• Examine how we can use rock strata and the fossil record to organize the relative order of  historical events in Earth’s history.

• Recognize that plate tectonics is the unifying theory that explains movements of rocks at Earth’s surface and geological history. 

• Understand energy flows and matter cycles within and among Earth’s systems, including the sun and Earth’s interior as primary energy sources. Study the water cycle, and how changes the properties of water and movement of water impact Earth’s systems.

• Describe the complex interactions that determine local weather patterns and influence climate, including the role of the ocean.

• Describe how humans depend on the Earth for different resources, and analyze how human activities have impacted Earth’s biosphere and climate. Map the history of natural hazards in a region and understand related geological forces.

• Evaluate ways to reduce the impact of global warming.

When Studying Earth and Space Science You May Find Students:

• Developing models to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems and to describe the processes that determine regional climates.

• Constructing explanations based on evidence for how geoscience processes (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, etc.) have changed Earth’s surface.

• Analyzing and interpreting data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

• Constructing an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth’s systems, and applying scientific principles to design a method for minimizing human impact on the environment

• Recognize that all living things are made of cells,  and that sustaining life requires substantial energy and matter inputs. Describe how sense receptors respond to different stimuli, and how they transmit signals to the brain.

• Understand that organisms reproduce and transfer their genetic information to their offspring, and that there are processes by which characteristics or traits are passed from one generation to another.

• Recognize that ecosystems are dynamic in nature, and are sustained by a continuous flow of energy that originates primarily from the sun. Analyze how organisms and populations of plants and animals in ecosystems are dependent on environmental interactions with living and nonliving things, and that variations in populations of organisms is beneficial for their survival and reproduction in an environment.

• Describe how fossils and fossil records can be used to understand the changes that have occurred over time.

When Studying Life Science You May Find Students:

• Gathering information and conducting investigations to support explanations about the structure and function relationship of cells, the role of cells in body systems, and to understand how these systems work to support life. 

• Constructing explanations based on evidence (e.g., fossil records, complexity of anatomical traits, etc.) to support fundamental understandings of natural selection and evolution. Students will use ideas of genetic variation in a population to make sense of organisms surviving and reproducing, hence passing on the traits of the species. 

• Applying multiple practices to gain a deeper understanding of natural resources and the cycling of matter and the flow of energy in ecosystems. Studying patterns of the interactions among organisms within an ecosystem and examining the impact that shifts in biotic and abiotic factors have on the populations of organisms. 

• Evaluating competing design solutions for maintaining biodiversity and ecosystem services like water purification, recycling, or prevention of erosion.

Middle School Language Expectations   

Middle School Science Language Expectations