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Teaching Climate Systems:
High School Resources Organized by Key NGSS Standards

NGSS & CLEAN
at a Glance »
High School Solutions: Middle School Systems: Middle School Solutions

Performance Expectations ? About  

The NGSS Performance Expectations are statements that explain what all students should know and be able to do after instruction. These comprehensive statements should not limit teaching and learning. Performance Expectations are best addressed in instruction when resources are bundled together to address big ideas in science. The CLEAN collection includes resources that do not fully address any one Performance Expectation. Bundling CLEAN resources will support instruction towards Performance Expectations. Most resources are tagged for DCIs, SEPs, and CCCs. Those tagged for Performance Expectations, fully address the PEs.

Analyze geoscience data and model data to forecast climate change and future impacts.
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.
Use a computational approach to illustrate relationships among Earth systems and how humans are modifying them.
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.
Analyze geoscience data to show how one change on Earth’s surface can create feedbacks and cause other changes.
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.
Describe cycling of carbon.
HS-ESS2-6
Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

The foundation for Earth’s climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, and how it interacts with other parts of the Earth system.
HS-ESS2.D1
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.
Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.
HS-ESS2.D3
Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.
The many feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth and the life on it.
HS-ESS2.E1
The many dynamic and delicate feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth’s surface and the life that exists on it.
The abundance of liquid water on Earth, and its unique properties are central to the planet’s dynamics.
HS-ESS2.C1
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.

Science and Engineering Practices

observation of phenomena, or unexpected results, to clarify and/or seek additional information.
HS-P1.1
Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena, or unexpected results, to clarify and/or seek additional information.
Analyze data using tools, technologies, or models, in order to make scientific claims or determine solutions.
HS-P4.1
Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g., computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.
Construct and revise an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources.
HS-P6.2
Construct and revise an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.
Communicate scientific or technical ideas in multiple formats.
HS-P8.5
Communicate scientific and/or technical information or ideas (e.g. about phenomena and/or the process of development and the design and performance of a proposed process or system) in multiple formats (i.e., orally, graphically, textually, mathematically).

Cross Cutting Concepts

Empirical evidence is needed to identify patterns.
HS-C1.5
Empirical evidence is needed to identify patterns.
Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation.
HS-C2.1
Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.
Cause and effect relationships can be predicted by examining what is known about smaller scale mechanisms.
HS-C2.2
Cause and effect relationships can be suggested and predicted for complex natural and human designed systems by examining what is known about smaller scale mechanisms within the system.
Change and rates of change can be quantified over very short or very long periods of time. Some system changes are irreversible.
HS-C7.2
Change and rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods of time. Some system changes are irreversible.

Resource Type

Activity
Short Demonstration/Experiment
Visualization
Video