Science 6.10

Earth and space. The student understands the structure of Earth, the rock cycle, and plate tectonics. The student is expected to: (A) build a model to illustrate the compositional and mechanical layers of Earth, including the inner core, outer core, mantle, crust, asthenosphere, and lithosphere; (B) classify rocks as metamorphic, igneous, or sedimentary by the processes of their formation; (C) identify the major tectonic plates, including Eurasian, African, Indo-Australian, Pacific, North American, and South American; and (D) describe how plate tectonics causes major geological events such as ocean basin formation, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and mountain building.