Cenusa Bioenergy High School Curriculum July, 2015

CenUSA Bioenergy High School Curriculum July, 2015

CenUSA Bioenergy High School Curriculum

July, 2015

Lesson 2: The Carbon Cycle

This lesson covers the carbon cycle. Student will need this knowledge to complete labs and research in following lessons. Lessons are designed for 10th-12th grade students. This lesson was designed for a block schedule; however, it may be shortened and edited to suit the teacher, the material, and the class. This material may also be used in other agricultural classes.

Learning Objectives

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to successfully achieve the following objectives:

Describe the role of and steps involved in the carbon cycle.
Analyze environmental factors that affect the carbon cycle.
Hypothesize different ways the amount of carbon in the carbon cycle can be decreased.

Academic Standards

Domain: Emerging Technologies (Sustainable Energy Alternative)

Core Standard 3: Students evaluate the environmental factors affecting plant growth to productively cultivate plants.

Core Standard 4: Students apply concepts of natural resources to air quality.

Indiana State Standard: PSS-3.1-3.6; NR-4.1-4.3

National AFNR Standards: CS.02.04; CS.03.03; CS.09; BS.02; BS.03; ESS.05; NRS.01; NRS.02; PS.02

Next Generation Science Standards: HS-LS2-5, HS-LS2-4, HS-ESS2-6, HS-LS2-5

Documentation of Competencies Met by This Lesson

Connection to SAE/Career Development: Agricultural Communications, Agricultural Education, Agriscience Research - Plant Systems, Emerging Agricultural Technology, Environmental Science and Natural Resources Management

Connection to FFA/Leadership Development/Personal Growth: Anything that involves working with new and emerging technology, educating the community about the carbon cycle, and continuing education.

Orvis, Kararo, Long ©Purdue Page 4 August 2014

CenUSA Bioenergy High School Curriculum July, 2015

Learning Objectives 1

Academic Standards 1

Domain: 1

Core Standard 3: 1

Core Standard 4: 1

Indiana State Standard: 1

National AFNR Standards: 1

Next Generation Science Standards: 1

Documentation of Competencies Met by This Lesson 1

Connection to SAE/Career Development 1

Connection to FFA/Leadership Development/Personal Growth 1

Supplemental Documents: 3

Websites Utilized 4

Supplies Needed 4

Teaching Content and Learning Activities 5

2.1 Introduction to the Carbon Cycle 5

Learning Activity: The Carbon Cycle 5

Teaching Content 5

2.2 Effects of Carbon on the Environment 6

Teaching Content 6

2.3 Lab: Global Climate Change 6

Description 6

Learning Outcomes 6

Time Requirement 6

Supplies 6

Directions 7

Climate Change and Greenhouse Effect Lab Worksheet 8

Directions: 8

Part 1 8

Part 2 9

Part 3 10

Lesson 2: Student Review Questions 11

Lesson 2: Student Review Questions - KEY 12

Lesson 2: Teacher Assessment 13

Supplemental Documents:

Lesson 2 PowerPoint Presentation

Lesson 2 Print Outs

Websites Utilized

· http://www.ethanolrfa.org/pages/renewable-fuel-standard/

· http://www.worldwatch.org/node/5600

· http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/

· http://www.cotf.edu/ete/modules/carbon/efcarbon.html

· http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html

· http://www.esf.edu/outreach/k12/edunits/units/willow/globalwarmingconcepts.pdf

· http://www3.epa.gov/climatechange/ghgemissions/gases/co2.html

· http://globecarboncycle.unh.edu/

Supplies Needed

· One copy of the Climate Change and Greenhouse Effect Lab Worksheet (see pp. 8-10; also found in the Lesson 2 Print Outs document)

Teaching Content and Learning Activities

Notes.

A PowerPoint presentation is included with this curriculum and includes the follow teaching content and learning activities. You may modify the presentation as needed for your class.

The teaching content and learning activities are presented here in the suggested order of occurrence.

