HS - ESS2.D (A) - Foundations of Earth's Global Climate - ASSIGNED (RC)

Module: Foundations of Earth’s Global Climate

DCI: ESS2.D (A) The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.

PE: HS-ESS2-2 Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.

PE: HS-ESS2-4 Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s systems result in changes in climate.

[Clarification Statement: Examples should include climate feedbacks, such as how an increase in greenhouse gases causes a rise in global temperatures that melts glacial ice, which reduces the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth's surface, increasing surface temperatures and further reducing the amount of ice. Examples could also be taken from other system interactions, such as how the loss of ground vegetation causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge, decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent.]

[Clarification Statement: Examples of the causes of climate change differ by timescale, over 1-10 years: large volcanic eruption, ocean circulation; 10-100s of years: changes in human activity, ocean circulation, solar output; 10-100s of thousands of years: changes to Earth's orbit and the orientation of its axis; and 10-100s of millions of years: long-term changes in atmospheric composition.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment of the results of changes in climate is limited to changes in surface temperatures, precipitation patterns, glacial ice volumes, sea levels, and biosphere distribution.]

The ideas here are: 

- Electromagnetic radiation from the sun serves as the foundation for the Earth's global climate systems

- EM radiation from the sun can be reflected, absorbed, stored and redistributed among the atmosphere, land, and oceans. 

- EM radiation can also be re-radiated back into space

We will have to be looking at data and using it to support the idea that a change in one of the Earth's surface can affect other Earth's systems. We can also explain changes in climate by looking at the relationships between the different systems, and specifically how that relates to the properties of water.  

There are tons of examples to pull from in the clarification statements, we can lean heavily on those for question starters.  

Possible Question Starters: 

"Greenhouse gases in the Earth's atmosphere can lead to a warmer climate.  Which of the following best explains the mechanisms by which this occurs?"

HS - ESS2.C (C) - Properties of Water - FINAL (CLF)

Module: Properties of Water

DCI: ESS2.C (C) The abundance of liquid water on Earth’s surface and its unique combination of physical and chemical properties are central to the planet’s dynamics. These properties include water’s exceptional capacity to absorb, store, and release large amounts of energy, transmit sunlight, expand upon freezing, dissolve and transport materials, and lower the viscosities and melting points of rocks.

PE: HS-ESS2-5 Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes.

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on mechanical and chemical investigations with water and a variety of solid materials to provide the evidence for connections between the hydrologic cycle and system interactions commonly known as the rock cycle. Examples of mechanical investigations include stream transportation and deposition using a stream table, erosion using variations in soil moisture content, or frost wedging by the expansion of water as it freezes. Examples of chemical investigations include chemical weathering and recrystallization (by testing the solubility of different materials) or melt generation (by examining how water lowers the melting temperature of most solids).]

The ideas in this standard are: 

- liquid water on the Earth's surface is central to the dynamic process taking place 

- water has unique chemical and physical properties which play a role in these processes

- water has the capacity to absorb, store, and release large amounts of heat energy 

- water has the capacity to transmit sunlight

- water has the capacity to expand upon freezing

- water has the capacity to dissolve and transport materials

- water has the capacity to lower the viscocities and melting points of rocks

So there is quite a bit of content here, strictly related to the physical and chemical properties of water.  But, it seems as if all of this is really supposed to be in connection to the idea that the water cycle plays a role in the rock cycle.  We can probably ask one or two general questions about water's behavior, but then we need to get more into the PE.  We can use examples from the clarification statement as our "investigations". We can set up an "investigation" and then ask things like "which type of data would support the idea that water plays a role in the rock cycle?"

HS - ESS2.B (B) - Plate Tectonics and Earth's Features - FINAL (RC 4/7/2014)

Module: Plate Tectonics and Earth’s Features

ESS2.B.1:  The radioactive decay of unstable isotopes continually generates new energy within Earth’s crust and mantle, providing the primary source of the heat that drives mantle convection. Plate tectonics can be viewed as the surface expression of mantle convection. (HS-ESS2-3)

PE:HS – ESS2-3 – Develop a model based on evidence of Earth’s interior to describe the cycling of matter by thermal convection.

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on both a one-dimensional model of Earth, with radial layers determined by density, and a three-dimensional model, which is controlled by mantle convection and the resulting plate tectonics. Examples of evidence include maps of Earth’s three-dimensional structure obtained from seismic waves, records of the rate of change of Earth’s magnetic field (as constraints on convection in the outer core), and identification of the composition of Earth’s layers from high-pressure laboratory experiments.]

