Name: _________________________ Period: ____ Teacher: __________________ Date: ___________
Earned Honors Practice #1: Annotation
PROMPT
Annotate the reading Carbon Dioxide Levels Rise Fast and High written by Thomas Sumner
according to the ETHS Science Annotation guide. Following the reading, answer the short
answer and multiple-choice questions using the information provided by the reading. You will
be graded on your ability to annotate, identify scientific processes, and responses to the
comprehension questions. Note: a list of difficult terms is included at the end of this reading.
Remember to annotate the following:
 Number each paragraph
 Record marginal notes
 Call attention to important ideas
 Write “DEF” next to definitions
 Mark a “?” if you are not sure of something
 [ ] Bracket or underline main ideas
 Square science vocabulary words
 Number or circle-number lists or procedures
 Label the IV and DV on charts and graphs
Carbon dioxide levels rise fast
and high
Human activities are prompting the greatest rate of increase of carbon dioxide
since dinosaurs walked the Earth
BY THOMAS SUMNER 7:00AM, MAY 17, 2015 SCIENCE NEWS FOR STUDENTS
Scientists measure carbon in sediment cores (seen here) drilled from the ocean floor. These cores show that extra
carbon is being added to the atmosphere at a rate unmatched in 66 million years. Not even a massive outpouring of
carbon 56 million years ago (the dark band) comes close, a new study finds.
Please number paragraphs, annotate, and make marginal notes as you read.
MONTREAL, Canada — The buildup of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere just hit a new
peak. The rate of rise in this greenhouse gas also constitutes a new record, with no sign of
slowing. Scientists announced both new records on May 6.
In March, the average concentration in Earth’s atmosphere of carbon dioxide (CO2), reached a
new high of 400 parts per million (ppm) in air. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) reported this as the highest global level of this gas in the
atmosphere since recordkeeping began in 1958.
#1. In the paragraphs above annotate using brackets or underlines the text that describes the
scientific problem discussed in this article. In the space below, re-state or summarize the
scientific problem announced by NOAA:
But the new high shouldn’t be a surprise. Humans have been pumping CO2 into the atmosphere
at a very high rate. Indeed, the current rate of increase is unmatched since the dinosaurs went
extinct 66 million years ago. Scientists announced this new record, here, at a meeting of the
American Geophysical Union and other organizations.
Coal, oil, and other fossil fuels are the source of most of that extra CO2. People have been
burning more of these fossil fuels steadily since 1750, which is when the Industrial Revolution
began. And the rise in atmospheric CO2 has tracked that increase in fossil-fuel burning.
#2. In the paragraph above, underline the different sources of CO2 presented in the above
paragraph and then number each source. List these sources below.
GRAPH 1: The recorded concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth’s atmosphere has risen steadily since
measurements began in 1958. The global monthly average exceeded 400 parts per million (ppm), for the first time,
in March 2015. Prior to the Industrial Revolution, the average was only about 270 ppm.
DATA CREDIT: DR. PIETER TANS, NOAA/ESRL (WWW.ESRL.NOAA.GOV/GMD/CCGG/TRENDS/) AND DR. RALPH KEELING, SCRIPPS
INSTITUTION OF OCEANOGRAPHY (SCRIPPSCO2.UCSD.EDU/)
#3. In Graph 1, make annotations that label the independent variable (s) and dependent
variable(s). What conclusions can you draw from this data?
#4. In Graph 1, there is something missing from the title. What is it? In the space below,
indicate what is missing from the title and propose a more specific and accurate title for this
graph below.
Missing from title:
Improved title:
The pace of the buildup has been quickening too. Half of the rise in CO2 levels (since the
beginning of the industrial period) has occurred just since 1980, NOAA scientists report.
Previously, scientists had proposed that atmospheric levels of carbon had grown at a faster rate in
prehistoric times. That was back some 56 million years ago. Volcanoes were among the likely
sources at that time. Those prehistoric CO2 surges caused levels of the greenhouse gas in Earth’s
atmosphere to hit a very high peak. But even then, it turns out, the carbon buildup in the air did
not climb as rapidly as it is doing today.
