Increased Carbon Emissions and the Effects of Ecosystems

705

Ms. Lodi

vlodi@newdesignmiddle.org

Topic	Increased Carbon Emissions and the Effects on Ecosystems
Location	The world
Social Problem	Due to industrialization, and an increase of meat consumption in developing nations, there has been an increase in carbon emissions. This increase of carbon in the atmosphere, in the form of carbon dioxide creates an imbalance in production/consumption of carbon which in effect creates global warming.

INTRODUCTION

Plant production of energy storage molecules are the backbone of life in the different ecosystems of the world. Without plants, there would not be any way to sustain life on our Earth.

Plants are known as producers in ecosystems. Plants use carbon dioxide, sunlight and water to perform photosynthesis and create energy storage molecules in the form of glucose. The two byproducts of photosynthesis are glucose and oxygen. Mammals use oxygen to breathe. The glucose are the energy storage molecules. Primary consumers consume the plants (Producers) and then secondary consumers consume the primary consumers. Primary and secondary consumers emit carbon through respiration as well as through excretion. Then the consumers and primary consumers go through the process of decompensation. This is the carbon cycle, where plants use carbon to create energy and then consumers consume the plants and produce carbon. This works in a continuous cycle.

Ecosystems work in balance, if there is more carbon thrown into an ecosystem, it overwhelms the producers, the plants, and creates a situation where the plants are unable to perform photosynthesis as a speed that is necessary to keep up with the increased amount of carbon. The carbon cycle relies on a balance from all the living and nonliving things that make up an ecosystem. Carbon is a nonliving thing in the ecosystem. If the balance of the carbon cycle in the ecosystem is thrown off, it challenges the integrity of the entire cycle, and threatens all lie in the ecosystem.

Due to an increase in the middle class in countries around the worlds, as well as industrialization, more carbon is being emitted into our atmosphere. Since middle class people are able to afford meat, the production of meat is increased. This creates larger carbon emissions, because animals are consumers and consumers emit carbon through respiration and excretion. “Cattle are the No. 1 agricultural source of greenhouse gases worldwide. Each year, a single cow will belch about 220 pounds of methane.”. Also with an increase in industrialization, more carbon is being emitted into the atmosphere. “Greenhouse gas emissions from industry primarily come from burning fossil fuels for energy, as well as greenhouse gas emissions from certain chemical reactions necessary to produce goods from raw materials.” These factors play a part in the increase of carbon that are being emitted into the atmosphere. These extra carbon emissions potentially can throw off the balance of the carbon cycle in the ecosystem which can have adverse effects on sustaining life on Earth.

TASK

Students will present information that they collected through the steps of the PPE. Students will have flexibility on an end project that they want to create, but will have to hit targets in a rubric that shows a mastery of the information that they are to present to the class.

Suggestions for how students are to present their information include:

- Students can create a 10 slide Google Slideshow presentation that outlines the issues of increased carbon emissions and incorporates the steps of the PPE

- Students will create a 10 box comic strip that presents the problem and their research and incorporates the steps of the PPE

- Students will create a poster board that presents the problem and their research and incorporates the steps of the PPE

- Students make a video that presents the problem and their research and incorporates the steps of the PPE

Students will spend 2 class periods collecting data. 2 class periods writing about the research they collected, and 2 class periods creating their project.

PROCESS/RESOURCES

For the 2 class periods that students collect data and perform research:

Students will be provided with information about this topic. They will be given a variety of articles, videos, and pictures/misc. media. Students will have to pick 3 sources from each list (IE 3 articles to read, 3 videos to watch and 3 pictures/misc. media to look at). Certain students will have to choose more or less depending on their academic level. Students who are emerging will be given less sources to research where advanced students will be given more sources to read and incorporate to their project. Audio versions of articles will be available to differentiate for students that read on a lower reading level

Students will be given a note catcher template to fill out their notes and thoughts of each part of the information they chose to research

Students will follow the PPE steps to complete their projects, and will use the PPE steps in their slideshow and presentation.

