IB DP ESS 3.2 Human Impacts - Teaching Notes & PowerPoint 2026

IB DP ESS 3.2 Human Impacts Teaching Notes & PowerPoint 2026

This comprehensive teaching and revision resource covers the Human Impacts topic (Topic 3.2) from the IB Diploma Programme Environmental Systems and Societies course. It is designed to serve two purposes: as structured teaching notes for instructors and as detailed revision material for students preparing for ESS assessments.

Editable PowerPoint Version Included

In addition to the printable PDF version, this resource includes an editable PowerPoint presentation that mirrors the full content. Teachers may customise text, rearrange slides, embed images, videos, or interactive content, or adapt the layout for classroom delivery or online learning. This flexibility makes the resource suitable for both in-class instruction and digital study environments.

What Makes This Resource Useful for ESS Teachers

Follows the Subject Guide Directly
• Content is organised clearly according to the IB ESS subject guide.
• All required assessment statements for the Human Impacts topic are covered sequentially.
• Ensures that no essential syllabus content is overlooked.

Helpful for New Teachers
• Provides a clear, structured framework for teaching human impacts on environmental systems.
• Serves as reliable core teaching notes that reduce planning time.

Dual-Purpose Design
• Use the material as your own reference when planning lessons.
• Provide to students for independent revision.
• Explanations are clear for self-study while including sufficient depth to support teaching.

Content Included

• Overview of how human activities impact environmental systems
• Land use change: deforestation, agriculture, urbanisation
• Pollution types and pathways (air, water, soil)
• Climate change drivers and consequences
• Biodiversity loss linked to human disturbance
• Resource extraction and ecosystem degradation
• Evaluating sustainability responses and mitigation strategies
• Diagrams, charts, and visual models to support comprehension
• Case study examples tied to assessment relevance
• Key terminology highlighted throughout for revision

This resource includes structured summaries and visual supports to reinforce conceptual clarity and support confident lesson delivery and exam preparation.

This is a straightforward teaching tool that presents the Human Impacts topic in an organised, curriculum-aligned format, making essential ESS content easy to teach and revise.