Earth Systems Activity

Diagram from the activity

Topic

Resource Type

Level

High School — General High School — AP/IB College

Saved By

60 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.

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 04.11.14

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