Unit: Weather and Climate
Knowledge:Suggested Instructional Resources
Topic
LearnerInObjectives
Topic
Resources
Weather Sample
4
addition to score 3.0 performance,
the studentTextbook
demonstrates
in-depth inferences
Patterns
and applications that go beyond what was taught.
and
how heat
is transferred
Weather
SystemI can describe
3
Students
demonstrate
they have developed an understanding of:
in a fluid.
Patterns and
Proficient
Systems
 Describe
how the flow of energy from the sun influences weather
I can explain temperature and
pressure trends in the lower

atmosphere.
patterns and interacts with the layers of the atmosphere
Investigate how daily weather over time determines climate patterns in a
given region
I can analyze air pressure and
 its Evaluate how natural resources and the occurrence of natural disasters
relationship to wind patterns. influence human activity
 Analyze the distribution and cause of global winds and their impact on
I can explain the causes of global and
local climates.
local wind patterns.
2
will recognize or recall :
I can relate
moistureStudents
in the
atmosphere to weather.
Specific vocabulary such as:
I can predict weather patterns
based pressure, temperature, humidity, precipitation, weather, climate,
atmosphere,
on fronts, air masses and pressure
conduction, convection, radiation, Coriolis Effect (force)
systems.
Basic knowledge such as:
types of energy transfer
 the difference between weather and climate
interpret
surface station models
I can analyze scientific evidence for  Climate
and
climate change.
 Impact
types and
impacts of severe weather
on Earth
 Systems
the types of global wind patterns
I can interpret a weather forecast and

map.
1
Student’s performance reflects insufficient progress towards foundational skills and
knowledge.
Performance Expectations
HS-ESS2-4.Use
a modelPBL
to describe
variations
in the flow
of energy
Labs
Ideas howWeb
Resources
– websites
or
into and out of Earth’s(projects)
systems result in changes resources
in climate. on
[Clarification
Statement: Examples of the causes of climate
change differ by timescale,
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over 1-10 years: large volcanic eruption,
ocean
circulation; 10-100s of
definedstem.com
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.]
HS-ESS3-1.Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the
availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and
changes in climate have influenced human activity. [Clarification
Statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water
(such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river
deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of
natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions
and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and
soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and
droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect
populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional
patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and
livestock that can be raised.]
HS-ESS3-6.Use a computational representation to illustrate the
relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being
modified due to human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of
Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere,
cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching
impacts from a human activity is how an increase in atmospheric carbon
dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an
increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism
health and marine populations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does
not include running computational representations but is limited to using
the published results of scientific computational models.]
8 Weeks
Unit: Weather and Climate
Topic: Climate and Impact on Earth Systems
2015-2016
Reporting Cluster: Weather and Climate
Topic
Climate
and
Impact
on Earth
Systems
4
3
Proficient
Knowledge:
In addition to score 3.0 performance, the student demonstrates in-depth inferences
and applications that go beyond the target.
Students demonstrate they have developed an understanding of:

2
Evaluate the evidence for global climate change and the impact of human
behaviors/actions
 Describe potential changes to climate zones as a result of global climate
change.
 Evaluate the role of the carbon cycle and its impact on global climate
change
 Analyze evidence of feedback loops occurring as a result of changes to the
Earth system.
Students will recognize or recall :
Specific vocabulary such as:
greenhouse effect, climate, ozone, microclimate, carbon dioxide, feedback loops,
system, carbon cycle
Basic knowledge such as:
 Implications of the Greenhouse Effect
 Identify basic climate zones as a function of temperature and precipitation.
(Tropical, Temperate, Polar, Desert, Rainforest, etc.)
 Identify the impact human activity has on the climate
 factors that affect climate (elevation, latitude, topography, hydrosphere)
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Performance Expectations
HS-ESS3-5.Analyze geoscience data and the results from global
climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current
rate of global or regional climate change and associated future
impacts to Earth systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of
evidence, for both data and climate model outputs, are for climate
changes (such as precipitation and temperature) and their
associated impacts (such as on sea level, glacial ice volumes, or
atmosphere and ocean composition).] [Assessment Boundary:
Assessment is limited to one example of a climate change and its
associated impacts.]
HS-ESS2-6.Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of
carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and
biosphere. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on modeling
biogeochemical cycles that include the cycling of carbon through
the ocean, atmosphere, soil, and biosphere (including humans),
providing the foundation for living organisms.]
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. [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
8 Weeks
1
Unit: Weather and Climate
Topic: Climate and Impact on Earth Systems
Student’s performance reflects insufficient progress towards foundational skills and
knowledge.
http://science.dmschools.org
2015-2016
increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a
decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent.]