DCI: ESS2.B (B) Plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of the rocks at Earth’s surface and provides a framework for understanding its geologic history. Plate movements are responsible for most continental and ocean-floor features and for the distribution of most rocks and minerals within Earth’s crust.

PE: HS-ESS2-1 Develop a model to illustrate how Earth’s internal and surface processes operate at different spatial and temporal scales to form continental and ocean-floor features.

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on how the appearance of land features (such as mountains, valleys, and plateaus) and sea-floor features (such as trenches, ridges, and seamounts) are a result of both constructive forces (such as volcanism, tectonic uplift, and orogeny) and destructive mechanisms (such as weathering, mass wasting, and coastal erosion).] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include memorization of the details of the formation of specific geographic features of Earth’s surface.]

There are lots of ideas in this one: 

- new energy is being continually generated in the Earth's core by the process of radioactive decay of unstable isotopes

- this process provides the heat which is moved through the mantle by convection 

- plate tectonics can be seen as a surface expression of mantle convection 

We can address this easily, but just asking some basic mechanics about convection in the mantle.

- plate tectonics is a unifying theory that explains the past and current movements of the rocks at Earth's surface

- plate tectonics also gives us a framework for understanding the Earth's history

- we can attribute continental and ocean floor features to the movement of tectonic plates

This one is easy too, we are basically able to tie any geologic feature back to the movement of tectonic plates.  

HS - ESS1.C (A) - Earth's Formation - FINAL (RC 4/1/2014)

Module: Earth’s Formation

DCI: ESS1.C (A) Continental rocks, which can be older than 4 billion years, are generally much older than the rocks of the ocean floor, which are less than 200 million years old.

PE: HS-ESS1-5 Evaluate evidence of the past and current movements of continental and oceanic crust and the theory of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks.

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples include evidence of the ages oceanic crust increasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate spreading) and the ages of North American continental crust increasing with distance away from a central ancient core (a result of past plate interactions).]

The ideas are: 

- continental rocks are older than the rocks of the ocean floor

- continental rocks can be older than 4 billion years

- ocean floor rocks are less than 200 million years old

The big picture here is that we are using the age discrepancy of the two types of rocks to support the idea that the tectonic plates are moving away from each other at the ocean floor. 

Possible Question Starters: 

A diagram of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is provided. 

Which piece of evidence, collected from the rocks surrounding the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, would support the idea that tectonic plates are moving away from each other? 

correct answer - rocks further away from the ridge are older than those that are closer

HS - ESS1.C (B) - Earth's Early History - FINAL (RC 4/14/2014)

Module: Earth’s Early History

DCI: ESS1.C (B) Although active geologic processes, such as plate tectonics and erosion, have destroyed or altered most of the very early rock record on Earth, other objects in the solar system, such as lunar rocks, asteroids, and meteorites, have changed little over billions of years. Studying these objects can provide information about Earth’s formation and early history.

PE: HS-ESS1-6 Apply scientific reasoning and evidence from ancient Earth materials, meteorites, and other planetary surfaces to construct an account of Earth’s formation and early history.

 [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using available evidence within the solar system to reconstruct the early history of Earth, which formed along with the rest of the solar system 4.6 billion years ago. Examples of evidence include the absolute ages of ancient materials (obtained by radiometric dating of meteorites, moon rocks, and Earth’s oldest minerals), the sizes and compositions of solar system objects, and the impact cratering record of planetary surfaces.]

The ideas are: 

- The earliest rock records have been destroyed or altered by active geologic processes

- Lunar rocks, asteroids and meteorites, though, have changed little over billions of years.  

- We can use these objects to learn more about the formation of the Earth and its early history

So, students are supposed to use data from other planetary surfaces and apply them to formulate an understanding of earth's formation.  We can stick to information about ages, sizes, composition, and then also cratering. 

Possible Question Starters: 

"Scientists can use data from which of the following sources to help them understand how the earth formed?"

We can provide a table, with ages of several moon rocks, meteorites, etc.  We can ask students to tell us the approximate age of the Earth. 

We might be able to do the same thing but instead provide data on the composition of these rocks. 

HS - LS3.B (B) - Genetics - FINAL (AuMy 4/21/2014)

Module: Genetics

DCI: LS3.B (B) Environmental factors also affect expression of traits, and hence affect the probability of occurrences of traits in a population. Thus the variation and distribution of traits observed depends on both genetic and environmental factors.

