Science Curriculum

Environmental Science

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Course Overview

This course is designed to endow students with the necessary knowledge and skills that will enable them to apply scientific skills and

processes on major environmental science concepts. Upon successful completion of this course, students should be able to use the

scientific skills and processes and major environmental science concepts to understand interrelationships of the natural world and to

analyze environmental issues and their solutions. Studying environmental science helps us comprehend the problems we create, and it

illuminates ways to fix these problems. Environmental science relates to everything around you for the rest of your life. Students will be

challenged to question everything, devise methods of testing a hypothesis, collect and interpret data and works collaboratively to find

solutions. Topics discussed include: ethics and policy, earth systems, ecology, conservation, human population growth, chemical hazards,

agriculture, mining, water pollution, air pollution, global climate change, nonrenewable energy, renewable energy, and waste

management.

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Pacing Chart

Unit 0 Engineering and Design Process 10 days

Unit 1 Matter and Energy Transformations in Ecosystems 25 days

Unit 2 Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems 25 days

Unit 3 Human Activity and Climate 25 days

Unit 4 Human Activity and Biodiversity 25 days

Unit 5 Human Activity and Sustainability 25 days

Review 10 days

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Modifications for differentiation at all levels

Teacher Note: Teachers identify the modifications that they will use in the unit.

Restructure lesson using UDL principals (http://www.cast.org/our-work/about-udl.html#.VXmoXcfD_UA)

Structure lessons around questions that are authentic, relate to students’ interests, social/family background and knowledge of their community.

Provide students with multiple choices for how they can represent their understandings (e.g. multisensory techniques-auditory/visual aids; pictures, illustrations, graphs, charts, data tables, multimedia, modeling).

Provide opportunities for students to connect with people of similar backgrounds (e.g. conversations via digital tool such as SKYPE, experts from the community helping with a project, journal articles, and biographies).

Provide multiple grouping opportunities for students to share their ideas and to encourage work among various backgrounds and cultures (e.g. multiple representation and multimodal experiences).

Engage students with a variety of Science and Engineering practices to provide students with multiple entry points and multiple ways to demonstrate their understandings.

Use project-based science learning to connect science with observable phenomena.

Structure the learning around explaining or solving a social or community-based issue.

Provide ELL students with multiple literacy strategies.

Collaborate with after-school programs or clubs to extend learning opportunities.

Educational Technology

Standards: 8.1.12.A.1, 8.1.12.A.2, 8.1.12.B.2, 8.1.12.C.1, 8.1.12.D.1, 8.1.12.D.2, 8.1.12.D.3, 8.1.12.E.1, 8.1.12.F.1

Technology Operations and Concepts

• Create a personal digital portfolio which reflects personal and academic interests, achievements, and career aspirations by using a variety of digital tools and resources

•Produce and edit a multi-page digital document for a commercial or professional audience and present it to peers and/or professionals in that

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related area for review.

Creativity and Innovation

• Apply previous content knowledge by creating and piloting a digital learning game or tutorial.

Communication and Collaboration

• Develop an innovative solution to a real world problem or issue in collaboration with peers and experts, and present ideas for feedback through social media or in an online community.

Digital Citizenship • Demonstrate appropriate application of copyright, fair use and/or Creative Commons to an original work. • Evaluate consequences of unauthorized electronic access and disclosure, and on dissemination of personal information. • Compare and contrast policies on filtering and censorship both locally and globally.

Research and Information Literacy • Produce a position statement about a real world problem by developing a systematic plan of investigation with peers and experts synthesizing

information from multiple sources.

Critical Thinking, Problem Solving, Decision Making

• Evaluate the strengths and limitations of emerging technologies and their impact on educational, career, personal and or social needs.

Career Ready Practices

Career Ready Practices describe the career-ready skills that all educators in all content areas should seek to develop in their students. They are practices that have been linked to increase college, career, and life success. Career Ready Practices should be taught and reinforced in all career exploration and preparation programs with increasingly higher levels of complexity and expectation as a student advances through a program of study.

CRP1. Act as a responsible and contributing citizen and employee - Career-ready individuals understand the obligations and

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responsibilities of being a member of a community, and they demonstrate this understanding every day through their interactions

with others. They are conscientious of the impacts of their decisions on others and the environment around them. They think

about the near-term and long-term consequences of their actions and seek to act in ways that contribute to the betterment of

their teams, families, community and workplace. They are reliable and consistent in going beyond the minimum expectation and in

participating in activities that serve the greater good.

CRP2. Apply appropriate academic and technical skills - Career-ready individuals readily access and use the knowledge and skills acquired

through experience and education to be more productive. They make connections between abstract concepts with real-world

applications, and they make correct insights about when it is appropriate to apply the use of an academic skill in a workplace

situation.

CRP4. Communicate clearly and effectively and with reason - Career-ready individuals communicate thoughts, ideas, and action plans

with clarity, whether using written, verbal, and/or visual methods. They communicate in the workplace with clarity and purpose to

make maximum use of their own and others’ time. They are excellent writers; they master conventions, word choice, and

organization, and use effective tone and presentation skills to articulate ideas. They are skilled at interacting with others; they are

active listeners and speak clearly and with purpose. Career-ready individuals think about the audience for their communication

and prepare accordingly to ensure the desired outcome.

CRP5. Consider the environmental, social and economic impacts of decisions - Career-ready individuals understand the interrelated

nature of their actions and regularly make decisions that positively impact and/or mitigate negative impact on other people,

organization, and the environment. They are aware of and utilize new technologies, understandings, procedures, materials, and

regulations affecting the nature of their work as it relates to the impact on the social condition, the environment and the

profitability of the organization.

CRP6. Demonstrate creativity and innovation - Career-ready individuals regularly think of ideas that solve problems in new and different

ways, and they contribute those ideas in a useful and productive manner to improve their organization. They can consider

unconventional ideas and suggestions as solutions to issues, tasks or problems, and they discern which ideas and suggestions will

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add greatest value. They seek new methods, practices, and ideas from a variety of sources and seek to apply those ideas to their

own workplace. They take action on their ideas and understand how to bring innovation to an organization.

CRP7. Employ valid and reliable research strategies - Career-ready individuals are discerning in accepting and using new information to

make decisions, change practices or inform strategies. They use reliable research process to search for new information. They

evaluate the validity of sources when considering the use and adoption of external information or practices in their workplace

situation.

CRP8. Utilize critical thinking to make sense of problems and persevere in solving them - Career-ready individuals readily recognize

problems in the workplace, understand the nature of the problem, and devise effective plans to solve the problem. They are aware

of problems when they occur and take action quickly to address the problem; they thoughtfully investigate the root cause of the

problem prior to introducing solutions. They carefully consider the options to solve the problem. Once a solution is agreed upon,

they follow through to ensure the problem is solved, whether through their own actions or the actions of others.

CRP9. Model integrity, ethical leadership and effective management - Career-ready individuals consistently act in ways that align

personal and community-held ideals and principles while employing strategies to positively influence others in the workplace. They

have a clear understanding of integrity and act on this understanding in every decision. They use a variety of means to positively

impact the directions and actions of a team or organization, and they apply insights into human behavior to change others’ action,

attitudes and/or beliefs. They recognize the near-term and long-term effects that management’s actions and attitudes can have on

productivity, morals and organizational culture.

CRP10. Plan education and career paths aligned to personal goals - Career-ready individuals take personal ownership of their own

education and career goals, and they regularly act on a plan to attain these goals. They understand their own career interests,

preferences, goals, and requirements. They have perspective regarding the pathways available to them and the time, effort,

experience and other requirements to pursue each, including a path of entrepreneurship. They recognize the value of each step in

the education and experiential process, and they recognize that nearly all career paths require ongoing education and experience.

They seek counselors, mentors, and other experts to assist in the planning and execution of career and personal goals.

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CRP11. Use technology to enhance productivity - Career-ready individuals find and maximize the productive value of existing and new

technology to accomplish workplace tasks and solve workplace problems. They are flexible and adaptive in acquiring new

technology. They are proficient with ubiquitous technology applications. They understand the inherent risks-personal and

organizational-of technology applications, and they take actions to prevent or mitigate these risks.

CRP12. Work productively in teams while using cultural global competence - Career-ready individuals positively contribute to every

team, whether formal or informal. They apply an awareness of cultural difference to avoid barriers to productive and positive

interaction. They find ways to increase the engagement and contribution of all team members. They plan and facilitate effective

team meetings.

Unit Zero Engineering and Design Process Instructional days: 10

Unit Summary

This 2 week introductory unit covers the engineering design process, investigation and structure and function, while intentionally building a classroom community to facilitate management and learning for the year. Students will be introduced to interactive notebooking in science as a learning tool. Academic Skills include team building, collaborating, modeling and prototyping.

Student Learning Objectives

HS-ETS1-1. Define the criteria and constraints of a design problem with sufficient precision to ensure a successful solution, taking into account relevant scientific principles and potential impacts on people and the natural environment that may limit possible solutions.

HS-ETS1-2. Evaluate competing design solutions using a systematic process to determine how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the problem.

HS-ETS1-3. Analyze data from tests to determine similarities and differences among several design solutions to identify the best characteristics of each that can be combined into a new solution to better meet the criteria for success.

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HS-ETS1-4. Develop a model to generate data for iterative testing and modification of a proposed object, tool, or process such that an optimal design can be achieved.

Unit Sequence

Part A- Storyline: You are an engineer investigating structures to build a tower prototype for the future. Write a report updating the city planner on your plan to build a tower prototype.

Overarching Question: How do we talk and work together like engineers?

Concepts Formative Assessment

Asking questions and defining problems in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to specifying relationships between variables, and clarifying arguments and models.

Modeling in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to developing, using, and revising models to describe, test, and predict more abstract phenomena and design systems.

Planning and carrying out

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena, models, or unexpected results, to clarify and/or seek additional information.

Identify and/or clarify evidence and/or the premise(s) of an argument.

Determine relationships between independent and dependent variables and relationships in models.

Clarify and/or refine a model, an explanation, or an engineering problem.

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investigations in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to include investigations that use multiple variables and provide evidence to support explanations or solutions.

Analyzing data in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to extending quantitative analysis to investigations, distinguishing between correlation and causation, and basic statistical techniques of data and error analysis.

Mathematical and computational thinking in 9-12 builds on 6-8 5 experiences and progresses to identifying patterns in large data sets and using mathematical concepts to support explanations and arguments.

Constructing explanations

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and designing solutions in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to include constructing explanations and designing solutions supported by multiple sources of evidence consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories.

Engaging in argument from evidence in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to constructing a convincing argument that supports or refutes claims for either explanations or solutions about the natural and designed world(s).

Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to evaluating the merit and validity of ideas and methods.

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Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions

Sample Activities

Resources

1. Develop expository writing through notebooking.

RST.11-12.7-9

How can we set up a science interactive notebook?

Notebook Set up - in resource folder

Notebook Foldables - in resource folder

Interactive Notebooking PPT - in resource folder

Exit Pass:Warm up Form - in resource folder

Notebook Rubric - in resource folder 5 Good Reasons to Notebook - in resource folder Notebooking Folder - in resource folder

2. Define problems associated with building tall structures in hurricane prone areas.

Why are hurricane winds so damaging to homes?

Access prior knowledge of hurricane damage from Hurricanes Sandy, Irene & Katrina, as well as from students’ home

Collaboration Team Rubric - in resource folder STEM Prompts - in resource folder Article on why hurricanes cause structural damage http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/hurricane/damage.html Article on building to withstand hurricanes https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100607192725.htm

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HS-ETS1-1 countries.

3. Design a structure that is meant to withstand hurricane force winds.

HS-ETS1-2

How can we design a tower that will withstand environmental conditions?

Building for Hurricanes: Engineering Design Challenge

Building for Hurricanes: Engineering Design Challenge Teacher Guide - in resource folder Building for Hurricanes: Engineering Design Challenge Student Capture Sheet - in resource folder Cards to the Sky Gummy Bear Tower challenge - in resource folder Please note that if you choose to use this activity for your build, you will need to modify the description of the task to include hurricanes. Build a Tower Build a Team https://www.ted.com/talks/tom_wujec_build_a_tower?language=en

4. Test and improve designs after a series of interactions.

HS-ETS1-2

How can failure lead to innovation?

The Learning Task 6.0 – Provides a sample format based upon a bridge build, which can be modified for this task - in resource folder

Teacher Overview Learning Task-

What’s Great about Engineering Videos http://pbskids.org/designsquad/parentseducators/workshop/engineering.html Failure: Seeds of Innovation - in resource folder

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in resource folder

The Engineering Process- in resource folder

Group Roles- in resource folder

5. Analyze qualitative and quantitative data to identify relationships in the data.

HS-ETS1-3

How can the engineering process fix a problem?

Structures that Fail

6.01 Loma Prieta Exposed Weakness Reading

Stopping a Toppling Tower

Discover Engineering http://www.discovere.org/

Part B- Storyline: You are an engineer designing a bridge. Each team will design a free standing bridge that can hold some weight using limited resources. At the end of the unit, your team will design, build, test, redesign the test again your bridge.

Essential Question: Is there evidence that failure leads to innovation?

Concepts Formative Assessment

Asking questions and defining problems in 9-

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

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12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to specifying relationships between variables, and clarifying arguments and models.

Modeling in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to developing, using, and revising models to describe, test, and predict more abstract phenomena and design systems.

Planning and carrying out investigations in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to include investigations that use multiple variables and provide evidence to support explanations or solutions.

Analyzing data in 9-12

Ask questions that arise from careful observation of phenomena, models, or unexpected results, to clarify and/or seek additional information.

Identify and/or clarify evidence and/or the premise(s) of an argument. Determine relationships between independent and dependent variables and relationships in

models. Clarify and/or refine a model, an explanation, or an engineering problem.

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builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to extending quantitative analysis to investigations, distinguishing between correlation and causation, and basic statistical techniques of data and error analysis.

Mathematical and computational thinking in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and progresses to identifying patterns in large data sets and using mathematical concepts to support explanations and arguments.

Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 9-12 builds on 6-8 experiences and

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progresses to include constructing explanations and designing solutions supported by multiple sources of evidence consistent with scientific ideas, principles, and theories.

Engaging in argument from evidence in 6–8 builds on K–5 experiences and progresses to constructing a convincing argument that supports or refutes claims for either explanations or solutions about the natural and designed world(s).

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions

Sample Activities

Resources

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1.Think critically and logically to make relationships between evidence and explanations.

RST.11-12.7-9

What is number or name on the bottom of the cube?

Introducing Inquiry and the Nature of Science - in resource folder

Number Cube pattern - in resource folder

Name Cube Pattern- in resource folder

Claims ,Evidence, and Reasoning Rubric - in resource folder

Please note that some students may have experience with the less challenging cubes from middle school. We suggest having several more difficult cubes for this circumstance. http://schoolpartnership.wustl.edu/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/National-Academies-Inquiry-Lab.pdf

2. Define problems associated with building bridges in earthquake prone areas.

HS-ETS1-1

What special challenges to bridge building are caused by being in an earthquake prone area?

Explore various earthquake –related bridge collapses..

Japan earthquake bridge collapse article http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-36066779 Article on building earthquake safe bridges http://www.livescience.com/22317-smart-materials-earthquake-safe-bridges-nsf-bts.html Bridge building simulator (share with students after building and testing their own designs) http://www.eduweb.com/portfolio/bridgetoclassroom/engineeringfor.html

2. Develop a prototype and model of a Bridge.

HS-ETS1-2

How can we build a bridge out of straws and masking tape to hold 1000 gms?

Summative Task Building a Bridge- in resource folder

Student Handout

Teacher Information Bridge Basics http://pghbridges.com/basics.htm Teacher note: The lesson plan here does not instruct you to include shaking the bridge during your weighted test. In order to meet the HS standard, you must introduce shaking to your test. You and your students will need to devise a way to ensure that you get about the same amount of force for each test. You could use a shake table for this purpose, or devise another strategy.

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Building a Bridge - in resource folder

Group Roles- in resource folder

Shake Table design https://www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_seismicw_lesson01_activity1

3. Analyze and interpret data to develop solutions to the problem and improve the prototype design.

HS-ETS1-2

How can we use data to influence our redesign?

Bridge Prototype Data Table - in resource folder

Bridge Prototype Redesign Graphic Organizer - in resource folder

Concept Map Template

4. Redesign the bridge prototype with solutions.

How can the engineering design process help fix a

Formal Assessment-Final Report - in resource folder

The Engineering Design Process https://www.teachengineering.org/K12Engineering/DesignProcess

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HS-ETS1-2 problem? Construct an argument that explains how failure leads to innovation. Construct a prototype that meets all the design constraints.

Like an Engineer Rubric - in resource folder

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

Unit zero will begin introduce students to interactive science notebooking. Students will set up notebooks to provide documentation of their thinking, which can be used to guide instruction. Students will have opportunity to use various forms of expository writing-procedural writing, narrative writing, descriptive writing, labeling, as well as to create visuals, graphs, tables, diagrams and charts. Students are introduced to scientific argumentation with exercises on writing claims, using evidence to support your claim and explaining the reasoning behind their claim. Instruction should result in students being able to use arguments based on empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support an explanation.

