Planetary Boundaries
Provided by: King's Centre for Visualization in Science|Published on: June 26, 2026|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Activity - Classroom
Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: King's Centre for Visualization in Science
Location: Earth
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- This interactive tool shows how different variables, such as biosphere integrity, land use, and biochemical flows, have changed since 1900.
- Students explore a wedge diagram in which each wedge is an Earth-system process monitored by control variables, with color-coded markers showing whether each process is at low risk or has crossed a boundary into high risk.
Teaching Materials
Key Takeaway
- Students will learn that all of Earth's processes are interconnected, meaning a change to one process will affect the other parts of the Earth system.
Prerequisites
- The resource includes an extensive glossary of terms that teachers can teach students before the lesson.
Classroom Implementation
- This is a self-paced interactive tool; students select wedges in the diagram to learn about individual Earth-system processes and how each is monitored.
- Additional tabs provide background on the framework before students explore the diagram.
- Use this tool to introduce systems thinking, having students trace how a change in one Earth-system process can feed back to affect others.
- Have students compare the boundaries framework to the blood-pressure analogy and discuss the strengths and limits of using thresholds as warning signs.
Differentiation
- Pair students to navigate the diagram together and summarize one process each before sharing with the class.
Connections to the Sustainable Development Goals
- This resource can be used to make connections to Sustainable Development Goal 13, Climate Action and Sustainable Development Goal 15, Life on Land.
This resource is recommended to give educators an idea of the changes in the biosphere triggered by climate change and human activities.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
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