The Carbon Cycle

Index:

 
Topic
Click to See Abstract
Click to See Activity
Introduction
No Activity
Overview of Inquiry Based Science
Carbon Cycle Lecture Notes
Carbon Cycle Exploration Game
Learning About Burning:  Combustion and Respiration
Designing Experiments About the Carbon Cycle
Meet the Authors
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Introduction:

In order to understand Climate Change it is important to understand the way chemicals cycle naturally through the environment.  Studying the carbon cycle allows students to better understand both chemical cycles in general and specifically carbon's role in climate change.

Through the following series of activities students have a chance to develop an in-depth understanding of the carbon cycle.  Please feel free to contact the authors of the individual activities with any suggestions or questions.
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Overview of Inquiry Based Science

What does it look like?  What does it sound like?
At this site you will find a list of how Inquiry Based Science will enhance the learning experiences in your classroom. The pictures shown were taken during actual experiments conducted by students.
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Carbon Cycle Lecture Notes

 Here you will find a complete lecture for the use of the teacher.  This contains fantastic diagrams, links to articles and agencies, and a complete list of references and extensions that we have found useful in our study of this topic.
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Carbon Cycle Inquiry Game:

This game introduces information on the carbon cycle.  It includes notes covering the greenhouse effect, carbon cycle, historical and future predictions, and global concerns.  Students have two goals:  to answer questions about the carbon cycle and to keep the level of atmospheric carbon dioxide from getting too high or too low.  This activity can be used as pre-assessment or review.
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Learning About Burning:  Combustion and Respiration

This series of activities focuses on combustion and respiration, two important and conspicuous components of the carbon cycle.  Using simple materials, students perform several short discovery exercises through which they determine the equations for combustion and respiration.  An inquiry exercise allows students to explore further, and a summary quiz checks for understanding.
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Designing Experiments About the Carbon Cycle:

This group of five inquiry based experiments is designed to give students the opportunity to discover how Carbon Dioxide is used in the ecosystem in several different ways.  Students will use some everyday materials and some more "high-tech" lab equipment to measure the levels of Carbon Dioixde in various types of plants.

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 Meet the Authors

Jody Bertolucci:

 Jody is the Education Specialist at Chaffee Zoo in Fresno, CA.  She writes curriculum for AIMS and directs many workshops for teachers through the zoo.  Jody is also a USI Life Science Trainer.  Her favorite hobby is dragging unsuspecting science teachers from one end of the zoo to the other while successfully searching for naked mole rats.
 

Rich Espey:

Rich teaches at The Bryn Mawr School for Girls in Baltimore. He is currently teaching Middle School Earth and Environmental Science. He is also Sixth Grade Chair, coaches Cross Country, and directs the Middle School Musical. His favorite color is green and has surprised us with his musical talents with rap.
 

Frank Ferrara:

Frank is a high school physics teacher in South Plainfield, New Jersey.  Frank is an accomplished mimic, doing wonderful imitations of everyone he meets and various local celebrities. He enjoys running marathons which keeps his vitality and youthfulness.  Frank tutors students who have troubles with mathematics and physics.
 

Eric Johns:

Eric teaches at Herrin High School in Herrin, IL.  He is currently teaching Biology, Physical Science, and Applied Biology.  He does environmental consulting and serves as the trainer for the Williamson County Underwater Search and Recovery Team.  Eric hasn't completely submerged for four weeks and is going through withdrawl because he hasn't been breathing compressed air lately.
 

Margaret Lowry:

 Margaret teaches at Chester High School in Chester, SC.  She is currently teaching Physical Science, Integrated Science, and Biological Studies.  She serves as a consultant teaching teachers how to utilze the Office 97 & 98 package in the classroom.  Margaret has seen more broadway musicals in her four weeks at Princeton than most New Yorkers see in a lifetime.  She entertains her students with her renditions of these during lecture and lab activities.
 

Maureene Matthews:

Maureene is an elementary teacher in New Jersey.  Maureen spends her free time rebuilding old houses and playing with her cats.  She sponsors workshops on cooperative learning and effective school administration.