Module 1- The Energy Molecules
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify the chemical formula for glucose and describe where glucose comes from
2. Students will be able to explain how ATP is the energy currency of the cell
3. Students will be able to describe the structure of ATP
Notes- Read the passage and watch the video. Write your notes in the box below.
Anaysis Questions
1. What is the chemical formula of glucose? Describe the structure of glucose molecules.
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2. Where does our glucose come from? What happens to this glucose?
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3. The fact that all organisms use similar energy-carrying molecules shows one aspect of the grand "Unity of
Life." Name two universal energy-carrying molecules, and explain why most organisms need both carriers
rather than just one.
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4. 2. A single cell uses about 10 million ATP molecules per second. Explain how cells use the energy and recycle
the materials in ATP.
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5. 3. ATP and glucose are both molecules that organisms use for energy. They are like the tank of a tanker truck
that delivers gas to a gas station and the gas tank that holds the fuel for a car. Which molecule is like the tank
of the delivery truck, and which is like the gas tank of the car? Explain your answer.
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Activity- ATP Model Building
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Collect the packet “Cell Energy” from the file bin
Complete the questions and model build
Art supplies and blank computer paper are available for use
Module 1 Assessment
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
Complete quiz for Module 1
Up to 3 attempts allowed for this module
Module 2: What’s in a Pigment?
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to identify the different pigments found in plants and describe how they are used to gather energy
from sunlight
2. Students will be able to identify the parts of the a leaf in a diagram and describe their function
3. Students will be able to describe the role of chloroplasts in photosynthesis
Notes: Watch the video and take notes in the box below.
Notes: Read the information on leaf pigments, and leaf structure and function, and take notes
Activity: Pigment Chromatography Lab
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Collect the packet “Plant Pigments” from the file bin
Complete the lab and analysis questions
Lab set ups are on the supply table
o Make sure to clean and dry materials after use and return to supply table
Activity: Leaf Anatomy
The leaf is the primary photosynthetic organ of the plant. It consists of a flattened portion, called the blade, that is
attached to the plant by a structure called the petiole. Sometimes leaves are divided into two or more sections called
leaflets. Leaves with a single undivided blade are called simple, those with two or more leaflets are called compound.
The outer surface of the leaf has a thin waxy covering called the cuticle (A), this layer's primary function is to prevent
water loss within the leaf. (Plants that leave entirely within water do not have a cuticle). Directly underneath the
cuticle is a layer of cells called the epidermis (B). The vascular tissue, xylem and phloem are found within the veins of
the leaf. Veins are actually extensions that run from to tips of the roots all the way up to the edges of the leaves. The
outer layer of the vein is made of cells called bundle sheath cells (E), and they create a circle around the xylem and
the phloem. On the picture, xylem is the upper layer of cells (G) and is shaded a little lighter than the lower layer of
cells - phloem (H). Recall that xylem transports water and phloem transports sugar (food).
Within the leaf, there is a layer of cells called the mesophyll. The word mesophyll is greek and means "middle"
(meso) "leaf" (phyllon). Mesophyll can then be divided into two layers, the palisade layer (D) and the spongy
layer (F). Palisade cells are more column-like, and lie just under the epidermis, the spongy cells are more loosely
packed and lie between the palisade layer and the lower epidermis. The air spaces between the spongy cells allow for
gas exchange. Mesophyll cells (both palisade and spongy) are packed with chloroplasts, and this is where
photosynthesis actually occurs.
Epidermis also lines the lower area of the leaf (as does the cuticle). The leaf also has tiny holes within the epidermis
called stomata. Specialized cells, called guard cells (C) surround the stomata and are shaped like two cupped hands.
Changes within water pressure cause the stoma (singular of stomata) to open or close. If the guard cells are full of
water, they swell up and bend away from each other which opens the stoma. During dry times, the guard cells close.
Questions
1. What two tissues are found within a vein? ____________________________________
2. What does the word "mesophyll" mean? _____________________________
3. What two layers of the plant contain chloroplasts? _______________________________________
4. The outermost layer of cells: ________________________________
5. The waxy covering of the leaf: _______________________________
6. These cells function to open and close stomata. _________________________
7. Outer layer of the vein: ______________________________
8. Column like cells that lie just under the epidermis. __________________________
9. Openings that allow for gas exchange. _______________________________
10. The stalk that connects the leaf to the stem. ______________________
Leaf Structure Diagram Coloring
Color the structures bolded above in the picture on the next page. Make sure that the entire picture is colored and
that the color matches the words. For simplicity only part of the picture is labeled.