Task one will answer the question” How do we talk and work together like engineers”? Students will assume responsibility for continual

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self-improvement and develop a model and prototype of a tower using the engineering design process. They will gather data by measuring the tower prototype and identify a structural problem in the tower prototype and propose solutions.

Students will explore, through the development and use of models what it means to be an engineer. After the constraints and criteria have been identified, students can them generate possible solutions. Multiple solutions could be generated. Using the evidence collected during their research, as well as information they have learned as a part of their classroom experience, students can eliminate the solutions that seem least likely to be successful and focus on those that are more likely to be successful. Students will also analyze and interpret data collected.

After students have identified the solutions that are most likely to be successful, they will evaluate their competing design solutions using a rubric, checklist, or decision tree to assist them in selecting the design solution they will take into the next phase of the process. The final goal is for students to identify the parts of each design solution that best fit their criteria and combine these parts into a design solution that is better than any of its predecessors.

Interdisciplinary Connections

English Language Arts/Literacy-

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts.RST.6-8.1 Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or

opinions. RST.6-8.2 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.RI.6.8 Support claim(s) with logical reasoning and relevant, accurate data and evidence that demonstrate an understanding of the topic

or text, using credible sources WHST.6-8.1 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection,

organization, and analysis of relevant content. WHST.6-8.2 Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. WHST.6-8.9

Mathematics

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Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape. 6.SP.A.2

APPENDIX F – Science and Engineering Practices in the NGSS

Science and Engineering Practices

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Use an oral and written argument supported by empirical evidence and scientific reasoning to support or refute an explanation or a model for a phenomenon or a solution to a problem. (MS-LS1-4)

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

Construct a scientific explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from sources (including the students’ own experiments) and the assumption that theories and laws

ETS1.A: Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems The more precisely a design task’s criteria and constraints can be defined, the more likely it is that the designed solution will be successful. Specification of constraints includes consideration of scientific principles and other relevant knowledge that are likely to limit possible solutions. (MS-ETS1-1) ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions A solution needs to be tested, and then modified on the basis of the test results, in order to improve it. (MS-ETS1-4) There are systematic processes for evaluating solutions with respect to how well they meet the criteria and constraints of a problem. (MS-ETS1-2), (MS-ETS1-3)

Cause and Effect

Cause and effect relationships may be used to predict phenomena in natural systems.

Phenomena may have more than one cause, and some cause and effect relationships in systems can only be described using probability.

Structure and Function

Complex and microscopic structures and systems can be visualized, modeled, and used to describe how their function depends on the relationships among its parts; therefore complex natural

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that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future. (MS-LS1-5)

Sometimes parts of different solutions can be combined to create a solution that is better than any of its predecessors. (MS-ETS1-3) Models of all kinds are important for testing solutions. (MS-ETS1-4) ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution Although one design may not perform the best across all tests, identifying the characteristics of the design that performed the best in each test can provide useful information for the redesign process—that is, some of those characteristics may be incorporated into the new design. (MS-ETS1-3) The iterative process of testing the most promising solutions and modifying what is proposed on the basis of the test results leads to greater refinement and ultimately to an optimal solution. (MS-ETS1-4)

structures/systems can be analyzed to determine how they function.

Systems

Defining the system under study—specifying its boundaries and making explicit a model of that system—provides tools for understanding and testing ideas that are applicable throughout science and engineering

English Language Arts Mathematics

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts. (MS-LS1-4),(MS-LS1-5) RST.6-8.1

Determine the central ideas or conclusions of a text; provide an accurate summary of the text distinct from prior knowledge or opinions. (MS-LS1-

Understand that a set of data collected to answer a statistical question has a distribution which can be described by its center, spread, and overall shape. (MS-LS1-4),(MS-LS1-5) 6.SP.A.2

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5) RST.6-8.2

Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, distinguishing claims that are supported by reasons and evidence from claims that are not. (MS-LS1-4) RI.6.8

Write arguments focused on discipline content. (MS-LS1-4) WHST.6-8.1

Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content. (MS-LS1-5) WHST.6-8.2

Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research. (MS-LS1-5) WHST.6-8.9

Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context. (MS-LS1-4),(MS-LS1-5) 6.SP.B.4

Vocabulary

Innovation Evidence Reasoning Engineering Design

Prototype Observation Structure and Function Inference

Cause and Effect Collaboration Systems Claim

Suggested Field Trips

Walking Trips to Paterson Bridges, Great Falls Bridge. Invite an Engineer to speak to your class.

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Unit 1 Matter and Energy Transformations in Ecosystems Instructional days: 25

Unit Summary

How do matter and energy cycle through ecosystems?

In this unit of study, students construct explanations for the role of energy in the cycling of matter in organisms and ecosystems. They apply mathematical concepts to develop evidence to support explanations of the interactions of photosynthesis and cellular respiration, and they will develop models to communicate these explanations. Students also understand organisms’ interactions with each other and their physical environment and how organisms obtain resources. Students utilize the crosscutting concepts of matter and energy and systems, and system models to make sense of ecosystem dynamics. Students are expected to use students construct explanations for the role of energy in the cycling of matter in organisms and ecosystems. They apply mathematical concepts to develop evidence to support explanations as they demonstrate their understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Student Learning Objectives

Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using a mathematical model of stored energy in biomass to describe the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another and that matter and energy are conserved as matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems. Emphasis is on atoms and molecules such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen being conserved as they move through an ecosystem.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to proportional reasoning to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy.] (HS-LS2-4)

Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. [Clarification Statement: Examples of models could include simulations and mathematical models.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the specific chemical steps of photosynthesis and respiration.] (HS-LS2-5)

Unit Sequence

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Part A- Storyline: Imagine a world without water. It is almost impossible for us to function without the precious substance called water. We use it for practically everything. What makes water so important in for the survival of organisms?

Overarching Question: Why do astrobiologists look for water on planets and not oxygen when they search for life on other planets? Approximate instructional time 8- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems.

• Energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

• Photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including anaerobic processes) provide most of the energy for life processes.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Construct and revise an explanation for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

• Construct and revise an explanation for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, considering that most scientific knowledge is quite durable but is, in principle, subject to change based on new evidence and/or reinterpretation of existing evidence.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

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Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward, to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and

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energy are conserved. HS-LS2-4

1. Analyze factors that affect populations in an ecosystem.

What is energy?

How does energy cause matter to cycle in an ecosystem?

How does photosynthesis provide energy?

How does cellular respiration provide energy?

Lab #10 Predator-Prey Population Size Relationships: Which factors affect stability of a predator-prey population size relationship?

Argument-Driven Inquiry in Biology Lab #10 Predator-Prey Population Size Relationships: Which factors affect stability of a predator-prey population size relationship? see Resource folder approx. 200 min

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Part B- Storyline: Your parents make a grocery list every week. It consists of several types of meat and vegetables such chicken and green beans. If there was a devastating disease that killed a particular animal that supplies meat; would families survive that particular meat shortage? Absolutely! We are part of a bigger picture. Bigger than a food chain!

Essential Question: Why is the idea of a food chain a misconception? Approximate instructional time 8- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

Energy cannot be created or destroyed—it only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between

Students who understand these concepts are able to:

Support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem using conceptual thinking and mathematical representations of

2. Explain the impact of water on biological diversity in ecosystems.

How does energy cause matter to be cycled between two or more ecosystems?

Lab #14 Interdependence of Organisms: Why is sport fish population of Lake Grace decreasing in size?

Argument-Driven Inquiry in Biology Lab #14 Interdependence of Organisms: Why is sport fish population of Lake Grace decreasing in size? see Resource folder approx. 180-250 min.

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systems.

At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved.

Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level.

Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web.

Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded.

The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways.

phenomena.

Use a mathematical model of stored energy in biomass to describe the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another and to show how matter and energy are conserved as matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems.

Use a mathematical model to describe the conservation of atoms and molecules as they move through an ecosystem.

Use proportional reasoning to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy through an ecosystem.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions

Sample Activities

Resources

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LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward, to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules

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of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved. HS-LS2-4

1. Construct a model of interdependency of organisms and how energy flows through a system.

What is the law of conservation of energy?

How can the law of conservation of energy be applied to energy flow in an ecosystem?

Surviving Winter in the Dust Bowl

Scientific Argumentation in Biology Lab #9 Surviving Winter in the Dust Bowl, approx. 100 min. see Resource folder

2. Analyze data to give an explanation on what controls ecosystem functions.

What are trophic levels?

How does energy move through trophic levels?

The Flow of Energy: Higher Trophic Levels

Higher Trophic Levels, approx. 120 minutes, see Resource folder

http://www.globalchange.umich.edu/globalchange1/current/lectures/kling/energyflow/highertrophic/trophic2.html#pyramid

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Part C- Storyline: Plants need sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to carry out photosynthesis. This process sustains a plant’s needs all day. Plants release oxygen that can be used by other organisms such as humans. It creates a cycle that has an impact on all of Earth’s systems.

Essential Question: How can the process of photosynthesis and respiration in a cell impact ALL of Earth’s systems? Approximate instructional time 8- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.

The main way that solar energy is captured and stored on Earth is through the complex chemical process known as photosynthesis.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Develop a model, based on evidence, to illustrate the roles of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere, showing the relationships among variables in systems and their components in the natural and designed world.

Develop a model, based on evidence, to illustrate the roles of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere at different scales.

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Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions

Sample Activities

Resources

LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes. HS-LS2-5

1. Construct an experiment to investigate the process of photosynthesis.

Why is carbon important?

Where does it come from?

How does carbon get cycled?

Activity #12 Plant Mass

Activity #12 Plant Mass, see Resource folder approx. 150 min.

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2. Use models to explain photosynthesis and how it to cycles energy and matter.

Why is the sun the main source of energy in all systems?

How do organisms help cycle carbon in the biosphere?

Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration Activity

( see Resource folder) (approx. 80-200 min.)

Photosynthesis & Cellular Respiration Overview

(see Resource folder) (approx. 80 min.)

http://www.science-live.org/teachers/NitrogenGame.html

http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/exchange/bioactivities/cellrespiration

(Additional Resources)

Of Microbes and Men: Students will develop a model to show to relationships among nitrogen and the ecosystem including parts that are not observable but predict observable phenomena. They will then construct an explanation of the effects of the environmental and human factors on this cycle.

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

Students reinforce their understanding of the concept that energy drives the cycling of matter within and between systems by applying this concept directly to ecosystem processes and biogeochemical cycles. A variety of models, including computer simulations, diagrams, and drawings, could be used to enhance visual, verbal, and/or written understanding of the various ecological cycles (e.g., carbon, nitrogen, water, phosphorus). Modeling of photosynthesis and cellular respiration using chemical equations that summarize the interactions between these processes is covered in the chemistry course.

Energy flows within an ecosystem; therefore, a pattern of transfer is predictable and observable based on historical ecological data, since energy moves through trophic levels. Student-generated pyramids of biomass and food webs could illustrate this. Plants, algae,

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and chemosynthetic organisms form the lowest level of a food web. Students will learn that energy transfer from producer to multiple consumer levels is inefficient. Emphasize that at each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level.

Because energy cannot be created or destroyed and can move only between objects, fields, or systems, students must understand that an ecological system is a self-regulating accumulation of biotic and abiotic factors influenced by size, time, and available energy driving the cycling of matter. Models of an ecological system, such as energy pyramids or biogeochemical cycles, could be used to illustrate this concept.

The reactants and products of photosynthesis and cellular respiration (aerobic and anaerobic) will be used to explain energy transfer and cycling of matter. The carbon cycle can be used as a reference for this. Students must understand that photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including aerobic and anaerobic conditions) provide most of the energy for life processes.

Students must also construct and revise an explanation of matter cycling and energy flowing in aerobic and anaerobic conditions based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources. Students might engage in their own investigations, simulations, and peer reviews, and/or generate models to validate theories.

The assumption is that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future.

To demonstrate that most scientific knowledge is quite durable but is, in principle, subject to change based on new evidence and/or reinterpretation of existing evidence, students should conduct an investigation of previous experiments that contributed to our understanding of photosynthesis and/or cellular respiration. Using mathematical representations (e.g., pyramids of biomass, numbers, and energy amounts) and/or population size, students can manipulate proportions and calculations based on input and output of systems. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much matter is discarded. Atoms and molecules—such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen, which make up biotic and abiotic parts of the biosphere (atmosphere and soil)—are combined and recombined, demonstrating the conservation of matter and flow of energy.

To understand energy conservation, students use proportional reasoning to demonstrate that on average, regardless of scale, 10% of energy is transferred up from one trophic level to another. Students might use various pyramids (e.g., energy, biomass) and calculate

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the amount of available energy at each trophic level.

Students can also analyze diagrams of chemical cycles (carbon, nitrogen, water, etc.) to identify the movement of matter within ecosystems.

Early in this unit, students examine biogeochemical cycles and how chemical elements are cycled. Building on this knowledge, students will investigate how carbon compounds are exchanged among biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes such as photosynthesis and cellular respiration. Students will learn how photosynthesis (the main way that solar energy is captured and stored on Earth) and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged between living and nonliving systems. Assessment does not include the specific chemical steps of photosynthesis and respiration.

Through the use of diagrams, concept maps, or computer models, students will examine how energy is cycled within systems. Students will examine how energy drives the cycling of matter, using diagrams of ecosystems to map the flow of energy and the simultaneous changes in matter. Students could construct two systems, including autotrophs and heterotrophs, to model the transfer of energy. Emphasis is on the construction of student-based theories and explanations based on the interaction of the system. Students will then revise their primary explanation based on new evidence. Student explanations should demonstrate an understanding of the relationship between photosynthesis and cellular respiration.

Unit Project

The students will model energy and matter flow throughout an ecosystem in the style of a food chain or a food web. This model is also going to be the primary tool they will use to test to see if the designed process they studied is actually helping stabilize the ecosystem. By mapping out where the energy and matter is going, the students will be able to see how the upsetting factor is affecting the ecosystem as a whole. It will also show them whether or not the designed factor is going to actually eliminate the upsetting factor.

Possible Scenarios ● Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico ● Fighting forest fires ● Flooding of any major U.S. River ● Combating invasive species ○ wild parsnip ○ asian carp ○ purple loosestrife ● Grand Valley rain water drainage plan ● Drought - unusual lack of rain on an ecosystem of your choice ● Diverting the Colorado River for drinking water and irrigation ● Removal of predator from an ecosystem ●

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Another of your choice approved by Teacher.

Expectations for Congressional and Gubernatorial Presentation ● Understand the ecosystem’s upsetting factor. ● Use models to explain what the upsetting factor is doing to upset the ecosystem. ● Understand the designed solution. ● Determine if the designed solution is or is not eliminating the effects of the upsetting factor in the ecosystem and explain why you came to that conclusion. A written well-developed expository summary (using a minimum of 6 Characteristics of A Well-Developed Explanation) of your project. (see Resources for Pre-writing Outline and Characteristics of an Explanation)

Rubrics : CER, Lab Reports, Engineer Design Process, Scientific Method (see Resource folder)

Research on Student Learning

Most high school students seem to know that some kind of cyclical process takes place in ecosystems. Some students see only chains of events and pay little attention to the matter involved in processes such as plant growth or animals eating plants. They think the processes involve creating and destroying matter rather than transforming it from one substance to another. Other students recognize one form of recycling through soil minerals but fail to incorporate water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide into matter cycles. Even after specially designed instruction, students cling to their misinterpretations. Instruction that traces matter through the ecosystem as a basic pattern of thinking may help correct these difficulties (NSDL, 2015).

Prior Learning

By the end of Grade 8, students understand that:

Physical science

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways.

In a chemical process, atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and the new substances have different properties from those of the reactants.

In a chemical process, the total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change.

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Some chemical reactions release energy; others store energy.

The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules requires energy input from sunlight. In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and to release oxygen.

Life science

Cellular respiration in plants and animals involves chemical reactions with oxygen that released stored energy. Carbon-based molecules react

Plants, algae, and many microorganisms use the energy from light, carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and water to make sugars (food) through the process of photosynthesis, which also releases oxygen. These sugars can be used immediately or stored for growth or later use.

Within individual organisms, food moves through a series of chemical reactions in which it is broken down and rearranged to form new molecules, support growth, or release energy.

Food webs are models that demonstrate how matter and energy are transferred among producers, consumers, and decomposers as the three groups interact within an ecosystem.

Transfers of matter into and out of the physical environment occur at every level. Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead plant or animal matter back to the soil in terrestrial environments or to the water in aquatic environments.

The atoms that make up the organisms in an ecosystem are cycled repeatedly between living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem.

Earth and space sciences

All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and among the planet’s systems.

The energy that flows and the matter that cycles produce chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms.

The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future.

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Future Learning

General Biology

AP Biology Course or Pre-College Course

Connections to Other Units

Chemistry and Physics

Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.

In many situations, a dynamic and condition-dependent balance between a reaction and the reverse reaction determines the numbers of all types of molecules present.

The fact that atoms are conserved, together with knowledge of the chemical properties of the elements involved, can be used to describe and predict chemical reactions.

Conservation of energy means that the total change of energy in any system is always equal to the total energy transferred into or out of the system.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transported from one place to another and transferred between systems.

Mathematical expressions, which quantify how the stored energy in a system depends on its configuration (e.g., relative positions of charged particles, compression of a spring) and how kinetic energy depends on mass and speed, allow the concept of conservation of energy to be used to predict and describe system behavior.

