California Wildfires

NGSS Crosscutting Concepts Progression

Phenomenon: Increasing Wildfires in California

California has experienced a significant increase in the frequency, size, and intensity of wildfires in recent years. This real-world phenomenon provides a rich context for engaging students with all 7 NGSS Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs), especially in relation to climate, ecosystems, and human impact.

Progression of Guiding Questions by Crosscutting Concept

1. Patterns

• Guiding Question: What patterns can we observe in wildfire frequency, size, and location across California over the last 50 years?

• CCC Focus: Identify trends and correlations using historical wildfire data.

• Student Activity: Use Cal Fire and NASA wildfire maps to visualize changing patterns.

2. Cause and Effect

• Guiding Question: What environmental and human factors contribute to the increasing intensity and frequency of wildfires in California?

• CCC Focus: Explore how climate change, forest management, and urban expansion affect fire behavior.

• Student Activity: Construct a cause-and-effect diagram linking contributing factors to wildfire risk.

3. Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

• Guiding Question: How does the size of a wildfire affect its ecological, economic, and social impact?

• CCC Focus: Analyze relationships between fire size and consequences across multiple systems.

• Student Activity: Compare small, medium, and large wildfires to assess damage and recovery needs.

4. Systems and System Models

• Guiding Question: How do natural ecosystems, climate systems, and human systems interact to influence wildfire behavior?

• CCC Focus: Model wildfires as part of an interconnected ecological and social system.

• Student Activity: Create system models showing feedback loops and interdependencies (e.g., drought, fuel buildup, policy decisions).

5. Energy and Matter

• Guiding Question: How is energy transferred and matter transformed during a wildfire?

• CCC Focus: Examine combustion, heat transfer, and nutrient cycling in ecosystems.

• Student Activity: Use demonstrations or simulations to visualize how energy release drives fire spread.

6. Structure and Function

• Guiding Question: How do different plant structures influence fire resistance or vulnerability?

• CCC Focus: Understand how structural adaptations impact survival during fire.

• Student Activity: Compare species with fire-resistant traits (e.g., thick bark) to those that are more flammable.

7. Stability and Change

• Guiding Question: How have California’s wildfire regimes changed over time, and what strategies can restore ecological balance?

• CCC Focus: Analyze long-term shifts and evaluate fire-adapted ecosystems and land management.

• Student Activity: Research prescribed burning, indigenous practices, and land use planning as tools for change.