Living in a Carbon World Lab

Positives

• This is an active and hands-on lab that incorporates an outdoor activity.
• Key questions and learning objectives are outlined. 
• The resource is easy for students to navigate. 

Additional Prerequisites

• Teachers should review the summary and all of the sections prior to the lab.
• Gather materials ahead of time for the chemistry experiment, including coffee filters, chalk, vinegar, and limewater.
  

Differentiation

• The activity about measuring the carbon in trees will get students outdoors and will get them actively participating in data collection.
  
• Biology classes can connect this lab to photosynthesis, cellular respiration, and combustion lessons.
• Chemistry classes can focus on the atomic structures, chemical reactions, and pH properties of the experiments.
• Each section can be completed independently and can be added to lessons as activities or extensions.
• Physics classes can connect to part D of the lab that explains combustion and the release of energy from breaking bonds, or part C that explains the energy required or released from biological processes.