Author: Samantha Lambert

Part 1

Is It Hot in Here?

Name: ___________________

1. In the past, we’ve learned that the terms climate and weather are not interchangeable. In your own words, describe how climate and weather differ.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As a class, we will now define the terms: 2. Weather: _______________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Climate: ________________________________________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________________________________
4. Can energy be created or destroyed? YES NO (Circle one)
5. Can matter be created or destroyed? YES NO (Circle one)
6. All living things contain ______________________________ atoms, which are not ______________________ nor ____________________________ when they move from one organism to another. Instead, they are _____________________________.

7. Using the diagram to the left, number each arrow (1-4) and write the carbon transfer that occurs for that step on the lines below.

Step 1: _________________________________
_______________________________________ Step 2: _________________________________
_______________________________________ Step 3: _________________________________
_______________________________________ Step 4: _________________________________
_______________________________________

One way that carbon can exist in the atmosphere is in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2) molecules. We will now model the behavior of these CO2 molecules together.
Analyzing the simulation
8. What did the people who permanently stayed in the atmosphere represent? ________________________
9. What did the person in the center represent? _________________________________________________
10. What did the people who came into the atmosphere and touched the earth represent, and where did they come from? ________________________________________________________________________
11. What happened to the energy once it touched the earth?
__________________________________________________________________________________
12. Which molecules can interact with the energy? (Circle all that apply) CO2 N2 O2
13. When were the molecules able to stop (trap) the energy from escaping the atmosphere?
__________________________________________________________________________________
14. What is the purpose of the CO2 in the atmosphere? ____________________________________________
15. Is this beneficial to our environment? YES NO (Circle one)
16. Why or why not? _______________________________________________________________________

Part 2

Look at the graph below.

17. What is measured on the x-axis?
_____________________________
18. What is measured on the y-axis?
_____________________________
19. What trend does this graph show?
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________
_____________________________

20. Do you think the graph (on page 2) is showing United States specific data, or is it showing a worldwide trend? _______________________________________________________________________________
21. Why? ________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________
22. How can we change our simulation to match the information presented on the graph?
___________________________________________________________________________________
Let’s test our simulation again to include our changes!
23. Explain what happened during the second run of the simulation.
___________________________________________________________________________________
Relationship between CO2 levels and heat
24. Adding CO2 molecules to the atmosphere traps more less heat in the atmosphere.
25. Trapping more heat in the atmosphere should lead to higher lower temperatures.
26. Let’s brainstorm where we could look for evidence to prove that the Earth’s temperature is rising?_____________________________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________________________
27. Did scientists observe these things? YES NO (Circle one)

(Circle one)

(Circle one)

What’s causing this?
Look back at the graph on page 2.
28. In what year did the CO2 levels start to drastically increase? ___________________
29. We know that matter cannot be created or destroyed. So what are some factors that might have caused the global rise in CO2 levels?
___________________________________ _____________________________________
___________________________________ _____________________________________
30. Any process or activity through which CO2 is released into the atmosphere is called a _________________.
31. A reservoir that takes up CO2 from another part of its natural cycle is called a _______________________.
32. A process that does not change the overall level of CO2 in the atmosphere is called ______________________.
Ask your teacher for a graph. With your group, you will now explore 1 factor that is either a source or is carbon neutral.
33. What information is plotted on your graph? _____________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
34. Does your graph show a trend? If so, what is it? __________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
35. How do you think that your graph is related to global CO2 levels and how will this influence global temperature? (Make sure to use the words “source” or “carbon neutral.”)
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________

Part 3

Obtain the article that corresponds to your graph from your teacher and complete the following tasks:
A. Analyze the graph(s) and associated reading to determine if your factor is carbon neutral or a CO2 source, how your factor affects CO2 levels, and answer questions 36-39.
B. Be able to act out the portion of the carbon flow that your factor affects. This will need to include:
i. How carbon flows (is conserved)
ii. How energy interacts with carbon dioxide
iii. Your prediction on how this will affect the temperature and why
iiii. How people can reduce the effects if your factor is a source or explain how your factor is carbon neutral

Analyzing our carbon factor
36. Our factor is ______________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral .
37. Look back at question 35. Did your reading support or dispute your hypothesis about global CO2 levels and temperatures and why?
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
38. Draw a picture in the box on the next page to describe the flow of carbon for your factor. - Label the steps by using numbered, solid arrows to show where carbon is transferred (similar to the apple tree example on page 1). - Use dashed arrows to show the light/heat energy path. You need to show how light/heat energy interacts with CO2 or objects related to your factor. - Refer to the diagram to the right to see the dashed arrows. Label on the diagram which arrow represents light and which represents heat. - If the energy is stopped, write “trapped”.

(Insert factor)

(Circle one)

(light / heat)

(light / heat)

Draw your picture in the box below.

39. In words, describe the part of the carbon flow that your factor affects.
_____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________

In your description, please include the following words:
Carbon flow(s)
Source or Carbon Neutral
Light
Heat
Trapped
Temperature

In your group, decide how you will act out your factor’s carbon flow. You will have access to the cards we used in our original simulation as well as blank cards. You can label the blank cards with factor-specific objects to help your classmates visualize your carbon flow. You as a group will need to narrate the carbon flow, so if you need more people to stand in as objects or molecules, you may enlist the help of no more than three of your classmates.
In your presentation, please describe what your factor is, any important vocab words your classmates should know, how your factor affects CO2 levels and global temperatures, and at least one way to reduce CO2 emissions if your factor is a source.
You may write a script/notecard to help you, but it should not take more than 4 minutes.

Part 4

Carbon factor presentations to the class
Group 1: ____________________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral
One piece of information that I learned from this group: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Group 2: ____________________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral
One piece of information that I learned from this group: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Group 3: ____________________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral
One piece of information that I learned from this group: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Group 4: ____________________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral
One piece of information that I learned from this group: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Group 5: ____________________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral
One piece of information that I learned from this group: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Factor

(Circle one)

Factor

(Circle one)

Factor

(Circle one)

Factor

(Circle one)

Factor

(Circle one)

Group 6: ____________________________________________ which is a CO2 source carbon neutral
One piece of information that I learned from this group: __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Factor

(Circle one)

Reflection Questions
35. Have humans affected the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere? YES NO
36. Have humans contributed to the rise in global temperatures? YES NO
37. If people in the United States use a lot of electricity and drive their cars every day, does this have an effect on the people in Canada? Why or why not?
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
38. To solve the global warming problem, who will need to be involved? ______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
39. What is one thing that you as a 6th grader can do to reduce the amount of CO2 that you produce?
___________________________________________________________________________________

(Circle one)

(Circle one)

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