Carbon Trip Through the Cycle

Summary:

Students will imagine themselves as a carbon atom and trace their journey through at least 4 steps of the carbon cycle returning themselves to the point of origin

Materials:, Equipment, Facilities:

• Paper
• Something to write with

Sequence and Duration of Each Part of Lesson:

• Students should be familiar with the carbon cycle including photosynthesis and respiration
• Students will be given 10 minutes to outline their journey to make sure that they have the correct sequence .
• Students will then use their creativity to describe the journey a carbon molecule will take as it moves through the carbon cycle. They may give their atom a name and put this in story form as long as it accurately describes what happens to the atom.
• Students may choose to write this in one of the following forms:
  1. Journal entries (as if an alien visiting a micro world and making observations)
  2. Poetry
  3. Essay form
  4. Choose the music from a song and fit your journey to music
  5. Cartoon form
  6. Story form
  7. Narration (first person)

Evaluation / Assessment:

• Teacher will review product for accuracy of concept
• Students could do oral presentations
• Student's work could be posted

Suggested rubric for grading out of 15 points possible. After the students have presented their projects to the class, you may want to have students vote on the one they liked best and award bonus points to that student.