A student expectation is directly related to the knowledge and skills statement, is more specific about how students demonstrate their learning, and always begins with a verb. Student expectations are further broken down into their component parts, often referred to as “breakouts.”
describe and record observable characteristics of weather, including hot or cold, clear or cloudy, calm or windy, and rainy or icy, and explain the impact of weather on daily choices.
describe how energy from the Sun, hydrosphere, and atmosphere interact and influence weather and climate;
S.8.10.B
identify global patterns of atmospheric movement and how they influence local weather; and
ENVIR.9.D
describe how temperature inversions have short-term and long-term effects, including El Nio and La Nia oscillations, ice cap and glacial melting, and changes in ocean surface temperatures; and
EARTH.11.F
explain how the transfer of thermal energy among the hydrosphere, lithosphere, and atmosphere influences weather; and
EARTH.11.G
describe how changing surface-ocean conditions, including El Nio-Southern Oscillation, affect global weather and climate patterns.
Recurring themes and concepts — Connections to the content
Recurring themes and concepts provide a connective structure for scientific ideas across disciplines. The connection(s) below show some ways that teachers can help students understand how the content they are learning fits into the broader understanding of science. These connections do not represent all possible connections that might be made but highlight some that are appropriate for this grade level.
Patterns
Patterns are regular sequences that can be found throughout nature.
Global winds, global pressure, and jet streams are the main patterns of atmospheric movement.
Cause-and-effect relationships
Cause-and-effect relationships are relationships between two or more variables or phenomena whereby one variable or event leads to a predictable response. Events have causes—sometimes simple, sometimes multi-faceted.
Variations in global winds, global pressure, and jet streams (causes) bring changes in local weather (effect). For example, jet streams (relatively narrow bands of strong wind) blow from west to east across the globe. As a weather system enters a jet stream, it is carried more swiftly across the globe (cause), impacting the weather in the locations along the jet stream (effect). Without jet streams, day-to-day weather would not change significantly.
Flow of energy and cycling of matter through systems
Matter and energy are conserved, changing forms but maintaining quantities. Energy flows within a system or between systems through transfers and transformations. Matter is cycled within systems through physical and chemical processes.
Atmospheric movement is driven by the flow of energy from the Sun through the hydrosphere and atmosphere, and, in turn, global winds, global pressure, and jet streams continue the flow of energy around the world.
Cross-curricular Connections
The cross-curricular connections are designed to help educators make content connections between the science TEKS and math, English language arts and reading, social studies, and technology applications. The standards below illustrate alignment between grade level content areas which may help educators develop cross-curricular lessons. These connections do not represent all possible connections that might be made.
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Social Studies
SS.8.10.C analyze the effects of physical and human geographic factors such as weather, landforms, waterways, transportation, and communication on major historical events in the United States