Cuticle (light blue)
Epidermis (yellow)
Guard cells (pink)
Palisade Mesophyll
.........(dark green)
Phloem (purple)
Xylem (orange)
Spongy Mesophyll
....(light green)
Bundle Sheath
.......(dark blue)
Activity: Leaf Structure Virtual Lab
 You are going to analyze the cells in an elodea plant leaf
Questions
1. What type of objective lens is used for the first leaf examination?
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2. What is the midrib? Draw what you see in the box below
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3. After turning to the higher magnification, draw what you see in both pictures in the boxes below
and label the chloroplasts and cell wall.
4. Where are the chloroplasts and other organelles located inside the cell? What holds them in that
location?
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5. What observations do you make concerning how does the cytoplasm affects the chloroplasts?
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Module 2 Assessment
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
Complete quiz for Module 2
Up to 3 attempts allowed for this module
Module 3: Photosynthesis
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to describe the process of photosynthesis
2. Students will be able to identify the different stages of photosynthesis and where each stage takes place
3. Students will be able to summarize how carbon dioxide and water are used in photosynthesis to make
glucose and oxygen
4. Students will be able to describe the role of electron transport molecules, like NADPH
Notes- Read the passage and watch the video. Write your notes in the box below.
Analysis Questions
1. Where does the energy for photosynthesis come from? ___________________________________
2. How is the process of photosynthesis central to sustaining life on Earth?
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3. What are the products produced by photosynthesis?
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4. What two raw materials are needed by plants in order to perform photosynthesis?
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5. What two electron transport molecules are produced in the light-dependent reactions that are needed to
begin the light-independent reactions? ________________________________________
6. What gas is needed to convert the energy in the carrier molecules into the 6-carbon compound
glucose?________________________________________________________________________
7. Hypothesize: What do you predict would happen to the rate of photosynthesis if the amount of carbon
dioxide in the atmosphere were to increase? Explain.
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Activity: Analyzing Data- study the graph and answer the questions in the space provided
1. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________________________________
3.
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Activity- Light- Dependent vs. Light-Independent Reactions

Fill in words from the bank onto the appropriate line
Questions
1. What is the function of NADPH?
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2. How is light energy converted into chemical energy during photosynthesis?
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3. How would photosynthesis be affected if there were a shortage of NADP+ in the cells of plants?
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4. Into which set of reactions—light-dependent or light-independent – does each reactant of photosynthesis
enter? From which set of reactions is each product of photosynthesis generated?
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Activity: Virtual Lab
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Collect the “Photosynthesis Virtual Lab” packet from the file bin
Complete the labs and analysis questions
Lab must be completed using Puffin- flash is required
Module 3 Assessment
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
Complete quiz for Module 3
Up to 3 attempts allowed for this module
Module 4: Cellular Respiration
Objectives:
1. Students will be able to summarize how photosynthesis and cellular respiration are cylical processes
2. Students will be able to differentiate between aerobic and anaerobic respiration
3. Students will be able to explain the evolutionary importance of aerobic respiration
4. Students will be able to state how many ATP can potentially be made from aerobic respiration
Notes- Read the passage and watch the video. Write your notes in the box below.
Analysis Questions
1. Why do all organisms need food?______________________________________________________________
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2. Write the overall reaction for cellular respiration. ________________________________________________
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3. How does the process of cellular respiration maintain homeostasis at the cellular level?
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4. In what ways are cellular respiration and photosynthesis considered opposite processes?
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5. How is the function of NADH and FADH2 similar to that of NADPH? __________________________________
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6. How many molecules of ATP are produced in the entire breakdown of glucose? ________________________
7. Compare and contrast aerobic versus anaerobic respiration. _______________________________________
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8. Can ATP be made without the presence of oxygen? Explain. ________________________________________
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9. Why do the majority of organisms that presently live perform aerobic respiration more often than anaerobic?