The availability of energy limits what can occur in any system.

Uncontrolled systems always evolve toward more stable states—that is, toward more uniform energy distribution (e.g., water flows downhill, objects hotter than their surrounding environment cool down).

Although energy cannot be destroyed, it can be converted to less useful forms—for example, to thermal energy in the surrounding environment.

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Earth and space science

Evidence from deep probes and seismic waves, reconstructions of historical changes in Earth’s surface and its magnetic field, and an understanding of physical and chemical processes lead to a model of Earth with a hot but solid inner core, a liquid outer core, and a solid mantle and crust. Motions of the mantle and its plates occur primarily through thermal convection, which involves the cycling of matter due to the outward flow of energy from Earth’s interior and gravitational movement of denser materials toward the interior.

Earth’s systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes.

The geological record shows that changes to global and regional climate can be caused by interactions among changes in the sun’s energy output or Earth’s orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activities. These changes can occur on a variety of time scales from sudden (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to very long tectonic cycles.

The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and distribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.

Gradual atmospheric changes are due to plants and other organisms that capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

Interdisciplinary Connections

Connections to English Language Arts/Literacy

Cite specific textual evidence to support an explanation for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

Develop and write an explanation, based on evidence, for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples.

Develop and strengthen an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic

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conditions by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience.

Connections to Mathematics

Represent the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities of and relationships between matter and energy as they cycle and flow through an ecosystem.

Use a mathematical model to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. Identify important quantities in the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Use units as a way to understand the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. Choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays representing the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem.

Define appropriate quantities to represent matter and energy for the purpose of descriptive modeling of their cycling and flow among organisms in ecosystems.

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities representing matter cycles and energy flows among organisms in ecosystems.

Appendix A: NGSS and Foundations for the Unit

Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on using a mathematical model of stored energy in biomass to describe the transfer of energy from one trophic level to another and that matter and energy are conserved as matter cycles and energy flows through ecosystems. Emphasis is on atoms and molecules such as carbon, oxygen, hydrogen and nitrogen being conserved as they move through an ecosystem.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to proportional reasoning to describe the cycling of matter and

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flow of energy.] (HS-LS2-4)

Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. [Clarification Statement: Examples of models could include simulations and mathematical models.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include the specific chemical steps of photosynthesis and respiration.] (HS-LS2-5)

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinkinghttp://www.nap.edu/openbook.php?record_id=13165&page=64

● Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support claims. (HS-LS2-4)

Developing and Using Models

● Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or components of a system. (HS-LS2-5)

LS2.B: Cycles of Matter and Energy Transfer in Ecosystems

● Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed at the lower level is transferred upward, to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and

Energy and Matter

● Energy cannot be created or destroyed—it only moves between one place and another place, between objects and/or fields, or between systems. (HS-LS2-4)

Systems and System Models

● Models (e.g., physical, mathematical, computer models) can be used to simulate systems and interactions—including energy, matter, and information flows—within and between systems at different scales. (HS-LS2-5)

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into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved. (HS-LS2-4)

● Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes. (HS-LS2-5)

English Language Arts Mathematics

N/A

● Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.2 (HS-LS2-4)

● Model with mathematics. MP.4 (HS-LS2-4)

● Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays. HSN-Q.A.1 (HS-LS2-4)

● Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling. HSN-Q.A.2 (HS-LS2-4)

● HSN-Q.A.3 Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities.

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(HSLS2-4)

Vocabulary

Biomass Assimilation efficiency Population Size Predator-Prey Net efficiency Ecological efficiency Food Web Food Chain Carrying Capacity Population

Community Ecosystem Carbon cycle Oxygen Cycle Nitrogen Cycle Phosphorus Cycle ATP Trophic level Law of Conservation of Energy Systems

Upsetting factor Photosynthesis Cellular Respiration Light Reactions Dark Reactions Glucose Energy Law of Conservation of Matter chloroplast mitochondria

Suggested Field Trips

Garret Mountain Preserve, Rifle Camp Park, Great Swamp Wildlife Preserve

Unit 2: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems Instructional Days:25

Unit Summary

How do organisms interact with the living and nonliving environments to obtain matter and energy?

In this unit of study, students formulate answers to the question “how and why do organisms interact with each other (biotic factors) and

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their environment (abiotic factors), and what affects these interactions?” Secondary ideas include the interdependent relationships in ecosystems; dynamics of ecosystems; and functioning, resilience, and social interactions, including group behavior. Students use mathematical reasoning and models to make sense of carrying capacity, factors affecting biodiversity and populations, the cycling of matter and flow of energy through systems. The crosscutting concepts of scale, proportion, and quantity and stability and change are called out as organizing concepts for the disciplinary core ideas. Students are expected to use mathematical reasoning and models to demonstrate proficiency with the disciplinary core ideas.

Student Learning Objectives

Illustrate how interactions among living systems and with their environment result in the movement of matter and energy. LS2.A

Graph real or simulated populations and analyze the trends to understand consumption patterns and resource availability, and make predictions as to what will happen to the population in the future. LS2.A

Provide evidence that the growth of populations are limited by access to resources, and how selective pressures may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. LS2.A

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on quantitative analysis and comparison of the relationships among interdependent factors including boundaries, resources, climate and competition. Examples of mathematical comparisons could include graphs, charts, histograms, and population changes gathered from simulations or historical data sets.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include deriving mathematical equations to make comparisons.] (HS-LS2-1)

Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. [Clarification Statement: Examples of mathematical representations include finding the average, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to provided data.] (HS-LS2-2)

Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. [Clarification Statement: Examples of

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changes in ecosystem conditions could include modest biological or physical changes, such as moderate hunting or a seasonal flood; and extreme changes, such as volcanic eruption or sea level rise.] (HS-LS2-6)

Unit Sequence

Part A- Storyline: Construction companies cut down trees and clear land that makes up natural habitats for different animals. Do they migrate to another habitat? Do they adapt well in a new forest?

Overarching Question: When they relocate bears, wolves or other predators, how do they know they will survive? Approximate instructional time 8- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the number of organisms and populations they can support.

• These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, completion, and disease.

• Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (the number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem.

• The significance of carrying capacity in ecosystems is dependent on the scale proportion and quantity at which it occurs.

• Quantitative analysis can be used to compare and determine relationships among interdependent factors that affect the carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

• Use quantitative analysis to compare relationships among interdependent factors and represent their effects on the carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales of existing evidence.

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Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem.

HS-LS2-1, HS-LS2-2

1. Analyze the relationship between food webs and

What factors determine which species settle in an area?

Lab #11 Ecosystems and Biodiversity: How Does the Food

Argument Driven Inquiry in Biology, Lab #11 Ecosystems

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biodiversity in an ecosystem. What makes an environment ideal for populations of species to thrive?

Web Complexity Affect the Biodiversity of an Ecosystem?

and Biodiversity: How Does the Food Web Complexity Affect the Biodiversity of an Ecosystem? see Resource folder, approx. 130-200 min

2. Design growth models to hypothesize population data for African lions and identify carrying capacity.

What factors affect carrying capacities in an ecosystem?

Concord Consortium Activity

Website (approx. 40-80 min.)

https://concord.org/stem-resources/african-lions-modeling-populations

Part B- Storyline: New York City is home to about 8.4 million people. The city is only 304 square miles compare to New Jersey 8,729 mi2. New Jersey has a population of 8.9 million. It’s amazing how an island that is 28 times smaller than a state sustains a population that is almost the same.

Essential Question: What limits the number and types of different organisms that live in one place? Approximate instructional time 10- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Most scientific knowledge is quite durable, but is, in principle, subject to change based on new evidence and/or reinterpretation of existing evidence.

• Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the number of organisms and populations they can support.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.

• Use the concept of orders of magnitude to represent how factors affecting

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• These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, completion, and disease.

• Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite.

• This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem.

• A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions.

• If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem.

• Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

• Using the concept of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model of factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems at one scale relates to a model at another scale.

biodiversity and populations in ecosystems at one scale relate to those factors at another scale.

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Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions

Sample Activities Resources

LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem. HS-LS2-1, HS-LS2-2

1. Compare and contrast patterns of populations as they go through cycles of growth and decline.

What is biodiversity?

What factors

Lab #9 How Do Changes in the Amount and Nature of the Plant Life Available

Argument Driven Inquiry in Biology, Lab #9 How Do Changes in the Amount and Nature of the Plant Life Available in an Ecosystem? see Resource folder,

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support biodiversity in a region?

What are the relationships between organisms in an ecosystem?

in an Ecosystem Influence Herbivore Population Growth

approx. 130-200 min

Biodiversity: Students use this lab to represent how biodiversity stops a disease from spreading.

Bunny Population Growth Activity: Students collect data during a simulation and use it to support their explanation of natural selection in a rabbit population and how populations change over time when biotic or abiotic factors change.

2. Develop an area that has enough natural space for three to six animal populations to thrive.

How do the relationships maintain stability over a period of time?

Carrying Capacity Activity

Carrying Capacity Activity

http://carhart.wilderness.net/docs/curriculum/8-2.pdf

Part C- Storyline: Floods can cause erosion of roads and coastal ecosystems. Erosion removes important and necessary materials from one location to another. This could be organisms and nutrients. Increase water levels can also affect breeding due to the water causing temperature changes.

Essential Question: How can a one or two inch rise in sea level devastate an ecosystem? Approximate instructional time 8- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that support the contention

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A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions.

If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem) as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem.

Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

Scientific argumentation is a mode of logical discourse used to clarify the strength of relationships between ideas and evidence that may result in revision of an explanation.

that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Construct explanations of how modest biological or physical changes versus extreme changes affect stability and change in ecosystems.

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Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions

Sample Activities Resources

LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability. HS-LS2-2, HS-LS2-6

1. Analyze environmental factors such as temperature if it influences bird migration.

What are natural catastrophes that could affect an

Lab #13 Environmental Influences on Animal Behavior: How has climate change

Argument Driven Inquiry in Biology, Lab #13 Environmental Influences on Animal Behavior: How has climate change affected bird migration? see

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ecosystem?

affected bird migration?

Resource folder, approx. 180-250 minutes

Animal Behavior: Students will make detailed observations of an organism’s behavior and then design and execute a controlled experiment to test a hypothesis about a specific case of animal behavior. Students will record observations, make sketches, collect and analyze data, make conclusions, and prepare a formal report.

2. Construct models of levees and evaluate the effects of overflowing banks on nearby ecosystem.

How can natural catastrophes change the dynamics of an ecosystem?

NOVA Flood Activity

NOVA (see Resource folder approx. 200 min.) http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/education/activities/2307_flood.html

African Lions Activity: Students using the data presented to make a prediction regarding the zebra population during the periods of increase rainfall. Students will create a representation of the data that illustrates both the lion population and zebra population during the same time period.

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

In Unit 1, students learned that energy drives the cycling of matter through an ecosystem. They will use this information to understand the effect that biological disturbances have on ecosystems. Students investigate organisms’ interactions with each other and their physical environment and how organisms obtain resources.

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In this unit, students apply their knowledge of matter cycling and energy flowing in ecosystems as they examine the effects of these processes on populations, carrying capacity, community structure, and biodiversity. The unit begins with the idea that ecosystems have carrying capacities that limit the number of organisms and populations they can support, based on factors such as the availability of living and nonliving resources and challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. In order to build an understanding of the factors that limit carrying capacities of organisms and populations, students could view and analyze quantitative data from graphs, charts, simulations, and historical data sets of population changes to determine cause-and-effect relationships that lead to change over time. Emphasis should be on having students make quantitative analysis and comparisons of the relationships among interdependent factors, including boundaries, resources, climate, and competition. When choosing materials for analysis, data should be presented at different scales, and students should use units as a way to understand the factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. Students might also generate charts, graphs, and histograms from data sets. When reporting quantities representing the factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems, students should consider any limitations on measurement.

Mathematical and computational representations can be used to show that organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem.

Students can use quantitative analysis (e.g., graphs and other data displays with appropriate units and scale) to compare and determine how relationships among interdependent factors such as famine, disease, competition, predation, and shelter affect the carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. Examples of different scales could be data sets showing the population dynamics of an ecosystem in a jar, predator–prey oscillation studies, introduction of invasive species into an ecosystem, or changes as a result of the natural process of succession.

Through relevant reading experiences, students might also develop and write explanations, citing textual evidence, for factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems. In their explanations, students should select the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, and quotations to support their explanations.

The availability of current technology allows for more sophisticated observations and more accurate data collection and analysis. These data represent the most recent explanations for phenomena. Students might study existing data on factors that affect biodiversity and write explanatory texts, citing evidence and noting gaps or inconsistencies. In their own investigations, students might model how bacterial

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populations respond to exposure to antibacterial gel over time, illustrating community biodiversity. Community diversity at a microscopic scale, illustrating logistic, exponential growth, and carrying capacity, can be used to better model similar patterns on a larger scale (e.g., habitat, ecosystem, biome, biosphere) using data sets. Students should identify important factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems, quantify those factors using appropriate units, and draw conclusions based on any noted relationships.

Students should have an overall understanding of the significance of carrying capacity and its dependence upon the relationships among interdependent factors including boundaries, resources, climate, and competition. Quantitative data from simulations of modest biological or physical disturbances can demonstrate how ecosystems can return to original status, more or less. Examples of data showing modest disturbances might include changes in weather patterns (e.g., drought), clearing of land for development, or forest fires. In order to understand this phenomenon, students might also analyze data from old-field succession, abandoned urban parking lots, or transect studies in order to make claims, using evidence, about effects on biodiversity and populations. Students should also examine evidence of extreme fluctuations, such as from natural disasters, and how the functioning of ecosystems can be challenged in terms of resources and habitat availability.

Mathematical representations to support explanations should include finding averages, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.

Using food webs and ecological models/states, students can observe that the numbers and types of organisms are relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. In order to make mathematical representations to support claims, students need to examine data showing the complex set of interactions that occur in ecosystems. Students should examine data illustrating the quantitative fluctuations in populations that occur because of factors such as predator–prey relationships, availability of resources, and habitat availability.

To support claims about complex interactions in ecosystems and changes in numbers of organisms in stable and changing conditions, students should be able to cite specific textual evidence and integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats. Students could develop an understanding of orders of magnitude that exist within the ecosystem concept through experiences such as microscopic examination of pond water producers and consumers (phytoplankton and zooplankton), construction of jar ecosystems, or visits to local terrestrial and/or aquatic ecosystems (forest, pond). Their study of ecosystem scale could then extend to models of regional ecosystems and global ecosystem types (biomes). Through activities such as these, students learn that ecological

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processes and interactions present at the microscopic level are the same as those found in the biosphere.

Unit Project/Lab Performance Assessment

Lab performance Assessment

• Argument-Driven Inquiry in Biology Lab #12 Explanation for Animal Behavior: Why Do Great White Sharks Travel Over Long Distances? see Resources folder

Rubrics - CER, Lab Reports, Engineer Design Process, Scientific Method (see Resources folder)

Research on Student Learning

Most high school students seem to know that some kind of cyclical process takes place in ecosystems. Some students see only chains of events and pay little attention to the matter involved in processes such as plant growth or animals eating plants. They think the processes involve creating and destroying matter rather than transforming it from one substance to another. Other students recognize one form of recycling through soil minerals but fail to incorporate water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide into matter cycles. Even after specially designed instruction, students cling to their misinterpretations. Instruction that traces matter through the ecosystem as a basic pattern of thinking may help correct these difficulties (NSDL, 2015).

Prior Learning

The following disciplinary core ideas are prior learning for the concepts in this unit of study. By the end of Grade 8, students know that:

Life science

Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.

In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with

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each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.

Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources.

Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.

Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.

Earth and space science

Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources.

Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.

Typically, as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.

Future Learning

General Biology

AP Biology Course or Pre-College Course

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Connections to Other Units

Chemistry and Physics

Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.

In many situations, a dynamic and condition-dependent balance between a reaction and the reverse reaction determines the numbers of all types of molecules present.

The fact that atoms are conserved, together with knowledge of the chemical properties of the elements involved, can be used to describe and predict chemical reactions.

Conservation of energy means that the total change of energy in any system is always equal to the total energy transferred into or out of the system.

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transported from one place to another and transferred between systems.

Mathematical expressions, which quantify how the stored energy in a system depends on its configuration (e.g., relative positions of charged particles, compression of a spring) and how kinetic energy depends on mass and speed, allow the concept of conservation of energy to be used to predict and describe system behavior.

The availability of energy limits what can occur in any system.

Uncontrolled systems always evolve toward more stable states—that is, toward more uniform energy distribution (e.g., water flows downhill, objects hotter than their surrounding environment cool down).

Although energy cannot be destroyed, it can be converted to less useful forms—for example, to thermal energy in the surrounding environment.

Earth and space science

Evidence from deep probes and seismic waves, reconstructions of historical changes in Earth’s surface and its magnetic field, and an understanding of physical and chemical processes lead to a model of Earth with a hot but solid inner core, a liquid outer core, and a solid mantle and crust. Motions of the mantle and its plates occur primarily through thermal convection, which involves the cycling of

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matter due to the outward flow of energy from Earth’s interior and gravitational movement of denser materials toward the interior.

Earth’s systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes.

