Earth Systems Activity

Resource Type
Description
This activity guides students through building a conceptual model of how carbon dioxide affects Earth’s climate.
Students read a passage about the interaction of geology and the carbon cycle. They then build a model of how carbon cycles through the Earth system and use the model to explain how carbon cycling regulates Earth’s climate over geological timescales and how it differs from other nearby planets.
Student Learning Targets
Construct a model of the geologic carbon cycle and use the model to predict behavior of the climate system.
Estimated Time
Key Terms
carbon dioxide, model, plate tectonics, system
Terms of Use
Please see the Terms of Use for information on how this resource can be used.
Version History
NGSS (2013)
HS-ESS1-5, HS-ESS2-7; SEP2, SEP6
AP Biology (2019)
ENE-1.A; SP1, SP2
IB Biology (2016)
4.3
AP Environmental Science (2013)
I.B, II.B, II.E
IB Environmental Systems and Societies (2017)
1.2, 1.3, 2.3
Common Core (2010)
ELA.RST.9-12.2, ELA.WHST.9-12.4
MP2
Vision and Change (2009)
CC5; DP1, DP3