Name period date assigned date due date returned Directions: Go to the following website: https://www-k6.thinkcentral.com/epc/start.do Use the log in that is taped to the top of your laptop. If you are absent or completing the assignment for homework, use student30 as the username and science as the password. Go to Student Resources. Click on My Library then click on student resources. Next, click on Unit 8 Earth s Changing Surface and go down to Changes in. Next to that, click on the digital lesson. Follow the instructions given for each slide. After or while you watch the digital lesson, answer the following questions. You can also use the textbook (pages 592-607). These questions are in order based on the digital lesson. 1. The Texas coastline is frequently hit by hurricanes. What are some kinds of damage that hurricanes cause? 2. Compare and contrast a marsh and a prairie. How are they alike and how are they different? GULF COAST PRAIRIES AND MARSHES (screen 5 and 6) 3. Eli wants to build a house right on the beach along the Gulf. He says it will be strong enough to stand up to hurricane-force winds. Do you think Eli has a good plan for his house? Explain your answer. 1
4. Explain the difference between erosion and deposition. Then give an example of each that takes place on a beach. TEXAS WOODLAND ECOREGIONS (screen 7) 5. You are an early settler in Texas. You can settle in either the Piney Woods or the Post Oak Savannah. Which would you choose and why? PRAIRIE ECOSYSTEMS (screen 8) 6. Explain why deeper soils are affected less by erosion than shallow soils. WOODLAND AND PRAIRIE CHANGES (screen 9) 7. Why have people converted much of the prairie to other land uses? HIGH PLAINS ECOREGION (screen 10) 8. Why is it important for farmers and ranchers to know how their crops and herds affect the land? 2
MORE PLAINS ECOREGION (screen 11) 9. How do the natural grasses of the High Plains and Rolling Plains differ? What do you think was responsible for the differences? CHANGES TO PLAINS ECOREGIONS (screen 12) 10. Describe a helpful and harmful effect of ranching in the plains ecoregions. EDWARDS PLATEAU ECOREGION (screen 13) 11. How do chemical weathering and mechanical weathering differ? TRANS-PECOS ECOREGION (screen 14) 12. In the Trans-Pecos ecoregion, the actions of people have helped turn some areas from grassland into desert. Why is it important to study what has happened here? MORE CHANGES TO ECOREGIONS (screen 15) 13. How are the changes to the Edward s Plateau and the Trans-Pecos alike? 3
14. In which ecoregion do you live? Define it by the climate and vegetation that is located there. DESCRIBE SOIL CONSERVATION (screen 17) 15. Why is soil conservation more important on a farm than on a field of native grasses? ESSENTIAL QUESTION REVIEW (screen 18) 16. Which ecoregion do you think has undergone the most change in the last 100 years? Explain your answer. 17. In which ecoregion has chemical weathering played an important role? 18. How have cattle and other grazing animals changed Texas s ecoregions? 4
19 Which of the following can you find in Texas? A mountains and canyons B deserts and beaches C pine forests and swamps D all of them 21 The state of Texas can be divided into geographical areas defined by climate, plant and animal species that stay relatively within the same area. These large geographical areas are called: A counties B substates C ecosystems D ecoregions 20 Which ecoregion of Texas is most likely to be most affected by wind erosion? F East Texas Piney Woods G Blackland Prairies H Trans Pecos deserts J Rolling Plains 22 Palo Duro Canyon, often called the Grand Canyon of Texas, is located in the Panhandle. The steep walls and deep caves of the canyon were most likely carved by F years of prevailing winds from the Rocky mountains G deforestation by early settlers H water erosion from a fork of the Red River J continuous rainfall over long periods of time 5
Directions: Use the map of Texas ecoregions to answer the two questions under the map. 23 In George West, we live in the South Texas Brush Country ecoregion. Which letter shows the region we live in? A 1 B 2 C 3 D 4 24 The Trans Pecos region is found in far west Texas and is a dry, desert-like area with mountains and canyons. Which letter is the Trans Pecos region? F 1 G 2 H 3 J 4 6
25 In general, annual rainfall amounts in Texas increase from: N A north to south W E B south to north S C east to west D west to east 26 The formation of caves and canyons in the Edwards Aquifer occurs due to the movement of the water. What accounts for their differences? F G H J The movement of water on the surface of the Earth forms caves. The action of water as it seeps into the surface of the Earth forms caves. The chemical reaction of water and some minerals forms canyons. Canyon formation occurs during times of climate change. 7