The geological record shows that changes to global and regional climate can be caused by interactions among changes in the sun’s energy output or Earth’s orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activities. These changes can occur on a variety of time scales from sudden (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to very long tectonic cycles.

The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and distribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.

Gradual atmospheric changes are due to plants and other organisms that capture carbon dioxide and release oxygen.

Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

Interdisciplinary Connection

English Language Arts/Literacy

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts supporting explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

Develop and write explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales by selecting the most significant and relevant facts, extended definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples appropriate to the audience’s knowledge of the topic.

Cite specific textual evidence to support how factors affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scale, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

Write explanatory texts based on scientific procedures/experiments to explain how different factors affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems at different scales.

Assess the extent to which the claim that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem, is supported by reasoning and evidence.

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Cite specific textual evidence to support claims that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to address claims that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem.

Evaluate the validity of evidence and reasoning that support claims that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.

Mathematics

Represent the factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between different factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

Use a mathematical model to describe factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. Identify important quantities in factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Use units as a way to understand how factors affect the carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine carrying capacity. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays showing factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities representing factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales.

Represent the factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between different factors and their effects on biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

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Use a mathematical model to describe the factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems. Identify important quantities in factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Use units as a way to understand factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine effects on biodiversity and populations in ecosystems. Choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays representing the factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of the factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities of the factors that affect biodiversity and populations in ecosystems.

Represent claims that complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between complex interactions in ecosystems and ways in which ecosystems remain stable and ways in which they change.

Represent data relating to complex interactions in ecosystems and their effects on stability and change in ecosystems with plots on the real number line (graph).

Understand statistics as a process for making inferences about complex interactions in ecosystems and organism population parameters based on a random sample from that population.

Evaluate reports of complex interactions and their effects on stability and change in ecosystems based on data showing numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions and in changing conditions.

Appendix A: NGSS and Foundations for the Unit

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on quantitative analysis and comparison of the relationships among interdependent factors including boundaries, resources, climate and competition. Examples of mathematical comparisons could include

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graphs, charts, histograms, and population changes gathered from simulations or historical data sets.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include deriving mathematical equations to make comparisons.] (HS-LS2-1)

Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. [Clarification Statement: Examples of mathematical representations include finding the average, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to provided data.] (HS-LS2-2)

Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning that the complex interactions in ecosystems maintain relatively consistent numbers and types of organisms in stable conditions, but changing conditions may result in a new ecosystem. [Clarification Statement: Examples of changes in ecosystem conditions could include modest biological or physical changes, such as moderate hunting or a seasonal flood; and extreme changes, such as volcanic eruption or sea level rise.] (HS-LS2-6)

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

● Use mathematical and/or computational representations of phenomena or design solutions to support explanations. (HS-LS2-1)

● Use mathematical representations of phenomena or design solutions to support and revise explanations. (HS-LS2-2)

LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems

● Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. Organisms

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity

● The significance of a phenomenon is dependent on the scale, proportion, and quantity at which it occurs. (HS-LS2-1)

● Using the concept of orders of magnitude allows one to understand how a model at one scale relates to a model at another scale. (HS-LS2-2)

Stability and Change

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Engaging in Argument from Evidence

● Evaluate the claims, evidence, and reasoning behind currently accepted explanations or solutions to determine the merits of arguments. (HS-LS2-6)

would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem. (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2)

LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

● A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability. (HS-LS2-2),(HS-LS2-6)

● Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable. (HS-LS2-6)

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English Language Arts Mathematics

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. RST.11-12.1 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2),(HS-LS2-6)

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. RST.11-12.7 (HS-LS2-6)

Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. RST.11-12.8 (HS-LS2-6)

Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. WHST.9-12.2 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2)

Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.2 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2),(HS-LS2-6)

Model with mathematics. MP.4 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2)

Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays. HSN.Q.A.1 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2)

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling. HSN.Q.A.2 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2)

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities. HSN.Q.A.3 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2)

Represent data with plots on the real number line. HSS-ID.A.1 (HS-LS2-6)

Understand statistics as a process for making inferences about population parameters based on a random sample from that population. HSS-IC.A.1 (HS-LS2-6)

Vocabulary

Biotic factors Carrying capacity Abiotic factors

Limiting resources Exponential Growth Ecosystem

Producers Endemic species Exotic species

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Population Niche Growth rate Population density Death rate Parasitism Birth rate

Logistic Growth Community Food web Endangered species Driver Mutualism Competition

Decomposers Consumers Resource Commensalism Biodiversity

Suggested Field Trips

Liberty Science Center, National Museum of Natural History, Meadowlands Environmental Center, Virtual iLearn Technology

Unit 3: Human Activity and Climate

Instructional Days: 25

Unit Summary

How do humans depend on Earth’s resources?

How and why do humans interact with their environment and what are the effects of these interactions?

In this unit of study, students examine factors that have influenced the distribution and development of human society; these factors include climate, natural resource availability, and natural disasters. Students use computational representations to analyze how earth systems and their relationships are being modified by human activity. Students also develop an understanding of how human activities affect natural resources and of the interdependence between humans and Earth’s systems, which affect the availability of natural resources. Students will apply their engineering capabilities to reduce human impacts on earth systems and improve social and environmental cost–benefit ratios. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, systems and systems models, stability and change, and the influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural world are called out as organizing concepts for the

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disciplinary core ideas. Students will analyze and interpret data, use mathematical and computational thinking, and construct explanations as they demonstrate understanding of the disciplinary core ideas.

Student Learning Objectives

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.] (HS-ESS3-1)

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching impacts from a human activity is how an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism health and marine populations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include running computational representations but is limited to using the published results of scientific computational models.] (HS-ESS3-6)

Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence, for both data and climate model outputs, are for climate changes (such as precipitation and temperature) and their associated impacts (such as on sea level, glacial ice volumes, or atmosphere and ocean composition).] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to one example of a climate change and its associated impacts.] (HS-ESS3-5)

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.* [Clarification Statement:

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Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use (such as for urban development, agriculture and livestock, or surface mining). Examples for limiting future impacts could range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering design solutions (such as altering global temperatures by making large changes to the atmosphere or ocean).] (HS-ESS3-4)

Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

Unit Sequence

Part A: Storyline: Imagine that you are an intern working with a U.S. Senator who is required to make important decisions about legislation designed to limit the impacts of global climate change. Your job is to help the Senator understand the science behind climate change; appreciate the impact of global climate change, and assess the effects of human activities on global climate change.

Essential Question: How have human activities influenced the global ecosystem? Approximate instructional time: 6- 45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Resource vitality has guided the development of human society. • Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course

of human history. • Natural hazards and other geologic events have significantly

altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migration.

• Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activities.

• Modern civilization depends on major technological systems.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

• Use empirical evidence to differentiate between how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

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• Changes in climate can affect population or drive mass migration.

Student Learning Objective and Standard

Overarching Question Sample Activities Resources

ESS3.A: Natural Resources Resource availability has guided the development of human society. ESS3.B: Natural Hazards Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations.

HS-ESS3-1

1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

How has human activity influenced the availability of changes in climate, natural hazards and natural resources?

Students will examine the global human impact on the environment through the analysis of two (2) case studies of environmental effects.

Students explore and examine some of the negative impacts that humans have had (and continue to have) on the environment.

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/636657/human-impact

PDF in resource folder

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2. Students will be able to predict changes that will occur to the Sierra Nevada snowpack if climate change continues and predict the changes that will result on the biosphere due to climate change.

How have climate changes influenced human activities? How could Mammoth Lakes be affected if the climate continues to change?

Students will predict changes that will result on the biosphere due to climate change.

Earth Science: Climate Science Data and Tools

http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/lesson-plans/climate-science-focus-streamflow-river-study

Video A Way Forward: Dealing with Climate Change

Video CA Dept of Water Resources Snow Surveying

Unit Sequence

Part B: Storyline: Climate change usage refers to any change in climate over time, whether due to natural variability or as a result of human activity. Climate change refers to a change of climate that is attributed directly or indirectly to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere and that is in addition to natural climate variability observed over comparable time periods. Imagine you are a scientist studying regional climate change in the Eastern Sierra. Complete your study by developing your argument, defending your point of view with supporting evidence, draw your conclusion and make predictions about the future. Finally, present your findings to your peers.

Essential Question: What are the relationships among earth’s systems and how are those relationships being modified due to human activity? Approximate instructional days: 6-45 minute periods.

Concepts Formative Assessment

● Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and will vary, average global

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

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temperatures will continue to rise. ● The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly

depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.

● Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities.

● When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models.

● Criteria may need to be broken down into similar ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

● Human activities can modify the relationships among Earth systems.

● Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how these relationships are being modified due to human activity.

● Describe the boundaries of Earth systems. ● Analyze and describe the inputs and outputs of Earth systems.

Student Learning Objective and Standard

Overarching Question Sample Activities Resources

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ESS2.D: Weather and Climate Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.(secondary) ESS3.D: Global Climate Change Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. HS-ESS3-6

1. Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth

Explain how greenhouse gases influence the temperature of the Earth?

Discover some causes and effects of increasing global

Investigating Climate Change at the Macroscopic and

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systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

temperature; determine the environmental factors that affect the motion and size of glaciers.

Microscopic Level

http://phet.colorado.edu/en/contributions/view/4038

2. Students will be able to give at least one example of how climate change is impacting wildlife and state why National Parks are important to climate science.

Describe some ways animals will respond to climate change?

This unit was designed to help students develop an understanding of climate change, how scientists study climate change, and what can be done locally to address climate change issues.

NPS podcasts or videos on climate change

Video—Great Smokey Mountains National Park: Phenology and Citizen Science

Podcast—Devils Postpile National Monument :Cold Air Pooling

Video—Rocky Mountains National Park: Pika in Peril

http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/lesson-plans/climate-science-focus-streamflow-river-study

http://nature.nps.gov/multimedia/CCRP_Phenology1/index.cfm

http://www.nps.gov/depo/photosmultimedia/videos.htm

http://video.nationalgeographic.com/video/news/animals-news/pika-in-peril-missions-wcvin/

(PDF in resources)

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Unit Sequence

Part C: Storyline: You are a scientist comparing climatic and weather events of water flooding over a period of time. Climate models predict that as the global climate changes, weather patterns also will change. In some areas, it is likely that there will be larger and more frequent storms and unusual weather conditions. Your job is to analyze geoscience data for the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Essential Question: What is the current rate of global or regional climate change and what are the associated future impacts to Earth’s systems? Approximate instructional days: 6-45 minute periods.

Concepts Formative Assessment

Although the magnitude of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts.

Change in rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods of time. Some system changes are irreversible.

Science investigations use diverse methods and do not always use the same set of procedures to obtain data.

Science knowledge is based on empirical evidence.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Analyze geosciences data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

Quantify and model change and rates of change in geosciences data and rates of global or regional climate change and associated impacts to Earth systems.

Student Learning Objective and Standard

Overarching Question Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.D: Global Climate Change Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and manage current and future impacts. HS-ESS3-5

ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. HS-ESS3-4

1. Analyze geoscience data and

the results from global climate

models to make an evidence-

based forecast of the current

rate of global or regional climate

change and associated future

impacts to Earth systems.

How could future climate change impact the frequency and intensity of hurricanes?

In this activity, students are tasked with conducting an Earth systems analysis of Hurricane Katrina that will help answer the question "Is global warming causing an increase in hurricane frequency and intensity?"

http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/lesson-plans/hurricane-katrina-problem-based-learning-module

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2. Understand how atmospheric levels of CO2 relate to climate change and global warming.

Explore the effects of global warming on the environment, as indicated by the changes in Earth's glacial ice.

Why are glaciers indicators of climate change?

Students conduct an experiment to determine CO2 levels in four different gases, examine evidence of global warming in our environment, and consider their own role in contributing to global warming.

http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ess05.sci.ess.watcyc.lp_global2/global-climate-change-the-effects-of-global-warming/

Unit Sequence

Part D: Storyline: Humans can have a major impact on ecosystems. Actions can be taken every day to reduce your ecological footprint or the mark you leave on your natural environment and its resources. “Ecological footprint” is defined as the measure of human demand on nature and compares human consumption of natural resources with earth’s ecological capacity to regenerate them. Your job is to explore how human actions seriously affect environmental resources and how these actions on the natural system can be reduced.

Essential Question: How can the impact of human activities on natural systems be reduced? Approximate instructional days: 7-45 minute periods.

Concepts Formative Assessment

Scientist and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.

Engineers continuously modify these systems to increase benefits while decreasing costs and risks.

Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

● Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems based on scientific knowledge and student-generated sources of evidence; prioritize criteria and tradeoff considerations.

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natural systems.

When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including costs, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that are not anticipated.

Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.

Student Learning Objective and Standard

Overarching Question Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. HS-ESS3-4 ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary) HS-ETS 1-3

1. Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

What role can agriculture play in water contamination? What are the primary causes of agricultural contamination?

Students will review the water cycle and investigate how a region's water supply can become contaminated.

The National Geographic Education website http://education.nationalgeographic.org/archive/xpeditions/lessons/14/g912/tgsouhegan.html

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2. Students will describe how agricultural technologies have modified the physical environment over time and develop solutions to environmental problems created by agricultural technology.

How do our food choices help or hurt the planet?

Students move towards designing solutions to the environmental problems created by food choices.

Students will consider how technology might play a role in maintaining healthy ecosystems interactions, such as those required by a functional nitrogen cycle.

DESIGN CHALLENGE: iFarm

http://betterlesson.com/lesson/642032/design-challenge-ifarm-1-of-2

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

Students will use their understanding of photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and the carbon cycle from prior units and examine their relationship to climate change and human impact on climate. They will develop an understanding of how human activity can influence the complex set of interactions within an ecosystem, causing changes in the number of different types of species.

Students will also build on the idea that anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment, including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change, can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species. All of these concepts support students’ understanding of human dependence on Earth's resources, human interactions with the environment, and human impacts on Earth's systems.

Environmental factors have affected human populations over the course of history. Resource availability, natural disasters, and other geologic events have driven global development of societies, sizes of human populations, and human migrations. Student understanding of these relationships could be enhanced by examining and citing evidence from text or other investigations that show correlations between human population distribution and regional availability of resources such as fresh water, fertile soils, and fossils fuels.

Students should look for cause-and-effect relationships between human population distribution and resource availability and distinguish

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between causality and correlation. In developing an explanation for how the availability of natural resources has influenced human activity, students might consider, for example, the dependence of large urban populations on the technology required to deliver potable water. An example of the role that technology plays could include the impounding of the Colorado River by the Hoover Dam and the formation of Lake Mead, which provides the water required to support large human populations in an otherwise arid and desert habitat.

Historical accounts of natural disasters (e.g., Krakatoa eruption, American Dust Bowl, Superstorm Sandy, and Hurricane Katrina) resulting human suffering and loss of life could provide empirical evidence of past impacts on human population size and distribution. Previous climate change events (sea level fall and rise, desertification of the Sahara) could be studied as examples of natural events that can drive human migrations. Students should use evidence from data analysis to make inferences and predictions about the impacts of future climate change and global warming on displacement or migration of humans.

When examining and reporting data, students should represent resource availability, natural disasters, and human activity symbolically and determine what quantitative relationships exist. Students might map these relationships in graphs, charts, or other descriptive models, while considering any limitations on measurement when reporting quantities.

Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. Students should describe the boundaries of Earth’s systems by looking at models, data sets, or graphics showing temperatures and currents of the ocean and atmosphere. They should identify evidence to support the claim that human activity can modify Earth's systems. When students are investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models. Students might also analyze and describe the inputs and outputs of Earth’s systems by researching and investigating the amount of carbon dioxide produced by human activities. In their research, students should integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information and verify data when possible. Students could then design a solution to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide added by human activity. The design process may need to be broken down into logical steps that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others should be considered throughout the process.

Current global models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models depend on the amount of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and on the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere. Students can use

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computational representations of geoscience data to illustrate these relationships and make forecasts about Earth’s systems. Students might illustrate how relationships are being modified due to human activity by graphing temperature changes over a period of time. Rates of change should be quantified and modeled at different time scales. In symbolic representations of relationships between Earth's systems and human activity, students should consider appropriate quantities and limitations on measurement when reporting data.

When evaluating or refining a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems, such as use of alternative energy sources, students should read and integrate multiple sources of information to create a coherent understanding of the problem. In their evaluation, they should consider costs, benefits, and risks of systems created by engineers. When evaluating solutions, students should take into account a range of constraints, including costs, safety, and reliability, as well as any social, cultural, and environmental impacts. Models created by students should be used to illustrate and analyze positive and negative feedback within natural systems that may lead to stabilization or destabilization.

Examples of technologies that might limit future impacts of human activity could be small-scale local efforts or large-scale geoengineering solutions for more global issues. Students might research and analyze data regarding the use of fossil fuels to power machines and the quantities and types of pollutants produced. The analysis of data could be used to investigate how alternative energy machines, such as electric- or hydrogen powered cars, could be used to reduce carbon emissions. Students should consider the availability of infrastructure, trained technicians, economic constraints, reliability, and other trade-offs, like personal aesthetic preference, in their evaluations or design decisions.

Integration of engineering-

Performance expectation HS-ESS3-4 specifically identifies a connection to HS-ETS1-3. This requires students to evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. To meet this requirement, students will evaluate technological solutions that limit human impacts on natural systems. In their evaluations, students should consider how new technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.

