MS-ESS3-2

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Analyze and interpret data on natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

Clarification statement: Emphasis is on how some natural hazards, such as volcanic eruptions and severe weather, are preceded by phenomena that allow for reliable predictions, but others, such as earthquakes, occur suddenly and with no notice, and thus are not yet predictable. Examples of natural hazards could include those resulting from interior processes (such as earthquakes and volcanic eruptions) and surface processes (such as mass wasting and tsunamis), or from severe weather events (such as blizzards, hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, and droughts). Examples of data could include the locations, magnitudes, and frequencies of the natural hazards. Examples of technologies could include global technologies (such as satellite images to monitor hurricanes or forest fires) or local technologies (such as building basements in tornado-prone regions or reservoirs to mitigate droughts).

Grade 8 Science Test Questions

Released New York State Grade 8 science test questions that assess MS-ESS3-2 are listed here by test and question cluster. Each link opens the question with its answer key.

Exam	Cluster	Question
Spring 2025 Grade 8 Test	Mount Lyell and the Lyell Glacier	Question 9
	The Lake Erie Ecosystem	Question 12
Spring 2024 Grade 8 Test	Reservoirs and Town Water Districts	Question 20
	Reservoirs and Town Water Districts	Question 21
	Death Valley	Question 37
	Death Valley	Question 38

Performance Level Descriptions

Every Grade 8 Science Test question on MS-ESS3-2 is written to match one of the performance level descriptions (PLDs) below.

Level 1: Given patterns of data for a natural hazard, describe one appropriate action that could be taken to limit the negative effects from that hazard.

Level 2: Given patterns of data for a natural hazard, describe the predictability of that natural hazard and how society could work to mitigate its effects.

Level 3: Analyze and interpret data on the patterns of natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and inform the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

Level 4: Analyze and interpret data on locations and patterns of natural hazards to forecast future catastrophic events and provide a real-world example of how a hazard has resulted in the development of technologies to mitigate their effects.

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of MS-ESS3-2.

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NGSS Dimensions

Performance expectation MS-ESS3-2 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices

• Analyzing and Interpreting Data
  • Analyze and interpret data to determine similarities and differences in findings.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

• ESS3.B: Natural Hazards
  • Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geologic forces, can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.

Crosscutting Concepts

• Patterns
  • Graphs, charts, and images can be used to identify patterns in data.

Page contributors: Conrad Richman, Caroline Leonard, Shirley Shameen

MS | MS. Human Impacts