Middle School (6-8) Performance Expectations
This page lists various NGSS standards for middle school students. Specifically, this page lists standards that can be taught more easily by using Pi-WRF. Please note that there may be additional Pi-WRF-compatible NGSS standards that are not listed here.
1. MS-ESS2-5 Earth’s Systems
There are many elements that define weather, such as temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind. Climate is the change in these elements over time. It is important for students to be able to demonstrate an understanding of weather and climate. This standard emphasizes the need for students to show such an understanding. It is important for learners to understand that changes in weather are caused by flow of air masses. Atmospheric air masses naturally flow from regions of high air pressure to regions of low air pressure. Learners are also expected to understand that data from the environment allow weather to be predicted.
Weather conditions (such as temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed) can change across different regions as well as time periods (in other words, across space and time). By using Pi-WRF, learners can investigate and better understand changes in weather, and can also learn how to forecast weather. Students can also use Pi-WRF to investigate relationships between many disparate environmental conditions, and how changes in one can affect others. This can be performed by integrating other environmental data (such as pressure logs, air quality, and altitude) with weather data and maps.
Performance Expectation Students can use data to provide evidence for changes in weather due to movement and interaction of air masses. This NGSS standard is composed of the following NGSS 3-D learning elements: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations. Collect, and then produce, data to serve as the basis for evidence. Use this evidence to answer scientific questions, or to test design solutions under a wide range of conditions. |
ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes Local weather patterns are greatly influenced by complex atmospheric patterns. These patterns are formed by changes and movement of water in the atmosphere, and are determined by factors such as winds, landforms, ocean temperature, and ocean currents. ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Weather is affected by environmental change patterns, which are quite complex. As such, weather predictions inevitably involve an element of probability. | Cause and Effect Cause-and-effect relationships can be an important tool for prediction of phenomena. These predictions can be used in either natural or designed systems. Patterns Graphs and data are used across most fields to understand phenomena and to make decisions. |
2. MS-ESS2-6 Earth’s Systems
Variance in weather patterns can be caused by many factors, including variations in latitude or altitude, geographic land distribution, and vegetation coverage. It is important for students to be able to demonstrate an understanding of weather pattern variance. This standard emphasizes the need for students to show such an understanding. By using the Pi-WRF application, students can collect, analyze, and visualize weather data across different domains (locations). Students can compare weather data with other students’ weather data (in a single classroom, for example), or compare their weather data against weather data gathered by professional meteorologists. By comparing weather data in this way, students can gain a better understanding of how factors such as temperature, precipitation, and wind speed can vary across latitudes and altitudes.
Performance Expectation Students must learn how to develop and use a model to describe rotation and unequal heating of the Earth. Students must also understand how these properties cause patterns of atmospheric circulation, which determine regional climates. This NGSS standard is composed of the following NGSS 3-D learning elements: | ||
|---|---|---|
| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
Developing and Using Models Develop and use models as a means of describing scientific phenomena. |
ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes There are many factors that determine climate, but one of the main factors is the global patterns of interconnected ocean currents. These currents are driven by variations in density, which are in turn caused by ocean temperature and salinity. ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Weather and climate are influenced by many interactions involving many Earth science systems. These systems include sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. There are many factors that affect these interactions, such as latitude, altitude, local geography, and regional geography. All of these elements can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns. |
Systems and System Models Models are often created and used to represent systems and their interactions, as well as energy, matter, and information flows within systems. Interactions commonly modeled include inputs, processes, and outputs. |
3. MS-ESS3-2. Earth and Human Activity
Natural disasters are among the most important Earth science events to be able to predict. However, the predictability of types of natural disasters varies greatly. For example, volcanic eruptions and severe weather are preceded by phenomena that can be scientifically detected, making these natural disasters easy to predict. Other natural disasters, such as earthquakes, cannot be scientifically detected far enough ahead of time with current equipment, and thus are not yet predictable. It is important for students to demonstrate an understanding of variations in predictability of natural disasters. This standard emphasizes the need for students to show such an understanding.
By using the Pi-WRF application, learners can analyze historical (ideal) data on a particular severe weather event, such as tornadoes, and use the data to predict the possibility of the event reoccurring in a given time frame. Educators can also use Pi-WRF to develop lessons on weather conditions that precede severe weather. By analyzing these conditions, students and educators can predict the possibility of a severe weather event, such as a hurricane, tornado, or flood. Data on such weather conditions can also be used to model the features of a severe weather event, such as location, magnitude, and frequency.
Performance Expectation Analyze and interpret data on various natural disasters. Use these data to better forecast catastrophic events. In addition, use the same data to help inform the development of technologies that mitigate the impact of catastrophic events. This NGSS standard is composed of the following NGSS 3-D learning elements: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings. |
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards Forecasting the locations and likelihoods of future natural disasters in a region requires many types of data. Important data for these forecasts include the history of natural disasters in the region, as well as related geological forces and an understanding of such forces. (MS-ESS3-2) | Patterns Patterns in scientific data are not always obvious. The use of graphs, charts, and images can help identify these patterns. (MS-ESS3-2) Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World All human activity makes use of natural resources. This can have many effects of the health of humans as well as the natural environment. Furthermore, these effects can be either short-term or long-term, and either positive or negative. There are many different scientific uses of technology. There
are also many restrictions placed on such technology use, such as
political or economic restrictions. There are many driving
factors for both of these elements, including:
Thus, the use of technology for science can vary over geographical and political regions as well as over time. |
4. MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity
One of the most important issues in today's world is the issue of anthropogenic (human-caused) climate change. Many typical human activities, such as fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and agricultural activity, contribute to this climate change. It is important for students to demonstrate an understanding of the link between human activities and increases in global and regional temperature. This standard emphasizes the need for students to show such an understanding.
By using the Pi-WRF application, students can collect many types of data on climate change. Most importantly, students can collect data on temperature differences across various locations with differing and distinct activities. For example, fossil fuel combustion is one of the main causes of anthropogenic climate change. Pi-WRF can assist students in scientifically proving this for themselves. First, students can compare data from oil-producing and coal-mining states with data from states with little or no fossil fuel production. However, it is important for students to learn that complex scientific concepts, such as climate change, have many elements, and thus require collection of many types of data. For example, by using Pi-WRF, students can collect data on industrial and agricultural activity in a given location. Students can then use these data to investigate whether a correlation exists between specific human activity and rising temperatures in that location.
Performance Expectation Ask questions to clarify evidence on the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century. This NGSS standard is composed of the following NGSS 3-D learning elements: |
||
|---|---|---|
| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting Concepts |
Asking Questions and Defining Problems Identify and clarify evidence of a scientific argument by asking questions and attempting to answer them. |
ESS3.D: Global Climate Change Scientific data prove that there is currently a dramatic rise in Earth's mean surface temperature. This global warming is caused primarily by human activities. Many human activities contribute to global warming, but the most important is the burning of fossil fuels, which releases greenhouse gases. There are many decisions and activities that can reduce global warming and its impact, but most require specialized knowledge. This knowledge includes, among other things, understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and human behavior. | Stability and Change There are many changes that can disturb the stability of a scientific system. Some of these changes are sudden, while others are gradual and accumulate over time. |