Middle School Earth and Space Sciences
Students in middle school develop understanding of a wide range of topics in Earth and space sciences that
build on science concepts from elementary school through more advanced content, practice, and crosscutting
themes. There are six Earth and space sciences standard topics in middle school: (1) Space Systems, (2) History
of Earth, (3) Earth’s Interior Systems, (4) Earth’s Surface Systems, (5) Weather and Climate, and (6) Human
Impacts. The content of the performance expectations is based on current community-based geoscience literacy
efforts such as the Earth Science Literacy Principles1, and is presented with a greater emphasis on an Earth
systems science approach. The performance expectations strongly reflect the many societally relevant aspects
of Earth and space sciences (resources, hazards, environmental impacts) and related connections to engineering
and technology. While the performance expectations shown in middle school Earth and space sciences couple
particular practices with specific disciplinary core ideas, instructional decisions should include use of
many practices that lead to the performance expectation.
Space Systems
The performance expectations in Space Systems help students formulate answers to the questions: “What is
Earth’s place in the universe?” and “What makes up our solar system and how can the motion of Earth
explain seasons and eclipses?” Two sub-ideas from the NRC Framework are addressed in these performance
expectations: ESS1.A and ESS1.B. Middle school students can examine Earth’s place in relation to the
solar system, Milky Way galaxy, and universe. There is a strong emphasis on a systems approach, using
models of the solar system to explain astronomical and other observations of the cyclic patterns of
eclipses, tides, and seasons. There is also a strong connection to engineering through the instruments
and technologies that have allowed us to explore the objects in our solar system and obtain data that
support the theories that explain the formation and evolution of the universe. The crosscutting concepts
of patterns; scale, proportion, and quantity; systems and system models; and interdependence of science,
engineering, and technology are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. In
the MS. Space Systems performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in
developing and using models and analyzing and interpreting data and to use these practices to demonstrate
understanding of the core ideas.
Earth's Systems
The performance expectations in Earth’s Systems help students formulate answers to the questions: “How do the
materials in and on Earth’s crust change over time?” and “How does water influence weather, circulate in the
oceans, and shape Earth’s surface?” Three sub-ideas from the NRC Framework are addressed in these performance
expectations: ESS2.A, ESS2.C, and ESS3.A. Students understand how Earth’s geosystems operate by modeling the
flow of energy and cycling of matter within and among different systems. Students can investigate the controlling
properties of important materials and construct explanations based on the analysis of real geoscience data. Of
special importance in both topics are the ways that geoscience processes provide resources needed by society
but also cause natural hazards that present risks to society; both involve technological challenges for the
identification and development of resources and for the mitigation of hazards. The crosscutting concepts of
cause and effect, energy and matter, and stability and change are called out as organizing concepts for these
disciplinary core ideas. In the MS. Earth’s Systems performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate
proficiency in developing and using models and constructing explanations and to use these practices to demonstrate
understanding of the core ideas.
Weather and Climate
The performance expectations in Weather and Climate help students formulate an answer to the question, “What
factors interact and influence weather and climate?” Three sub-ideas from the NRC Framework are addressed in
these performance expectations: ESS2.C, ESS2.D, and ESS3.D. Students can construct and use models to develop
an understanding of the factors that control weather and climate. A systems approach is also important here,
examining the feedbacks between systems as energy from the sun is transferred between systems and circulates
through the oceans and atmosphere. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, systems and system models,
and stability and change are called out as organizing concepts for these disciplinary core ideas. In the MS.
Weather and Climate performance expectations, students are expected to demonstrate proficiency in asking
questions, developing and using models, and planning and carrying out investigations and to use these practices
to demonstrate understanding of the core ideas.
Human Impacts
The performance expectations in Human Impacts help students formulate answers to the questions: “How can
natural hazards be predicted?” and “How do human activities affect Earth systems?” Two sub-ideas from the
NRC Framework are addressed in these performance expectations: ESS3.B and ESS3.C. Students understand the
ways that human activities impact Earth’s other systems. Students can use many different practices to
understand the significant and complex issues surrounding human uses of land, energy, mineral, and water
resources and the resulting impacts of their development. The crosscutting concepts of patterns; cause
and effect; and interdependence of science, engineering, and technology are called out as organizing
concepts for these disciplinary core ideas.
1 Wysession, M. E., D. A. Budd, K. Campbell, M. Conklin, E. Kappel, J. Karsten, N. LaDue, G. Lewis,
L. Patino, R. Raynolds, R. W. Ridky, R. M. Ross, J. Taber, B. Tewksbury, and P. Tuddenham. 2012. Developing
and Applying a Set of Earth Science Literacy Principles. Journal of Geoscience Education 60(2):95-99.
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