Students will be able to do the following upon the completion of each of the units.

Unit 1

1.Explain the importance of the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, ozone layer, and the ionosphere. 

2.Discuss the composition of the atmosphere from Earth's beginning to today. 

3.Relate the properties of air. 

4.Explain the force of gravity. 

5.Tell the difference between global winds and local winds and give examples. 

6.Use the concepts of air pressure, air density and temperature differential to explain what causes
wind.

7.Discuss compass points and naming of winds.

8.Discuss the atmospheric factors which contribute to weather.

9.Explain the water cycle, including evaporation, condensation and precipitation. 

10.Discuss the different families of clouds, and tell what kind of weather they usually indicate.

11.Compare lightning, thunder, tornadoes, hurricanes, and cyclones.

12.Explain sources of weather data, the function of weather instruments, and the symbols used in  
forecasting.  

Unit 2

 1.Define astronomy and list several facts about its early history. 

2.Describe different types of telescopes and their uses.

3.Tell the difference between refracting and reflecting telescopes. 

4.Identify three different constellations, and explain upon what star brightness depends. 

5.List the 9 planets and give one fact about each. 

6.Define or describe satellites, solar system, asteroid, comet, meteor, tides. (PS)

7.Explain the sun as a source of energy and the rotating and revolving of the moon. 

8.Explain why there are seasons and solar and lunar eclipses. 

9.Generally explain how rockets move and about the different types of satellites and spacecraft.

Unit 3