Researchers have just learned this by comparing data collected from ocean-sediment cores with
computer projections of climate. These comparisons showed that carbon levels in the atmosphere
would have built up much more slowly in that distant past. Their best estimate is that levels, back
then, would have grown at about one-tenth of the current rate.
If true, this would suggest that what is happening today has never happened before. It certainly
appears true for our current era, the Cenozoic. This division of time began with the death of the
dinosaurs.
The new finding also makes it harder to make predictions of what the future will be like, Richard
Zeebe reports. As a paleoclimatologist, Zeebe studies climate over long periods in the prehistoric
past. He works at the University of Hawaii at Manoa in Honolulu.
Climate experts want to know how our planet will respond as greenhouse gas levels continue to
rise. But that’s hard to tell, as the current rate is so remarkable, he says. “Not a single event
during the past 66 million years released carbon as fast as we’re releasing now,” he reported at
the meeting.
#5. In the paragraphs above, make annotations that label the claim or argument scientists are
making. Re-state the claim in your own words below.
#6. What is the tool/measurement device the scientists used to make this claim?
Why scientists focus on this
To gauge what the future climate might look like, climate scientists study past events
using computer models. Sometimes, these computer programs can’t accurately reproduce a
historical event. When that happens, any future predictions based on that past event also may
prove faulty, or inaccurate.
Meanwhile, increasing atmospheric CO2 levels are shifting today’s global climate. And many
long-term impacts of these changes remain unknown. That’s why scientists have been searching
for a past event to use for a comparison.
#7. For the paragraphs above, write a summarizing marginal note. (no need to write
anything here)
One such event happened around 56 million years ago. Back then, global CO2 levels spiked.
Levels in the atmosphere had been around 1,000 parts per million. Those levels rose to roughly
1,700 to 2,000 parts per million. The surge raised global temperatures. Understanding how long
CO2 levels remained that high is key. It helps experts understand how fast carbon entered the
atmosphere.
#8. In the paragraph above, underline or bracket the main idea. In the space below, predict what
the CO2 levels were like 57 million year ago and 55 million years ago based on the passage.
Ocean Sediments
To track changes in the ancient air, scientists have been looking at ocean sediments. Ocean
sediment is deposited material that builds up in layers on the bottom of the ocean floor. Calcium
carbonate is one such material that collects on the bottom of the ocean floor. Calcium carbonate
is the main chemical compound in limestone, a rock made from the tiny shells of ancient marine
organisms. Its formula is CaCO3 (meaning it contains one calcium atom, one carbon atom and
three oxygen atoms). Over time, materials such as calcium carbonate rain down onto the ocean
floor. Over time, these collect to create layers of sediments.
#9. In the text, box a scientific word that is defined. Write the definition in the margins.
As atmospheric CO2 levels increase, the ocean becomes more acidic and this increased acidity
dissolves more calcium carbonate, decreasing the amount of calcium carbonate in the sediments.
So scientists measure the amount of calcium carbonate in sediment. When levels of the calcium
carbonate fall, that can serve as a signal that atmospheric CO2 (and ocean acidity) has increased.
#10. In the image above, if the amount of CO2 is constantly increasing, predict which layer will
have the least amount of calcium carbonate. Explain your answer below.
Back in 2013, researchers proposed that the event 56 million years ago released huge amounts of
carbon in just over a decade. Some suggested a comet was to blame.
But now, in 2015 Zeebe and his colleagues doubted that the carbon release was that rapid, but
rather it took thousands of years. To back up their claim, Zeebe’s team combined the data from
computer climate simulations and ocean-sediment data. The experts calculated the effects of
releasing that much carbon over various amounts of time. The simulations and sediment data
agreed only when the carbon release took place over a period of more than 4,000 years, Zeebe
points out.
#11. What claim could Zeebe make based on his experiments? Write the claim below.
#12. What was their evidence? Insert annotations in the paragraphs above that identify the
evidence that supports Zeebe’s team’s claim and label as “evidence” in the margins. (no need to
write anything here)
If considered over that period, the yearly level of carbon releases would drop to roughly 1.1
billion metric tons. By comparison, burning fossil fuels now adds about 10 billion tons of carbon
to the atmosphere each year.