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Unit Project/ Lab Performance Assessment

Water: Is it Safe to Drink? (Lab Activity: Filtering a Water Supply) See resource folder https://www.epa.gov/your-drinking-water/water-filtration

Research on Student Learning

Most high school students seem to know that some kind of cyclical process takes place in ecosystems. Some students see only chains of events and pay little attention to the matter involved in processes such as plant growth or animals eating plants. They think the processes involve creating and destroying matter rather than transforming it from one substance to another. Other students recognize one form of recycling through soil minerals but fail to incorporate water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide into matter cycles. Even after specially designed instruction, students cling to their misinterpretations. Instruction that traces matter through the ecosystem as a basic pattern of thinking may help correct these difficulties (NSDL, 2015).

Prior Learning

By the end of Grade 8, students understand that:

Physical science

● When the motion energy of an object changes, there is inevitably some other change in energy at the same time. ● The amount of energy transfer needed to change the temperature of a matter sample by a given amount depends on the nature of

the matter, the size of the sample, and the environment. ● Energy is spontaneously transferred out of hotter regions or objects and into colder ones.

Life science

● Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions with other living things and with nonliving factors.

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● In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.

● Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources. ● Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually

beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.

● Changes in biodiversity can influence humans' resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on, such as water purification and recycling.

● Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

● Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.

● The chemical reaction by which plants produce complex food molecules (sugars) requires an energy input (i.e., from sunlight) to occur. In this reaction, carbon dioxide and water combine to form carbon-based organic molecules and release oxygen.

● Cellular respiration in plants and animals involve chemical reactions with oxygen that release stored energy. In these processes, complex molecules containing carbon react with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and other materials.

Earth and space science

● All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and among the planet’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and Earth’s hot interior. The energy that flows and the matter that cycles produce chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms.

● The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future.

● Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. ● Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These

resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

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● Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geologic forces, can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.

● Water continually cycles among land, ocean, and atmosphere via transpiration, evaporation, condensation and crystallization, and precipitation, as well as downhill flows on land.

● The complex patterns of the changes and the movement of water in the atmosphere, determined by winds, landforms, and ocean temperatures and currents, are major determinants of local weather patterns.

● Global movements of water and its changes in form are propelled by sunlight and gravity. ● Variations in density due to variations in temperature and salinity drive a global pattern of interconnected ocean currents. ● Water's movements, both on the land and underground, cause weathering and erosion, which change the land's surface features and

create underground formations. ● Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the

extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.

● Typically as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.

● Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior, and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

● Weather and climate are influenced by interactions involving sunlight, the ocean, the atmosphere, ice, landforms, and living things. These interactions vary with latitude, altitude, and local and regional geography, all of which can affect oceanic and atmospheric flow patterns.

● Because these patterns are so complex, weather can only be predicted probabilistically.

● The ocean exerts a major influence on weather and climate by absorbing energy from the sun, releasing it over time, and globally redistributing it through ocean currents.

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Connections to Other Courses

Physical science

● Conservation of energy means that the total change of energy in any system is always equal to the total energy transferred into or out of the system.

● Energy cannot be created or destroyed, but it can be transported from one place to another and transferred between systems. ● Mathematical expressions, which quantify how the stored energy in a system depends on its configuration (e.g., relative positions of

charged particles, compression of a spring) and how kinetic energy depends on mass and speed, allow the concept of conservation of energy to be used to predict and describe system behavior.

● The availability of energy limits what can occur in any system. ● Uncontrolled systems always evolve toward more stable states—that is, toward more uniform energy distribution (e.g., water flows

downhill, objects hotter than their surrounding environment cool down). ● Although energy cannot be destroyed, it can be converted to less useful forms—for example, to thermal energy in the surrounding

environment.

Life science

● Photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including anaerobic processes) provide most of the energy for life processes. ● Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter

consumed at the lower level is transferred upward to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved.

● Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.

● A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods

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of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, the ecosystem may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

● Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.

● The process of photosynthesis converts light energy to stored chemical energy by converting carbon dioxide plus water into sugars plus released oxygen.

● The sugar molecules thus formed contain carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen: Their hydrocarbon backbones are used to make amino acids and other carbon-based molecules that can be assembled into larger molecules (such as proteins or DNA) used, for example, to form new cells.

● As matter and energy flow through different organizational levels of living systems, chemical elements are recombined in different ways to form different products.

● As a result of these chemical reactions, energy is transferred from one system of interacting molecules to another. Cellular respiration is a chemical process in which the bonds of food molecules and oxygen molecules are broken and new compounds are formed that can transport energy to muscles. Cellular respiration also releases the energy needed to maintain body temperature despite ongoing energy transfer to the surrounding environment.

Earth and space sciences

● Humans depend on the living world for resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

● Earth’s systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes. ● The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption,

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storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space. ● Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen. ● Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

Interdisciplinary Connections

English Language Arts/Literacy

● Cite specific textual evidence of the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

● Use empirical evidence to write an explanation for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

● Cite specific textual evidence supporting forecasts of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

● Determine and clearly state results from data on global climate models and associated impacts to Earth systems by paraphrasing them in simpler but still accurate terms.

● Integrate and evaluate global climate change data from multiple sources to reveal patterns and relationships and forecast current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts.

● Cite specific textual evidence to support a technological solution that reduces the impacts of human activities on natural systems, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account.

● Evaluate the validity of hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text about the impact of human activities on natural systems, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.

● Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.

● Read multiple sources in order to refine design solutions to reduce impacts of human activities on natural systems and create a coherent understanding of the problem.

Mathematics

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● Represent how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

● Use units as a way to understand the relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

● Choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays representing relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

● Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

● Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities showing relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

● Represent symbolically the relationships among Earth systems and how these relationships are being modified due to human activity, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between Earth systems and human activity.

● Use a mathematical model to describe the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. Identify important quantities in human activities and their effects on Earth systems and map their relationships using tools. Analyze these relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

● Use units as a way to understand how relationships among Earth systems are being modified by human activity. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine relationships among

● Earth systems and how they are being modified by human activity. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays representing how human activity modifies relationships among Earth systems.

● Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of how the relationships among Earth systems are being modified due to human activity.

● Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities representing relationships among Earth systems and how they are being modified due to human activity.

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● Represent forecasts of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems symbolically, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between geoscience data and results from global climate models to forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

● Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of forecasts of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

● Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities representing forecasts of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.

● Represent impacts of human activities on natural systems symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between human activities and natural systems.

● Use units as a way to understand the impacts of human activities on natural systems. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine the impacts of human activities on natural systems. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays representing the impacts of human activities on natural systems.

● Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of the impacts of human activities on natural systems. ● Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities of human activities and their

impacts on natural systems. ● Use a mathematical model to describe human activities and their effects on natural systems. Identify important quantities in human

activities and their effects on natural systems and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Appendix A: NGSS and Foundations for the Unit

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of

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changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.] (HS-ESS3-1)

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching impacts from a human activity is how an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism health and marine populations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include running computational representations but is limited to using the published results of scientific computational models.] (HS-ESS3-6)

Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of evidence, for both data and climate model outputs, are for climate changes (such as precipitation and temperature) and their associated impacts (such as on sea level, glacial ice volumes, or atmosphere and ocean composition).] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to one example of a climate change and its associated impacts.] (HS-ESS3-5)

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use (such as for urban development, agriculture and livestock, or surface mining). Examples for limiting future impacts could range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering design solutions (such as altering global temperatures by making large changes to the atmosphere or ocean).] (HS-ESS3-4)

Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

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Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

● Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories, simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future. (HS-ESS3-1)

● Design or refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ESS3-4)

Analyzing and Interpreting Data

● Analyze data using computational models in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims. (HS-ESS3-5)

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

ESS3.A: Natural Resources

● Resource availability has guided the development of human society. (HS-ESS3-1)

ESS3.B: Natural Hazards

● Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations. (HS-ESS3-1)

ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

● Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere. (secondary to HS-ESS3-6)

Cause and Effect

● Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. (HS-ESS3-1)

Systems and System Models

● When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models. (HS-ESS3-6)

Stability and Change

● Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system. (HSESS3-4)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural

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● Use a computational representation of phenomena or design solutions to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations. (HS-ESS3-6)

ESS3.D: Global Climate Change

● Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. (HS-ESS3-6)

ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

● When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

World

● New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology. (HS-ETS1-1) (HS-ETS1-3)

English Language Arts Mathematics

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. RST.11-12.1 (HS-ETS1-3)

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. RST.11-12.7 (HS-ETS1-3)

Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a

Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.2 (HS-LS2-1),(HS-LS2-2),(HS-LS2-6),(HS-LS2-7)

Model with mathematics. MP.4 (HS-ETS1-3)

Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays. HSN.Q.A.1 (HS-ETS1-3).

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling.

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science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. RST.11-12.8 (HS-ETS1-3)

Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. RST.11-12.9 (HS-ETS1-3).

HSN.Q.A.2 (HS-ETS1-3).

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities. HSN.Q.A.3 (HS-ETS1-3).

Vocabulary

Phenology deduce spatial scale biodiversity Infer thermoregulation

anthropogenic changes predict greenhouse effect snowpack pattern biological extinction

snow water equivalent temporal scale renewable resources nonrenewable resources irreplaceable resources

Suggested Field Trips

Take students out to the Passaic River for a teacher led lesson on hydrology. Visit www.nps.gov/DEPO for information on having the equipment mailed to you.

● Contact the Passaic Valley Sewage Commission and schedule a field trip to the Passaic River and have students learn about the Passaic River, the wildlife around the river and what they can do to help keep our river clean.

● Set up a virtual lesson with Devils Postpile National Monument or another NPS site to bring a lesson on hydrology into the classroom.

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Unit 4: Human Activity and Biodiversity Instructional Days: 25

Unit Summary

Would we treat our resources and life support system if we were on a rocket headed for Mars as we do in our community right now?

In this unit of study, mathematical models provide support for students’ conceptual understanding of systems and students’ ability to design, evaluate, and refine solutions for reducing the impact of human activities on the environment and maintaining biodiversity. Students create or revise a simulation to test solutions for mitigating adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. Crosscutting concepts of systems and system models play a central role in students' understanding of science and engineering practices and core ideas of ecosystems. Mathematical models also provide support for students' conceptual understanding of systems and their ability to develop design solutions for reducing the impact of human activities on the environment and maintaining biodiversity.

Student Learning Objectives

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi-parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.] (HS-ESS3-3)

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of human activities can include urbanization, building dams, and dissemination of invasive species.] (HS-LS2-7)

Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on designing solutions for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species, or to genetic variation of

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organisms for multiple species.](HS-LS4-6)

Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants. (HS-ETS1-1)

Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.(HS-ETS1-2)

Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem. (HS-ETS1-4)

Unit Sequence

Part A: How might we change habits if we replaced the word “environment” with the word “life support system”? Approx. 5 (40 min. periods)

Storyline: “According to a Pew Research Center survey in July 2011, 77% of teens in the United States have a cell phone. Millions of cell phones are replaced every year and only a small percentage of the obsolete phones are recycled. Where does this material go? What impact does our behavior have on the world around us?”

Concepts Formative Assessment

The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them require responsible management of natural resources.

Change and rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

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Some system changes are irreversible. Modern civilization depends on major technological

systems. New technologies can have deep impacts on society and

the environment including some that are not anticipated.

Scientific knowledge is a result of human endeavors imagination and creativity.

Quantify and model change and rates of change in the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. HS-ESS3-3

1. Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural

Automobile emissions are a popular target for greenhouse gas cuts. What percent of greenhouse gases do

The Stabilization Wedges Game is a team-based exercise that teaches players about the scale of the greenhouse gas problem, plus technologies

Stabilization Wedges Game: http://cmi.princeton.edu/wedges/game.php

(PDF in teacher resources)

Students play this game in order to evaluate

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resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

you think come from the world’s passenger vehicles?

that already exist to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions and get us off the path toward dramatic and damaging climate change.

competing design solutions for developing, managing, and utilizing energy resources based on cost-benefit ratios.

2. Students explore various resources to develop an understanding of how computational models of the impacts on biodiversity are created.

Does biodiversity decline steadily as threats intensify, or are there strong threshold effects?

Does biodiversity that is known to directly underpin selected ecosystem services show unusual responses compared with broad-sense biodiversity?

Students develop an understanding computational models of the impacts on biodiversity. Next, they explore Conservation Maps for a global perspective of land use and conservation efforts.

Building Biodiversity and the PREDICTS project and GLOBIO project:

http://www.globio.info/home

http://predicts.org.uk/science.html

(PDF in teacher resources)

Unit Sequence

Part B: Does reducing human impacts on our global life support system require social engineering or mechanical engineering? Approx. 10-13 (40 min. periods)

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Storyline: When you go to the grocery store, do you ask for paper or plastic bags? Do you bring your own? Are there other habits that we could change in our daily lives to conserve more natural resources?

Concepts Formative Assessment

Anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.

Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction).

Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change.

Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth.

Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

Much of science deals with constructing explanations of how things change and how they remain stable.

When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints—including costs, safety, reliability, and aesthetics—and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

Construct explanations for how the environment and biodiversity change and stay the same when affected by human activity.

Evaluate a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

Analyze costs and benefits of a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations.

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criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. Analysis of cost and benefits is a critical.

Learning Objective and Standard Overarching Question Sample Activities Resources

LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species. HS-LS2-7

1. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

What role do humans play in the global carbon cycle? What are the model’s limitations and assumptions?

Students participate in classroom activities to understand carbon cycling at local and global scales. Students expand their scientific thinking through the use of systems models.

GLOBE Carbon Cycle: Students collect data about their school field site through existing GLOBE protocols of phenology, land cover and soils as well as through new protocols focused on biomass and carbon stocks in vegetation.

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2. Students will identify opportunities for source reduction and waste diversion and develop a plan of action for their school.

HS-LS2-7

How do Earth’s surface processes and human activities affect each other?

How can one individual make changes in their behavior to reduce their waste and the corresponding negative effects on the environment?

Students will develop a strategy to increase recycling and waste diversion for their school. To accomplish this challenge, students must conduct a waste stream audit of their school’s entire waste stream (excluding construction waste)

NSA Challenge: Recycling for a Cleaner World: Students will develop a strategy to increase recycling and waste diversion for their school.

Unit Sequence

Part C: Is the damage done to the global life support system permanent? Approx. 3-4 (40 min. periods)

Storyline: Imagine you had the option to participate in a beach cleanup sponsored by Clean Ocean Action, a local nonprofit organization that focuses on water quality issues in and around New Jersey. Your job is to take action, to improve and protect the quality of the waters off the New Jersey/New York coast.

Concepts Formative Assessment

Changes in the physical environment, whether naturally occurring or human induced, have contributed to the expansion of some species, the emergence of new distinct species as populations diverge under different conditions, and the decline—and sometimes the extinction—of some species.

Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Create or revise a simulation based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

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destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystems’ functioning and productivity

are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Both physical models and computers can be used in various ways to aid the engineering design process. Computers are useful for a variety of purposes, such as running simulations to test ways of solving a problem or to see which one is most efficient or economical, and in making a persuasive presentation to a client about how a given design will meet his or her needs.

Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated.

Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.

Use empirical evidence to make claims about the impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

Break down the criteria for the design of a simulation to test a solution for mitigating adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity into simpler ones that can be approached systematically based on consideration of trade-offs.

Design a solution for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.

Analyze costs and benefits of a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

Learning Objective and Standard Overarching Question

Sample Activities Resources

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LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans

Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value. HS-LS4-6

1. Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

What are the factors that limit forest production?

Students apply this model to simulate how atmospheric CO2 concentrations, which influence global climate.

Rainforest carbon cycling and biodiversity

2. Students explore the simulations in order to create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Simulations found at this website on the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

National Climate Assessment

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3. Students apply the storm water runoff calculator to determine the impacts of land use change, precipitation variations, and other parameters on runoff.

What are the effects of land use changes?

The Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) is a computer simulation that predicts soil erosion.

Water Erosion Prediction Project:

Catch It If You Can: students are scaffolded through the process of calculating storm water runoff by exploring and applying this case study.

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

In previous units, students learned that photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including anaerobic processes) provide most of the energy for life processes, and that the chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways.

Students also have an understanding of how a complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. This included examining how modest biological or physical disturbances or extreme fluctuations in conditions affect ecosystems. Anthropogenic changes causing disruptions to biodiversity in ecosystems and stability and resilience were also considered.

These understandings will support students as they continue to explore human dependence on Earth's resources and the nature and effects of human interactions with their environment.

In this unit we turn our attention to how humans depend on the living world for resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. Students must know that the sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them require responsible management of natural resources. Change and rates of change in biodiversity and environmental conditions should be quantified and modeled by students over short and long periods of time. Students should keep in mind that some system changes are irreversible. Deforestation of tropical rain forests and desertification of grasslands are examples of changes students might research. In their research, students should

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synthesize information from multiple sources and evaluate claims about the impacts of human activity on biodiversity based on analysis of evidence.

Modern civilization depends on major technological systems. New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, both anticipated and unanticipated. Examples of impacts include extinction of species and loss of habitat. These changes can lead to a decrease in biodiversity. To address these concepts, students should create a computational simulation or mathematical model illustrating the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Simulations should model change and rates of change in those relationships. When possible, students should symbolically and quantitatively represent natural resource management, sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Students should also map relationships discovered, considering limitations on measurement when reporting quantities or data.

