Topic Area: Percentages. Interpreting and calculating percentages.
Readings Before the industrial and agricultural revolutions, humans may have had relatively little impact on the global cycling of Carbon. But with increased industrialization and agricultural development, human activities play a more significant role in some of the natural cycles. For example, the current amount of CO2 injected into the atmosphere annually from fossil fuel combustion is equivalent to 2.5% of the combined amount exchanged between the atmosphere and the oceans.
Introducing Statement
Students will discover the rate of increase of Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and the results on the ecosystems.
Materials Printed copies of the reading for each group.
Math Skills
1. Data Gathering.
2. Trends and Forecast.
3. Interpreting percentages.
4. Finding the percentage increase.
5. Computation.
Management Suggestion:
1. Students will be working in small groups reading the information.
2. Select data on the Carbon increase on different periods. (Graph data)
Procedure:
-
1. Keep the original groups of 3 or 4.
-
2. Give students the desired time to read the information.
-
3. Provide questions for each group to respond to Carbon emission in the atmosphere.
-
4. Have each group select a representative to discuss the response.
-
5. Review percentage (using the 2.5% in the reading to make up examples).
-
6. Discuss the carbon cycles, (The sources of Carbon in the atmosphere.)
Problems for Discussions:
The Carbon reservoirs of the world are immense, approximately 32,00 Gt of Carbon are in the ocean sediments, 12,000 Gt in fossil fuel reservoirs, and 1750 Gt in terrestrial plants and animals.
-
(a) What is the total amount of carbon in reserves?
-
(b) If there is an increase of 2.5% due to the burning of fuel, how many Gt would this be per year?
-
(c) Current measurements have indicated a 0.4% annual increase of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere if the atmosphere in 1982 contained about 721 Gt how much carbon can be found in the atmosphere today?
Curriculum Coordinates Science Research the latest findings in the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Language Arts
Write letters to the Government agencies explaining concerns about the increase emission of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Geography
-
(a) Draw a map of the world locating the areas that produce the largest quantity of fossil fuel. Also locate the countries that use most of the fuel produced.
-
(b) Develop a list of alternate sources of energy to fossil fuel. Discuss safety concerns.
