Carbon Cycle and Recycling Ms. Blalock, Ms. Hartsell and Mr. Luckman

Do Now Take a deep breath, now breathe out. Take another deep breath; breathe out again. Take one last deep breath and breathe out. What molecule did you breathe in during this exercise? What molecule did you breathe out during this exercise?

AIM and Agenda AIM: How can we recycle to positively influence the carbon cycle? Agenda 1. Do Now 2. INM 3. Activity 1: Carbon Cycle 4. Activity 2: Recycling 5. Activity 3: Regents Prep 6. Exit Ticket

INM: Carbon Carbon is an element that is considered the backbone of life on Earth ALL living things contain some amount of carbon

Carbon

Carbon makes up all living things

Key element Carbon is the key element in many important processes: Regulates the Earth’s temperature Makes up the food that sustains us Provides a source of energy to fuel human activities (transportation, factories, etc) Used in photosynthesis in the form of CO2

Where do you find carbon? Most of the Earth’s carbon is stored in rocks and sediments The remaining carbon is located in the oceans, atmosphere and living organisms

Location of carbon

Today’s lesson… Today we will explore the carbon cycle. What is the carbon cycle? Why is the carbon cycle important to study? How does a disruption of the carbon cycle impact the environment? We will also explore recycling. How does recycling impact the carbon cycle.

Definition: Carbon Cycle The process of carbon continuously moving between living and non-living things on Earth and in the atmosphere Carbon is mostly present as CO2 It can also be present as methane (CH4)

Activity 1: Carbon Cycle Video Directions: Watch the following video describing the carbon cycle. Using both the video and the “Carbon Cycle Diagrams” respond to the questions in your guided notes. http://studyjams.scholastic.com/studyjams/jam s/science/ecosystems/carbon-cycle.htm

Carbon Cycle Diagram

Why is the carbon cycle important? CO2 is like an atmospheric blanket over the planet Its job is to trap radiation from the sun (heat) to help keep the Earth’s temperature stable

CO2 Blanket

Turn and Talk: What do you think? What is the relationship between the Earth’s temperature and the amount of CO2 present in the atmosphere? As CO2 increases…

Turn and Talk As CO2 increases, the temperature of the Earth increases as well. This increase in the Earth’s temperature can negatively impact the environment, which you will learn about tomorrow.

What can we do? Looking back at the carbon cycle diagrams, brainstorm some actions that we can take as humans to not disrupt this cycle by releasing more CO2 into the atmosphere.

Recycling To recycle means to: Convert (change) waste into reusable material Use again All waste that is not recycled ends up in a landfill A place where waste is taken and dumped

What can be recycled?

Landfills The waste is buried and covered over with soil This method is used to make room for more waste Consequence: The organic wastes present (food, paper, grass, etc) is digested by organisms living in the landfills The digestion of this organic waste releases carbon in the form of methane gas into the atmosphere Thus, more carbon is being released into the atmosphere unnaturally, disrupting the carbon cycle

Landfills

Activity 2: Recycling Directions: Read the article titled “How Does Recycling Decrease CO2 and Methane Gas Emissions?” and respond to the questions in your guided notes.

Activity 3: Regents Review Directions: Using your knowledge from today’s lesson, respond to the three Regents’ style questions concerning the carbon cycle and recycling.

Finished Early? Some people do not want recycling waste plants (a place where recycled trash is taken to be sorted and reused) near where they live. Read the short passage and respond to the questions that follow.

Exit Ticket