Key Concept: Carbon Cycle Goals: Students will be able to … Trace the pathway of a carbon atom through living and nonliving components of an ecosystem, explaining both the processes and types of organisms involved.

Carbon Cycle Pre-test

Pre-test Which of the following substances has mass? Answer yes or no in the blank to the left. H20 vapor _______ CO2 _______ Glucose (C6H12O6) _______ O2 _______

Student Responses (n=171)

Pre-test What are the different pathways that carbon can take once it is inside a plant? select as many as apply a. it can exit the plant as CO2 b. it can become part of the plant’s cell walls, protein, fat, DNA c. it can be consumed by an insect feeding on the plant and become part of the insect’s body d. as a plant decomposes in the soil, carbon can exit the soil as CO2

Student Responses (n=171)

Pre-test The majority of the actual weight (dry biomass) gained by plants as they progress from seed to adult plant comes from which of the following substances? a. molecules in the air that enter through the leaves b. particle substances in the soil taken up by the roots c. substances dissolved in water that are taken up by roots d. energy from the sun

Student Responses (n=171)

Instructional Design Lecture: food chains and webs (15 min) Lecture: energy flow / matter cycling (80 min) Matter / conservation of matter Energy / types of energy Laws of thermodynamics Efficiency of energy transfer Biogeochemical Cycles- biological & geological forms and processes

Formative Assessment Explain this statement: Energy flows through an ecosystem. Matter cycles within an ecosystem. Discuss in your group - submit one answer per group.

In-class Group Activity 1. Draw a food chain based on the diagram of the carbon cycle in Figure 3-16. Include the decomposers. Label each trophic level. 2. Incoming radiation from the sun is 1,7000,000 kcals. Based on how energy flows through ecosystems, calculate the amount of kcals available for each trophic level. 3. On the diagram, show how and in what form (use arrows) energy is lost from each trophic level. 4. On the diagram, indicate in what form carbon moves into and out of each trophic level and the biological process that enables carbon movement to occur.

Radish Experiment Experimental Setup: Weighed out 3 batches of radish seeds each weighing 1.5 g. Experimental treatments: 1. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in LIGHT 2. Seeds placed on moistened paper towels in DARK 3. Seeds not moistened (left DRY) placed in light

Radish Experiment In-class group activity: Develop a testable hypothesis for your group’s experiment. Define the dependent and independent variables in your hypothesis. Design a method to measure primary productivity for your experiment. Predict the results.

Radish Experiment After 2 weeks, all plant material was dried in an oven overnight (no water left) and plant biomass was measured in grams.

Processing Radish Experiment (week 7) 1.46 g 1.63 g 1.20 g Formative Assessment: Write an explanation of the results.

The Grandma Johnson Problem Hypothetical Scenario: Grandma Johnson had very sentimental feelings toward Johnson Canyon, Utah where she and her late husband had honeymooned long ago. Her feelings toward this spot were such that upon her death she requested to be buried under a creosote bush overlooking the canyon. She loved the idea that she'd become part of the wonderful wilderness and live on through the wildlife that lived there. Think to yourself and begin to trace the path of a carbon atom from Grandma Johnson's (GJ) remains to where it could become part of a coyote (NOTE: the coyote WILL NOT dig up Grandma and consume any of her remains). What fundamental pathways and processes of biology will be involved in the transit of GJ's carbon atoms to that of the wild coyote in Utah?

Task: Create a concept map that illustrates your understanding of the relationship between these 10 concepts in the context of the Grandma Johnson problem. You may add up to 5 extra concepts if you need them to explain the problem more clearly. photosynthesis respiration carbon cycle decomposers primary producers consumers carbon dioxide glucose energy oxygen 1. Work on the problem individually first, save it in CTOOLS, and print a hard copy. 2. Work on the problem with a partner. Both of you can retrieve your concept maps, discuss, revise and produce the best final map to which both of you have contributed. 3. Submit all three maps - yours, your partner's and the FINAL MAP you completed together - Please put the final map on top, with both of your names. Staple them together (5 pts off if not stapled).

Summative Assessments Analogous questions from pre-test The final exam was optional; 72 of 182 students chose not to take the final The following data are from the 110 who took the final

Summative Assessment (final exam) Which of the following substances has mass? Answer yes or no in the blank to the left. H20 vapor _______ CO2 _______ Glucose (C6H12O6) _______ O2 _______

Student Responses (n=110)

Summative Assessment (final exam) What are the different pathways that carbon can take once it is inside a plant? a. it can exit the plant as CO2 b. it can become part of the plant’s cell walls, protein, fat, DNA c. it can be consumed by an insect feeding on the plant and become part of the insect’s body d. as a plant decomposes in the soil, carbon can exit the soil as CO2

Student Responses (n=171)

Summative Assessment (final exam) The majority of the actual weight (dry biomass) gained by plants as they progress from seed to adult plant comes from which of the following substances? a. molecules in the air that enter through the leaves b. particle substances in the soil taken up by the roots c. substances dissolved in water that are taken up by roots d. energy from the sun

Student Responses (n=171)

Success!! Students understand the carbon cycle. Really??

Appropriate Assessment Three questions on the final exam assessed student understanding of the concept that plants get carbon from CO2 in the atmosphere.

Multiple Choice The majority of the actual weight (dry biomass) gained by plants as they progress from seed to adult plant comes from which of the following substances? a. molecules in the air that enter through the leaves b. particle substances in the soil taken up by the roots c. substances dissolved in water that are taken up by roots d. energy from the sun

Fill-in table

Spider Monkey Problem Written response: Explain in detail the following: Deep within a remote forest of Guatemala, the remains of a spider monkey were buried under an enormous mahogany tree. Although rare, jaguars have been spotted in this forest by local farmers. Use coherently written sentences and clearly labeled drawings to explain how a carbon atom in glucose contained within the muscle cells of the spider monkey might become part of a cell within the stomach lining of a jaguar. Provide a written description of the processes AND organisms the carbon atom must go through to cycle through the ecosystem. Include a clearly labeled drawing of the system. (Note: the jaguar does not dig up the monkey and eat the remains!)

Where do plants get carbon? (final exam)