1. Cycles of Matter

2. Our Local Ecosystem: The Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta

3. Use your whiteboard, and brainstorm in your group:
Identify 2-3 representative organisms from each category:
Animals that live in the Delta: at least one herbivore and one carnivore/omnivore
Plants/Protists (algae, etc.) common to the Delta ecosystem
Be sure to add to your list:
Fungi in soil and water...use a mushroom to represent fungi.
Bacteria that live in the soil or water...use 4 or 5 connected spheres to represent bacteria

4. Your “Matter Cycles” Poster (one of the following):
Carbon Cycle
Nitrogen Cycle
Each poster will be illustrated and labeled with:
Organisms
Processes
Arrows showing direction of movement of molecules
Water Cycle
Phosphorus Cycle

5. Carbon Cycle Things to include:
The sun, your plants and animals, fungi, and bacteria
Processes: photosynthesis, respiration, combustion (burning fuels), decomposition (breaking down dead things)

6. Nitrogen Cycle Things to include:
The sun, your plants and animals, fungi, and bacteria
Processes: soil nitrification and denitrification, combustion (burning fuels), decomposition, wastes from animals, fertilization

7. Water Cycle Things to include:
The sun, your plants and animals, fungi, and bacteria
Processes: precipitation, condensation, transpiration, evaporation, percolation

8. Phosphorus Cycle Things to include:
The sun, your plants and animals, fungi, and bacteria
Processes: erosion from rocks, consumption, excretion, decomposition, geologic upheaval (new rock formation)