Students will learn that natural and anthropogenic changes in the physical environment contribute to changes in biodiversity. Changes may include species expansion, invasive species, and extinction. Because humans depend on the living world for resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity, adverse human activities such as overpopulation, exploitation of resources, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and human impact on climate change must be addressed. Students should understand that sustaining biodiversity is critical to maintaining functional ecosystems. Students might collect data on growth patterns (exponential, logistic) and carrying capacity using bacterial populations in a petri dish, status of local fish and mollusk populations in Narragansett Bay, erosion of eel grass beds, or continued Quonset Point dredging. Data could also be collected on Asian Shore Crab infestation and competition with local crabs, or the negative effect of warming coastal estuary water temperature on flounder reproduction rates. Students could use data to make informed decisions about how environmental issues affect their communities politically, economically, and ecologically.

Students should connect scientific knowledge to human endeavors, imagination, and creativity using conceptual simulations that illustrate relationships such as those between the management of natural resources in local New England fisheries or the lobster-harvesting industry, the needs of the human population, and the effect on marine diversity. Students can use data collected to model changes in marine animal populations to better understand the relationship between management of natural resources, biodiversity, and the sustainability of human populations. Students can also investigate and research major contributions of scientists and engineers who have developed technologies to produce less pollution and waste in order to prevent ecosystem degradation. Students should synthesize information from multiple sources to construct explanations and verify claims about how the environment and biodiversity change and

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stay the same when affected by human activity.

In this unit, students are tasked with designing and evaluating a solution for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species. As they consider a design solution, they should know that technological advances by modern civilizations have solved, and sometimes caused, problems related to human interactions with the environment. This relationship could be studied by examining impacts of past technological advances such as electricity generation/distribution, antibiotic production, advanced farming practices, and damming of rivers. This may set the context for a discussion of limits of technological solutions. Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed. Students may need to determine long- and short-terms goals of a potential solution, while considering that new technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. For instance, students might consider solutions that address the unanticipated negative impact wind farms have on birds, bats, and offshore fishing grounds.

Students might use empirical evidence of decreasing bird populations to differentiate between specific causes and effects. Students could choose an adverse practice and research solutions to associated problems. They might consider wind turbines, deforestation, waste management, noise pollution, or automobile fuel (hydrogen, electricity, water). Solutions for minimizing adverse effects should account for a range of constraints such as cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as social, cultural, and environmental impacts, since practical solutions are more likely to be implemented by society. Students can use physical models and computer simulations to aid in the engineering process, test potential solutions, and refine designs.

As they work, project criteria should be broken down and approached systematically. By evaluating or refining a technological solution, such as alternative energy, that reduces impacts of humans on biodiversity, students should consider the cost, benefits, and risks of systems created by engineers. An example might be modeling a solution for addressing the melting of permafrost and the release of previously trapped methane. Students should analyze data for positive and negative feedback within natural systems to predict if there would be stabilization or destabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations. When evaluating solutions, students need to take into account a range of constraints, including costs, safety, and reliability, as well as social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Integration of engineering-

In this unit, there are two related performance expectations, HS-LS2-7 and HS-LS4-6, that each identify a connection to HS-ETS1-3.

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Students will be examining solutions for reducing or mitigating impacts of human activity on the environment and biodiversity. Because they are asked to design, evaluate, refine or revise, and finally test a solution, this unit has been identified as an opportunity for students to experience the complete engineering cycle. All HS-ETS1 performance expectations have been included here.

Unit Project/ Lab Performance Assessment

Argument Driven Inquiry in BiologyLab 22: Biodiversity and the Fossil Record (How Has Diversity on Earth Changed Over Time?) Resources Folder

Interdisciplinary Connections

English Language Arts/Literacy

Evaluate data to verify claims about the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to determine the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, synthesizing information from multiple sources.

Synthesize information from a range of sources about the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts.

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to determine the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts.

Evaluate data presented in diverse formats in order to determine the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts.

Evaluate data to verify claims about the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts. Synthesize information from a range of sources into a coherent understanding of the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and

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how to mitigate these impacts.

Mathematics

Represent symbolically the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Use a mathematical model to describe the management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Identify important quantities in relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity, and map their relationships using tools. Analyze these relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Represent symbolically the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships of the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity

Use units to understand the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity and to guide the solution of multistep problems to reduce these impacts. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays showing impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities showing impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

Use a mathematical model to describe the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. Identify important quantities in the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Use a mathematical model to describe a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. Identify important quantities in the impacts of human activities on the biodiversity and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

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Research on Student Learning

Not Applicable (NSDL, 2015).

Prior Learning

By the end of Grade 8, students understand that:

Physical science

Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants.

The total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change. Some chemical reactions release energy; others store energy.

Life science

Organisms and populations of organisms are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.

In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.

Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources. Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations or organisms. Mutually

beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions very across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.

Food webs are models that demonstrate how matter and energy are transferred among producers, consumers, and decomposers as the three groups interact within an ecosystem. Transfers of matter into and out of the physical environment occur at every level.

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Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead plant or animal matter back to the soil in terrestrial environments or to the water in aquatic environments. The atoms that make up the organisms in an ecosystem are cycled repeatedly between the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem.

Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health.

Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes.

Earth and space sciences-

All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and among the planet’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and Earth’s hot interior. The energy that flows and matter that cycles produce chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms.

Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.

Typically as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.

Connections to Other Units and Courses

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Chemistry

Attraction and repulsion between electrical charges at the atomic scale explain the structure, properties, and transformations of matter, as well as the contact forces between material objects.

Biology or Environmental Science

Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including anaerobic processes) provide most of the energy for life processes. Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter consumed

at the lower level is transferred upward to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved.

Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.

A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability. Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species.

Humans depend on the living world for resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having

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adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change.

Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

Earth and space science

Earth’s systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes. Evidence from deep probes and seismic waves, reconstructions of historical changes in Earth’s surface and its magnetic field, and an

understanding of physical and chemical processes lead to a model of Earth with a hot but solid inner core, a liquid outer core, and a solid mantle and crust. Motions of the mantle and its plates occur primarily through thermal convection, which involves the cycling of matter due to the outward flow of energy from Earth’s interior and gravitational movement of denser materials toward the interior.

The geological record shows that changes to global and regional climate can be caused by interactions among changes in the sun’s energy output or Earth’s orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activities. These changes can occur on a variety of time scales from sudden (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to very long-term tectonic cycles.

The many dynamic and delicate feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth’s surface and the life that exists on it.

The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them require responsible management of natural resources. Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that

preclude ecosystem degradation. Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and

manage current and future impacts. Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere,

and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption,

storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space. Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen.

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Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate. Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will

continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.

Resource availability has guided the development of human society. All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs

and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors.

Appendix A: NGSS and Foundations for the Unit

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi-parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.] (HS-ESS3-3)

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of human activities can include urbanization, building dams, and dissemination of invasive species.] (HS-LS2-7)

Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on designing solutions for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species, or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.] (HS-LS4-6)

Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants. (HS-ETS1-1)

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Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.(HS-ETS1-2)

Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and tradeoffs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

Use a computer simulation to model the impact of proposed solutions to a complex real-world problem with numerous criteria and constraints on interactions within and between systems relevant to the problem. (HS-ETS1-4)

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

Use a computational representation of phenomena or design solutions to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations. (HS-ESS3-6), (HS-LS4-6), (HS-LS4-7), (HS-ETS1-4)

Asking Questions and Defining Problems

Analyze complex real-world problems by specifying criteria

ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS-ESS3-3)

LS2.C: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

Anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species. (HS-LS2-7)

LS4.C: Adaptation

Systems and System Models

When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models. (HS-ETS1-4)

Stability and Change

Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system. (HS-ESS3-3),(HS-LS2-7),

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and constraints for successful solutions. (HS-ETS1-1)

Changes in the physical environment, whether naturally occurring or human induced, have thus contributed to the expansion of some species, the emergence of new distinct species as populations diverge under different conditions, and the decline–and sometimes the extinction–of some species. (HS-LS4-6)

LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans

Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction). (secondary to HS-LS2-7)

Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)

Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value. (secondary to HS-LS2-7)

ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

(HS-LS4-6)

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When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary to HS-LS4-6), (HS-ETS1-2)

Both physical models and computers can be used in various ways to aid in the engineering design process. Computers are useful for a variety of purposes, such as running simulations to test different ways of solving a problem or to see which one is most efficient or economical; and in making a persuasive presentation to a client about how a given design will meet his or her needs. (secondary to HS-LS4-6),(HS-ETS1-2)

ETS1.C: Optimizing the Design Solution

Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (tradeoffs) may be needed. (HS-ETS1-2)

English Language Arts Mathematics

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. RST.11-12.7 (HS-LS2-7)

Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and

Reason abstractly and quantitatively. MP.2 (HS-LS2-7), (HS-ETS1-3)

Model with mathematics. MP.4 (HS-ETS1-3)

Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the

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corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. RST.11-12.8 (HS-ETS1-3)

Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. RST.11-12.9 (HS-ETS1-3).

Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. WHST.9-12.5 (HSLS4-6).

origin in graphs and data displays. HSN.Q.A.1 (HS-LS2-7)

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling. HSN.Q.A.2 (HS-ETS1-3)

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities. HSN.Q.A.3 (HS-ETS1-3)

Vocabulary

Biodiversity Ecosystem Diversity Species Diversity Genetic Diversity

Extinction Endangered Species Habitat Fragmentation Biological Magnification

Invasive Species Conservation

Suggested Field Trips

Meadowlands Environment Center

Urban Estuary Ecology Explore the interactions of the local tidal ecosystem. Through water chemistry, field collections, and other observations, students will be exposed to how human activity has impacted the Meadowlands. Back in the lab, students will then focus on the estuarine food web by analyzing real and simulated stomach contents of various species.

NGSS: HS-LS2-2, HS-LS4-6

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Unit 5: Human Activity and Sustainability

Instructional Days: 25

Unit Summary

How do humans depend on Earth’s resources and what are the effects of resource acquisition and use?

"Civilization exists by geological consent, subject to change without notice." Will Durant, American Historian (1885-1981)

In this unit students construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards are connected to human activity. Additionally, while students are exploring this idea they apply scientific and engineering ideas to design, evaluate, and refine a device that can be used to minimize the impacts of natural hazards. They create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity, and create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. They use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity, and evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. The crosscutting concepts of cause and effect, stability and change, systems and system models are called out as an organizing concept for these disciplinary core ideas.

This unit is based on HS-ESS3-1, HS-ESS3-3, HS-LS4-6, HS-ESS3-4, HS-ESS3-6, and HS-ETS1-3 (secondary to HS-ESS3-4).

[Note: The disciplinary core ideas, science and engineering practices, and crosscutting concepts can be taught in either this course or in a high school chemistry and/or biology/life science course.]

Student Learning Objectives

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as

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tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.] (HS-ESS3-1)

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi-parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.] (HS-ESS3-3)

(Secondary to HS-ESS3-3) Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on designing solutions for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species, or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.] (HS-LS4-6)

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use (such as for urban development, agriculture and livestock, or surface mining). Examples for limiting future impacts could range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering design solutions (such as altering global temperatures by making large changes to the atmosphere or ocean).] (HS-ESS3-4)

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching impacts from a human activity is how an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism health and marine populations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include running computational representations but is limited to using the published results of scientific computational models.] (HS-ESS3-6)

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Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

Unit Sequence

Part A: Storyline: Our life on Earth is dependent upon a dependable food supply. Scientists predict that food scarcity issues will become more acute as the global human population continues to climb.

Overarching Question: How are human activities influencing the global ecosystem? Approximate Instructional Time: 5-45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Resource vitality has guided the development of human society. • Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the

course of human history. • Natural hazards and other geologic events have significantly

altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migration.

• Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activities.

• Modern civilization depends on major technological systems. • Changes in climate can affect population or drive mass

migration.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

• Use empirical evidence to differentiate between how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.A: Natural Resources Resource availability has guided the development of human society. (HS-ESS3-1) ESS3.B: Natural Hazards Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations. (HS-ESS3-1) ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS-ESS3-3) Scientists and engineers can make major

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contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. (HS-ESS3-4)

1. Compare incidences of world famine to identify trends in their causes.

What human actions and natural events can lead to famine?

Small groups begin to research the Irish Famine and one other famine such as the Ukrainian famine of the early 20th century, as well a current day famine (for example, in Somalia or Pakistan).

Set up a comparison chart and discuss.

Irish famine http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/british/victorians/famine_01.shtml

Ukrainian famine http://www.thenewamerican.com/culture/history/item/4656-holodomor-the-secret-holocaust-in-ukraine

Somalia’s famine http://learning.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/23/crisis-in-the-horn-of-africa-understanding-the-famine-in-somalia/?_r=0

2. Explain why food travels over long distances and cite evidence from the local community for why a

How do our food choices help or hurt our planet?

Better Lesson – Have Food, Will Travel (1 of 3)

Better Lesson – Have Food, Will Travel (1 of 3) also in Resource folder

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global food system is necessary.

3. Map the pathways of commonly eaten foods in our area; and calculate the hidden costs of food, such as greenhouse gases and energy use.

How do our food choices help or hurt our planet?

Better Lesson – Have Food, Will Travel (2 of 3)

Better Lesson – Have Food, Will Travel (2 of 3) also in Resource folder

4. Calculate the environmental impact of a favorite meal; and develop nuanced arguments for and against transported food based on the complex, often contradictory literature.

How do our food choices help or hurt our planet?

Better Lesson – Have Food, Will Travel (3 of 3)

Better Lesson – Have Food, Will Travel (3 of 3)

Part B: Storyline: Ecosystems are the planet’s life-support systems, for the human species and all other forms of life. Why do ecosystems matter to human health?

Overarching Question: How might we change habits if we replaced the word “environment” with the word “life support system”? Approximate Instructional Time: 5-45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them require responsible management of natural

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships

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resources.

Change and rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods.

Some system changes are irreversible.

Modern civilization depends on major technological systems.

New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment including some that are not anticipated.

Scientific knowledge is a result of human endeavors imagination and creativity.

among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Quantify and model change and rates of change in the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.A: Natural Resources Resource availability has guided the development of human society. (HS-ESS3-1) ESS3.B: Natural Hazards Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations. (HS-ESS3-1) ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS-ESS3-3)

Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by

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developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. (HS-ESS3-4)

1. The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources.

How are humans impacting the Earth through farming, mining, pollution and climate change?

You Tube : NSTA Bozeman Science

NSTA HS ESS3

Human Impacts on the Environment

2. Compare human impact on global resources.

Is the human footprint the same all over the world? If not, how does it vary and what implications does that have on the access to food, potable water and fuel?

Activity 1: Mapping our Human Footprint by analyzing a map Activity 2: The Perils of Plastic Activity 3: Protecting Earth’s Wildlife

Human Footprint

Human Footprint Interactive

3. Describe interactions among biotic and abiotic factors in urban cultivated ecosystems.

Identify specific strategies

How might we apply sustainability principles to environmental problems, especially the need for sustainable farming practices that maximize crop yield and soil quality?

Better Lesson: Modeling By the end of this lesson, successful students should be able to explain basic principles of sustainable design, identify sustainable agricultural

City Farm Sustainability Model

PDF in Resource Folder

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that improve the sustainability of farming practices.

Articulate the costs and benefits of sustainable urban agriculture for individuals and large groups.

strategies to meet human needs over a long time horizon, and demonstrate competency with sustainable practices by meeting performance thresholds within the City Farm game.

4. Explain constraints impacting potential solutions to problems posed by the global food system

Design a prototype sustainable farm as a solution to specific problems posed by industrial agriculture and a growing human population.

How might we apply our understanding of agricultural methods to feed 9 billion people in an environmentally sustainable manner?

Better Lesson- CAPSTONE Students should have a working prototype of a sustainable farm that solves the problems articulated in Stage One. Students should also be able to articulate the logic of the choices made in the farm design and the fit of the farm design to the design challenge of sustainably feeding a growing human population.

CAPSTONE: Feeding 9 billion through sustainable farm design

PDF in resource folder

5. Examine the global human impact on the environment through the analysis of two (2) case studies of environmental effects.

What are some negative impact humans have had on the environment?

Better Lesson: Human Impact This lesson uses two cases studies, CFCs and acid rain, to show the sometimes negative effects of human influence on the environment.

Human Impact PDF in resource folder

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Part C: Storyline: Earth is home to millions of species. Just one dominates it. Us. Our cleverness, our inventiveness and our activities have modified almost every part of our planet. The overpopulation of human beings has great demands on Earth, at what point will the human population be too much for Earth to support?

Overarching Question: Is the damage done to the global life support system permanent? Approximate Instructional Time: 5-45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Changes in the physical environment, whether naturally occurring or human induced, have contributed to the expansion of some species, the emergence of new distinct species as populations diverge under different conditions, and the decline—and sometimes the extinction—of some species.

• Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change.

• Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystems’ functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

• Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects.

• When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Create or revise a simulation based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

• Use empirical evidence to make claims about the impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

• Break down the criteria for the design of a simulation to test a solution for mitigating adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity into simpler ones that can be approached systematically based on consideration of trade-offs.

