Carbon Travels - Then and Now
Lesson Plans
Grades6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12Social Studies, Earth and Space Sciences, English Language Arts
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Bay Area E-STEM Institute
What it is
- In this lesson, students play the role of a carbon atom traveling through the carbon cycle before the Industrial Revolution and after.
- Students create carbon cycle diagrams for pre and post-Industrial Revolution and answer questions to reflect on how humans are impacting Earth's systems.
Teaching tips
Positives
- This gamified lesson engages students through movement.
- Students are able to construct their own understanding of the carbon cycle by actually participating in it.
Additional Prerequisites
- Teachers will need to print station sheets and set them up around the room before class.
- Each student (or pair of students if necessary) will need dice for this activity.
- The lesson requires 45-90 minutes to complete and is best suited for two class periods.
- Students should already be familiar with energy sources and uses.
- Clicking "View Resource" will take you to the CLEAN website, then you click into BAESI's site, where you have to click on "Carbon Travels - Then and Now" to view the actual lesson plan.
Differentiation
- The lesson includes multiple differentiation options, additional resources, and enrichment activities so teachers can tailor it to their classroom and students.
- Interdisciplinary connections can be made between science, social studies, and English Language Arts.
From the scientist review
This resource is from the CLEAN collection. “The CLEAN collection is hand-picked and rigorously reviewed for scientific accuracy and classroom effectiveness.”
Ready to use it?
Hosted on baesi.org
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
