NGSS Biology Climate Change Unit Human Impacts Photosynthesis Carbon Cycle

Stop piecing together a climate change unit. This one is done.

This 22-day, phenomenon-based biology unit anchors every lesson in one driving question students actually care about: Can planting more trees solve climate change?

Students explore the anchoring phenomenon: the hockey stick CO₂ graph and investigate carbon cycling across the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. They build toward an evidence-based answer using real labs, data analysis, and three-dimensional assessments aligned to NGSS, TEKS, and PA STEELS.

Built for every learner in your room. Every activity comes in 3 differentiation levels: Honors extensions, on-grade-level, and scaffolded versions with graphic organizers, sentence starters, and partially completed diagrams for students with IEPs and ELLs. Low prep. Print and go.

What's Included:

🖥️ Instruction (99 PPT slides)

• Complete annotated unit PPTs for all 3 concepts
• 3 versions of Cornell notes: Honors, Academic, Scaffolded
• Filled-in notes for all 3 concepts

🔬 Labs & Activities

• Leaf disc photosynthesis lab (complete with teacher guide)
• Energy Pyramid Inquiry activity
• Carbon Cycling Stations activity
• Climate Data Analysis Stations
• Watershed Simulation Jigsaw
• Reducing Human Impacts Jigsaw
• ATP analogy student activity
• Photosynthesis/Cellular respiration graphic organizer
• Water cycle & nitrogen cycle diagram activities
• Carbon footprint activity

📝 Assessment

• 2 differentiated quizzes — Academic, Scaffolded, and Honors versions
• Final 3-dimensional summative unit test
• All answer keys included

📚 Student Support (266 student pages)

• Student study guide with learning objectives and vocabulary
• Unit learning tracker — connects every lesson back to the anchoring phenomenon

👩🏫 Teacher Support (152 teacher pages)

• 7-page teacher planning guide with full NGSS alignment
• Day-by-day lesson plans across all 3 concepts (35 pages total)

📐 Standards: HS-LS1-5 | HS-LS1-7 | HS-LS2-3 | HS-LS2-4 | HS-LS2-5 | HS-LS4-6

Topics covered: Photosynthesis, cellular respiration, ATP, energy pyramids, 10% rule, carbon cycle, water cycle, nitrogen cycle, greenhouse effect, climate change, human impacts, carbon footprint, watershed systems, climate solutions, biogeochemical cycles

Unit Timing = 22 days: Concept 1 (8 days), Concept 2 (7 days), Concept 3 + Assessment (7 days)

Unit 6 Climate Change Preview

Unit 6 Video Preview