[Hint: think in terms of the evolution of these biochemical pathways] ________________________________
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Activity: The Effects of Exercise on Cellular Respiration Lab
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
Collect the packet “The Effects of Exercise on Cellular Respiration” from the file bin
Complete the lab and analysis questions
Lab set ups are on the supply table
o Make sure to clean and dry materials after use and return to supply table
Activity: Do Plants Consume or Release CO2? Lab
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
Collect the packet “Do Plants Consume or Release CO2?” packet form the file bin
Complete the lab and analysis questions
o Set up lab on day 1, come back next day to analyze results
Lab set ups are on the supply table
o Make sure to clean and dry materials after use and return to supply table
Module 4 Assessment
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
Complete quiz for Module 4
Up to 3 attempts allowed for this module
Module 5: Carbon Cycle & the Environment
Objectives
1. Students will be able to summarize how carbon moves through the environment in a cylical
pattern
2. Students will be able to describe the role that carbon plays in photosynthesis and respiration
3. Students will be able to explain how trees are “carbon sinks” and the role carbon plays in their growth and
function.
4. Students will be able to identify the different reservoirs for carbon in the environment and their role in the
carbon cycle
5. Students will be able to explain the process of deforestation and identify the consequences to the carbon
cycle because of this activity
Lab 1: Living in a Carbon World
1. Before you begin “Keeping up with Carbon”, make a list of what you think you already know about carbon
and the carbon cycle
2. As you watch the video, make a list of where on Earth carbon can be found, its relationship to life, climate
change and any other carbon fact that interests you.
3. Why can carbon atoms form the basis of millions of different types of carbon compound molecules?
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4. How do the carbon atoms in CO2 absorb via plant photosynthesis provide the carbon atoms for all of the new
carbon compounds a plant produces and uses to build its cells and tissues and to burn for energy?
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5. How are carbon compounds transformed between photosynthesis and cell respiration?
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6. Can trees and other plants absorb ever increasing amounts of carbon dioxide from the air or is the process
limited by environmental factors? _____________________________________________________________
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Lab 1A- Trees: The Carbon Storage Experts
1. After reading the Giant Sequoia article, write down a hypothesis as to how a Giant Sequoia tree can add over
four million pounds of mass as it grows from a small seed to a fully grown tree. ________________________
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2. As you watch “Where Do Trees Come From?” write down the hypotheses mentioned as to where tree
growth comes from.
3. In the video, were there any major misconceptions that people had about where the mass of a tree comes
from as it grows? If so, do they match any of the hypotheses on the class list?
4. Checking In: Think about a large tree that is close to where you live and imagine that this tree weighs 100,000
pounds. The tree gained most of its 100,000 pounds of mass from…? ________________________________
5. Checking In: where does carbon go once it enters a tree? Record your answers from the three question in the
space provided.
a. ____________________________________________________
b. ____________________________________________________
c. ____________________________________________________
6. Stop & Think: Draw a simple diagram to illustrate how trees (and all plants) represent a small but complete
carbon cycle.
7. Checking In: Check your understanding of how carbon moves through food webs by answering the questions
and recording your answers below
a. ______________________________________________________________
b. ______________________________________________________________
c. ______________________________________________________________
d. ______________________________________________________________
8. Stop and Think: Examine the Terrestrial Carbon Cycle food web diagram again. Describe how the carbon from
carbon dioxide molecules in the atmosphere can end up in a coyote. Use a diagram to help you explain your
answer if you need to.
9. Carbon storage in trees and forests. Why care?
a. Why are trees considered to be “carbon sinks”? ___________________________________________
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b. What role do trees play concerning carbon dioxide that is released due to fossil fuel use?
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c. How much CO2 do forests absorb? _____________________________________________________
10. Forest Carbon 101
a. Why should we care about trees and forests storing carbon? _________________________________
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b. What solutions can you think of to increase carbon storage in your community?
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c. Can trees and forests keep absorbing and storing ever-increasing amounts of CO2in the air? If not,
what might limit carbon uptake and storage in trees? ______________________________________
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11. What limits carbon storage and growth in trees? _________________________________________________
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*Stop reading at “Experimental Title”
Lab 2- The Carbon Cycle: What Goes Around, comes around
1. What is the goal of the Lab 2 activities? ________________________________________________________
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Lab 2A- A Forest Carbon Cycle
1. Look at the picture “A Forest Carbon Cycle”. What neighborhoods are shown in this image?
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2. Checking In: Which of the four Earth System's spheres are represented in the forest carbon cycle image?
