Unit Plan
TED Talks

Ted: Ted Ed: The Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Video talks about the carbon cycle and uses a computer as a metaphor to show how the cycle can be disrupted by climate change. [3:55] Includes a short quiz and a list of additional resources to explore.
Website
US Environmental Protection Agency

Epa: Global Climate Change: All About Carbon Dioxide

For Students 4th - 8th
Understand the process that must occur to create carbon dioxide. What is the role of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere? A video illustrating the carbon cycle is available.
Unit Plan
PBS

Pbs Learning Media: Global Warming: Carbon Dioxide and the Greenhouse Effect

For Students 9th - 10th
This video segment adapted from NOVA/FRONTLINE demonstrates the physical property of carbon dioxide that causes the greenhouse effect. Includes background reading and discussion questions. [2:26]
Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Project Learn: Where in the World Is Carbon Dioxide?

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lesson on greenhouse gas, students conduct experiments to detect and collect carbon dioxide, then use titration to determine how much carbon dioxide is present in an indicator solution.
Unit Plan
Vision Learning

Visionlearning: Earth Science: The Carbon Cycle: What Goes Around Comes Around

For Students 9th - 10th
Instructional module focusing on the carbon cycle. Discussion includes the biological and geological components of how carbon moves through the atmosphere, lithosphere, and hydrosphere. Site also includes an interactive practice quiz and...
Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Physics & Chemistry: Carbon Dioxide

For Students 9th - 10th
Explains what carbon dioxide is, where it is found, sources of it, and describes human activities that contribute to carbon depletion and increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. (Updated: February 22, 2013)
Article
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: The Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
A comprehensive introduction to the carbon cycle. The cycle of atoms between living and non-living things is known as a biogeochemical cycle. The most common of these are the carbon and nitrogen cycles.
Interactive
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution: Following the Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Illustrated interactive explores the 12 steps of the carbon cycle that show how carbon moves through the environment.
eBook
Biology Pages

Kimball's Biology Pages: The Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Useful introduction to the carbon cycle with a diagram and a discussion of the effects of carbon dioxide on the greenhouse effect and global warming.
Handout
National Earth Science Teachers Association

Windows to the Universe: Biogeochemical Cycles

For Students 9th - 10th
Biogeochemical cycles happen when individual elements are recycled over and over in different parts of the Earth. Two examples are the Nitrogen Cycle and Carbon Cycle. Read an explanation of biogeochemical cycles and view a diagram of...
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Soft Schools

Soft Schools: Biology Quizzes: The Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Assess your understanding of the carbon cycle with this interactive multiple choice quiz. Immediate feedback is provided.
Handout
Encyclopedia of Earth

Encyclopedia of Earth: Environmental Chemistry: Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
Article explaining the importance of carbon as the basis for life, carbon dioxide's role in photosynthesis and respiration, carbon in the ocean and lithosphere, the impact of human activities on the carbon cycle, carbon that seems to be...
Lesson Plan
University Corporation for Atmospheric Research

Ucar: Cycles of the Earth System: Carbon Dioxide Sources and Sinks

For Teachers 5th - 9th
Students will use a chemical indicator (BTB) to detect the presence of carbon dioxide.
Website
Center for Educational Technologies

Exploring the Environment: Global Climate Change

For Students 9th - 10th
This tutorial looks at carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and how changes can impact wheat production in Kansas.
Lesson Plan
TeachEngineering

Teach Engineering: Carbon Cycles

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Young scholars are introduced to the concept of energy cycles by learning about the carbon cycle. They will learn how carbon atoms travel through the geological (ancient) carbon cycle and the biological/physical carbon cycle. Students...
eBook
Other

Elmhurst College: Virtual Chembook: Carbon Cycle

For Students 9th - 10th
A step-by-step discussion of the stages in the carbon cycle. Each step includes a diagram further explaining the processes involved, as well as pictures depicting combustion, respiration, photosynthesis, and decomposition.
Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: Carbon Dioxide Sources and Sinks

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this lab activity, students use a chemical indicator (bromothymol blue) to detect the presence of carbon dioxide in animal and plant respiration and in the burning of fossil fuels and its absence in the products of plant...
Lesson Plan
Climate Literacy

Clean: Carbon Dioxide Fertilization of Marine Microalgae Cultures

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In this experiment, students investigate the importance of carbon dioxide to the reproductive growth of a marine microalga, Dunalliela sp.
Unit Plan
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology

Ciese: Carbon Imbalance: Algae to the Rescue? [Pdf]

For Teachers 9th - 10th
A 95-page learning module that integrates biology, chemistry, and engineering. It includes in-class labs, virtual labs, and engineering design activities. Working with algae, students learn about and investigate how photosynthesis,...
Handout
Other

The Geological Society: Climate Change: Evidence From the Geological Record

For Students 9th - 10th
In this statement, The Geological Society describes the changes that are happening to the global climate in terms of what evidence has been observed in our geological history. For example, what happened during past events of rapid...
Article
Nature Research

Nature Education: Energy Economics in Ecosystems

For Students 9th - 10th
This article discusses how plants and microorganisms, until recently, have mostly controlled how much carbon dioxide is released into an ecosystem, and explains how this process works. Humans' burning of fossil fuels has upset the...
Handout
NASA

Nasa: Carbon: Where Does It All Go?

For Students 9th - 10th
At this site from NASA you can understand how phytoplankton help the carbon dioxide levels between the oceans and the air stay in balance.
Handout
CK-12 Foundation

Ck 12: Earth Science: Carbon Cycle and Climate Study Guide

For Students 4th - 8th
Review the relationship between the carbon cycle and climate.