Grade 6
Objective
Students will be able to:
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Learn about atmospheric gases as being a part of the abiotic ecosystem,
Describe the carbon cycle and its importance to all living things, and
Determine what gases are present on the different planets and identify which ones are
greenhouse gases (just like the ones on Earth!).
Key Concepts
Re-introduce students to the concept of greenhouse gases (see Grade 5 Lesson Plan 5-4-13 and 5-4-18).
Can they define what they are? Incorporate this concept into the concept of the diversity of living things
and describe atmospheric gases (greenhouse gases) as being a part of the abiotic ecosystem.
When exploring the solar system, students will learn that just like in the Earth’s atmosphere,
greenhouse gases are present in the atmospheres of other planets as well!
Cluster 1: Diversity of Living Things
6-1-07 Recognize that many living things are difficult to see with the unaided eye, and observe and
describe some examples.
(Connection: This presents an opportunity to discuss gases and while you cannot see them, they are a
very important part of the abiotic ecosystem; somewhere within this cluster, it may also be useful to
discuss the Carbon cycle and its importance to all living things)
Atmospheric gases are defined as components of the abiotic ecosystem. The most important gases used
by plants and animals (biotic component) are oxygen, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
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Oxygen: used by all living organisms during respiration
Carbon Dioxide: used by green plants during photosynthesis
Nitrogen: made available to plants by certain bacteria and through the action of lightning
Do you remember? Each of these gases is what makes up greenhouse gases! Even though we cannot see
them, they are important to all living things and the Earth!
Talk more about greenhouse gases. Why do we need to be concerned with controlling our
contribution to greenhouse gas emissions? (See Grade 5 Lesson Plan – The Greenhouse Effect and
Climate Change)
The carbon cycle is an example of how something so small (a greenhouse gas) can be so important to all
living things!
The Carbon Cycle and Agriculture:
Remember: A greenhouse gas is a gas that traps the Earth’s radiation inside the atmosphere warming
the Earth up (greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide).
Out of the three gases listed above, carbon is a part of all organisms. It is the building block of life.
Carbon affects all life on Earth. The carbon cycle consists of four major interconnected reservoirs of
carbon; the atmosphere, the oceans and water bodies, the terrestrial biosphere (soil, plants, animals),
and sediments and rocks.
The carbon cycle is the big circle the carbon travels in and is defined as the series of processes by which
carbon compounds are interconverted in the environment. In agriculture, this involves the incorporation
of carbon dioxide into living tissue by photosynthesis and its return to the atmosphere through the
decay of dead organisms (plant material), and respiration of plants and animals. Therefore, agriculture
affects the global carbon cycle since agricultural practices and land use alter the amount of carbon
stored in plant matter and soil, and consequently, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) that is released
into (or taken up from) the atmosphere.