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3. What is a reservoir? ________________________________________________________________________
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*Skip the carbon cycle game
4. Carbon Dioxide and the Carbon Cycle (animation)
a. Checking In: In a forest carbon cycle, which process(s) moves carbon out of the atmosphere to
another reservoir? ___________________________________________________________________
b. Checking In: Which process(s) moves carbon into the atmosphere? ___________________________
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5. How much carbon moves between reservoirs per year? ___________________________________________
6. The Global Carbon Cycle Diagram
a. Which areas depicted are considered carbon sinks? Why? ___________________________________
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b. What is a carbon source? _____________________________________________________________
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7. Checking In- write your answer choice in the space provided
a. Is the ocean behaving as a carbon sink or a carbon source?___________________________________
b. Are Fossil fuels and land use (burning forests for agriculture) currently behaving as a carbon sink or a
carbon source? _____________________________________________________________________
c. Which biosphere process(s) are responsible for moving 450 GT of carbon from the atmosphere into
the vegetation and land? _____________________________________________________________
d. Which biosphere process is responsible for moving 439 GT of carbon from the vegetation and land
into the atmosphere? ________________________________________________________________
e. Which chemical process is responsible for moving gigatons of carbon from the fossil fuels into the
atmosphere? _______________________________________________________________________
8. Stop and Think:
a. Does the carbon cycle in this diagram appear to be in balance or out of balance? Use specific
evidence from the diagram to support your answer.
b. Imagine that we could go back to pre-industrial times before fossil fuels were being burned for
energy. Would a pre-industrial carbon cycle be in balance or out of balance? What makes you think
so?
Lab 2B: Carbon- Going Global!
1. Checking In: Identify the four largest reservoirs of carbon. Explain
*Skip making the poster and just answer the discussion questions
2. Does carbon move fastest through the biosphere or the geosphere? How do you know?
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3. Many countries are cutting down forests to make way for agriculture and roads. How might this practice
disrupt the carbon cycle?
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4. The world's population has passed the 7 billion mark. As the population increases, the need for energy will
increase. More coal, gas and oil will be burned to provide that energy. How might this disrupt the global
carbon cycle? Why?
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Lab 2C: Systems Thinking and The Carbon Cycle
*Skip to Part 2: Using Connection Circles in a Case Study
1. What is going on as described in the passage? What could pine bark beetle infestations have to do with the
carbon cycle?
2. Video: Attacks on a Protective Canopy and reading: “Climate Change Sends Beetles into Overdrive
a. What does the infestation do to forests? _________________________________________________
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b. What causes the infestation and why is it getting worse? ____________________________________
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c. What changes have been observed in the Pine Bark Beetle infestation? ________________________
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d. What are scientists observing and thinking about? _________________________________________
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e. What is the relationship between temperature and the beetle infestation? _____________________
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*Skip Pine Beetle Connections Circle, Jump to Positive & Negative Feedback Loops
3. Positive & Negative Feedback Loops
a. What is a positive feedback loop? ______________________________________________________
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b. What is a negative feedback loop? ______________________________________________________
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c. Is the situation with the Pine Bark Beetle a positive or a negative feedback loop? How do you know?
Lab 3: Carbon and the Atmosphere: My Life as a Greenhouse Gas
1. What is the greenhouse effect? _______________________________________________________________
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2. How does carbon dioxide contribute to the greenhouse effect? _____________________________________
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Lab 3C: What’s My Carbon Footprint?
* Skip to the bottom to complete the “What’s my Carbon Footprint” Activity
1. What is the difference between a primary carbon footprint and a secondary carbon footprint?
2. Fill in the information for the Carbon Footprint Calculator. Calculate for yourself, then complete it for your
whole house.
3. Checking In:
a. How do your GHG emissions (Tons of CO2 eq/year) compare with the United States average and the
World average?
b. Which behavior is responsible for contributing the most GHG emissions? .... the least?
4. Discuss
a. Compare your carbon footprint with others. How do they compare? Were you surprised by your
results? Why or why not?
b. Share two ways you can reduce your carbon footprint with your classmates. Do some types of
changes seem easier than others? Why?
Lab 4: Forests- Changes in the Land
1. What is the goal of this lab section? ___________________________________________________________
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Lab 4A: Changes in Forest Cover
1. Video Clip: Disappearing Trees in a Swedish City
a. What do you observe is happening to the city landscape? ___________________________________
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2. Picture: Changes in Forest Cover over Time
a. What do you observe is happening to the amount of forest cover on the globe? _________________
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3. Discussion
a. What has happened to global forest cover over the past few thousands of years? What countries or
regions around the world have experienced the greatest change in forest cover? What do you think
the causes of these changes might be? List as many as you can.
b. Next, look at changes in forest cover from 2000 to 2012. What countries or regions show higher
losses in forest/tree cover compared to other countries and regions? Why do you think these
countries or regions have higher losses?
c. Compare the changes in forest cover in the two images. What patterns or trends in forest cover
change do you see when comparing changes over a thousand years to changes over a recent decade?
d. Think about how the loss of forest cover over time might affect the global carbon cycle. List as many
as you can.
e. How can preserving forests help to mitigate the effects of rising atmospherics CO2 and climate
change?
f.
