HS-ESS1-5: Evidence of Plate Tectonics

Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on the ability of plate tectonics to explain the ages of crustal rocks. Examples include evidence of the ages oceanic crust decreasing with distance from mid-ocean ridges (a result of plate spreading) and the ages of North American continental crust increasing with distance away from a central ancient core (a result of past plate interactions).

Assessment Boundary: none

The following assessments were shared by teachers implementing the NGSS.  Many of these are drafts and should be used accordingly.  Feel free to improve these assessments or contribute your own.  Learn more here.

ELA/Literacy

• RST.11-12.1 - Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. 

• RST.11-12.8 - Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.

• WHST.9-12.2 - Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. 

Mathematics

• HSN-Q.A.1 - Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays. 

• HSN-Q.A.2 - Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling. 

• HSN-Q.A.3 - Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities. 

• MP.2 - Reason abstractly and quantitatively.

*Next Generation Science Standards is a registered trademark of Achieve. Neither Achieve nor the lead states and partners that developed the Next Generation Science Standards were involved in the production of this product, and do not endorse it.  Visit the official NGSS website.