Grade 8
MS-ESS2-1
Analyze and interpret data to determine scale properties of objects in the solar system. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the analysis of data from Earth-based instruments, space-based telescopes, and spacecraft to determine similarities and differences among solar system objects. Examples of scale properties include the sizes of an objects layers (such as crust and atmosphere), … Read More “MS-ESS2-1”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS2-2
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence from rock strata for how the geologic time scale is used to organize Earths 4.6-billion-year-old history. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how analyses of rock formations and the fossils they contain are used to establish relative ages of major events in Earths history. Examples of Earths major events … Read More “MS-ESS2-2”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS2-3
"Develop a model to describe the cycling of Earths materials and the flow of energy that drives this process. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the processes of melting, crystallization, weathering, deformation, and sedimentation, which act together to form minerals and rocks through the cycling of Earths materials.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the identification … Read More “MS-ESS2-3”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS2-4
Construct an explanation based on evidence for how geoscience processes have changed Earths surface at varying time and spatial scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how processes change Earths surface at time and spatial scales that can be large (such as slow plate motions or the uplift of large mountain ranges) or small (such as … Read More “MS-ESS2-4”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS2-5
Analyze and interpret data on the distribution of fossils and rocks, continental shapes, and seafloor structures to provide evidence of the past plate motions. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data include similarities of rock and fossil types on different continents, the shapes of the continents (including continental shelves), and the locations of ocean structures (such as … Read More “MS-ESS2-5”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS2-6
Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earths systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ways water changes its state as it moves through the multiple pathways of the hydrologic cycle. Examples of models can be conceptual or physical.] [Assessment Boundary: … Read More “MS-ESS2-6”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS3-1
Construct a scientific explanation based on evidence for how the uneven distributions of Earths mineral, energy, and groundwater resources are the result of past and current geoscience processes. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how these resources are limited and typically non-renewable, and how their distributions are significantly changing as a result of removal by humans. … Read More “MS-ESS3-1”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS3-2
Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how some natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions and severe weather, are preceded by phenomena that allow for reliable predictions, but others, such as earthquakes, occur suddenly and … Read More “MS-ESS3-2”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS3-3
Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.* [Clarification Statement: Examples of the design process include examining human environmental impacts, assessing the kinds of solutions that are feasible, and designing and evaluating solutions that could reduce that impact. Examples of human impacts can include water usage … Read More “MS-ESS3-3”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS3-4
Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earths systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence include grade-appropriate databases on human populations and the rates of consumption of food and natural resources (such as freshwater, mineral, and energy). Examples of impacts can include changes to … Read More “MS-ESS3-4”
October 1, 2018MS-ESS3-5
Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors include human activities (such as fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and agricultural activity) and natural processes (such as changes in incoming solar radiation or volcanic activity). Examples of evidence can … Read More “MS-ESS3-5”
October 1, 2018MS-LS4-3
Analyze displays of pictorial data to compare patterns of similarities in the embryological development across multiple species to identify relationships not evident in the fully formed anatomy.
October 1, 2018