Cycles in Nature Problem Based Performance Task
Description:
Students will choose a cycle in nature (water, carbon, or nitrogen) to research, and write an article
for a newsletter of a conservation group, such as the National Wildlife Federation, or similar local
group.
Essential Questions:
If the water, carbon, or nitrogen cycle is disrupted by human activity in an ecosystem, how
does this disruption affect the organisms in the ecosystem?
If the water, carbon, or nitrogen cycle is disrupted by human activity in the ecosystem
where you live, how does this disruption affect you?
What problems arise as a result of human activity disrupting the water, carbon, or nitrogen
cycle?
What actions would you recommend to a concerned citizen, to bring awareness to the
problems, find solutions to the problems, or actively work to reverse the effects of the
problems?
Concepts:
Interdependency among organisms within ecosystems
Dependency of organisms on nonliving factors in an ecosystem
Water, carbon, and nitrogen cycles
Effects of human activity on ecosystems
Environmental issues
Created by Michelle Pelot
Water, Carbon, and Nitrogen…
3 Cycles in Nature NOT to be Messed With!!
The Situation:
You are taking a walk along a stream bank in the woods with a friend. You notice typical woodsy
characteristics, such as trees, birds singing, squirrels scampering, slithery things diving into the water to
avoid you, the firm feel of the earth beneath your feet, the smell of decaying plant matter mixed with the
freshness of the newly cleaned air. Your eye wanders from the highest canopy where the birds are
reveling in the free space above the tree line, down the trunk of an ancient tree, skipping over to a small
bush along the stream bank, and down into the stream’s stagnant water. It’s green. Mucky. Still.
Wait…last time you were here, several years ago, the stream ran clear...with more speed. You take
another look around. The underbrush of the woods was thicker, more lush. Why is the stream so slow?
What is the mucky green stuff in the water? Where are all the different plants and animals which used to
inhabit this lovely place?
The Problem:
As a curious and concerned citizen, you are determined to find out just what took place in the
environment which caused the changes you observed in this lovely wooded ecosystem. You know nature
operates on cycles, and ecosystems rely on the relationships between the living (biotic) organisms and
nonliving (abiotic) factors. Your hunch is human activity interfering with the natural cycles in nature
might have something to do with the puzzling changes to the stream and its environment.
Your Task:
You decide to investigate how these cycles work, and what human activity might be disrupting these
processes. Write an article for a newsletter of a conservation group, such as the National Wildlife
Federation, or similar local group of your choice. Include the following information in your article:
Choose one of the following three cycles…water, carbon, or nitrogen.
Explain how the cycle works for the people reading your article who might not know.
Include a clear and labeled diagram of the cycle.
Answer the following essential questions in your article:
1) If the water, carbon, or nitrogen cycle is disrupted by human activity in an ecosystem, how
does this disruption affect the organisms in the ecosystem?
2) If the water, carbon, or nitrogen cycle is disrupted by human activity in the ecosystem where
you live, how does this disruption affect you?
3) What problems arise as a result of human activity disrupting the water, carbon, or
nitrogen cycle?
4) What actions would you recommend to a concerned citizen, to bring awareness to the
problems, find solutions to the problems, or actively work to reverse the effects of the
problems?
Resources You Might Consider:
1) Internet sources relating to drought, eutrophication, development, agriculture, etc.
2) Local government website or building, for information on current development projects,
weather trends, agriculture regulations, etc.
3) Print materials, such as books, magazines, brochures, newspapers, etc.
4) Interviews with local officials and experts for information on current problems and solutions
in your area.
Good luck with your investigation! You have already identified the effects of negative
change…positive change begins with you!! 
Created by Michelle Pelot
CATEGORY
4 points
3 points
Explanation of Cycle
All aspects of cycle
are thoroughly and
effectively explained,
at least 2 examples
are included, and an
analogy is offered to
help readers better
understand.
All aspects of cycle
All aspects of cycle
Cycle is explained in
are thoroughly and
are thoroughly and
simple terms.
effectively explained, effectively explained.
and at least 2
examples are
included.
Diagram
Clearly drawn and
labeled including all
details in explanation,
colored, large enough
to see details.
Clearly drawn and
Clearly drawn and
Drawn and labeled,
labeled including all labeled including all but missing many
details in explanation, details in explanation. details.
colored.
Essential Question 1
Answered thoroughly
and effectively, a
valid example is
included and
explained.
Answered thoroughly Answered thoroughly Simply answered
and effectively, a
and effectively.
with no further
valid example is
explanation.
included.
Essential Question 2
Answered thoroughly
and effectively, a
valid example is
included and
explained.
Answered thoroughly Answered thoroughly Simply answered
and effectively, a
and effectively.
with no further
valid example is
explanation.
included.
Essential Question 3
At least 2 problems
are included, with
thorough
explanations of each
problem (Why is it a
problem?).
1 problem is
At least 2 problems
included, with a
are included.
thorough explanation
of the problem (Why
is it a problem?).
1 problem is
included.
Essential Question 4
At least 2 actions are
recommended, with
explanations of how
each action will bring
positive change.
1 action is
At least 2 actions are
recommended, with recommended.
an explanation of
how the action will
bring positive change.
1 action is
recommended.
Quality of Sources of
Information
At least 4 reliable,
interesting,
information sources
of different types are
used.
3 reliable, interesting,
information sources
of different types are
used.
2 reliable, interesting,
information sources
of different types are
used.
1 reliable, interesting,
information source
was used, or sources
were not reliable, or
were the same type.
Appearance of Article
Cover page with title,
author’s name, and
date are included.
Article is neatly
typed. Works cited
list is included.
Cover page with title,
author’s name, and
date are included.
Article is neatly hand
written. Works cited
list is included.
Cover page is
included. Article is
neatly typed or hand
written. Works cited
list is missing.
Article is typed or
neatly hand written.
Cover page and
works cited list are
missing.
Total Score
Created by Michelle Pelot
2 points
1 points
Created by Michelle Pelot