What Zeebe’s group demonstrates is that people truly are “a geological force to be reckoned
with,” says Gavin Schmidt. A climate scientist, he works at the NASA Goddard Institute for
Space Studies in New York City.
#13. Explain Dr. Gavin Schmidt’s statement that people are truly a geological force to be
reckoned with.
Power Words
atmosphere The envelope of gases surrounding Earth or another planet.
calcium carbonate The main chemical compound in limestone, a rock made from the tiny
shells of ancient marine organisms. Its formula is CaCO3 (meaning it contains one calcium atom,
one carbon atom and three oxygen atoms).
carbon The chemical element having the atomic number 6. It is the physical basis of all life on
Earth. Carbon exists freely as graphite and diamond. It is an important part of coal, limestone
and petroleum, and is capable of self-bonding, chemically, to form an enormous number of
chemically, biologically and commercially important molecules.
carbon dioxide A colorless, odorless gas produced by all animals when the oxygen they inhale
reacts with the carbon-rich foods that they’ve eaten. Carbon dioxide also is released when
organic matter (including fossil fuels like oil or gas) is burned. Carbon dioxide acts as a
greenhouse gas, trapping heat in Earth’s atmosphere. Plants convert carbon dioxide into oxygen
during photosynthesis, the process they use to make their own food.
Cenozoic Era The most recent of the three major time period defining animal history. The
Cenozoic spans roughly 65 million years, from the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs.
climatology The study of weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long
period. Scientists who work in this field are called climatologists.
comet A celestial object consisting of a nucleus of ice and dust. When a comet passes near the
sun, gas and dust vaporize off the comet’s surface, creating its trailing “tail.”
concentration A measurement of how much of one substance has been dissolved into another.
core In geology, Earth’s innermost layer. Or, a long, tube-like sample drilled down into ice, soil
or rock. Cores allow scientists to examine layers of sediment, dissolved chemicals, rock and
fossils to see how the environment at one location changed through hundreds to thousands of
years or more.
dinosaur A term that means terrible lizard. These ancient reptiles lived from about 250 million
years ago to roughly 65 million years ago. All descended from egg-laying reptiles known as
archosaurs.
extinct An adjective that describes a species for which there are no living members.
fossil fuels Any fuel — such as coal, petroleum (crude oil) or natural gas — that has developed
in the Earth over millions of years from the decayed remains of bacteria, plant or animals.
geology The study of Earth’s physical structure and substance, its history and the processes that
act on it. People who work in this field are known as geologists. Planetary geology is the science
of studying the sam e things about other planets.
geophysics
The study of matter and energy on Earth and how they interact.
greenhouse gas A gas that contributes to the greenhouse effect by absorbing heat. Carbon
dioxide is one example of a greenhouse gas.
Industrial Revolution A period of time beginning around 1750 that was marked by new
manufacturing processes and a switch from wood to coal and other fossil fuels as a main source
of energy.
National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA A science agency of
the U.S. Department of Commerce. Initially established in 1807 under another name (The Survey
of the Coast), this agency focuses on understanding and preserving ocean resources, including
fisheries, protecting marine mammals (from seals to whales), studying the seafloor and probing
the upper atmosphere.
paleo A prefix that means associated with ancient — especially geologically early — times.
parts per million (billion or trillion) Frequently abbreviated as ppm (or ppb or ppt), it is a
measure of the number of units of some material that it mixed into another. The units should be
the same (or equivalent) for both materials. The term is used to describing extremely small
concentrations of one chemical dissolved in another. For example, a solution of 300 parts per
billion of sodium in water would mean that there are 300 sodium atoms for every billion water
molecules.
sediment Material (such as stones and sand) deposited by water, wind or glaciers.
simulate To deceive in some way by imitating the form or function of something. A simulated
dietary fat, for instance, may deceive the mouth that it has tasted a real fat because it has the
same feel on the tongue — without having any calories. A simulated sense of touch may fool the
brain into thinking a finger has touched something even though a hand may no longer exists and
has been replaced by a synthetic limb. (in computing) To try and imitate the conditions,
functions or appearance of something. Computer programs that do this are referred to
as simulations.
volcano A place on Earth’s crust that opens, allowing magma and gases to spew out from
underground reservoirs of molten material.