Living in a Carbon World Lab
Provided by: TERC|Published on: November 23, 2022|Last updated: September 26, 2026
Grades: 9, 10, 11, 12
Type: Videos
Subjects: Chemistry, Biology, Physics, Earth and Space Sciences
Authors: TERC, Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College (SERC)
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Synopsis
- In this four-part lab, students will perform data collection, measurements, a chemical experiment, and explore graphs and videos to understand how and why carbon atoms are important to living organisms and global systems.
- The four sections include content about trees, carbon storage, carbon compounds, and fossil fuels.
Teaching Materials
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.
There is no contradiction in this resource and the resource is recommended to teach students the pathway of carbon from the atmosphere to trees and to analyze and estimate the rate of carbon sequestration from trees.
Teaching Tips
Standards
Resource Type and Format
Scientist Reviewed
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Our review process ensures that every resource in our library reflects the current state of climate science.
Learn about our review process →