• Design a solution for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.

• Analyze costs and benefits of a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity.

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impacts. • Both physical models and computers can be used in various

ways to aid the engineering design process. Computers are useful for a variety of purposes, such as running simulations to test ways of solving a problem or to see which one is most efficient or economical, and in making a persuasive presentation to a client about how a given design will meet his or her needs.

• Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

• New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated.

• Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS-ESS3-3)

LS4.D: Biodiversity and Humans Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that

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ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

HS-LS4-6

1. The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them require responsible management of natural resources.

How can students understand and explain the value of biodiversity?

How can students use mathematical representations to calculate and/or predict current and future human impacts on biodiversity?

How can students identify threats to biodiversity, and design and evaluate solutions to protect it?

Articulate the complex relationships in an ecosystem and explain why the role of each species is important for the functioning of the whole.

Describe the inherent values of biodiversity, including why biodiversity is essential to sustain the human population.

Explain the human-induced threats to biodiversity.

Design solutions/strategies for mitigating adverse impacts, including describing the

Human Impacts on Biodiversity

PDF in Resource Folder

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constraints and trade-offs that potentially limit those solutions.

Create explanations of biodiversity impacts and representations of relationships within ecosystems that are supported by data and mathematical representations.

Identify major global energy sources and uses

Where do we get our energy and how do we use it?

Analyze data detailing global energy sources and uses.

Construct a diagram to show the relative scale and the connections between them.

Global Energy Flows

PDF folder in Resource folder

Part D: Storyline: Most of the human activities responsible for the increase in global nitrogen are local in scale, from the production and use of nitrogen fertilizers to the burning of fossil fuels in automobiles, power generation plants, and industries. How or what can humans do to minimize the impact on society and the environment?

Overarching Question: How can the impacts of human activities on natural systems are reduced? Approximate Instructional Time: 5-45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

• Scientist and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation.

• Engineers continuously modify these systems

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

• Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems based on scientific knowledge and student-generated sources of evidence; prioritize criteria and tradeoff considerations.

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to increase benefits while decreasing costs and risks.

• Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize natural systems.

• When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including costs, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

• New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that are not anticipated.

• Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary) HS-ESS3-4

1.

2. 1. Conceptualize and develop a prototype for a device that can minimize the school waste stream.

How can one individual make changes in their behavior to reduce their waste and the

Students will develop a strategy to increase recycling and waste diversion for their

NSA Challenge for a Cleaner World

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corresponding negative effects on the environment?

school.

2. Judge the benefits and associated risks of new technologies meant to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

What technologies exist that will reduce the carbon emissions?

What is the risk involved in using these technologies?

The Stabilization Wedges Game is a team-based exercise that teaches players about the scale of the greenhouse gas problem, plus technologies that already exist to dramatically reduce our carbon emissions and get us off the path toward dramatic and damaging climate change.

Players pick eight carbon-cutting strategies to construct a carbon mitigation portfolio, filling in the eight wedges of the stabilization triangle.

Stabilization Wedges Game

Teacher Guide

Gameboard

Part E: Storyline: The global ocean comprises 71% of the Earth's surface, providing the ultimate reservoir for all the world's water and, through evaporation, providing the source of water for the precipitation that feeds the global water cycle. Surface currents and deep circulation of heat make the global ocean a dominant part of Earth's climate system. These currents are also responsible for transporting the nutrients necessary to support the ocean's vast biodiversity. Human impacts can be magnified in the ocean through overfishing and ecosystem misuse, and by the long-distance transport of pollution and contaminants. How can we minimize the impact of human activities on Earth’s natural resources?

Overarching Question: What are the relationships among earth’s systems and how are those relationships being modified due to human

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activity? Approximate Instructional Time: 5-45 minute periods

Concepts Formative Assessment

● Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and will vary, average global temperatures will continue to rise.

● The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases are added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.

● Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities.

● When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models.

● Criteria may need to be broken down into similar ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed.

● Human activities can modify the relationships among Earth systems.

Students who understand the concepts are able to:

● Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how these relationships are being modified due to human activity.

● Describe the boundaries of Earth systems. ● Analyze and describe the inputs and outputs of Earth systems.

Learning Objective and Standard

Essential Questions Sample Activities Resources

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ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem degradation. HS-ESS3-6

ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary) HS-ETS1-3 ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

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Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere.(secondary) HS-ESS3-6 ESS3.D: Global Climate Change Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the

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ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. HS-ESS3-6

1. Use models to gather evidence of carbon cycling at local and global scales.

How does carbon cycle at locally and globally?

Students participate in classroom activities to understand carbon cycling at local and global scales. These might include plant-a-plant classroom experiments, hands-on learning activities of various concepts, and analysis of collected data. In addition, students have the opportunity to expand their scientific thinking through the use of systems models. This program design allows students to explore research questions from local to global scales with both present and future environmental conditions. Apply the process to local

GLOBE Carbon Cycle

Globe Activities

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environment.

2. Gather evidence to support a claim regarding the primary driver of ocean acidification.

What are the negative effects on sea life due to the rise in ocean acidification?

How is this related to global climate change?

Students will use online tools to access data graphs of ocean pH, sea surface temperature, and CO2 data to find the driving factor behind ocean acidification

Ocean Acidification by NOAA

What It Looks Like in the Classroom

Environmental factors have affected human populations over the course of history. Resource availability, natural disasters, and other geologic events have driven global development of societies, sizes of human populations, and human migrations. Student understanding of these relationships could be enhanced by examining and citing evidence from text or other investigations that show correlations between human population distribution and regional availability of resources such as fresh water, fertile soils, and fossils fuels.

Students look for cause-and-effect relationships between human population distribution and resource availability and distinguish between causality and correlation. In developing an explanation for how the availability of natural resources has influenced human activity, students consider, for example, the dependence of large urban populations on the technology required to deliver potable water. An example of the role that technology plays could include the impounding of the Colorado River by the Hoover Dam and the formation of Lake Mead, which provides the water required to support large human populations in an otherwise arid and desert habitat.

Historical accounts of natural disasters (e.g., Krakatoa eruption, American Dust Bowl, Superstorm Sandy, and Hurricane Katrina) resulting human suffering and loss of life could provide empirical evidence of past impacts on human population size and distribution. Previous climate change events (sea level fall and rise, desertification of the Sahara) are studied as examples of natural events that can drive human migrations. Students use evidence from data analysis to make inferences and predictions about the impacts of future climate change and global warming on displacement or migration of humans.

When examining and reporting data, students represent resource availability, natural disasters, and human activity symbolically and determine what quantitative relationships exist. Students map these relationships in graphs, charts, or other descriptive models, while

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considering any limitations on measurement when reporting quantities.

In this unit we also turn our attention to how humans depend on the living world for resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. Students must know that the sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them require responsible management of natural resources. Change and rates of change in biodiversity and environmental conditions are quantified and modeled by students over short and long periods of time. Students keep in mind that some system changes are irreversible. Deforestation of tropical rain forests and desertification of grasslands are examples of changes for student research. In their research, students synthesize information from multiple sources and evaluate claims about the impacts of human activity on biodiversity based on analysis of evidence.

Students learn that natural and anthropogenic changes in the physical environment contribute to changes in biodiversity. Changes may include species expansion, invasive species, and extinction. Because humans depend on the living world for resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity, adverse human activities such as overpopulation, exploitation of resources, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and human impact on climate change must be addressed. Students understand that sustaining biodiversity is critical to maintaining functional ecosystems. Students collect data on growth patterns (exponential, logistic) and carrying capacity using, for example, bacterial populations in a petri dish, status of local fish and mollusk populations in Narragansett Bay, erosion of eel grass beds, or continued Quonset Point dredging. Data could also be collected on Asian Shore Crab infestation and competition with local crabs, or the negative effect of warming coastal estuary water temperature on flounder reproduction rates. Students use data to make informed decisions about how environmental issues affect their communities politically, economically, and ecologically.

Students use data collected to model changes in marine animal populations to better understand the relationship between management of natural resources, biodiversity, and the sustainability of human populations. Students also investigate and research major contributions of scientists and engineers who have developed technologies to produce less pollution and waste in order to prevent ecosystem degradation. Students synthesize information from multiple sources to construct explanations and verify claims about how the environment and biodiversity change and stay the same when affected by human activity.

Students are tasked with designing and evaluating a solution for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species. As they consider a design solution, they should know that technological advances by modern civilizations have solved, and sometimes caused, problems related to human interactions with the environment. This relationship could be studied by examining impacts of past technological advances such as electricity generation/distribution, antibiotic production, advanced farming practices, and damming of

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rivers. This may set the context for a discussion of limits of technological solutions. Criteria may need to be broken down into simpler ones that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others (trade-offs) may be needed. Students need to determine long- and short-terms goals of a potential solution, while considering that new technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. For instance, students consider solutions that address the unanticipated negative impact wind farms have on birds, bats, and offshore fishing grounds.

Students use empirical evidence of decreasing bird populations to differentiate between specific causes and effects. Students choose an adverse practice and research solutions to associated problems. They might consider wind turbines, deforestation, waste management, noise pollution, or automobile fuel (hydrogen, electricity, water). Solutions for minimizing adverse effects should account for a range of constraints such as cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as social, cultural, and environmental impacts, since practical solutions are more likely to be implemented by society. Students can use physical models and computer simulations to aid in the engineering process, test potential solutions, and refine designs.

As they work, project criteria should be broken down and approached systematically. By evaluating or refining a technological solution, such as alternative energy, that reduces impacts of humans on biodiversity, students should consider the cost, benefits, and risks of systems created by engineers. An example might be modeling a solution for addressing the melting of permafrost and the release of previously trapped methane. Students should analyze data for positive and negative feedback within natural systems to predict if there would be stabilization or destabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations. When evaluating solutions, students need to take into account a range of constraints, including costs, safety, and reliability, as well as social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Modern civilization depends on major technological systems. New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, both anticipated and unanticipated. Examples of impacts include extinction of species and loss of habitat. These changes can lead to a decrease in biodiversity. To address these concepts, students create a computational simulation or mathematical model illustrating the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Simulations model change and rates of change in those relationships. When possible, students symbolically and quantitatively represent natural resource management, sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Students also map relationships discovered, considering limitations on measurement when reporting quantities or data.

When evaluating or refining a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems, such as use of

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alternative energy sources, students read and integrate multiple sources of information to create a coherent understanding of the problem. In their evaluation, they consider costs, benefits, and risks of systems created by engineers. When evaluating solutions, students take into account a range of constraints, including costs, safety, and reliability, as well as any social, cultural, and environmental impacts. Models created by students are used to illustrate and analyze positive and negative feedback within natural systems that may lead to stabilization or destabilization.

Examples of technologies that might limit future impacts of human activity could be small-scale local efforts or large-scale geoengineering solutions for more global issues. Students research and analyze data regarding the use of fossil fuels to power machines and the quantities and types of pollutants produced. The analysis of data could be used to investigate how alternative energy machines, such as electric- or hydrogen powered cars, could be used to reduce carbon emissions. Students consider the availability of infrastructure, trained technicians, economic constraints, reliability, and other trade-offs, like personal aesthetic preference, in their evaluations or design decisions.

Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. Students describe the boundaries of Earth’s systems by looking at models, data sets, or graphics showing temperatures and currents of the ocean and atmosphere. They identify evidence to support the claim that human activity can modify Earth's systems. When students are investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models. Students also analyze and describe the inputs and outputs of Earth’s systems by researching and investigating the amount of carbon dioxide produced by human activities. In their research, students integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information and verify data when possible. Students then design a solution to decrease the amount of carbon dioxide added by human activity. The design process may need to be broken down into logical steps that can be approached systematically, and decisions about the priority of certain criteria over others should be considered throughout the process.

Students use computational representations of geoscience data to illustrate these relationships and make forecasts about Earth’s systems. Students illustrate how relationships are being modified due to human activity by graphing temperature changes over a period of time. Rates of change should be quantified and modeled at different time scales. In symbolic representations of relationships between Earth's systems and human activity, students should consider appropriate quantities and limitations on measurement when reporting

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data.

Integration of engineering

Performance expectations HS-LS4-6 and HS-ESS3-4 specifically identifies a connection to HS-ETS1-3. Students examine solutions for reducing or mitigating impacts of human activity on the environment and biodiversity. This requires students to evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. To meet this requirement, students will evaluate technological solutions that limit human impacts on natural systems. In their evaluations, students should consider how new technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. Analysis of costs and benefits is a critical aspect of decisions about technology. Because they are asked to design, evaluate, refine or revise, and finally test a solution, this unit has been identified as an opportunity for students to experience the complete engineering cycle. All HS-ETS1 performance expectations have been included here.

Integration of Physical science

The integration of physical science performance expectation HS-PSS2-3 into performance expectation HS-ESS3-1 connects students to the practical applications of physical science as they assess the impacts of natural hazards and natural disasters on the human-made environment. Refer to the physical science model curriculum for additional ideas on how to bundle these two performance expectations.

Unit Project/ Lab Performance/ Assessments

Building Biodiversity and the PREDICTS project and GLOBIO project: Students explore this website to develop an understanding of how computational models of the impacts on biodiversity are created. Next, they explore Conservation Maps for a global perspective of land use and conservation efforts.

Schoolyard Biodiversity: Students assess the biodiversity in their schoolyards, and apply their model outputs to predict the changes in biodiversity as related to human impacts and the application of sustainable practices.

I=P*A*T Equation and Its Variants: Students read this article to learn how ecological economics models are developed and applied to

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further understand human impacts on our environment.

National Climate Assessment: Students explore the simulations found at this website in order to create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

Stormwater Calculator or the Water Erosion Prediction Project: Students apply the storm water runoff calculator to determine the impacts of land use change, precipitation variations, and other parameters on runoff.

The Bean Game: Exploring Human Interactions with Natural Resources: This activity explores the various influences of human consumption of natural resources over time. (use this as a primer for making a computational model).

NSA Challenge: Recycling for a Cleaner World: Students will develop a strategy to increase recycling and waste diversion for their school.

Land and People: Finding a Balance: This environmental study project allows a group of students to consider real environmental dilemmas concerning water use and provide solutions to these dilemmas.

Reefs at Risk: and NOAA Coral Reefs at Risk: Students access and explore a series of interactive maps displaying coral reef data from around the globe and develop hypotheses related to the impacts of climate change (i.e. increased levels of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere) on coral reef health.

Research on Student Learning

Most high school students seem to know that some kind of cyclical process takes place in ecosystems. Some students see only chains of events and pay little attention to the matter involved in processes such as plant growth or animals eating plants. They think the processes involve creating and destroying matter rather than transforming it from one substance to another. Other students recognize one form of recycling through soil minerals but fail to incorporate water, oxygen, and carbon dioxide into matter cycles. Even after specially designed instruction, students cling to their misinterpretations. Instruction that traces matter through the ecosystem as a basic pattern of thinking may help correct these difficulties (NSDL, 2015).

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Prior Learning

By the end of Grade 8, students understand that:

Physical science

● Substances react chemically in characteristic ways. In a chemical process, the atoms that make up the original substances are regrouped into different molecules, and these new substances have different properties from those of the reactants.

● The total number of each type of atom is conserved, and thus the mass does not change. ● Some chemical reactions release energy, others store energy.

Life science

● Organisms, and populations of organisms, are dependent on their environmental interactions both with other living things and with nonliving factors.

● In any ecosystem, organisms and populations with similar requirements for food, water, oxygen, or other resources may compete with each other for limited resources, access to which consequently constrains their growth and reproduction.

● Growth of organisms and population increases are limited by access to resources. ● Similarly, predatory interactions may reduce the number of organisms or eliminate whole populations of organisms. Mutually

beneficial interactions, in contrast, may become so interdependent that each organism requires the other for survival. Although the species involved in these competitive, predatory, and mutually beneficial interactions vary across ecosystems, the patterns of interactions of organisms with their environments, both living and nonliving, are shared.

● Food webs are models that demonstrate how matter and energy is transferred between producers, consumers, and decomposers as the three groups interact within an ecosystem. Transfers of matter into and out of the physical environment occur at every level. Decomposers recycle nutrients from dead plant or animal matter back to the soil in terrestrial environments or to the water in aquatic environments. The atoms that make up the organisms in an ecosystem are cycled repeatedly between the living and nonliving parts of the ecosystem.

● Ecosystems are dynamic in nature; their characteristics can vary over time. Disruptions to any physical or biological component of an ecosystem can lead to shifts in all its populations.

● Biodiversity describes the variety of species found in Earth’s terrestrial and oceanic ecosystems. The completeness or integrity of an

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ecosystem’s biodiversity is often used as a measure of its health. ● Adaptation by natural selection acting over generations is one important process by which species change over time in response to

changes in environmental conditions. Traits that support successful survival and reproduction in the new environment become more common; those that do not become less common. Thus, the distribution of traits in a population changes.

● Changes in biodiversity can influence humans’ resources, such as food, energy, and medicines, as well as ecosystem services that humans rely on—for example, water purification and recycling.

Earth and space science

● All Earth processes are the result of energy flowing and matter cycling within and among the planet’s systems. This energy is derived from the sun and Earth’s hot interior. The energy that flows and matter those cycles produce chemical and physical changes in Earth’s materials and living organisms.

