Monday, December 9, 2019 (HS-LS2-3, HS-LS2-5): Continue Biogeochemical Cycling Poster Project
For the project, students will create a poster to model the water, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur cycles on a poster of Yellowstone National Park. For our work today, students will have time to complete the Food Web and Ecosystem Gizmos from Monday and Tuesday, and then they will receive the Nutrient Cycling POGIL worksheet packet that will provide them with additional information about the process of carbon (C), water (H and O), and nitrogen (N) cycling.
Students will work in groups of 3-4 to create the biogeochemical cycling poster project. Instructions:
- Create a large poster by taping together printer paper to the desired size
- Draw an accurate and scaled map of Yellowstone National Park
- Sketch and label the major must-see attractions and geographically distinct regions of the park
- Draw and label the carbon (C), water (H and O), nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and sulfur (S) cycles within the park
The poster should be nicely organized, easy to understand, and colorful! Due date: Thursday (December 12) by the end of class.
Note 1: While not included in the POGIL, sulfur is often included as a component of the biogeochemical cycle, frequently abbreviated as the CHNOPS cycle. Including the sulfur cycle will earn group members bonus points.
Note 2: As with the Unit 1 Ocean Acidification project, students are expected to work productively and equally within their groups. On Tuesday, students will fill out the Individual Contribution Multiplier worksheet to to explain how each team member contributed. The multiplier will affect individual student grades on the team project, so students must communicate early and often regarding expectations for each other.
Helpful Resources:
One Strange Rock: Nitrogen Cycle
Crash Course: Carbon and Water Cycles
Crash Course: Nitrogen and Phosphorus Cycles
Bozeman Science: Biogeochemical Cycles (includes the Sulfur Cycle)
The Carbon Cycle – a NASA Earth Observatory website with data about global carbon cycling in the land, air, and sea with actual numbers that need to be added to the student posters.
Water Cycle – USGS website providing a robust review of hydrologic (water) cycle vocabulary, a presentation of the cycle itself, and data students will need to add the actual amount of water stored in various locations on Earth.
Texas A&M University has a website with pages devoted to explaining the Nitrogen Cycle. Additional in-depth information about the Nitrogen Cycle is available on the Nature Education Knowledge Project website.
Phosphorus Cycle – information about the cycle and a nice graphic from the Shmoop University website.
Sulfur Cycle – a presentation provided by The Environmental Literacy Council
Tuesday, December 10, 2019 (HS-LS2-3, HS-LS2-5): Continue Biogeochemical Cycling Poster Project
Due: Nutrient Cycling POGIL (individual assignment)
Wednesday, December 11, 2019: Continue Biogeochemical Cycling Poster Project
Thursday, December 12, 2019: Complete Biogeochemical Cycling Poster Project
Due: Biogeochemical Cycling Poster (group assignment)
Poster Example:
Friday, December 13, 2019: Solidarity Days
The Art of Science 