HS-ESS2-6 | Carbon Cycling
Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.
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.
Note: this is a performance expectation for both HS Earth & Space Science and HS Biology. For biology, the focus is on "the biochemistry aspects of carbon cycling". For Earth & Space Science, the focus is on "physical and chemical aspects of the geochemical cycling of carbon" (as per the NYSED high school course maps).
Assessment
What assessment of HS-ESS2-6 might look like on a NY state exam.
Biology
Earth & Space Science
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.
Vocabulary
Terms that come from this standard or from the released exam questions that assess it, listed by subject. Biology terms are from the Biology Glossary; Earth & Space Science terms are from the Earth & Space Science Glossary.
Biology
- atmosphere
- biogeochemical cycles
- biosphere
- carbon
- carbon cycle
- carbon dioxide concentration
- climate
- closed system
- cycling of carbon
- geosphere
- human activity
- hydrosphere
- matter
- ocean
- oxygen
- quantitative model
- soil
- carbon sequestration – Aug 2025
- carbon sink – Aug 2025
- carbon storage – Aug 2025
- combustion – June 2026
- cycling of matter – June 2025
- Earth’s spheres – Jan 2026
- ecosystem – Aug 2026, Jan 2026
- hydrogen – June 2025
- keystone species – Jan 2026
- land use – June 2026
- migration – Aug 2025
- ocean acidification – June 2025
- permafrost – Aug 2026
- pH – June 2025
- photosynthesis – Jan 2026, Aug 2025
- population – Aug 2025
- resources – June 2025
- respiration – Aug 2025
- species – Aug 2025
- waste – Aug 2025
Earth & Space Science
- atmosphere
- biogeochemical cycles
- biosphere
- carbon
- carbon cycle
- carbon dioxide
- carbon dioxide concentrations
- cycling of carbon
- Earth
- geosphere
- human activity
- hydrosphere
- living organisms
- model
- ocean
- oxygen
- quantitative model
- soil
- air-sea gas exchange – June 2025
- biomass – Jan 2026, June 2025
- coal – Jan 2026
- decomposition – June 2025
- dissolution – June 2026
- emissions – June 2025
- erosion – June 2026
- fast carbon cycle – June 2025
- fossil fuels – Aug 2026
- geologic processes – June 2026
- iron – June 2025
- magma – June 2026
- mantle – June 2026
- minerals – June 2026
- ocean floor – June 2026
- respiration – June 2025
- river valley – Jan 2026
- sediment – Aug 2026, June 2025
- sedimentary rock – June 2026
- sedimentation – June 2026
- slow carbon cycle – June 2026
- soil carbon – June 2025
- subduction – June 2026
- volcanic activity – June 2026
- volcanism – June 2026
- weathering – June 2026
Resources
Examples and discussion of resources for the learning, teaching, and assessment of HS-ESS2-6.
This section could be expanded upon. You can help out by adding to this section.
NGSS Dimensions
Performance expectation HS-ESS2-6 was developed using the following elements from the NRC document A Framework for K-12 Science Education:
- Developing and Using Models
- Develop a model based on evidence to illustrate the relationships between systems or between components of a system.
- ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
- 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.
- Energy and Matter
- The total amount of energy and matter in closed systems is conserved.