Middle School NGSS Question Stem Bank:
Standards for NGSS
Earth Science
Earth’s Place in the Universe
Standard
Basic: Conceptual
“Understand”
MS-ESS1-1. Develop
and use a model of
the Earth-sun-moon
system to describe
the cyclic patterns of
lunar phases, eclipses
of the sun and moon,
and seasons.
Draw the 8 phases of the moon
including the New Moon phase.
Identify each phase with a​ ​title
and description. Identify which
phases are waxing and waning.
MS-ESS1-2. Develop
and use a model to
describe the role of
gravity in the motions
within galaxies and
the solar system.
What role does gravity play in
forming the shape of planets
and stars?
Develop a model to show the impact gravity has on
developing a galaxy. Explain what is occurring
throughout your model.
Develop a model of the different types
of galaxies.
MS-ESS1-3. Analyze
and interpret data to
determine scale
properties of objects
in the solar system.
Use a sentence strip to
represent the scale distances
between the planets.
Create a drawing representing the Sun, eight
planets, dwarf planets and asteroid belt.
Use a Venn diagram to compare the
inner and outer planets.
MS-ESS1-4.
Develop a geologic timeline.
Using the timeline and your knowledge how would
you describe the change in life on Earth?
How do fossils support the idea that life
on Earth changed and evolved over the
years?
Construct a scientific
explanation based on
evidence from rock
strata for how the
geologic time scale is
used to organize
Earth’s
4.6-billion-year-ol​d
Standard: Procedural
“Doing
Develop a model which demonstrates what
happens when a new moon passes directly
between the Earth and Sun.
Expanded: Application
Develop a model to demonstrate the
changing seasons on Earth. Be sure to
label the seasons and explain what is
happening in your model.
Develop a model of the solar system and share
two characteristics of each planet.
history.
* It may be appropriate to read some of the longer problems out loud especially with lower readers
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Middle School NGSS Question Stem Bank:
Standards for NGSS
Earth’s Systems
Standard
Basic: Conceptual
“Understand”
Standard: Procedural
“Doing
Expanded: Application
MS-ESS2-1.
Develop a model
to describe the
cycling of Earth’s
materials and the
flow of energy
that drives this
process.
Describe one of earth’s materials
and the process it goes through.
Create a model to represent the rock cycle and
explain the process.
Give examples of the processes
that form rocks and minerals.
Develop a model to demonstrate the hydrologic
cycle.
MS-ESS2-2.
Construct an
explanation
based on
evidence for how
geoscience
processes have
changed Earth’s
surface at
varying time and
spatial scales.
What is the geological time scale?
How do geologists determine the relative age of
rocks? What is the difference between relative
and absolute age?
Evaluate the usefulness of index fossils.
What makes it useful?
MS-ESS2-3.
Analyze and
interpret data on
the distribution of
fossils and rocks,
continental
shapes, and
seafloor
structures to
provide evidence
of the past plate
motions.
What is the theory of continental
drift?
Examine fossils, maps and landforms. What
evidence supports the theory of continental drift?
Do you believe the evidence in
Wegener’s theory of plate movement
that plates have separated over time
from Pangaea to the positions we find
them today? What evidence makes
you agree or disagree with this theory?
Provide students with one of earth’s
materials such as a rock and have
students describe the flow of energy
that drove the process of the rock
formation.
* It may be appropriate to read some of the longer problems out loud especially with lower readers
2
Middle School NGSS Question Stem Bank:
Standards for NGSS
MS-ESS2-4.
Develop a model
to describe the
cycling of water
through Earth’s
systems driven
by energy from
the sun and the
force of gravity.
How does the cycling of water
through earth’s system impact
weather and climate?
Create a poster/model of the water cycle that
include pathways that add substances to water as
it moves through the water cycle. They should
draw in different things in the water cycle, label
them and then explain what it does.
Conduct an experiment to answer the
question: What causes evaporation?
MS-ESS2-5.
Collect data to
provide evidence
for how the
motions and
complex
interactions of air
masses results in
changes in
weather
conditions.
How do air masses flowing from
one region to another cause
weather changes?
Create a graph of the differences of temperature in
the Earth’s atmosphere.
Provide students with various weather
maps and tools to analyze weather
patterns.
MS-ESS2-6.
Develop and use
a model to
describe how
unequal heating
and rotation of
the Earth cause
patterns of
atmospheric and
oceanic
circulation that
determine
regional climates.
How does the sun create uneven
heating of the Earth’s surface?
What happens when there are
sudden changes and air masses
collide?
Read and analyze weather data to forecast the
weather.
Use materials to create a model that shows how
energy from the sun is distributed unevenly as it
hits the Earth. Draw a diagram to represent your
model and state a real life situation where this can
be seen.
Build a diorama to model the different
paths light may take as it travels from
the sun to Earth’s surface.
* It may be appropriate to read some of the longer problems out loud especially with lower readers
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Middle School NGSS Question Stem Bank:
Standards for NGSS
Earth and Human Activity
Standard
Basic: Conceptual
“Understand”
Standard: Procedural
“Doing
Expanded: Application
MS-ESS3-1.
Construct a
scientific
explanation based
on evidence for
how the uneven
distributions of
Earth’s mineral,
energy, and
groundwater
resources are the
result of past and
current
geoscience
processes.
What are fossil fuels and how were
they formed?
What are the advantages and disadvantages
of fossil fuels? Do you feel fossil fuels are
essential? Explain why or why not.
How do geologists use core sampling to
determine the geologic formation of
rocks and sediments when exploring for
oil and gas?
MS-ESS3-2.
Analyze and
interpret data on
natural hazards to
forecast future
catastrophic
events and inform
the development
of technologies to
mitigate their
effects.
Can natural disasters be predicted?
Explain.
Choose a natural hazard and explain its
impact on people and communities as well
as how we can respond to the hazard you
chose.
Create a plan for how we can help
prevent or mitigate the effects of a
natural hazard before an event occurs.
MS-ESS3-3. Apply
scientific principles
to design a
method for
monitoring and
minimizing a
human impact on
the environment.
Identify particular matter in the air
which causes pollution.
Design a solution for collecting pollution
particles in the air which will make a positive
impact on the environment.
Collect a water sample from a river or
body of water and share the results as
well as a plan to improve water quality.
* It may be appropriate to read some of the longer problems out loud especially with lower readers
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Middle School NGSS Question Stem Bank:
Standards for NGSS
MS-ESS3-4.
Construct an
argument
supported by
evidence for how
increases in
human population
and per-capita
consumption of
natural resources
impact Earth’s
systems.
What resources are highly used by the
human population which may affect
consumption due to increase in
population?
Describe how the growth in human
population is causing more consumption of
natural resources?
Use evidence to construct an argument
as to whether the population is
damaging the population.
MS-ESS3-5. Ask
questions to clarify
evidence of the
factors that have
caused the rise in
global
temperatures over
the past century.
Provide students with maps and
models in which they write questions
about the factors causing global
warming.
What are some activities by humans which
has caused the Earth’s climate to the
atmospheric temperatures?
How can scientists make informed
decisions about the future of the Earth’s
climate?
How do we know the Earth’s climate is
changing?
* It may be appropriate to read some of the longer problems out loud especially with lower readers
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