Standard 6: Students will understand the source and distribution of energy on Earth and its effects on Earth systems.

Objective 1: Describe the transformation of solar energy into heat and chemical energy on Earth and eventually the radiation of energy to space.
a. Illustrate the distribution of energy coming from the sun that is reflected, changed into heat, or stored by plants.
b. Describe the pathways for converting and storing light energy as chemical energy (e.g., light energy converted to chemical energy stored in plants, plants become fossil fuel).
c. Investigate the conversion of light energy from the sun into heat energy by various Earth materials.
d. Demonstrate how absorbed solar energy eventually leaves the Earth system as heat radiating to space.
e. Construct a model that demonstrates the reduction of heat loss due to a greenhouse effect.
f. Research global changes and relate them to Earth systems (e.g., global warming, solar fluctuations).

Objective 2: Relate energy sources and transformation to the effects on Earth systems.
a. Describe the difference between climate and weather, and how technology is used to monitor changes in each.
b. Describe the effect of solar energy on the determination of climate and weather (e.g., El Nino, solar intensity).
c. Explain how uneven heating at the equator and polar regions creates atmospheric and oceanic convection currents that move heat energy around Earth.
d. Describe the Coriolis effect and its role in global wind and ocean current patterns.
e. Relate how weather patterns are the result of interactions among ocean currents, air currents, and topography.