We have developed six modules for the teaching experiment conducted at elementary, middle, and high school level. Our teaching goal is to facilitate students to develop the scientific model-based reasoning--describing carbon cycling processes at multiple scales, from atomic-molecular to landscape scale, with matter and energy conservation as constrains. To provide effective facilitation, we developed three tools for reasoning: Power of Ten Tool, Matter and Energy Process Tool, and Molecular Models (middle/high school). These tools are introduced in the Systems and Scale Unit and used across all the other units.

Systems and Scale: This is the introductory unit. It introduces three major tools for reasoning: Power of Ten Tool, Matter and Energy Process Tool, and Molecular Models (in middle and high school units). Students will use these tools as the conceptual tools to analyze various environmental events and issues in the following modules.

Three modules--Plants, Animals, Decomposers--focus on linking macro-processes to the atomic-molecular model of matter transformation and energy transformation.

Plants: This unit helps students to use the tools to analyze events associated with plants including plant growth and metabolism.

Animals: This unit helps students to use the tools to analyze events associated with animals including animal growth and metabolism.

Decomposers: This unit helps students to use the tools to analyze events of dead organism body decaying.

Two modules--Carbon Cycling, Energy and Global Warming--focus on linking macro-processes with the landscape model of carbon cycling and energy flow.

Carbon Cycling: This unit helps students to make connections among the various biological processes and develop a landscape model of carbon cycling--carbon cycling and energy flow between the biosphere and atmosphere.

Energy and Global Warming: This unit helps students to connect the human energy consumption activities with the biological processes and develop a landscape model of carbon cycling and energy flow among socio-economical systems, biosphere, and atmosphere. Students are also expected to use the landscape model to analyze human's impact on climate change.

Each module includes teacher's guide, readings for students, and embedded assessments (worksheets) for students.

Modules

 

Teaching materials

		Elementary	Middle	High
Introductory module	Systems and Scale	Teacher's Guide (Word; PDF) Reading for students     (Word; PDF) Embedded Assessments (Worksheets) for students   (Word; PDF)	Teacher's Guide (Word; PDF) Reading for students      (Word; PDF) Embedded Assessments (Worksheets) for students       (Wrod; PDF)	Teacher's Guide      (Word; PDF) Reading for students      (Word; PDF) Embedded Assessments (Worksheets) for students       (Word; PDF)
		PowerPoint (with handouts) for elementary, middle, and high schools 1. Powers of 10 introduction: The one-meter square (download PPT) 2. Powers of 10: Slides (download PPT); Handouts (download Word) 3. Process Tool: Slides (download PPT); Handouts (download Word) Wall charts for elementary, middle, and high schools 1. Powers of 10 wall charts       a) Illustrated Powers of 10 wall chart (download PPT)       b) Partially illustrated Powers of 10 wall chart (download PPT)       c) Blank Powers of 10 wall chart (download PPT) 2. Process tool wall chart       a) Process tool wall chart (download Word )       b) Matter, energy, and scale symbols (download Word)       c) Illustration of processes (download Word)
Modules about linking macro-processes to atomic-molecular models	Plants	Teacher's Guide (Word) Students' Workbook   (Word) Visualization    (PPT)	Teacher's Guide (Word) Student Workbook    (Word) Visualization     (PPT)	Teacher's Guide (Word) Student Workbook   (Word) Visualization    (PPT)
		Potato Poster(Middle and High) (PDF)               Potato Poster (Elementary) (PDF) Video: Plant growth (wmv); Plant movement (wmv)
	Animals	Teacher version (download) Student version (download)	Teacher version (download) Student version (download)	Teacher version (download) Student version (download)
	Decomposers	Teacher version (download) Student version (download)	Teacher version (download) Student version (download)	Teacher version (download) Student version (download)
Modulels about linking macro-processes to landscape models	Energy and Global Warming	Teacher's guide (Word File) Students workbook    (Word File)	Teacher's guide (Word File) Student workbook (Word File)	Teacher's guide (Word File) Student workbook (Word File)
		Energy Consumption and Carbon Footprint (PPT) Car Running (PPT) Using Electrical Appliances (PPT)
	Large Scale Carbon Cycling		Teacher's Guide (Word File) Students' Workbook (Word File)	Teacher's Guide (Word File) Students' Workbook (Word File)

 

Your feedbacks are important for us!

Feedback Forms

Units	Feedback Forms
System and Scales	Elementary School Version Middle School Version HIgh School Version
Plants	Elementary School Version MIddle School Version High School Version
Animal	Elementary School Version Middle School Version High School Version
Decomposer	Elementary School Version Middle School Version High School Version
Energy and Global Warming	Elementary School Version Middle School Version High School Version
Carbon Cycling	Middle School Version High School Version

 

Please download the feedback forms for each unit and send them back to envlit@msu.edu.