Unit 8: Human Impact
Duration of Days: 20
Students will know how to:
-Analyze how human activities impact Earth systems including the atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, and biosphere
-Use data to evaluate the causes and effects of climate change and environmental change over time
-Explain how natural resources are formed, used, and depleted, and evaluate tradeoffs in their use
-Analyze the effects of pollution on ecosystems, biodiversity, and human health
-Evaluate how human population growth and consumption patterns influence environmental systems
-Use models and data to assess sustainability and propose solutions to environmental challenges
-Construct evidence-based explanations for how human activity alters Earth’s systems
Core Topics
-Human impact on Earth systems
-Climate change and global warming evidence
-Natural resource use and sustainability
-Pollution (air, water, soil) and ecosystem effects
-Biodiversity loss and habitat destruction
-Renewable vs nonrenewable resource management
-Environmental solutions and engineering approaches
NGSS Performance Expectations
HS-ESS3-1 – Evaluate natural resource availability and human impact on Earth systems
HS-ESS3-4 – Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activity
HS-ESS3-5 – Analyze geoscience data to understand human impact on Earth systems
Essential Questions students will be able to answer:
-How do human activities affect Earth’s systems?
-What evidence supports current models of climate change?
-How do resource use and population growth impact sustainability?
-What are the consequences of pollution on ecosystems and human health?
-How can data be used to evaluate environmental problems and solutions?
-How can engineering solutions reduce negative environmental impacts?
Science and Engineering Practices (SEPs):
-Analyzing and Interpreting Data
-Constructing Explanations
-Designing Solutions
-Engaging in Argument from Evidence
Crosscutting Concepts (CCCs):
-Systems and System Models
-Cause and Effect
-Stability and Change
-Energy and Matter
-Unit test with data interpretation on climate and environmental systems
-Case study analysis of environmental impacts
-Graph interpretation of climate trends and resource use
-Engineering design task for reducing environmental impact
-CER writing on human impact using scientific evidence
-Scenario-based problem solving on sustainability solutions
| Lesson # | Lesson Title | Duration of Days |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How Humans Affect the Earth | 5 |
| 2 | Pollution and Greenhouse Gases | 5 |
| 3 | Evidence and Consequences of Climate Change | 5 |
| 4 | Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Climate Change | 5 |