PE: HS-LS3-2 Make and defend a claim based on evidence that inheritable genetic variations may result from: (1) new genetic combinations through meiosis, (2) viable errors occurring during replication, and/or (3) mutations caused by environmental factors.

PE: HS-LS3-3 Apply concepts of statistics and probability to explain the variation and distribution of expressed traits in a population.

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the use of mathematics to describe the probability of traits as it relates to genetic and environmental factors in the expression of traits.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include Hardy-Weinberg calculations.]

The ideas are: 

- environmental factors can affect the expression of traits

- environmental factors affect the probability of occurrences of traits in a population

- the variation and distribution of traits depends on both genetic factors and environmental factors

So we can establish, through some sort of evidence, that inherited variation was the result of genetic processes OR environmental factors (mutations).  In order to do this, we can provide information on a population with varied traits, and link that to one particular cause or another.  For example, in a population of fish, there may be a variety of traits and assuming that the fish all lived under the same environmental conditions, then it's assumable that the differences are a direct result of genetic information. The phrase 'use of mathematics' implies that it is ok to ask questions with Punnett Squares. 

Possible Question Starters:

"Which of the following correctly describes how meiosis contributes to populations with a variety of traits?"

"The gene for tallness (T) in a pea plant is dominant over the gene for shortness (t).  In a cross between two heterozygous parent pea plants, we can predict that what percentage of the offspring will be tall?"

HS - PS1.B (C) - Conservation of Matter - ASSIGNED (KG 3/25/2014)

Module: Conservation of Matter

DCI: PS1.B (C) The fact that atoms are conserved, together with knowledge of the chemical properties of the elements involved, can be used to describe and predict chemical reactions.

 PE: HS-PS1-2 Construct and revise an explanation for the outcome of a simple chemical reaction based on the outermost electron states of atoms, trends in the periodic table, and knowledge of the patterns of chemical properties.

[Clarification Statement: Examples of chemical reactions could include the reaction of sodium and chlorine, of carbon and oxygen, or of carbon and hydrogen.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to chemical reactions involving main group elements and combustion reactions.]

PE: HS-PS1-7 Use mathematical representations to support the claim that atoms, and therefore mass, are conserved during a chemical reaction.

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using mathematical ideas to communicate the proportional relationships between masses of atoms in the reactants and the products, and the translation of these relationships to the macroscopic scale using the mole as the conversion from the atomic to the macroscopic scale. Emphasis is on assessing students’ use of mathematical thinking and not on memorization and rote application of problem-solving techniques.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include complex chemical reactions.]

The ideas in this standard are: 

- we can use the knowledge that mass is conserved during a chemical reaction to describe and predict them 

- we also need to know the chemical properties of the elements involved to describe and predict what will happen during the chemical reaction 

In order to address the PE - students will need to evaluate a chemical reaction and then explain what happened based on electron arrangement, periodic trends, and chemical properties of elements.  We will have to supply a chemical equation in order to do this. (Why did sodium bond with chlorine?, etc)

Additionally, the second PE is just balancing equations.  Ideas related to the mole conversions are acceptable here.  The emphasis though, clearly, is on using mathematical thinking and not necessarily carrying out a complicated problem-solving technique. 

Possible Question Starters: 

"A chemical equation is provided. 

Al + H₂SO₄ → H₂ + Al₂(SO₄)₃

Which of the following best explains why, when the equation is balanced, there are three (SO4) molecules attached to the Aluminum atoms?"

"How many moles of H₂O are produced if 15.9 grams of C₂H₆ react with an excess of O₂?

2 C₂H₆ + 7 O₂ → 4 CO₂ + 6 H₂O"

MS - LS4 - Evolutionary history and relationships FINAL (CJT 3-25-14)

Module: Evolutionary History and Relationships

DCI: LS4.A (B) Anatomical similarities and differences between various organisms living today and between them and organisms in the fossil record, enable the reconstruction of evolutionary history and the inference of lines of evolutionary descent.

PE: MS-LS4-2 Apply scientific ideas to construct an explanation for the anatomical similarities and differences among modern organisms and between modern and fossil organisms to infer evolutionary relationships

[Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on explanations of the evolutionary relationships among organisms in terms of similarity or differences of the gross appearance of anatomical structures.]

The basic content of the standard seems to be as follows.

- We can reconstruct evolutionary histories by comparing anatomies of living things and long dead things.

The PE implies that kids have to be able to use evidence of anatomical similarities to reconstruct evolutionary histories.