At the end of Lab 4A, you will have the opportunity to use the Global Forest Watch tool to develop
and investigate your own research question. But, why should we care about changes in forest cover,
especially if these changes are happening far away from where we live?
4. What causes losses in forest cover over time?
a. Identify both natural and man-made causes ______________________________________________
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5. Drought & Wildfires
a. Which image - false color or natural color- is the most useful to you for determining the extent of
damage from this fire? Why? __________________________________________________________
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b. What happens to the carbon stored in the 3 million trees that died due to the 2011 Texas drought?
Where will that carbon go? ____________________________________________________________
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c. Should Texas implement a reforestation project to replace these trees? Why or why not?
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6. Wildfires Video
a. What did you hear/see in the video clip about wildfires? ____________________________________
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7. Yellowstone Fires: Ecological Blessings
a. Summarize what you read concerning wildfires at Yellowstone.
8. Video: A Global Tour of Fire
a. What did you see/hear in the video clip “A Global Tour of Fire”? ______________________________
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9. How Does the Carbon Cycle Respond to Wildfires- Discussion
a. Draw two conceptual model diagrams illustrating how the carbon cycle responds to wildfires at
different time scales.
i. Drawing 1 assumes regeneration of the forest will occur after the fire through natural
regeneration and/or purposeful planting of trees.
ii. Drawing 2 assumes that no regeneration of the forest will occur after the fire.
10. Deforestation: Permanent loss of forest cover- Discussion
Let's examine a well-known example of deforestation - Haiti and the Dominican Republic. Both these countries share
the same island. The NASA satellite image above shows the border between Haiti on the left and the Dominican
Republic on the right. Click on the image to make it larger. Then, take a few minutes to carefully look at and think
about the image you are viewing.
a. What difference(s) in forest cover can you observe in this satellite image? What is the evidence for
the difference(s) you observe? _________________________________________________________
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b. What do you think might be some contributing causes to the differences in forest cover between
these two countries? List all that you can think of. _________________________________________
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11. Stages of Deforestation Image
a. What observations do you make about the stages of deforestation?
12. Video- Planet in Peril: Checking In
a. What stage(s) of deforestation releases higher than normal amounts of carbon dioxide to the
atmosphere? _______________________________________________________________________
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b. Which stage(s) represents a carbon sink? ________________________________________________
c. When deforestation occurs, which carbon cycle process(s) increase the emission of carbon dioxide to
the atmosphere? ____________________________________________________________________
d. Which of these stages could contribute to soil erosion? _____________________________________
13. What is biomass as described in the section titled “How much carbon is in tropical rainforests?
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14. Trouble in the Amazon
a. What observations do you make concerning the level of forest coverage in the interactive “Forest
changes in Rondonia, Brazil? ___________________________________________________________
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b. What do you see/hear in the video clip “Amazon Deforestation”? ____________________________
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c. Checking In
i. By 2003, how many square kilometers had been cleared from the Amazonian Forest in
Rondônia? How many acres would that be?
____________________________________________________________________________
ii. One acre of forests can absorb approximately one ton of carbon dioxide from the
atmosphere each year. If deforestation has cleared 16,744,609 acres in just Rondônia, how
many less tons of atmospheric carbon dioxide will be stored in the trees every year?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
d. Stop and Think
i. Describe how deforestation can impact the the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
15. Up in Smoke: Deforestation, Fire, Farmers and the Carbon Cycle - a mini case study.
a. What is the situation that is being described in the reading?
b. Watch the short video clips through The Guardian website. You’ll see the links for part 2-5 if you
scroll down on the page. Take notes while viewing.
c. Model & Discussion- How does the carbon cycle differ when "slash and burn" methods are used
versus sustainable "crop alley" methods. Describe as many changes to the carbon cycle and the
community that are part of this carbon cycle story.
d.
Unit Assessment

You are going to be writing a short essay using the information you learned through this virtual classroom
experience. In you essay you must address the following concepts.
o Insert list of concepts here

Use the provided rubric [must be attached] to guide your writing. When you have completed the virtual
classroom materials, and practiced your essay, you are to write a final draft
o You will be provided with a clean rubric to reference while you write.