ESS.ESS1: Earth's Place in the Universe

ESS.ESS1.1: Construct an explanation regarding the rapid expansion of the universe based on astronomical evidence of light spectra, motion of distant galaxies, and composition of matter in the universe.

Big Bang Theory - Hubble's Law

ESS.ESS1.3: Analyze and interpret data about the mass of a star to predict its composition, luminosity, and temperature across its life cycle, including an explanation for how and why it undergoes changes at each stage.

H-R Diagram

ESS.ESS1.7: Analyze and interpret data to compare, contrast, and explain the characteristics of objects in the solar system including the sun, planets and their satellites, planetoids, asteroids, and comets. Characteristics include: mass, gravitational attraction, diameter, and composition.

Solar System Explorer

ESS.ESS1.8: Use mathematical or computational representations to predict motions of the various kinds of objects in our solar system, including planets, satellites, comets, and asteroids, and the influence of gravity, inertia, and collisions on these motions.

Orbital Motion - Kepler's Laws

ESS.ESS2: Earth's Systems

ESS.ESS2.2: Construct an argument based on evidence about how global and regional climate is impacted by interactions among the Sun's energy output, tectonic events, ocean circulation, vegetation, and human activities. The argument should include discussion of a variety of time scales from sudden (volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to long-term tectonic cycles.

Coastal Winds and Clouds - Metric
Coral Reefs 1 - Abiotic Factors
Coral Reefs 2 - Biotic Factors

ESS.ESS2.4: Analyze surface features of Earth and identify and explain the geologic processes responsible for their formation.

Plate Tectonics

ESS.ESS2.5: Develop a visual model to illustrate the formation and reformation of rocks over time including processes such as weathering, sedimentation, and plate movement. The model should include a comparison of the physical properties of various rock types, common rock-forming minerals, and continental rocks versus the oceanic crust.

Plate Tectonics
Rock Cycle
Weathering

ESS.ESS2.13: Use a model to predict how variations in the flow of energy through radiation, conduction, and convection into and out of Earth’s systems could contribute to global atmospheric processes and climactic effects.

Greenhouse Effect - Metric

ESS.ESS2.14: Using data, weather maps, and other scientific tools, predict weather conditions from an analysis of the movement of air masses, high and low pressure systems, and frontal boundaries.

Weather Maps - Metric

ESS.ESS2.16: Design a mathematical model of Earth’s energy budget showing how the electromagnetic radiation from the sun in watts/m² is reflected, absorbed, stored, redistributed among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and reradiated back into space. The model should provide a means to predict how changes in greenhouse gases could affect Earth’s temperatures.

Greenhouse Effect - Metric

ESS.ESS2.18: Identify the organisms that are major drivers in the global carbon cycle and trace how greenhouse gases are continually moved through the carbon reservoirs and fluxes represented by the ocean, land, life, and atmosphere.

Carbon Cycle
Cell Energy Cycle