2.1 Introduction to the Carbon Cycle

Learning Activity: The Carbon Cycle

Directions

1. Have students read the article The Carbon Cycle found at: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/CarbonCycle/

2. After reading the article, have small groups of students and then the class as a whole list different ways that carbon can be released into the atmosphere.

3. Next, have them list the steps of the carbon cycle.

Teaching Content

Note. Use the Carbon Cycle picture (see below; also found in the Lesson 2 PowerPoint presentation) as a visual aid when teaching this content.

What is the Carbon Cycle?

The carbon cycle is a way we can understand the complex movement of all carbon atoms between air, water, soil, rocks, and living things.

The image above is a simplified diagram of the living carbon cycle. Many other factors are not included, such as ocean absorption and fossil fuel emissions, but it can be seen how carbon cycles through the atmosphere, plants, and animals because of photosynthesis and respiration.

How do plants and animals contribute to the carbon cycle?

Plants use a process known as photosynthesis in order to take carbon out of the air and use it as energy for their growth. Animals, which cannot photosynthesize their own energy using the sun, must consume plants in order to get the carbon they need for energy. Some animals eat other animals, but ultimately all energy in a food chain comes from the sun and the ability of plants to turn carbon dioxide into energy in the form of sugars. Animals return carbon to the air when they breathe, exhaling carbon dioxide. Plants return carbon to the soil when they die and decompose.

Two important actions that we as humans are doing that can disrupt the carbon cycle are fossil fuel burning and changing land use. Fossil fuels such as coal and oil are examples of massive underground carbon reserves, known as carbon “sinks”. By burning fossil fuels, carbon that has been stored underground in carbon sinks for many years is released into the atmosphere and can increase the atmosphere's concentration of greenhouse gases. While fossil fuels are examples of underground carbon sinks, forests are an example of an above-ground carbon sink. Changing land use, much like burning fossil fuels, can release large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere. For example, rainforest is being clear-cut at an alarming rate in order to build things such as palm oil plantations. Instead of the carbon being stored in the living rainforest wood, it is released into the atmosphere as carbon dioxide gas when the wood is burned.

2.2 Effects of Carbon on the Environment

Teaching Content

An increase of carbon in the atmosphere has occurred ever since humans started using fossil fuels during the industrial revolution. By releasing this carbon that was previously sequestered below ground, the carbon cycle can become unbalanced.

Every year, humans are responsible for the release of over 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide gas into the atmosphere (epa.gov). That comes mostly from electricity generation, transportation, and industrial manufacturing. While some of this released carbon is reabsorbed by plants and oceans, not all has been remediated, producing the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide seen today.

Increasing carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere are problematic because CO2 is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases are beneficial to a certain point, because they trap solar heat that comes through the atmosphere, allowing life on Earth to exist in a stable and mild climate. However, if there is an increase in the concentration of greenhouse gases, more heat is trapped than with lower concentrations of greenhouse gases. We can look to our own solar system to see examples of planets with higher and lower concentrations of greenhouse gases. Venus is a hot planet relative to Earth partially due to the high concentration of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere. Mars is a cold planet relative to Earth partially due to the low concentration of greenhouse gases in its atmosphere.

In order to avoid disrupting the carbon cycle on Earth, we need to move towards sources of energy that operate within the carbon cycle, such as bioenergy. Because plant life absorbs carbon, if we can produce energy from plants, and those plants are regenerated in a sustainable manner, there is a net-zero impact on the carbon cycle.

2.3 Lab: Global Climate Change

Note. This lab is from the Environmental Protection Agency and can be found at: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/index.html

Description

This lab helps students understand and review their comprehension of global climate change. The lab makes use of the Internet and works on developing the skills of technical reading and summarizing scientific information. There are step-by-step instructions provided to assist the students.

Learning Outcomes

Students will be able to:

· Access the Internet and search for information on a given topic.

· Define the key terms listed on the student worksheet.

