Human Impact and Earth's Systems

Jesse is investigating what happens to the items pictured when they are buried in the soil for six months. He found that one of the items broke down and became part of the soil while the other two items did not.

How can Jesse use his findings to encourage people to recycle? Select the two statements that apply.

• He can show that fruit pollutes the soil and is harmful to organisms if it is not recycled.

• He can use the metal can to show that trash containing metal does not break down and will stay in the environment a long time if it is not recycled.

• He can explain that plastic does not break down and will stay in the environment a long time if it is not recycled.

• He can explain that metal and plastic will only break down if they are buried with fruit.

Human activities can have an impact on Earth’s systems.

Which Earth system is most affected when factories burn harmful chemicals and release substances into the air?

• geosphere

• atmosphere

• hydrosphere

• biosphere

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Human activities can have an impact on Earth’s systems.

How does building a large dam affect some or all of Earth’s systems?

• Building a dam generates more electricity.

• Building a dam increases the amount of fresh drinking water.

• Building a dam impacts wildlife that depend on the natural flow of water.

• Building a dam increases recreational activities.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A city council is looking for ways to help their city reduce its impact on Earth’s systems. Which of these plans would be most effective?

• Increase the size of the city landfill.

• Provide recycling bins to business owners.

• Create a bike-sharing program.

• Build a factory within the city limits.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ETS1-3

Human activities have a big 1. _____________ on Earth’s systems. Human activities that reduce environmental impact are called 2. __________.

Use the word bank to answer: pollution, effect, ecofriendly, nonrenewable resources.

• 1. effect, 2. ecofriendly

• 1. ecofriendly, 2. nonrenewable

• 1. pollution, 2. effect

• 1. effect, 2. nonrenewable resources.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

How does a bus efficiently use energy resources?

• The bus does not use fossil fuels.

• The bus uses fossil fuels, but it transports many children at one time.

• The bus does not produce exhaust

Tags

NGSS.MS-PS3-5

What are two things that you can do to reduce your impact on the environment?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Ming’s ecology class is researching ideas on how to conserve water at their school. Ming wants to create a water conservation plan for students.

Select two ideas that Ming should include in her water conservation plan.

• Alert a teacher if you notice a dripping faucet.

• Place all water bottles in the recycling bins located in the cafeteria.

• Collect rainwater to use for watering plants in the greenhouse.

• Tie a ribbon around all the healthy trees that should be removed from the playground.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

Miguel and Simone are leading a conservation information session at their school.

They want to persuade school officials to help in the effort to protect Earth’s systems.

In what ways can the school help to protect Earth’s systems? Select the two that apply.

• School officials can remove all drinking fountains and offer students free bottles of water.

• School officials can purchase products made of recycled materials.

• School officials can schedule an extra trash pickup day to prevent trash from collecting in the dumpster.

• School officials can install a green roof on the school building to reduce the use of nonrenewable energy.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Miguel and Simone are leading a conservation information session at their school. They want to persuade school officials to help in the effort to protect Earth’s systems.

How can school officials help their students learn more about conservation?

• by asking students to print their schoolwork on one side of the paper

• by showing students different inventions that use renewable energy, such as a solar calculator

• by offering students more choices at lunch, such as milk in a carton or a plastic bottle

• by reducing the use of air conditioning in student classrooms

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5