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Lesson Plan
Wild BC

Carbon Sinks and Sources

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Earth or environmental science pupils are assigned to be carbon sources or sinks. They ask yes-or-no questions to try to figure out which one they are. Then they discuss ways people can have positive effects on the changing climate by...
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Lesson Plan
US Environmental Protection Agency

Carbon Through the Seasons

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Meteorologists view an animated video by the Environmental Protection Agency to learn how the carbon cycle works, and then move into groups to analyze and graph actual data of the atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration from Hawaii's...
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Lesson Plan
Rainforest Alliance

Trees and Carbon

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
You'll find everything but the kitchen sink here ... or just a carbon sink. In the activity, pairs or groups of middle school learners go outside and measure a tree's circumference and height to estimate its carbon storage potential and...
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PPT
Wylie Independent School District

The Carbon Cycle

For Teachers 7th - 12th Standards
Carbon is the fourth most abundant element in the universe (in terms of mass), behind hydrogen, helium, and oxygen. Scholars learn about the carbon cycle, from ways carbon is removed from the atmosphere to how it is added in an 18-slide...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Carbon Dioxide - Sources and Sinks

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Where does all of the carbon dioxide come from that is supposedly leading to climate change? Earth science pupils test animal, plant, and fossil fuels as sources in this investigation. Using an indicator, BTB, they are able to detect the...
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Lesson Plan
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Chicago Botanic Garden

The Carbon Cycle

For Teachers 10th - 12th Standards
There is 30 percent more carbon in the atmosphere today than there was 150 years ago. The first lesson in the four-part series teaches classes about the carbon cycle. Over two to three days, classes make a model of the cycle, add missing...
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Activity
Wild BC

Greenhouse Gas Guzzlers

For Teachers 4th - 10th
Teams of six to eight players imagine that they are driving in a vehicle and collect balls that represent carbon dioxide emissions based on their different activities. "Greenhouse Gas Guzzler" cards tell teams how many balls to collect...
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Lesson Plan
Rainforest Alliance

Investments in Forest Carbon

For Teachers 6th - 8th Standards
One hundred metric tons of CO2 can accumulate in one acre of forest over time—that's a lot of carbon! In the activity, groups of middle school learners determine what makes forests important. They then solidify the concept by using a...
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Lesson Plan
Will Steger Foundation

The Carbon Cycle - What are its Implications for Climate Policy?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
The carbon cycle isn't a bike which produces carbon and this lesson plan explains why. Through reading and discussion, groups of pupils create visual explanations of the four parts of the carbon dioxide oxygen cycle. Activities...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Changing Planet: Ocean Acidification - the Chemistry is Less than Basic!

For Teachers 7th - 10th
A video and laboratory investigation are highlights to this lesson plan on acidification of ocean water due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide. Using bromothymol blue (BTB) as an indicator, pupils analyze the amount of carbon...
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Lesson Plan
Center Science Education

Investigating the Climate

For Teachers 9th - 12th
What do graphs of atmospheric gases over time show us? Do they indicate that carbon sources and carbon sinks are not in balance? Up-and-coming meteorologists watch video clips, read information, and analyze data from the HIPPO (HIAPER...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

A Simple Model for Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide

For Students 11th - Higher Ed
In this atmospheric carbon dioxide worksheet, students use two diagrams to solve 6 problems about atmospheric carbon dioxide. One diagram shows the Keeling Curve and the other shows sources of carbon and the natural and anthropogenic...
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Lesson Plan
Carnegie Mellon University

Bathtub Model

For Teachers 6th - 12th Standards
Using a colorful infographic handout and a guide sheet, hold a class discussion about how a bathtub can serve as a model for the greenhouse effect created by Earth's atmosphere. Participants will understand that as energy or matter is...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Ocean Acidification

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Learn the science behind ocean acidification and its effects on ocean wildlife. Young scientists conduct a laboratory investigation that monitors the acidity level of water. While burning a candle, learners capture the carbon dioxide in...
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Lesson Plan
National Wildlife Federation

Why All The Wiggling on the Way Up?

For Teachers 9th - 12th Standards
Some of the CO2 emitted by burning fossil fuels is removed from the atmosphere by natural sinks, such as the ocean. The fifth engaging lesson plan in the series of 21 examines the CO2 data from three very different locations. It then...
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Lesson Plan
Space Awareness

Transforming Water Into Acid ... And Back

For Teachers 5th - 11th
Greenhouse gases affect marine wildlife in life-threatening ways. Through experimentation, your classes explore the acidification of water from the main greenhouse gas carbon dioxide. As they introduce carbon dioxide to water, a pH...
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Lesson Plan
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NOAA

Ocean Acidification

For Teachers 9th - 12th
If tap water is more acidic than ocean water, why are we so concerned about ocean acidification? The third installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program focuses on carbon dioxide levels in...
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Worksheet
Texas State Energy Conservation Office

Investigation: Automotive Emissions and the Greenhouse Effect

For Students 6th - 8th Standards
It is recommended that you conduct this fabulous experiment as a whole-class demonstration. Collect air samples from the environment, human exhalation, and car exhaust, then compare them for carbon dioxide content using bromthymol blue...
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PPT
Curated OER

The Biogeochemical Cycles

For Teachers 9th - Higher Ed
The majority of this presentation is a collection of diagrams and graphs that back your lecture on biogeochemical cycles. The last few slides define ecosystems and the Gaia hypothesis. You may find these slides valuable, but will...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Density: Floating, Sinking, and Suspending

For Teachers 2nd - 6th
Students observe teacher demonstrations that illustrate density. In this density activity, the teacher demonstrates how air bubbles in a carbonated drink can cause a raisin to float and how an egg sinks in fresh water, but floats in...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Properties of Matter: "Sink or Swim"

For Teachers 3rd
Third graders recognize that different materials have different properties which can be observed such as texture and bouyancy, and compare and contrast, through observation, ability of some objects to float because of action of...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science: What Is the Carbon Cycle?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students examine the carbon cycle while identifying its sources, sinks, and release agents. Using magazines and newspapers, groups of students design collages illustrating the carbon cycle. Finally, they write responses to several...
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Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Where in the World is Carbon Dixoide?

For Teachers 6th - 10th
Pupils conduct experiments designed to detect the presence of CO2 by using a BTB that changes color (blue to yellow) in the presence of CO2. First, students experiment with the CO2 from combining vinegar and baking soda. In part two,...
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Worksheet
Curated OER

The Chemical Detective

For Students 9th - 12th
In this chemical detectives worksheet, students perform 6 tests on various unknown solutions including a test for chloride ion, sulphate ions, carbonate ions, iron (III) ions, iron (II) ions and copper (II) ions. Students record their...