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Planetary Boundaries

Provided by: King's Centre for Visualization in Science|Published on: June 26, 2026

Activity - Classroom

9101112

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.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Earth and Space Sciences

Authors: King's Centre for Visualization in Science

Region: Global

Languages: English

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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.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

About the Partner Provider

King's Centre for Visualization in Science

The King's Centre for Visualization in Science is a research center committed to improving the global public understanding of science through research and the creation and dissemination of peer-reviewed interactive electronic learning tools to see and understand science.

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All resources can be used for your educational purposes with proper attribution to the content provider.

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Planetary Boundaries

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

About the Partner Provider

Related Teaching Resources