Activity

Photosynthesis, Respiration, and the Carbon Cycle

Curated and Reviewed by Lesson Planet

Provide your class with the opportunity to view our carbon cycle close up. Young scientists research the cycle of oxygen as it completes the tasks of photosynthesis and respiration. They explore the importance of carbon in an ecosystem and conclude with a discussion about how human activities can affect the carbon cycle. This is the eighth installment in a 9-part series.

2 Collections 340 Views 326 Downloads NGSS: Adaptable
Additional Tags
Instructional Ideas
  • Have groups of pupils build small model greenhouses to depict the "greenhouse effect" and present these to the class
  • Allow students to research the history of carbon emissions and what effect they have had on our ecosystem in general
Classroom Considerations
  • Use care when working with isopropyl alcohol and do not allow students to ingest this liquid
Pros
  • Visuals provide an excellent way to depict photosynthesis and allow the class to more thoroughly understand the importance of each element used in this process
  • Students create a tangible product during the lesson, resulting in higher engagement
Cons
  • Document permissions do not allow for printing