HS-ESS2-2 | Feedbacks in Earth’s Systems

Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to Earth’s systems.

Clarification statement: Examples should include climate feedbacks, such as how an increase in greenhouse gases causes a rise in global temperatures that melts glacial ice, which reduces the amount of sunlight reflected from Earth’s surface, increasing surface temperatures and further reducing the amount of ice. Examples could also be taken from other system interactions, such as how the loss of ground vegetation causes an increase in water runoff and soil erosion; how dammed rivers increase groundwater recharge, decrease sediment transport, and increase coastal erosion; or how the loss of wetlands causes a decrease in local humidity that further reduces the wetland extent.

Performance Level Descriptions

PLDs communicate the knowledge and skills expected of students to demonstrate proficiency in each Learning Standard. NYS assessments classify student performance into one of five levels.

Level 5Level 4Level 3Level 2Level 1

Compare and contrast various geoscience data sets to examine consistency of measurements and observations in order to make the claim that changes to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that influence the stability of Earth’s systems over time.

Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth’s surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to Earth’s systems.

Analyze geoscience data/information to support the claim that a change to Earth’s surface or an Earth system can create a feedback that cause changes to one or more Earth’s system(s).

Identify the geoscience data/information that provides evidence for a given claim that a change to Earth’s surface or an Earth system results in a change to another Earth system or provides evidence to support/refute a given claim that a change to an Earth’s surface or one Earth system results in a change to another Earth system.

Using geoscience data/information, identify one change in Earth’s surface or an Earth system and how it will result in a change to another Earth system.

Resources

Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-ESS2-2.

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Assessment

What assessment of HS-ESS2-2 might look like on a NY state exam.

NGSS Dimensions

Performance expectation HS-ESS2-2 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:

Science and Engineering Practices

Analyzing and interpreting data: Analyze data using tools, technologies, and/or models (e.g., computational, mathematical) in order to make valid and reliable scientific claims or determine an optimal design solution.

Disciplinary Core Ideas

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

Crosscutting Concepts

Stability and change: Feedback (negative or positive) can stabilize or destabilize a system.
Influence of engineering, technology, and science on society and the natural 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.

Page contributors: Conrad Richman, Caroline Leonard

Earth and Space Science | HS. Earth's Systems