Atmosphere
1. You have been photosynthesized by a terrestrial plant. Go
to Terrestrial Plants.
2. You have been photosynthesized by a terrestrial plant. Go
to Terrestrial Plants.
3. You diffuse into the surface of the ocean. Go to Ocean’s
Surface.
4. You diffuse into the surface of the ocean. Go to Ocean’s
Surface.
5. You have been photosynthesized by a cocolithophore (a
phytoplankton) in the near surface of the ocean. Go to
Marine Biosphere.
6. You have been photosynthesized by blue-green algae in the
near surface of the ocean. Go to Marine Biosphere
Soil
1. You dissolve into the groundwater and are re-precipitated
into the fractures of a Rock.
2. You dissolve into the groundwater, move into a stream and
flow into the Shallow Ocean.
3. You are absorbed by a fungus, which respires you back into
the Atmosphere.
4. You are absorbed by a bacterium, which respires you back
into the Atmosphere.
5. The molecule you were a part of oxidizes and you diffuse
into the Atmosphere.
6. The molecule you were a part of oxidizes and you diffuse
into the Atmosphere.
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education
Ocean’s Surface
1. You are taken in by a phytoplankton through
photosynthesis and the phytoplankton has been eaten by
krill. Go to Marine Biosphere.
2. You are taken in by a phytoplankton through
photosynthesis and the phytoplankton has been eaten by a
shrimp. Go to Marine Biosphere.
3. The sun is heating the ocean’s waters. You diffuse back into
the Atmosphere.
4. The sun is heating the ocean’s waters. You diffuse back into
the Atmosphere.
5. You are absorbed by a clam which makes you a part of its
shell. Go to Marine Biosphere.
6. You are absorbed by a coral polyp, go to Marine Biosphere.
Marine Biosphere
1. The organism that you are a part of dies and sinks to the
bottom of the ocean. Go to Deep Ocean.
2. The organism that you are a part of dies and sinks to the
bottom of the ocean. Go to Deep Ocean.
3. The organism that you are a part of washes up on shore and
dies. As it decomposes, you diffuse back into the
Atmosphere.
4. The organism that you are a part of dies in shallow water.
As it decomposes, you diffuse back into the Atmosphere.
5. The organism that you are a part of respires you back into
the water. Go to Ocean’s Surface.
6. The organism that you are a part of respires you back into
the water. Go to Ocean’s Surface.
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education
Deep Ocean
1. You are moved along by deep ocean currents. Upwelling
brings you up to the Ocean’s Surface.
2. You are moved along by deep ocean currents. Upwelling
brings you up to the Ocean’s Surface.
3. You become buried with the sediments and remain there
for millions of years. You become a Rock.
4. You become buried with the sediments and remain there
for millions of years. You become a Rock.
5. You become buried with the sediments and remain there
for millions of years. You become a Rock.
6. You become buried with the sediments and become part of
a petroleum molecule. Go to Fossil Fuels.
Terrestrial Plants
1. The plant that takes you in respires you back into the
Atmosphere.
2. The plant that takes you in is burned in a forest fire and you
go back into the Atmosphere.
3. The plant that takes you in is eaten by an herbivore, which
respires you back into the Atmosphere.
4. The plant that takes you in dies and begins to decompose.
Go to Soils.
5. The plant that takes you in dies and begins to decompose.
Go to Soils.
6. The plant that takes you in falls into a swamp and is buried
by mud. You become coal. Go to Fossil Fuels.
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education
Rocks
1. The rocks you are a part of are metamorphosed into
marble. Stay at Rocks. Roll again.
2. The rocks you are a part of are subducted at a convergent
boundary. You get trapped in some melt and are erupted
from a volcano. Go to Atmosphere.
3. The rocks you are a part of are uplifted and eroded. You are
released to the Atmosphere.
4. The rocks you are a part of are buried. Stay at Rocks and
roll again.
5. The rocks you are a part of are metamorphosed into
marble. Stay at Rocks. Roll again.
6. The rocks you are a part of are buried. Stay at Rocks and
roll again.
Fossil Fuels
1. The fossil fuels you are a part of are buried. Stay at Fossil
Fuels and roll again.
2. The fossil fuels you are a part of are buried. Stay at Fossil
Fuels and roll again.
3. The fossil fuels you are a part of are buried. Stay at Fossil
Fuels and roll again.
4. The fossil fuels you are a part of are buried. Stay at Fossil
Fuels and roll again.
5. The fossil fuels you are a part of are buried. Stay at Fossil
Fuels and roll again.
6. The fossil fuels you are a part of are in rocks that are
uplifted and exposed. You are oxidized and released to the
Atmosphere.
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education
Round 2: Change out the following reservoir cards
Fossil Fuels
1. The fossil fuels you are a part of are extracted and burned
for energy. Go to Atmosphere.
2. The fossil fuels you are a part of are extracted and burned
for energy. Go to Atmosphere.
3. The fossil fuels you are a part of are extracted and burned
for energy. Go to Atmosphere.
4. The fossil fuels you are a part of are extracted and burned
for energy. Go to Atmosphere.
5. The fossil fuels you are a part of are buried. Stay at Fossil
Fuels and roll again.
6. The fossil fuels you are a part of are in rocks that are
uplifted and exposed. You are oxidized and released to the
Atmosphere.
Terrestrial Plants
1. The plant that takes you in respires you back into the
Atmosphere.
2. The plant that takes you in is burned in a forest fire and you
go back into the Atmosphere.
3. The plant that takes you in is eaten by an herbivore, which
respires you back into the Atmosphere.
4. The plant that takes you in dies and begins to decompose.
Go to Soils.
5. The plant that takes you in is eaten by an omnivore, which
respires you back into the Atmosphere.
6. The plant that takes you in is harvested as fuel wood and
you go back into the Atmosphere.
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education
Soil
1. You dissolve into the groundwater and are re-precipitated
into the fractures of a Rock.
2. You dissolve into the groundwater, move into a stream and
flow into the Shallow Ocean.
3. You are absorbed by a fungus or bacterium, which respires
you back into the Atmosphere.
4. The Soil you are a part of is eroded. The molecule you were
a part of oxidizes and you diffuse into the Atmosphere
5. The Soil you are a part of is eroded. The molecule you were
a part of oxidizes and you diffuse into the Atmosphere.
6. The molecule you were a part of oxidizes and you diffuse
into the Atmosphere.
Approximate number of gigatons of carbon in each reservoir in 1700 and 2000. These numbers
are used to identify how many students will start out in each reservoir. Note: Students are not
initially assigned to “Marine Sediments and Rocks” or “Deep Ocean”. Be sure to explain that
>99% of the Earth’s carbon is in rocks and sediments. To play this game, we are focusing on only
the mobile carbon in the carbon cycle. (Number of students: 25.)
# of
# of
Participants
Participants
Reservoir
Amt in 1700
25
Amt in 2000
25
Atmosphere
250
1
700
3
Soil
2000
7
1800
7
Shallow
650
2
1000
4
700
3
700
3
Fossil Fuels
5000
12
3500
9
Marine Seds
80000000
80000000
38000
40000
Ocean
Terrestrial
Plants
& Rock
Deep Ocean
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education
As modified from www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education