Lesson Plans

Carbon Trip Through the Cycle Students will imagine themselves as a carbon atom and trace their journey through the carbon cycle returning themselves to the point of origin. (Objective 3. writing activity)

Drugged out Daphnia Students will investigate the effects of nicotine, caffeine, aspirin, alcohol, and sleeping pills on the heart rates of Daphnia. (Objective 1. learning cycle, inquiry/experiment/investigation)

Fertilizer Frenzy Students will design and conduct an experiment testing the effect of fertilizers/soaps on algal growth. (Objective 1, 2, 4. learning cycle, inquiry/experiment/investigation.)

Evaluate Ecosystems Students will conduct an environmental inventory on one ecosystem. They will collect data, and write an environmental impact statement on that area. (Objective 2. inquiry/experiment/investigation.)

Multiplying Microbes Students learn techniques of culturing bacteria, and then they investigate environmental conditions that affect bacterial growth. (Objective 1. inquiry/experiment/investigation, learning cycle)

Endangered Species Students will graph data in order to compare the number of extinct species and a rise in human population. At first the students will not know what the data represents. They should be encouraged to infer the relationship. (Objective 4. skill-builder)

Influence of the world's ocean currents on the carbon cycle Students will demonstrate how salinity and water temperature affect the ocean's currents which in turn affect the amount of carbon dioxide available in the oceanic and atmospheric systems. (Objective 1,3. model/simulation activity)

Global Carbon Cycle This activity could be used to introduce the carbon cycle. It is an inquiry designed to model the flow of a carbon atom as it travels through the carbon cycle. Students also make connections about how human activities affect the carbon cycle. Duration: One class period. (Objective 3, inquiry activity)

Core Experiments

Composting Soils Students will design experiments and change variables in humus or sediments in soil, and measure the resultant change(s). This activity is designed to begin in the autumn. Obtain a good supply of subsoil (A contractor in your area may have some to donate). Look for any soil that has not been treated before. Commercial mixes and garden soils are not suitable for this activity. (Objectives 2 and 4. CORE EXPERIMENT, inquiry/experiment/investigation.)

Bad Breath Test This activity could be used to introduce the section on Earth's biological systems. It is also designed as a inquiry activity that will lead to a student designed experiment in this standard. (Objective 1. INQUIRY ACTIVITY, inquiry/experiment/investigation

Biological Systems Interactions In this long term experimental activity, students will build on skills and concepts gained through class discussions related to biological relationships found in nature. They will perform a short, pre-lab activity that introduces them to the use of bromthymol blue to detect carbon dioxide. A problem will be posed: What is the biological relationship between a pond snail and a pond plant? The activity will provide students with the opportunity to generate and test alternative hypotheses, design an experimental investigation, and share and verify results with peers. (Objective 1, CORE EXPERIMENT, inquiry/experiment/investigation.)

Assessments