The carbon cycle

These resources from the European Space Agency climate change initiative education resource pack allow students to learn about the carbon cycle and the key to controlling climate change by managing it and using it to identify how to reduce carbon emissions to the atmosphere. How carbon moves through the carbon cycle and at which stages humans impact this by releasing more carbon compounds to the atmosphere faster than they are absorbed are examined in three different activities.                                                                                                                                                                                                               

The first, 'The Carbon Cycle' is a reading assignment with an optional assessment opportunity, focuses upon how human actions disrupt the cycle at various points. Recaps of food chains, rock cycle and the greenhouse effect are covered to facilitate this task. 'Acid Oceans', the second activity is a practical investigation using household materials such as vinegar and lemon juice to model the effects of acidification upon the oceans and relate the chemical reactions to the real life situation. This could be a remote learning or homework task. The final task requires computer access as it is research based upon using the 'Climate from Space'  web application where data is extracted to answer worksheet questions about tracking carbon in various parts of the earth. All activities can be carried out independently or as a group with all teacher notes and student worksheets provided.