Carbon Cycle Game
Summary
By rolling a die, students will simulate the movement of a carbon atom throughout various locations in the
carbon cycle.
Objectives
• Students will describe the movement of carbon within the carbon cycle
• Students will evaluate the relative timing of movement within the carbon cycle
Materials
• At least 6 dice , 1 for each station. To speed up game, use more than one dice at each station.
• Station Sheets: Atmosphere, Plants, Animals, Soil, Decomposers, Fossil Fuel
• Data sheet with graphs, carbon cycle, and analysis questions.
Activity
• Tell students they are going to be carbon atoms moving the carbon cycle.
• Point out the different locations (stations) where carbon can be found on land.
• Assign students to a beginning station, randomly and evenly.
• Students will then roll a die and follow the directions on the station sheet.
• Students should begin recording down the station name and process by which they got to that station,
after visiting the station they move to next.
• If, by chance, the directions say to remain at the same station, they should record that station as
their first station and the process that caused them to remain at that station.
• Each time the students has to remain at the same station, they should record and count that as a
separate visit to that station. (In other words, they will record the same station down in the next space)
• After students have rolled a dice 10 times, they should create a bar graph illustrating how many times
they visited each station.
• Students should also be able to complete the Carbon Cycle diagram, using arrows to show the direction
carbon moves through the carbon cycle . They should also be able to name the different processes
involved that caused the carbon atom to change locations in the carbon cycle.
• When the entire class has finished rolling, compile a class set of data and have the students draw
another graph.
• Have the class compare the two graphs and discuss why the graphs may vary in relative proportion, if
they actually do vary. Ask students which graph they think is the most realistic and why.
• Have students then complete the analysis questions, which can then be discussed as a class.
Current residence time of CO2 in the atmosphere is about 130 years, but this amount is dynamic and can
change with higher rates of emissions and lower rates of photosynthesis or visa versa.
http://www.ann-geophys.net/31/1591/2013/angeo-31-1591-2013.pdf
Adapted from Jennifer Ceven who adapted the game from “The Incredible Journey” in Project Wet
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/climate/teachingclimate/carbon_cycle_game.pdf.
Atmosphere
You are currently a carbon atom in the atmosphere
If you roll a …
Then you …
1
Stay in the atmosphere. Carbon can remain as carbon
dioxide, CO2 in the atmosphere for about 130 years.
2
Go to a plant. Your carbon atom was removed from the
atmosphere, in the form of carbon dioxide, CO2, through
the process of photosynthesis.
3
Stay in the atmosphere. Carbon can remain as carbon
dioxide, CO2 in the atmosphere for about 130 years.
4
Stay in the atmosphere. Carbon can remain as carbon
dioxide, CO2 in the atmosphere for about 130 years.
5
Stay in the atmosphere. Carbon can remain as carbon
dioxide, CO2 in the atmosphere for about 130 years.
6
Go to a plant. Your carbon atom was removed from the
atmosphere, in the form of carbon dioxide, CO2, through
the process of photosynthesis.
Plants
You are currently a carbon atom within a plant
If you roll a …
Then you …
1
Go to the soil. The tree shed its leaves and the carbon,
contained in the leaves, fell to the soil.
2
Stay in the plant. Your carbon atom was stored in the
trunk of the tree.
3
Go to an animal. Your carbon atom helped form the
leaves and berries of the plant that were then consumed
by an animal.
4
Stay in plant. Your carbon atom was stored in the roots
of the tree.
5
Stay in plant. Your carbon atom was stored in the tree’s
branches.
6
Go to the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released
by the plant, in the form of carbon dioxide, during
cellular respiration.
Animals
You are currently a carbon atom within an animal.
If you roll a …
Then you …
1
Stay in the animal. Your carbon atom is stored as fat
within the animal.
2
Go to the Soil. Your carbon atom was released as a waste
product when the animal pooped.
3
Go to the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released in
the form of carbon dioxide, CO2, through the process of
cellular respiration.
4
Stay in Animal. Your carbon atom was consumed when
the animal was eaten by a predator.
5
Go to the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released in
the form of carbon dioxide, CO2, through the process of
cellular respiration.
6
Go to the Soil. Your carbon atom remained with the
carcass, when the animal died.
Soil
You are currently a carbon atom within the soil.
If you roll a …
Then you …
1
Go to decomposers. Your carbon atom was taken up by a
decomposers through consumption.
2
Go to decomposers. Your carbon atom was taken up by a
decomposers through consumption.
3
Go to fossil fuel. Your carbon atom was never
decomposed so it continued to be buried and pressurized
until you became a piece of coal.
4
Stay in soil. Your carbon atom is helping the soil be rich
in organics and very good for plant growth.
5
Go to fossil fuel. Your carbon atom was never
decomposed so it continued to be buried and pressurized
until you became crude oil.
6
Go to decomposers. Your carbon atom was taken up by a
decomposers through consumption.
Decomposers
You are currently a carbon atom within a decomposer.
If you roll a …
Then you …
1
Go the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released to
the atmosphere in the form of CO2 through the process
of decomposition.
2
o to animal. Your carbon atom was part of an earthworm
that was consumed by an animal.
3
Go the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released to
the atmosphere in the form of CO2 through the process
of decomposition.
4
Go the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released to
the atmosphere in the form of CO2 through the process
of decomposition.
5
Go to animal. Your carbon atom was part of a mushroom
that was consumed by an animal.
6
Go the atmosphere. Your carbon atom was released to
the atmosphere in the form of CO2 through the process
of decomposition.
Fossil Fuel
You are currently a carbon atom existing as fossil fuel.
If you roll a …
Then you …
1
Stay in Fossil Fuel. Your carbon atom is buried deep
within the Earth and hard to extract by modern methods.
2
Go to atmosphere. Your carbon atom was mined as coal
and burned to generate electricity through the process of
combustion.
3
Stay in Fossil Fuel. Your carbon atom is buried deep
within the Earth and hard to extract by modern methods
4
Stay in Fossil Fuel. Your carbon atom is buried deep
within the Earth and hard to extract by modern methods
5
Go to atmosphere. Your carbon atom removed in the
form of oil and used to power a car through the process
of combustion.
6
Stay in Fossil Fuel. Your carbon atom is buried deep
within the Earth and hard to extract by modern methods.