Unit 3: Biogeochemical Cycles Rev. Aug. 2015
Integrated Science 2
12 Class Meetings
Essential Questions
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How can human activities impact the nitrogen and carbon cycles?
Enduring Understandings with Unit Goals
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EU #1: Human activities have impacted the flow of nutrients through the Earth’s cycles.
o Analyze the causes and effects of specific cases where human activities have negatively
impacted the flow of nutrients through the Earth’s cycles.
EU #2: Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for life that is cycled through Earth’s systems
o Describe how nitrogen cycles through the Earth’s system and where it is used and stored.
EU #3: Carbon cycles through Earth systems and is impacted by human activities.
o Describe how carbon cycles through the Earth’s systems and analyze how human
activities have impacted the carbon cycle.
Standards
Common Core State Standards/College and Career Readiness Anchor Standards :
 CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.9-10.7 Translate quantitative or technical information expressed in
words in a text into visual form (e.g., a table or chart) and translate information expressed visually
or mathematically (e.g., in an equation) into words.
Next Generation Science Standards or C3:
 HS-ESS3-6: Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth
systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.
Connecticut State Science Standards:
 D14: Describe combustion reactions of hydrocarbons and their resulting by-products.
 D19: Explain how chemical and physical processes cause carbon to cycle through the major earth
reservoirs.
 D23: Explain how the accumulation of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere increases Earth’s
“greenhouse” effect and may cause climate changes.
 D25: Explain how land development, transportation options and consumption of resources may
affect the environment.
 D INQ. 2: Read, interpret and examine the credibility and validity of scientific claims in different
sources of information.
 D INQ. 9: Articulate conclusions and explanations based on research data, and assess results based
on the design of the investigation
 D INQ. 10: Communicate about science in different formats, using relevant science vocabulary,
supporting evidence and clear logic.
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Unit 3: Biogeochemical Cycles Rev. Aug. 2015
Integrated Science 2
12 Class Meetings
MSMHS 21st Century Learning Expectations
Competency 1: Read and write effectively for a variety of purposes.
Competency 2: Speak effectively with a variety of audiences in an accountable manner.
Competency 4: Apply scientific knowledge and concepts to a variety of investigative tasks.
Competency 6: Use technology responsibly to create, research, synthesize, and communicate
information fluently.
Competency 8: Take responsibility for his/her own learning and behavior.
Unit Content Overview
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EU #1: Human activities have impacted the flow of nutrients through the Earth’s cycles
o algal blooms
o dead zones (hypoxia)
EU #2: Nitrogen is an essential nutrient for life that is cycled through Earth’s systems
o properties of nitrogen
o nitrogen sinks
o nitrogen cycle
o human impacts on the nitrogen cycle
EU #3: Carbon cycles through Earth’s systems and is impacted by human activities
o carbon sinks
o carbon cycle
o properties of carbon
o human impacts on the carbon cycle
o greenhouse effect and global climate change
Learning Objectives
Students will be able to…
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Identify the causes of fish die-offs, toxic water crises, and algal blooms
Describe the importance of nitrogen in the biosphere
Identify sinks and sources of nitrogen on Earth
Analyze the effects of land development on nitrogen in lakes & oceans
Investigate and analyze changes to human activities that reduce humanity’s impact on the nitrogen
cycle
Describe changes to carbon in Earth’s atmosphere over the last 200 years
Analyze changes in human activity that have impacted carbon in Earth’s atmosphere
Identify sinks and sources of carbon on Earth
Describe the role of carbon in the greenhouse effect
Identify how changes in the carbon cycle have impacted the global climate.
Analyze the pros and cons of possible changes that could be made to human activities to reduce
the impact of carbon on the global climate
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Unit 3: Biogeochemical Cycles Rev. Aug. 2015
Integrated Science 2
12 Class Meetings
Assured Learning Experiences
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Instructional Strategies/Differentiation
• Power Point Lecture with note-taking
• Guided note-taking
• Flexible grouping
• Independent reading
• Foldables
• Exit slips
• Graphic Organizers
• Creating authentic connections for students
• Vocabulary word bank
• Rephrasing and restatement of information and concepts
• Tiered instruction
• Alternative test settings
• Student use of headphones
• Reading and accountable talk discussions of texts
• Student-led instruction
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Interdisciplinary Connections
• History- The role of the Industrial Revolution on human population growth
• Marine Science- Marine population dynamics
• Language Arts- Accountable Talk
• World Languages- Culture and Population Growth
Assessments
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENTS:
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Warm Ups
Case Study Analysis: Nitrogen and Human Activities
o MSMHS Rubric 1: Communication
Carbon and Global Climate: How can we solve this problem?
o MSMHS Rubric 6: Technology
Guided notes
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Unit 3: Biogeochemical Cycles Rev. Aug. 2015
Integrated Science 2
12 Class Meetings
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENTS:
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Quiz on EU #1 and EU #2
Quiz on EU #3
Project: Carbon and Global Climate: How can we solve this problem?
Project: Biogeochemical Cycles Booklet
Unit Test
Unit Task
Unit Task Name: Biogeochemical Cycles Booklet
Description: Students will use information from this unit to create a “booklet” about the
biogeochemical cycles. This will include the Nitrogen Cycle (EU 2) and the Carbon Cycle (EU
3), as well as human impacts to these cycles (EU 1). They will have the choice of creating a
digital “booklet” or a paper-based booklet. They will include student-created diagrams as well as
explanations. At the end of the booklet, students will write a brief reflection of their findings and
propose some solutions to the negative impacts humans place on these cycles.
Evaluation: MSMHS Rubric 1: Communication
Unit Resources
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Textbook (Environment Science. Jay Withgott, Pearson Education, Inc. 2011.)
MSMHS School-wide Rubrics
Internet databases
BrainPop: Carbon Cycle, Nitrogen Cycle
Microsoft Power Point or Prezi, Microsoft Publisher
Laptops
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