PPA STEPS:

1. What is the problem?
2. What is the Evidence?
3. What are the causes?
4. What is the existing policy?
5. What policies can we create to correct the problem?
6. What is the BEST policy to correct the problem?

For the 2 class periods that students spend writing about the research they collected.

Class Period 1

Students will spend one class period making sure the notecatchers they used for their research are completed. They will then fill out a note catcher/graphic organizer where they try to find themes in their research and vocabulary words that are frequently used throughout their research.

Class Period 2

Students will use their research as a guide, and will write about their opinions and thoughts about their research. Students will use the PPE steps as a guide to the structure of how they will present their research.

For the 2 class periods that students create the slideshow:

Students will be broken into 2 groups of 4 students. Every group will have a group leader/time-keeper, a group visual expert, a group copy editor and a group organizational expert.

Students will spend half a class period discussing their research and findings, and also coming up with a theme for their project based on all of their research.

Students will decide as a team how they want to present their information. The choices they have are to present their information as a 10-slide slideshow, comic strip, video or poster board.

After students decide on a theme and how they want to present their information, they will start to map out an outline for their project.

For the second period they work on these projects, the groups will create an outline map for their presentation/project where they will each use their different roles to contribute to the project.

Students will discuss the issue of increased carbon emissions and how it adversely affects ecosystems, and incorporate the steps of the PPE to their presentation.

Groups will be broken up into 4 different roles

- The group-leader/timekeeper will make sure that the group is on-task and working cohesively. The group leader will also help trouble-shoot with any issues or problems group members may have, and help assist each member of the group. The group leader will also keep track of time and make sure that the group is on-time, and tasks are being completed in a time-sensitive manner.

- The group visual expert will help make decisions regarding aesthetics of the Google Slideshow. They will create the theme of the slideshow, and choose the pictures/gifs/videos and other media that is used for the slideshow.

- The group copy-editor will create the writing for the slideshow. The copy-editor will create a copy for the entire slideshow, and determine how the group's thoughts and ideas will transform into written words.

- The group organizational expert will make sure that the visual aesthetic and written words of the slideshow combine seamlessly. The organizational expert will take the visuals and the copy and combine them to create the slideshow.

EVALUATION

TASK	Research/ Data Collection	Writing about research	Presentation
3	- 9 pieces of data were researched - 9 different forms were filled out completely about the research - Data was compiled in clear, concise writing.	- Writing is thorough, comprehensive, on-task and relevant to the topic. - Writing does not have any typos, and is grammatically correct.	Google Slideshow - Slideshow is 10 sides long. - There is a distinctive theme to the slideshow - Slideshow is informative and cohesive - There are pictures and media the compliments the text of the slideshow. - Each team member contributed to the slideshow equally.
2	- 5-8 pieces of data were researched - 5-8 forms were filled out about the data that were collected - Data was mostly clear and concise, but there were some missing pieces of information.	- Writing is mostly thorough, but slightly off-task - Writing has few typos, and few grammatical errors	Google Slideshow - Slideshow is 6-9 slides - There is a theme to the slideshow, but it is not consistent throughout the entire slideshow - There are some pictures and media that complement the text - Most team members contributed to making the slideshow
1	- Less than 5 pieces of data were researched - Less than 5 forms were filled out about the data that were collected - Data collected and written about were not clear or concise and confusing to read	- Writing is not thorough and is off-task - Writing has many typos and grammatical errors	Google Slideshow - Slideshow is under 5 slides - There is not a distinctive theme to the slideshow - There are very few or no pictures and media in the slideshow. - Less than half of the team members contributed to making the slideshow.

CONCLUSION

Students will apply what they learn during their research to a presentation where they share the damage of single use plastic to the environment. Working on this project will help them conceptualize how damaging single use plastic is. They will be able to use the information they learned to make better decisions about recycling, and what products they buy and use in the future.

STANDARDS

MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.

RI. 7.8- Trace and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, assessing whether the reasoning is sound and the evidence is relevant and sufficient to support the claims.

RI. 7.9- Analyze how two or more authors writing about the same topic shape their presentations of key information by emphasizing different evidence or advancing different interpretations of facts.