Atmosphere

Virginia SOL ESII.7

Investigate and understand that the atmosphere is a complex, dynamic system that drives climate, weather, and air quality patterns.

What students need to be able to do

  • Make, support, and evaluate a claim about how atmospheric changes affect multiple Earth systems.
  • Propose a solution or design a device that addresses a problem involving air quality.
  • Predict weather conditions by analyzing prevailing wind patterns and air mass interactions.
  • Evaluate the merits and limitations of models to explain relationships and predict local weather.
  • Predict potential changes in the future climate by analyzing long-term climate data.
  • Make, support, and evaluate a claim about how natural atmospheric events and human activities affect global climate.
  • Predict how atmospheric conditions due to climate change affect a specific ecosystem.