Page 3: Creating Carbon Paths

This page continues Activity A, having students create additional carbon paths and analyze transitions.

Key points:

• Students create a path where carbon moves through all four major Earth systems
• Three more carbon paths are created, each starting and ending in the atmosphere
• Students explain how carbon transitions between specific reservoirs

Example: A sample carbon path through all systems: Atmosphere → Oceanic CO2 (hydrosphere) → Marine Animals/Plants (biosphere) → Sediments (geosphere)

Highlight: The activity emphasizes the interconnectedness of Earth's systems in the carbon cycle

Vocabulary: Anthroposphere - Everything made or modified by humans, sometimes considered a separate sphere in Earth system science

Page 2: Carbon Pathways Activity

This page covers Activity A, which has students explore carbon pathways between Earth's major systems.

Key points:

• Students create a carbon path starting and ending in the atmosphere
• Each step is labeled with the corresponding Earth system (atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere, biosphere)
• The activity demonstrates how carbon moves between different reservoirs

Definition: Hydrosphere - All of Earth's water, including oceans, lakes, rivers, groundwater, and ice

Definition: Geosphere - The rocky, non-living part of Earth including the crust and mantle

Example: A sample carbon path: Atmospheric CO2 → Oceanic CO2 → Shells/Coral → Limestone → Lithosphere → Volcano → Atmospheric CO2

Highlight: This activity reinforces the cyclical nature of the carbon cycle, showing how carbon atoms can return to their starting point through various processes

Page 1: Introduction to the Carbon Cycle Gizmo

This page introduces the Carbon Cycle Gizmo simulation and provides some background on photosynthesis and carbon dioxide.

Key points:

• The simulation allows students to follow carbon atom pathways through Earth's systems
• Students start by observing a carbon atom in the atmospheric CO2 reservoir
• Prior knowledge questions cover how plants and animals affect atmospheric carbon levels
• The Gizmo warm-up has students identify initial carbon pathways from the atmosphere

Vocabulary: Photosynthesis - The process by which plants use sunlight, water and carbon dioxide to produce oxygen and energy in the form of sugar

Highlight: The Carbon Cycle Gizmo visualizes possible carbon atom pathways using glowing blue areas to show potential next locations

Example: From the atmosphere, the carbon atom can move to oceanic CO2 or land plants