Barbara Brensinger, Stevie Heckendorf, and Rick Harwood
Title: The Carbon Cycle Game
Subject Area: Earth Systems
Grade:9th
Part I: Framework
Content Standard 1:SES1e. Students will investigate the composition and formation of Earth
systems, including the Earth’s relationship to the solar system. Identify the transformations and
major reservoirs that make up the rock cycle, hydrologic cycle, carbon cycle, and other important
geochemical cycles.
Characteristic Standard 1:SCSh1. Students will evaluate the importance of curiosity, honesty,
openness, and skepticism in science. Exhibit the above traits in their own scientific activities.
Recognize that different explanations often can be given for the same evidence.
Characteristic Standard 2:SCSh6. Students will communicate scientific investigations and
information clearly. Write clear coherent accounts of current scientific issues, including possible
alternative interpretations of the data. Participate in group discussions of scientific investigation and
current scientific issues.
Essential Questions:
What is the carbon cycle?
How does carbon cycle throughout our world?
What is a carbon reservoir?
How does the carbon cycle affect our climate?
Outcome/Performance Expectations:
Students understand that carbon cycles naturally through living and non-living parts of the Earth
system in a complex and non-linear way.
Students will identify carbon reservoirs and uptakes within the carbon cycle.
Students understand that burning fossil fuels adds carbon to the cycle.
Students understand the impact of additional carbon dioxide on global warming.
Lab Resources:
A Window to the Universe Activity developed by Lisa Gardiner and Julia Genyuk
(1) http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html
(2) http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/carbon_cycle.html
Part II: Lab
Introduction:
Carbon is the 12th element in the periodic table. It is able to combine with a large variety of other
elements and as such it is found in some very different places within the Earth system. Living things,
including plants and animals, are made of carbon and they depend on carbon for nutrition. Carbon is
also an important component in bones, sea shells, and chemical sedimentary rocks like limestone.
Carbon can dissolve in water. In the atmosphere, carbon forms a greenhouse gas called carbon
dioxide. Carbon continually moves through these parts of the Earth system. This is called the carbon
cycle.
Materials: One computer per pair, lab worksheet
Safety Hazards: None
Experiment Design/Procedure:
Students will find a partner, receive a lab worksheet and select a computer. Give them 7-10 minutes
to read, lab resource (1) The Carbon Cycle and answer question #1. Proceed to #2, brainstorming the
benefits of carbon and how it can be harmful if there is too large a quantity. After brainstorming
students will continue to lab resource (2) The Carbon Cycle Game, answering the lab worksheet
questions as proceed through the cycle.
Experiment Analysis/Homework Problems:

Students write a paragraph about their trip through the carbon cycle. Include information
about (1) where they went, and (2) how they got to each destination.

Students create a "map" documenting their journey through the carbon cycle.
Teacher Notes:
In this interactive game, students assume the identity of carbon atoms that are released into the
atmosphere when fossil fuels are burned. It is important to review with students that all carbon, even
the carbon that is sequestered deep underground in limestone rocks, coal, and fossil fuels, is part of
the carbon cycle. These reservoirs, often known as deep carbon sinks, remove carbon from
circulation through other parts of the carbon cycle for such long amounts of time that they are
sometimes considered an extension of the carbon cycle called the "slow carbon cycle". For
simplicity, the deep carbon sinks have been omitted from this interactive, however they are a very
important part of the long-term cycle. While it may only take your students 10-20 minutes to
complete their journey as a carbon atom through this interactive game, it can take actual carbon
atoms millions of years to make it to all the reservoirs in the carbon cycle.
Lab Worksheet
Read:The Carbon Cycle :http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Water/co2_cycle.html
1) List the areas on Earth where carbon is found.
2) Classroom Brainstorm Activity: Why is carbon important and why can carbon be hazardous?
Carbon
Location
Atmosphere
Plants
Circle answer
Circle answer
What percentage
of the
atmosphere is
CO₂_______
Burning of fossil
fuels has
increased this
amount _____%?
More CO₂
causes our
atmosphere to be
warmer or
cooler?
Proceed to
plants or ocean
surface?
Plants useCO₂
for
___________?
Proceed to soil
or atmosphere?
Surface ocean
How did you
arrive at surface
ocean? a)
Or b)
Plants release CO₂
back to the
atmosphere
by___________?
Soil stores about As decomposers
_________% of break down
Earth’s carbon.
detritus, carbon
is sent to the
atmosphere or
soil?
The surface ocean Warmer or
takes in
colder water
_____gigatons of absorbs carbon
carbon a yr.
faster?
Deep ocean
The deep ocean
gets CO₂ from
a)
b)
Carbon stays in
the deep ocean for
_________of
years.
The deep ocean
holds more than
65% or 85% of
the Earth’s
carbon?
Marine life
Phytoplankton
Phytoplankton are
High levels of
Soils
Dead plants
become part of
the soil called
____________?
Did you answer
mini-quiz
correctly yes/no?
Proceed to
surface ocean.
Return to
atmosphere then
deep ocean 1, 2,
3 quiz questions
correct?
Did you answer
mini-quiz
correctly yes/no?
Proceed to
marine life by
way of surface
ocean.
Choose continue
use carbon to
make
__________?
eaten
dissolved carbon
by?____________ are harmful or
beneficial?
◦How many stops can you make on your trip?
◦Will your journeys ever end?
◦Was everyone’s journey the same? Why not?
◦What would happen if we burned more fossil fuels?
Map your journey:
moving through
cycle. Did you
answer mini-quiz
correctly yes/no?
Part III: Assessment
The following activities will be assessed for meeting standards:



Students partner, brainstorm and play the carbon cycle game.
Students write a paragraph about their trip through the carbon cycle. Include information
about (1) where they went, and (2) how they got to each destination.
Students create a "map" documenting their journey through the carbon cycle.
All three activities reinforce learning of the concepts in standard SES1e of identifying the
transformations and major reservoirs that make up the carbon cycle. Brainstorming questions,
paragraphs, and maps will be evaluated to see if students were able to identify carbon reservoirs and
uptakes within the carbon cycle. Students must demonstrate understanding that burning fossil fuels
adds carbon to the cycle, and the subsequent impact of additional carbon dioxide on global warming.
Students will also be observed to see if display curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in their
activities, standard SCSh1. Work will also be evaluated to see how clearly students were able to
express their ideas, standard SCSh6.