What is erosion?
When parts of the Earth are worn away or moved. Usually caused by wind, water, and/or ice.
liquid, but cooler than the inner core
What is the hydrosphere?
all areas of Earth that are covered with water, necessary for sustaining life
What is a natural resource? Why are they important for humans?
Water, wood, rocks, minerals
Water keeps humans and animals alive. Wood is used to build things such as homes.
What is soil? Why is it important?
Soil can be a habitat for living organisms. Soil provides plants with nutrients to grow.
What is weathering?
When rocks break down into smaller pieces but do not move
What is the inner core?
Solid, hottest layer
What is the biosphere?
life on Earth, regions of Earth where life is supported
How do Indigenous Groups view nature? What about water?
All things are interconnected and they live in harmony with the land.
Water is needed for all aspects of life, it is the giver of all life.
Why is the sun important? How does it impact different areas such as Alberta, a desert, or a forest?
living things need the sun to survive and the sun helps keep our earth warm.
In Alberta, sunlight is more direct, and the length of daylight is longer, in summer than in winter.
Desert - warmer, no shade, sand does not hold onto heat
Forest - cooler, shade from plants, holds onto warmth in the night time
What is a glacier and how do they impact the Earths surface?
Answers may vary.
melting glacier form many major rivers in Alberta. Earth warming has caused glaciers to melt which impacts the surface of the Earth.
What is the order or the layers of the Earth?
Crust - outer most layer
Mantle
Outer core
Inner Core - inner most layer
Are the spheres interconnected? Can you please give an example?
Answers will vary.
Ex: polluting the water in the hydrosphere will impact the biosphere because animals live in and drink the water.
What group of people does Parks canada work closely with to take care of special places in Canada?
Indigenous Groups
What are the layers within soil?
Bedrock
parent rock
subsoil
topsoil