1. Sample InTeGrate Activities:
Carbon, Climate and Energy - Unit 2
Learning Goal #3: Students will be able to create an illustration of Earth's carbon cycle that clearly shows and distinguishes reservoirs and movements (fluxes)
Carbon cycle game
Initial introduction to reservoirs and fluxes
Download “Dice” app

2. Reservoirs and fluxes
Reservoirs are places where carbon can be found in the Earth system. Examples of carbon reservoirs include the ocean, the atmosphere, and vegetation, as well as the crust, the mantle, and fossil fuels. [Optional: “Synonyms would include ‘sinks’ and ‘pools.’”]
Fluxes are movements of carbon between different reservoirs.
Each flux is a chemical reaction, or a physical process. Each flux will take carbon out of one reservoir and put it in another. (CLICK TO ANIMATE ARROW “A”)
Here, Flux A removes carbon from Reservoir 1 and puts it into Reservoir 2. Examples of fluxes include photosynthesis, which pulls carbon from the atmosphere reservoir and puts it into the vegetation reservoir, or diffusion of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere into the water of the ocean. Another example is when the burial of plants under layers of sediments turns vegetation into fossil fuels.
Balance between reservoirs is achieved when “input” fluxes are equal to “output” fluxes. Let us add another flux to our diagram… (CLICK TO ANIMATE ARROW “B”)
If Flux B is a process that moves the same amount of carbon as Flux A, Reservoir 1 is always giving up the same amount of carbon through Flux A that it is getting from Flux B. Reservoir 1 would stay the same size if A and B are equal, and so of course would Reservoir 2. This system is in balance.
On the other hand, if something diminished Flux B, or stopped it altogether, then Flux A would gradually transfer more and more carbon out of Reservoir 1 into Reservoir 2. Reservoir 1 would shrink, and Reservoir 2 would grow … This system is out of balance, or “perturbed.”
Okay, let us see how this works! Armed with an understanding of the definitions of “reservoir” and “flux,” you students are now ready to start rolling dice in the carbon cycle game.

3. Carbon, Climate and Energy - Unit 2
Learning Goal #3: Students will be able to create an illustration of Earth's carbon cycle that clearly shows and distinguishes reservoirs and movements (fluxes)
Carbon cycle game
Initial introduction to reservoirs and fluxes
Each person in group should begin the game as a different reservoir (vegetation & soils, crust, mantle, ocean, atmosphere, fossil fuels).
Each person roll their die, and depending on the number they roll, they read off the same numbered story on the appropriate “reservoir” sheet.
Story finishes by directing reader to their next reservoir.
Players complete a graphic to illustrate carbon cycle

4. PLAY GAME! Carbon cycle game Carbon, Climate and Energy - Unit 2
Learning Goal #3: Students will be able to create an illustration of Earth's carbon cycle that clearly shows and distinguishes reservoirs and movements (fluxes)
Carbon cycle game
PLAY GAME!

5. Carbon, Climate and Energy - Unit 2
Learning Goal #3: Students will be able to create an illustration of Earth's carbon cycle that clearly shows and distinguishes reservoirs and movements (fluxes)
Dimension
Sophisticated
Competent
Needs Work
Reservoirs
Carbon cycle is remarkably complete, with at least 6 major reservoirs depicted and appropriately labeled. 12 – 15 pts
Carbon cycle is mostly complete, with most (more than 4) major reservoirs depicted and appropriately labeled. 8 – 12 pts
Carbon cycle is mostly incomplete, with most (more than 4) major reservoirs missing or lacking appropriate labels. 0 – 7 pts
Fluxes
Fluxes between those reservoirs are labeled to show an understanding of processes. Fluxes link appropriate reservoirs. No major fluxes are missing. 12 – 15 pts
Fluxes between those reservoirs are labeled to show an understanding of processes, but some fluxes link the wrong reservoirs, or some major fluxes are missing.
8 – 12 pts
Fluxes between reservoirs are either mostly missing or mostly misplaced or mostly unlabeled, failing to demonstrate an understanding of carbon cycle processes.
0 – 7 pts
Imagery
Graphics, when used, are clear and match the topics being discussed. Digital images are a resolution appropriate to the intended viewer. Both the big-picture organization and the small details are elegantly arranged.
8 – 10 pts
Graphics, when used, are mostly clear and mostly match the topics being discussed. Digital images may lack resolution that would be appropriate for the intended viewer. Either the big-picture organization or the small details were not as elegantly arranged as they could have been. 5 – 7 pts
Graphics were unclear or lacking or failed to match the topics being discussed. Digital images lacked resolution that would be appropriate for the intended viewer. Both the big-picture organization and the small details were not as elegantly arranged as they could have been.
0 – 4 pts
Writing
Text and labels in the graphical representation follow the rules of good grammar and lack spelling errors.
Text and labels in the graphical representation mostly accord with the rules of good grammar and contain only a few spelling errors.
5 – 7 pts
Text and labels in the graphical representation violate key rules of good grammar and feature multiple spelling errors.
Carbon cycle game – Assessment
Create a graphical representation of the carbon cycle (scoring rubric provided)