· Explain the greenhouse effect and be able to draw a picture showing key points.

· List at least two impacts of climate change on the world.

Time Requirement

Approximately 50 minutes.

Supplies

· One copy of the Climate Change and Greenhouse Effect Lab Worksheet (see pp. 8-10; also found in the Lesson 2 Print Outs document) for each student.

Directions

Note. This lab may be complete together as a whole class, in groups in a computer lab, or a combination of the two.

Provide each student with a copy of the Climate Change and Greenhouse Effect Lab Worksheet. Depending on what works best for the classroom setting, instruct students to complete the lab in small groups or with a partner, or complete the lab together as a whole class. Students should follow the directions outline on the first page of the lab worksheet.

Climate Change and Greenhouse Effect Lab Worksheet

Name ______Date ______

Partner(s) name ______

Directions:

Complete the following steps:

1. Go to: http://www.epa.gov/climatechange/students/expeditions/index.html

2. Click the “before you begin” button and read the instructions.

3. Close the instructions and select any flag on the map to begin your expedition and complete all stops to receive all passport stamps.

4. Once completed, print out your certificate of completing the expedition.

5. Complete the following worksheet with the help of the student’s guide to global climate change website.

6. Turn in your certificate and worksheet when they are completed.

Part 1

Directions: Please provide an explanation for each of the following terms.

1) Greenhouse effect:

2) Climate connections (define three):

3) Drought:

4) Glacier:

5) Permafrost:

6) Renewable resources:

Part 2

Directions: Answer the following questions to the best of your knowledge in your own words.

1) What is the difference between weather and climate?

2) What is the major factor responsible for climate change and why?

3) What are some of the climate change questions scientists are still investigating?

4) Why can increasing ocean acidity be harmful?

5) Why does climate change pose a threat to coastal cities?

6) List three more things that you learned from this activity.

7) List at least one question prompted by this activity.

Part 3

Directions: Draw a picture of what happens to the sun’s energy as it enters our atmosphere. Include the terms atmosphere, absorption, reflection, transmission, and re-emitted. Use the computer drawing program or sketch this in the space provided. Turn in the completed work to your teacher.

Lesson 2: Student Review Questions

Name: ______Date: ______

Select T/F for the questions listed below:

1. ______The carbon cycle includes the atmosphere, geosphere, oceans, plants, and animals.

2. ______Plants use a process known as photosynthesis to turn nitrogen from the atmosphere into glucose which can be used for energy.

3. ______Animals return carbon to the carbon cycle through respiration and decomposition.

4. ______Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is a crucial part of our atmosphere. Too much or too little carbon dioxide would result in a planet that is too hot or too cold.

5. ______Bioenergy operates outside the carbon cycle.

Lesson 2: Student Review Questions - KEY

Name: ___ MASTER KEY______Date: ______

Select T/F for the questions listed below:

1. ____T______The carbon cycle includes the atmosphere, geosphere, oceans, plants, and animals.

2. ____F______Plants use a process known as photosynthesis to turn nitrogen from the atmosphere into glucose which can be used for energy.

3. ____T______Animals return carbon to the carbon cycle through respiration and decomposition.

4. ____T______Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas that is a crucial part of our atmosphere. Too much or too little carbon dioxide would result in a planet that is too hot or too cold.

5. ____F______Bioenergy operates outside the carbon cycle.

Lesson 2: Teacher Assessment

As the teacher, reflect on the Lesson 2 and answer the following questions.

1. What did the students like about this lesson?

2. What did the students dislike about this lesson?

3. Did the students find anything difficult in this lesson? If so, what?

4. What are the strengths of this lesson?

5. What are the weaknesses of this lesson?

6. What went well during this lesson?

7. What did you find difficult or challenging during this lesson?

8. Where the objectives met effectively during this lesson?

9. Were the labs or activities relevant to the lesson topic?

10. Overall, do you have any other suggestions or thoughts about this lesson?