Middle School (6-8) Performance Expectations
Below are some middle school NGSS standards that can be addressed using the Pi-WRF application. The list is however not exhaustive.
1. MS-ESS2-5 Earth’s Systems
This standard emphasizes the need for students to demonstrate an understanding of how weather (defined by temperature, pressure, humidity, precipitation, and wind) changes over time due to flow of air masses from regions of high pressure to low pressure. Learners are also expected to understand how weather can be predicted using data from the environment.
Using Pi-WRF learners can forecast and investigate how weather conditions like temperature, precipitation, humidity, and wind speed changes across different regions and time periods. By integrating other environmental data (such as pressure logs, air quality, and altitude) with weather data and maps, students can investigate the relationship that exists between varying environmental conditions and how changes in one affects the other
Performance Expectation Students can collect data to provide evidence for how the motions and interactions of air masses result in changes in weather conditions. This standards is composed of the following NGSS 3D components |
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| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting concepts |
Planning and Carrying Out Investigations. Collect data to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence to answer scientific questions or test design solutions under a range of conditions. |
ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes The complex patterns of the changes and the movement of water in the atmosphere, determined by winds, landforms, and ocean temperatures and currents, are major determinants of local weather patterns. ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Because these patterns are so complex, weather can only be predicted probabilistically. |
Cause and Effect Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural or designed systems. Patterns Graphs and data are used across most fields to understand phenomena and make decisions. |
2. MS-ESS2-6 Earth’s Systems
This standard emphasizes the need for students to demonstrate an understanding of how weather patterns vary by latitude, altitude, vegetation, and geographic land distribution. Using Pi-WRF students can collect, analyze and visualize weather data across different domains (locations) and compare their results to see how temperature, precipitation and wind speed differ across regions with high or low altitude.
Performance Expectation Develop and use a model to describe how unequal heating and rotation of the Earth cause patterns of atmospheric and oceanic circulation that determine regional climates. This standard is composed of the following NGSS 3D components |
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| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting concepts |
Developing and Using Models Develop and use a model to describe phenomena. |
ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes Variations in density due to variations in temperature and salinity drive a global pattern of interconnected ocean currents. ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns. |
Systems and System Models Models can be used to represent systems and their interactions—such as inputs, processes and outputs— and energy, matter, and information flows within systems. |
3. MS-ESS3-2. Earth and Human Activity
This standard emphasizes the need for students to demonstrate an understanding of how certain natural hazards such as volcanic eruptions and severe weather , are preceded by phenomena that allow for reliable predictions, but others, such as earthquakes, occur suddenly and with no notice, and thus are not yet predictable.
Using Pi-WRF learners can analyze historical (ideal) data and use them to predict the likelihood that a particular severe weather condition will occur. For example, educators can engage their students in an analysis of weather conditions that preceded past severe weather events (such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods) and use their analysis to model the features (locations, magnitudes, and frequencies) and possibility of a similar event.
Performance Expectation Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects. This standard is composed of the following NGSS 3D components. |
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| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting concepts |
Analyzing and Interpreting Data Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings. |
ESS3.B: Natural Hazards> Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geologic forces can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events. (MS-ESS3-2) |
Patterns Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data. (MS-ESS3-2) Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural World All human activity draws on natural resources and has both short and long-term consequences, positive as well as negative, for the health of people and the natural environment. The uses of technologies and any limitations on their use are driven by individual or societal needs, desires, and values; by the findings of scientific research; and by differences in such factors as climate, natural resources, and economic conditions. Thus technology use varies from region to region and over time. |
4. MS-ESS3-5 Earth and Human Activity
This standard emphasizes the need for students to understand the impact human activities (such as fossil fuel combustion, cement production, and agricultural activity) has on the rise of global and regional temperature.
Using Pi-WRF students can investigate temperature differences across various domains with differing and distinct activities. For example, students collect and analyze weather data for oil producing states and compare them with states with little or no fossil fuel production. Students could also collect data about industrial and agricultural activities in a location of interest and investigate whether a correlation exists between rising temperatures at this location and human activities.
Performance Expectation Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that have caused the rise in global temperatures over the past century. This standard is composed of the following NGSS 3D components. |
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| Science and Engineering Practices | Disciplinary Core Ideas | Crosscutting concepts |
Asking Questions and Defining Problems Ask questions to identify and clarify evidence of an argument. |
ESS3.D: Global Climate Change Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities. |
Stability and Change Stability might be disturbed either by sudden events or gradual changes that accumulate over time. |