Curated OER
Carbon Cycle Lesson
Seventh graders learn how trees help nature recycle. In this carbon cycle lesson, 7th graders view a picture of a giant redwood tree, complete a Think, Pair, Share activity, view and discuss a poster about how nature recycles, create a...
NOAA
The Biogeochemical Cycle
The biogeochemical cycle ... no physics? The fourth installment of a 23-part NOAA Enrichment in Marine sciences and Oceanography (NEMO) program introduces the biogeochemical cycle by having pupils simulate movement between Earth's...
Curated OER
Earth Systems
Ninth graders investigate biological systems. They summarize relationships between systems. Students determine how systems relate within the biosphere. They analyze the carbon cycle.
Curated OER
Ice Ages
Interested Earth enthusiasts are introduced to ice ages. The 26,000-year cycle is charted and the eras named. Several slides are dedicated to the carbon cycle and how it contributes to the changes. The reasons for the cooling of the...
Curated OER
Moebius Strips
Students make Moebius strips and use them to demonstrate the interconnectedness of an environment. They explore the natural cycles (water, oxygen/carbon dioxide, carbon, nitrogen) within the environment. They describe how the cycles are...
Curated OER
Dynamics of Ecosystems
A set of guided notes walks your biology or environmental studies learners through the dynamics of ecosystems. They write short answers to questions about the energy budget, food webs, trophic levels, and biogeochemical cycles. One way...
Rainforest Alliance
Trees and Carbon
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...
Curated OER
Ecology
For use early in the year with your ecology class, this collection of slides introduces viewers to cycles in nature and relationships between organisms. There is a food web diagram, but the presentation is incomplete without any diagrams...
Curated OER
AP: Chapter 54: Ecosystems
A lot of learning is packed into these 23 questions about ecosystems. Advanced biology classes apply their knowledge of communities, productivity, biogeochemical cycles, and human impact on the environment by writing short answers for...
Carnegie Mellon University
Introduction to Climate
Begin a full lesson on climate change by demonstrating how carbon dioxide gas contributes to increased temperatures. Be aware that pressure inside the antacid-containing bottle in Activity 2 may cause the lid to fly off; keep viewers at...
National Park Service
Reduce Our Carbon Footprint, Let’s Compost!
Roll up your sleeves and get a little dirty with this elementary and middle school compost lesson plan. All you need is a large plastic container, a couple old newspapers, some organic waste, and a few hundred worms and you're ready...
National Wildlife Federation
What is DBH?
When measuring the circumference of a tree, does it matter how high you place the measuring tape? Most scholars have never considered this question, but scientists know that measurement techniques must be standardized. The 13th lesson in...
Curated OER
Photosynthesis:The Calvin Cycle
From the light reaction to the Calvin cycle, this presentation contains information about the various stages of photosynthesis. This is a great supplement to some of the biochemistry-heavy presentations about the specific mechanisms....
Curated OER
Cellular Respiration Oxidation of Pyruvate Krebs Cycle
Diagrams with annotations are shown on each of these eighteen slides, which summarize the processes of respiration. The focus is on the 3-step oxidation process and the Krebs cycle. Students should be able to follow these slides during...
Curated OER
Energy Flow Through Ecosystems
Middle or high school environmental studies classes will learn much from this presentation on energy in ecosystems. It covers the foundational topics of trophic levels, food webs, and nutrient cycles using informational text and...
Curated OER
The Nitrogen Cycle
The nitrogen cycle is the focus of a well-designed science lesson. In it, learners see that plants and animals produce waste products and decompose after death. Many of the waste products include nitrogen which is absobed by other...
Curated OER
Carbon Dioxide
Students conduct a series of experiments to explore carbon dioxide properties. In this chemistry lesson, students explain the production and uses of this gas. They measure its amount in soda and waste product of yeast.
Curated OER
Ecological Cycles Part 1
Knowing about the hydrologic cycle is the first step to understanding the carbon cycle. Upper graders discuss the earth's water content, polar ice caps, and the concept of the ecological cycle as it applies to carbon, nitrogen, and other...
Rainforest Alliance
Investments in Forest Carbon
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...
Curated OER
Resources for Teaching about Biogeochemical Cycles
Young scholars study the different cycles and Earth's systems. In this investigative lesson students study the nitrogen and carbon cycles, play a game pertaining to it and also participate in a class activity.
Curated OER
How Much Carbon is Held by the World's Forests?
Seventh graders identify how much carbon is held by the world's forests. For this forestry instructional activity, 7th graders study the carbon cycle and discuss what role humans have had on climate change. Students write a one page...
Curated OER
Carbon for the World
Young scholars explore the presence of carbon in the world. In this environmental stewardship activity, students discuss the carbon cycle after they read assigned textbook pages. Young scholars also discuss biomass content in different...
Curated OER
Changes in Nature
Fifth graders identify the chemical and physical changes in the water cycle, carbon cycle, and the effects of weathering. They analyze the periodic table, and observe how vinegar reacts with limestone in a chemical reaction that causes...
Virginia Department of Education
The Cycles of Nature
Encourage peer collaboration and assist with the creation of visual aids to identify carbon, water, and nitrogen cycles as your class learns more about nature. They discuss relative information, create a visual aid depicting the chosen...