As a high school or undergraduate Chemistry or Earth Sciences teacher, you can use this set of computer-based tools to help you in teaching topics in environmental chemistry such as the carbon cycle or biogeochemical cycles.
This lesson plan allows students to understand the carbon cycle, its components, and the flow among the different components of this biogeochemical cycle. The activity will introduce the link between the carbon cycle and climate. It will also explore how human activity (such as increased fossil fuel use) may affect the natural carbon cycle, and may thus cause climate-related changes.
Thus, the use of this lesson plan allows you to integrate the teaching of a climate science topic with a core topic in Chemistry.
Carbon Cycle by UCAR
Questions
Use this lesson plan to help your students find answers to:
What is the role of weathering of rocks in the carbon cycle? What are the chemical reactions in this process?
Which components in the carbon cycle act as carbon sinks?
If fossil fuel usage increases, what would be the effect on the different carbon sinks? What would be the possible changes in the Earth’s climate?
What are the possible impacts of deforestation on the natural carbon cycle? How might these changes affect the Earth’s climate?
A classroom/laboratory activity using an interactive simulation and associated exercises to explore and analyze how human activities may affect the natural carbon cycle, and to discuss the potential effects on the Earth’s climate. https://www.learner.org/courses/envsci/interactives/carbon/index.php
Step-by-Step User Guide
Questions/Assignments
Learning Outcomes
Additional Resources
Credits
Here is a step-by-step guide to using this lesson plan in the classroom/laboratory. We have suggested these steps as a possible plan of action. You may customize the lesson plan according to your preferences and requirements.
1.Introduce the topic through an interactive diagram
• Introduce the topic of the global carbon cycle by using the interactive diagram “Carbon Cycle”, from the Science Learning Hub (New Zealand).
• Students can observe the components of the carbon cycle and observe the flow among these parts. They can interact with the components by clicking on them to learn more details.
• Then, use the reading “The Carbon Cycle and Earth’s Climate” from Columbia University to discuss details of the carbon cycle, some of the chemical reactions involved in the cycle, and the role of the carbon cycle in the Earth’s climate.
• Next, conduct a classroom/laboratory activity “Carbon Lab” (from Annenberg Learner’s Habitable Planet) to further explore the topic in an engaging manner.
• This activity uses a simulation and associated exercises for students to explore and analyze possible anthropogenic impacts on the carbon cycle, and how such changes may impact our climate.
An interactive model of the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle, “Land Carbon Budget with Growing Plants & Three Decomposing Pools,” from the Denning Research Group at Colorado State University:
http://biocycle.atmos.colostate.edu/shiny/Land/
All the teaching tools and images in our collated list are owned by the corresponding creators/authors/organizations as listed on their websites. Please view the individual copyright and ownership details for each tool by following the individual links provided. We have selected and analyzed the tools that align with the overall objective of our project and have provided the corresponding links. We do not claim ownership of or responsibility/liability for any of the listed tools.
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