What is the NGSS & 3 Dimensional Science Learning and Why is it Important?

Science Practices  -  Disciplinary Core Ideas  -  Crosscutting Concepts

Chapters 3 Biosphere & 4 Ecosystems

HS-LS2-3: Matter Cycling and Energy Flow

Construct and revise an explanation based on evidence for the cycling of matter and flow of energy in aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on conceptual understanding of the role of aerobic and anaerobic respiration in different environments.

Boundary Statement: Assessment does not include the specific chemical processes of either aerobic or anaerobic respiration.

HS-LS2-4: Biomass and Trophic Levels

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.

Boundary Statement: Assessment is limited to proportional reasoning to describe the cycling of matter and flow of energy.

HS-LS2-5: Cycling of Carbon in Ecosystems

Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. (Systems and System Models)

Clarification Statement: Examples of models could include simulations and mathematical models.

Boundary Statement: Assessment does not include the specific chemical steps of photosynthesis and respiration.

HS-ESS2-6: Carbon Cycling in Earth's Systems

Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. (Energy and Matter)

Clarification Statement: Emphasis is on modeling biogeochemical cycles that include the cycling of carbon through the ocean, atmosphere, soil, and biosphere (including humans), providing the foundation for living organisms.

Boundary Statement: none

Chapters 5 Populations & 7 Humans and Global Change 

HS-LS2-1: Carrying Capacity of Ecosystems

Use mathematical and/or computational representations to support explanations of factors that affect carrying capacity of ecosystems at different scales. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity)

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.

Boundary Statement: Assessment does not include deriving mathematical equations to make comparisons.

HS-LS2-2: Biodiversity and Populations in Ecosystems

Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales. (Scale, Proportion, and Quantity)

Clarification Statement: Examples of mathematical representations include finding the average, determining trends, and using graphical comparisons of multiple sets of data.

Boundary Statement: Assessment is limited to provided data.

HS-LS2-7: Human Impact Reduction Solution

Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity. (Stability and Change)

Clarification Statement: Examples of human activities can include urbanization, building dams, and dissemination of invasive species.

Boundary Statement: none

HS-ESS3-5: Climate Change and Future Impacts

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. (Stability and Change)

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).

Boundary Statement: Assessment is limited to one example of a climate change and its associated impacts.

Chapters 6 Communities and Ecosystem Dynamics & 7 Humans and Global Change

HS-LS2-6: Ecosystem Dynamics, Functioning, and Resilience

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.

Boundary Statement: none

HS-LS4-6: Human Impact on Biodiversity Solution

Create or revise a simulation to test a solution to mitigate adverse impacts of human activity on biodiversity. (Cause and Effect)

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.

Boundary Statement: none

HS-ESS3-3: Biodiversity, Natural Resources, and Human Sustainability

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

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.

Boundary Statement: Assessment for computational simulations is limited to using provided multi-parameter programs or constructing simplified spreadsheet calculations.

HS-ESS3-4: Reducing Human Impact Design Solutions

Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems. (Stability and Change)

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).

Boundary Statement: none 

HS-ESS3-6: Human Impacts on Earth Systems

Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity. (Systems and System Models)

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.

Boundary Statement: Assessment does not include running computational representations but is limited to using the published results of scientific computational models.

Crosscutting Concepts appear throughout this unit in scales that are both micro and macro. Following is an overview of how the major crosscutting concepts for ecology are woven throughout the unit.

Scale, Proportion, and Quantity - Students explore scales in the biosphere by learning about levels of organization in ecosystems. Students also explore the quantitative relationships among organisms within ecosystems. Students investigate the algebraic relationships within the ecological pyramids of energy, biomass, and numbers.

Cause and Effect - Students discover how changes to ecosystems affect organisms at all levels and, in particular, how human activities impact the biosphere.

Systems and System Models - Students explore Earth's global systems and their interrelatedness. They examine Earth's ecosystems and biomes and critique a model of Earth's bio-sphere, developing solutions for its flaws.

Energy and Matter - Both energy and matter flow through ecosystems. Students examine food webs and matter cycles, and they consider how the flow of energy and matter can change over time due to anthropogenic and natural causes.

Stability and Change - Some aspects of the biosphere remain stable for long periods of time, whereas others are in a constant state of flux. Students will consider events that cause change and examine the impact of such change.

Structure and Function - Students explore how the structure of an organ-ism is adapted to optimize its function within the ecosystem.