● The planet’s systems interact over scales that range from microscopic to global in size, and they operate over fractions of a second to billions of years. These interactions have shaped Earth’s history and will determine its future.

● Water continually cycles among land, ocean, and atmosphere via transpiration, evaporation, condensation and crystallization, and precipitation, as well as downhill flows on land.

● The complex patterns of the changes and the movement of water in the atmosphere, determined by winds, landforms, and ocean temperatures and currents, are major determinants of local weather patterns.

● Global movements of water and its changes in form are propelled by sunlight and gravity. ● Variations in density due to variations in temperature and salinity drive a global pattern of interconnected ocean currents. ● Water’s movements—both on the land and underground—cause weathering and erosion, which change the land’s surface features

and create underground formations. ● Humans depend on Earth’s land, ocean, atmosphere, and biosphere for many different resources. Minerals, fresh water, and

biosphere resources are limited, and many are not renewable or replaceable over human lifetimes. These resources are distributed unevenly around the planet as a result of past geologic processes.

● Mapping the history of natural hazards in a region, combined with an understanding of related geologic forces can help forecast the locations and likelihoods of future events.

● Human activities have significantly altered the biosphere, sometimes damaging or destroying natural habitats and causing the

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extinction of other species. But changes to Earth’s environments can have different impacts (negative and positive) for different living things.

● Typically as human populations and per-capita consumption of natural resources increase, so do the negative impacts on Earth unless the activities and technologies involved are engineered otherwise.

● Human activities, such as the release of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels, are major factors in the current rise in Earth’s mean surface temperature (global warming). Reducing the level of climate change and reducing human vulnerability to whatever climate changes do occur depend on the understanding of climate science, engineering capabilities, and other kinds of knowledge, such as understanding of human behavior and on applying that knowledge wisely in decisions and activities.

Connections to Other Courses

Physical science

● Chemical processes, their rates, and whether or not energy is stored or released can be understood in terms of the collisions of molecules and the rearrangements of atoms into new molecules, with consequent changes in the sum of all bond energies in the set of molecules that are matched by changes in kinetic energy.

● In many situations, a dynamic and condition-dependent balance between a reaction and the reverse reaction determines the numbers of all types of molecules present.

● The fact that atoms are conserved, together with knowledge of the chemical properties of the elements involved, can be used to describe and predict chemical reactions.

Life science

● Ecosystems have carrying capacities, which are limits to the numbers of organisms and populations they can support. These limits result from such factors as the availability of living and nonliving resources and from such challenges such as predation, competition, and disease. Organisms would have the capacity to produce populations of great size were it not for the fact that environments and resources are finite. This fundamental tension affects the abundance (number of individuals) of species in any given ecosystem. Photosynthesis and cellular respiration (including anaerobic processes) provide most of the energy for life processes.

● Plants or algae form the lowest level of the food web. At each link upward in a food web, only a small fraction of the matter

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consumed at the lower level is transferred upward, to produce growth and release energy in cellular respiration at the higher level. Given this inefficiency, there are generally fewer organisms at higher levels of a food web. Some matter reacts to release energy for life functions, some matter is stored in newly made structures, and much is discarded. The chemical elements that make up the molecules of organisms pass through food webs and into and out of the atmosphere and soil, and they are combined and recombined in different ways. At each link in an ecosystem, matter and energy are conserved.

● Photosynthesis and cellular respiration are important components of the carbon cycle, in which carbon is exchanged among the biosphere, atmosphere, oceans, and geosphere through chemical, physical, geological, and biological processes.

● A complex set of interactions within an ecosystem can keep its numbers and types of organisms relatively constant over long periods of time under stable conditions. If a modest biological or physical disturbance to an ecosystem occurs, it may return to its more or less original status (i.e., the ecosystem is resilient), as opposed to becoming a very different ecosystem. Extreme fluctuations in conditions or the size of any population, however, can challenge the functioning of ecosystems in terms of resources and habitat availability.

● Moreover, anthropogenic changes (induced by human activity) in the environment—including habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, overexploitation, and climate change—can disrupt an ecosystem and threaten the survival of some species. Biodiversity is increased by the formation of new species (speciation) and decreased by the loss of species (extinction).

● Humans depend on the living world for the resources and other benefits provided by biodiversity. But human activity is also having adverse impacts on biodiversity through overpopulation, overexploitation, habitat destruction, pollution, introduction of invasive species, and climate change. Thus sustaining biodiversity so that ecosystem functioning and productivity are maintained is essential to supporting and enhancing life on Earth. Sustaining biodiversity also aids humanity by preserving landscapes of recreational or inspirational value.

Earth and space sciences

● Earth’s systems, being dynamic and interacting, cause feedback effects that can increase or decrease the original changes. Evidence from deep probes and seismic waves, reconstructions of historical changes in Earth’s surface and its magnetic field, and an understanding of physical and chemical processes lead to a model of Earth with a hot but solid inner core, a liquid outer core, a solid mantle and crust. Motions of the mantle and its plates occur primarily through thermal convection, which involves the cycling of matter due to the outward flow of energy from Earth’s interior and gravitational movement of denser materials toward the interior.

● The geological record shows that changes to global and regional climate can be caused by interactions among changes in the sun’s

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energy output or Earth’s orbit, tectonic events, ocean circulation, volcanic activity, glaciers, vegetation, and human activities. These changes can occur on a variety of time scales from sudden (e.g., volcanic ash clouds) to intermediate (ice ages) to very long-term tectonic cycles.

● The foundation for Earth’s global climate systems is the electromagnetic radiation from the sun, as well as its reflection, absorption, storage, and redistribution among the atmosphere, ocean, and land systems, and this energy’s re-radiation into space.

● Gradual atmospheric changes were due to plants and other organisms that captured carbon dioxide and released oxygen. Changes in the atmosphere due to human activity have increased carbon dioxide concentrations and thus affect climate.

● The many dynamic and delicate feedbacks between the biosphere and other Earth systems cause a continual co-evolution of Earth’s surface and the life that exists on it.

● Resource availability has guided the development of human society. ● All forms of energy production and other resource extraction have associated economic, social, environmental, and geopolitical costs

and risks as well as benefits. New technologies and social regulations can change the balance of these factors. ● The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. ● Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that

preclude ecosystem degradation. ● Though the magnitudes of human impacts are greater than they have ever been, so too are human abilities to model, predict, and

manage current and future impacts. ● Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere,

and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities.

Interdisciplinary Connections

English Language Arts/Literacy

• Cite specific textual evidence of the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

• Use empirical evidence to write an explanation for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity.

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• Evaluate data to verify claims about the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information.

• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to determine the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, synthesizing information from multiple sources.

• Synthesize information from a range of sources about the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible.

• Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts.

• Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to determine the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts.

• Evaluate data presented in diverse formats in order to determine the impacts of human activity on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts.

• Evaluate data to verify claims about the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and how to mitigate these impacts. • Synthesize information from a range of sources into a coherent understanding of the impacts of human activities on biodiversity and

how to mitigate these impacts. • Cite specific textual evidence to support a technological solution that reduces the impacts of human activities on natural systems,

attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. • Evaluate the validity of hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text about the impact of human activities

on natural systems, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. • Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media in order to evaluate or refine a

technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. • Read multiple sources in order to refine design solutions to reduce impacts of human activities on natural systems and create a

coherent understanding of the problem.

Mathematics

• Represent how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between availability of

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natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity. • Use units as a way to understand the relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and

changes in climate and their influence on human activity. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

• Choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays representing relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

• Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

• Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities showing relationships between availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate and their influence on human activity.

• Represent symbolically the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity.

• Use a mathematical model to describe the management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. Identify important quantities in relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity, and map their relationships using tools. Analyze these relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

• Represent symbolically the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships of the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity

• Use units to understand the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity and to guide the solution of multistep problems to reduce these impacts. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays showing impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

• Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.

• Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities showing impacts of human activities

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on the environment and biodiversity. • Use a mathematical model to describe the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. Identify important

quantities in the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

• Use a mathematical model to describe a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. Identify important quantities in the impacts of human activities on the biodiversity and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

• Represent symbolically the relationships among Earth systems and how these relationships are being modified due to human activity, and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between Earth systems and human activity.

• Use a mathematical model to describe the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. Identify important quantities in human activities and their effects on Earth systems and map their relationships using tools. Analyze these relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

• Use units as a way to understand how relationships among Earth systems are being modified by human activity. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine relationships among them.

• Earth systems and how they are being modified by human activity. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays representing how human activity modifies relationships among Earth systems.

• Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of how the relationships among Earth systems are being modified due to human activity.

• Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities representing relationships among Earth systems and how they are being modified due to human activity.

• Represent impacts of human activities on natural systems symbolically and manipulate the representing symbols. Make sense of quantities and relationships between human activities and natural systems.

• Use units as a way to understand the impacts of human activities on natural systems. Choose and interpret units consistently in formulas to determine the impacts of human activities on natural systems. Choose and interpret the scale and origin in graphs and data displays representing the impacts of human activities on natural systems.

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• Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling of the impacts of human activities on natural systems. • Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities of human activities and their

impacts on natural systems. • Use a mathematical model to describe human activities and their effects on natural systems. Identify important quantities in human

activities and their effects on natural systems and map their relationships using tools. Analyze those relationships mathematically to draw conclusions, reflecting on the results and improving the model if it has not served its purpose.

Appendix A: NGSS and Foundations for the Unit

Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of key natural resources include access to fresh water (such as rivers, lakes, and groundwater), regions of fertile soils such as river deltas, and high concentrations of minerals and fossil fuels. Examples of natural hazards can be from interior processes (such as volcanic eruptions and earthquakes), surface processes (such as tsunamis, mass wasting and soil erosion), and severe weather (such as hurricanes, floods, and droughts). Examples of the results of changes in climate that can affect populations or drive mass migrations include changes to sea level, regional patterns of temperature and precipitation, and the types of crops and livestock that can be raised.] (HS-ESS3-1)

Create a computational simulation to illustrate the relationships among management of natural resources, the sustainability of human populations, and biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of factors that affect the management of natural resources include costs of resource extraction and waste management, per-capita consumption, and the development of new technologies. Examples of factors that affect human sustainability include agricultural efficiency, levels of conservation, and urban planning.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi-parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.] (HS-ESS3-3)

(Secondary to HS-ESS3-3) Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. [Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on designing solutions for a proposed problem related to threatened or endangered species, or to genetic variation of organisms for multiple species.] (HS-LS4-6)

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Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. [Clarification Statement: Examples of data on the impacts of human activities could include the quantities and types of pollutants released, changes to biomass and species diversity, or areal changes in land surface use (such as for urban development, agriculture and livestock, or surface mining). Examples for limiting future impacts could range from local efforts (such as reducing, reusing, and recycling resources) to large-scale geoengineering design solutions (such as altering global temperatures by making large changes to the atmosphere or ocean).] (HS-ESS3-4)

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. [Clarification Statement: Examples of Earth systems to be considered are the hydrosphere, atmosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and/or biosphere. An example of the far-reaching impacts from a human activity is how an increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide results in an increase in photosynthetic biomass on land and an increase in ocean acidification, with resulting impacts on sea organism health and marine populations.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment does not include running computational representations but is limited to using the published results of scientific computational models.] (HS-ESS3-6)

Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (HS-ETS1-3)

The performance expectations above were developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices Disciplinary Core Ideas Crosscutting Concepts

Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions

● Construct an explanation based on valid and reliable evidence obtained from a variety of sources (including students’ own investigations, models, theories,

ESS3.A: Natural Resources

● Resource availability has guided the development of human society. (HS-ESS3-1)

ESS3.B: Natural Hazards

Cause and Effect

● Empirical evidence is required to differentiate between cause and correlation and make claims about specific causes and effects. (HS-ESS3-1),

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simulations, peer review) and the assumption that theories and laws that describe the natural world operate today as they did in the past and will continue to do so in the future. (HS-ESS3-1)

● Design or refine a solution to a complex real-world problem, based on scientific knowledge, student-generated sources of evidence, prioritized criteria, and tradeoff considerations. (HS-ESS3-4)

Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking

● Create a computational model or simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system. (HS-ESS3-3)

● Use a computational representation of phenomena or design solutions to describe and/or support claims and/or explanations. (HS-ESS3-6)

● Create or revise a simulation of a phenomenon, designed device, process, or system. (HS-LS4-6)

● Natural hazards and other geologic events have shaped the course of human history; [they] have significantly altered the sizes of human populations and have driven human migrations. (HS-ESS3-1)

LS4.C: Adaptation

● Changes in the physical environment, whether naturally occurring or human induced, have thus contributed to the expansion of some species, the emergence of new distinct species as populations diverge under different conditions, and the decline–and sometimes the extinction–of some species. (HS-LS4-6, secondary to HS-ESS3-3)

ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

● The sustainability of human societies and the biodiversity that supports them requires responsible management of natural resources. (HS-ESS3-3)

● Scientists and engineers can make major contributions by developing technologies that produce less pollution and waste and that preclude ecosystem

(HS-LS4-6)

Systems and System Models

● When investigating or describing a system, the boundaries and initial conditions of the system need to be defined and their inputs and outputs analyzed and described using models. (HS-ESS3-6)

Stability and Change

● Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system. (HSESS3-4), (HS-LS4-6)

● Change and rates of change can be quantified and modeled over very short or very long periods of time. Some system changes are irreversible. (HS-ESS3-3)

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Connections to Engineering, Technology, and Applications of Science

Influence of Science, Engineering, and Technology on Society and the Natural

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degradation. (HS-ESS3-4)

ESS3.D: Global Climate Change

● Through computer simulations and other studies, important discoveries are still being made about how the ocean, the atmosphere, and the biosphere interact and are modified in response to human activities. (HS-ESS3-6)

ESS2.D: Weather and Climate

● Current models predict that, although future regional climate changes will be complex and varied, average global temperatures will continue to rise. The outcomes predicted by global climate models strongly depend on the amounts of human-generated greenhouse gases added to the atmosphere each year and by the ways in which these gases are absorbed by the ocean and biosphere. (secondary to HS-ESS3-6)

ETS1.B: Developing Possible Solutions

● When evaluating solutions, it is important to take into account a range of constraints, including cost, safety,

World

● Modern civilization depends on major technological systems. (HS-ESS3-3)

● Engineers continuously modify these technological systems by applying scientific knowledge and engineering design practices to increase benefits while decreasing costs and risks. (HS-ESS3-4)

● New technologies can have deep impacts on society and the environment, including some that were not anticipated. (HS-ESS3-3)

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Connections to Nature of Science

Science is a Human Endeavor

● Science is a result of human endeavors, imagination, and creativity. (HS-ESS3-3)

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reliability, and aesthetics, and to consider social, cultural, and environmental impacts. (secondary to HS-ESS3-4)

English Language Arts Mathematics

Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of science and technical texts, attending to important distinctions the author makes and to any gaps or inconsistencies in the account. (HS-ESS3-1),(HS-ESS3-4) RST.11-12.1

Evaluate the hypotheses, data, analysis, and conclusions in a science or technical text, verifying the data when possible and corroborating or challenging conclusions with other sources of information. (HS-ESS3-4), (HS-ETS1-3) RST.11-12.8

Integrate and evaluate multiple sources of information presented in diverse formats and media (e.g., quantitative data, video, multimedia) in order to address a question or solve a problem. RST.11-12.7 (HS-ETS1-3)

Synthesize information from a range of sources (e.g., texts, experiments, simulations) into a coherent understanding of a process, phenomenon, or concept, resolving conflicting information when possible. RST.11-12.9 (HS-ETS1-3).

Write informative/explanatory texts, including the narration of historical events, scientific procedures/ experiments, or technical processes. (HS-ESS3-1) WHST.9-12.2

Reason abstractly and quantitatively. (HS-ESS3-1),(HS-ESS3-3),(HS-ESS3-4),(HS-ESS3-6),(HS-ETS1-3) MP.2

Model with mathematics. (HS-ESS3-3),(HS-ESS3-6),(HS-ETS1-3) MP.4

Use units as a way to understand problems and to guide the solution of multi-step problems; choose and interpret units consistently in formulas; choose and interpret the scale and the origin in graphs and data displays. (HS-ESS3-1),(HS-ESS3-4),(HS-ESS3-6) HSN-Q.A.1

Define appropriate quantities for the purpose of descriptive modeling. (HS-ESS3-1),(HS-ESS3-4),(HS-ESS3-6) HSN-Q.A.2

Choose a level of accuracy appropriate to limitations on measurement when reporting quantities. (HS-ESS3-1),(HS-ESS3-4),(HS-ESS3-6) HSN-Q.A.3

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Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach, focusing on addressing what is most significant for a specific purpose and audience. (HS-LS4-6) WHST.9-12.5

Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question) or solve a problem; narrow or broaden the inquiry when appropriate; synthesize multiple sources on the subject, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation. (HS-LS4-6) WHST.9-12.7

Vocabulary

Human Impact Human Footprint Sustainability Natural disasters, natural hazards Renewable / Nonrenewable Resource

Climate Change Global Warming

Greenhouse Effect Biodiversity

Carbon Cycling

Atmosphere Carbon Dioxide Temperature

Radiation

Suggested Field Trips

Sandy Hook Ocean Institute - Lab Cruise: Human Impact on Coastal Communities; Tenafly Nature Center, Meadowlands Environment Center