Life Science: Biology · Earth's Systems

HS-ESS2-6Quantitative Carbon Cycle

Performance expectation

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

What NYSED says about assessing it

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.

In the Biology course

For Life Science: Biology only the biochemistry aspects of carbon cycling are eligible for testing on the Life Science: Biology exam. The remainder of HS-ESS2-6 concepts are within the Earth and Space Sciences course.

This performance expectation appears in more than one course map. The note above is the scope NYSED specifies for Life Science: Biology.

The three dimensions

Every item written to HS-ESS2-6 has to assess all three dimensions together, not the content alone. This is the structural change that made older practice material stop matching the exam.

Science & engineering practice

Developing and Using Models

Disciplinary core ideas
  • ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
Crosscutting concepts
  • Energy and Matter

Generate a cluster for HS-ESS2-6

Phenomenon stimulus, connected items across the required types, answer key, rubric and figures drawn deterministically from a structured spec — in the format your students will sit.