An interesting lesson takes pupils on a trip through the carbon cycle. A reading passage allows scholars to take notes and make choices about what happens to the carbon on its journey. This third lesson in a series of 21 discusses climate change briefly at the end.

Concepts

carbon, the carbon cycle, climate change

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Offer individuals the option to write their own stories of a carbon cycling in any format they want such as PowerPoint, graphic novel, etc.
• Read about some fascinating discoveries when using carbon dating on dinosaur bones: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/dinosaur-shocker-115306469/

Classroom Considerations

• Requires prior knowledge of atoms and elements

Pros

• Designed for alignment to the National Science Education Standards, National Education Technology Standards, Climate Literacy Principles, and Energy Literacy Principles
• Lesson is adaptable to independent work, team work, or small group work
• Highlights new vocabulary throughout

Cons

• None

Common Core

RST.9-10.2 RST.9-10.4 RST.9-10.5 RST.9-10.7 RST.9-10.10 RST.11-12.2 RST.11-12.4 RST.11-12.5 RST.11-12.7 RST.11-12.10