SC15.ESS.14
Construct explanations from evidence to describe how changes in the flow of energy through Earth’s systems (e.g., volcanic eruptions, solar output, ocean circulation, surface temperatures, precipitation patterns, glacial ice volumes, sea levels, Coriolis effect) impact the climate.
Construct explanations from evidence to describe how changes in the flow of energy through Earth’s systems (e.g., volcanic eruptions, solar output, ocean circulation, surface temperatures, precipitation patterns, glacial ice volumes, sea levels, Coriolis effect) impact the climate.
Unpacked Content
UP:SC15.ESS.14
Vocabulary
- volcanic eruption
- solar output
- ocean circulation
- surface temperature
- precipitation patterns
- glacial ice volumes
- sea levels
- Coriolis effect
- jet stream
Knowledge
- Climate changes can occur if any of Earth's systems change.
- Some climate changes were rapid shifts (volcanic eruptions, meteoric impacts, changes in ocean currents), other were gradual and longer term-due, for example to the rise of plants and other life forms that modified the atmosphere via photosynthesis.
Skills
- Analyze data to explain aspects of how energy flow impacts climate.
Understanding
- Natural factors that cause climate changes over human time scales include variations in the sun's energy output, ocean circulation patterns, atmospheric composition, and volcanic activity.