Earth Systems Activity

Topic
Resource Type
Level
High School — GeneralHigh School — AP/IBCollege
Favorited By
19 Users
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.

Details
Estimated Time
One 50-minute class period.
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
Date Published
Curriculum Connections
NGSS (2013)

HS-ESS1-5, HS-ESS2-7; SEP2, SEP6

AP Biology (2015)

2.A.2, 2.A.3; SP1, SP6

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

Explore Related Content

Other Related Resources
Showing of
Click & Learn
Understanding Global Change
Animations
The Geologic Carbon Cycle
Click & Learn
EarthViewer
Animations
Greenhouse Effect
Click & Learn
Paleoclimate: A History of Change
Click & Learn
Geological History of Oxygen
Clips
The Principle of Isostasy
Animations
Plate Tectonics
Data Points
Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide
Diagram from the paper
Phenomenal Images
Lizards in Hurricanes