South Dakota Science MS-ESS3-5

ScienceGrades 6–8Earth and Space Science

The Standard

Ask questions to clarify evidence of the factors that may have caused a change in global temperatures over the past century. (SEP: 1; DCI: ESS3.D; CCC: Stability/Change)

South Dakota Science Standards (2024) · Earth and Human Activity

Teacher's field guide

What This Standard Means

What Students Need to Do: Students examine records of global temperature and possible causes of change, such as atmospheric CO2 and solar output. They ask questions about measurements, dates, and missing data to see which explanations fit.
What Mastery Looks Like: A student can point to years when temperature and CO2 rose and ask whether solar output changed then too. They can say what the graphs show without treating matching trends as proof of a cause.
Common Misconceptions: Students may use one hot summer as proof of a century-long global trend. They may assume CO2 is the only cause of warming or that solar output rose without checking measurements.
How to Assess It: Exit ticket: Global temperature and CO2 both rose from 1900 to 2020. What would you ask about solar output over those years to help compare possible causes, and why?

Lesson moves

Ways to Teach It

Give pairs printed temperature and CO2 graphs from 1900 to 2020; have them align years and circle decades with different trends.
Show solar output and temperature graphs; ask students what both graphs should show if sunlight drove warming since 1970.
Play Question or Claim with cards about CO2 and solar output; students sort them and rewrite each claim as a question data could answer.
Show a gas pump receipt and a global CO2 graph; students ask what evidence links burning gasoline to rising atmospheric CO2.

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