SINGLE SUBJECT CREDENTIAL PROGRAM
SCIENCE LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE ​Revised 4.15
For directions on how to complete this form, see EDSC Lesson Plan Directions and Scoring Guide in the SSCP Handbook at
www.sscphandbook.org​.
Name
Jessica Wada, Pierre Nguyen, & Ellen Chang
Class Title Lesson Title
Chemistry Introduction to the Carbon Cycle
STANDARDS AND LESSON OBJECTIVES
Next Generation Science Standards
HS-LS2-5. ​Develop a model to illustrate the role of photosynthesis
and cellular respiration in the cycling of carbon among the
biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere.
Lesson Objective(s)
1. SWBAT negotiate expository text and communicate their
understanding of a specific concept of the Carbon cycle to
their group members orally within 5 minutes.
2. SWBAT collaborate to create a group model of the Carbon
Cycle, provide feedback on other models, and revise their
group model after receiving feedback.
3. SWBAT identify different parts of the Carbon Cycle and
demonstrate understanding through an individual digital
model.
4. SWBAT evaluate each other’s work using a rubric in order
to engage in peer evaluation and provide critical feedback.
Assessments
Purpose Implementation
CWID Subject Area
----- Chemistry
Unit Title Grade Levels Total Minutes
Carbon Cycle 10th - 12th
Common Core State Standard Connections
WHST.9-12.2 ​Write informative/explanatory texts, including the
narration of historical events, scientific procedures/experiments,
or technical procedures.
WHST.9-12.9 ​Draw evidence from informational texts to support
analysis, reflection, and research.
SL.11-12.5 ​Make strategic use of digital media in presentations to
enhance understanding of findings, reasoning, and evidence and
to add interest.
Evidence
Students will be able to analyze represent the relationship among
photosynthesis, cellular respiration, combustion and the carbon
cycle in a model.
Acceptable Evidence – Formative and/or Summative
Assessment:
Students will create an annotated model of the carbon cycle,
with specific additional detail on photosynthesis, cellular
respiration, and combustion with a caption.
Directions:
The carbon cycle diagram must include the following terms:
1. places: ocean, land, atmosphere
2. a minimum of 5 carbon “sources"
3. a minimum of 5 carbon “sinks”
Each arrow tracking the carbon should have a number that
corresponds with a number on an attached Key or Legend. You
must then explain what is occurring at each step/arrow directly
on and the model.
***Make sure that you have labeled/indicated where
photosynthesis and cellular respiration occur in BOTH the
Energy and Carbon Diagrams. However, you only need to define
the terms once between the two diagrams.
Feedback Informs teaching?
 If students do not have a lot
of background knowledge,
more explicit teaching will be
necessary through
The purpose is to powerpoints or videos.
Engage​: Students will draw
discover what students No feedback will be given at this Students may need this
an initial model of what they
already know about the point, only probing questions to teaching before they can
think carbon cycle looks like.
Carbon Cycle and to help students add more engage in the jigsaw activity,
EL They will share their initial
draw their background information to their initial thus changing the order of
models with the people
knowledge if they do not models or provide reasoning for activities. If students have a
around them and may
realize what they already certain parts. lot of background
volunteer to show the class.
know. knowledge, less scaffolding
during the reading will be
necessary, and a
shorter/faster explanation
can be provided afterward.
If students are able to glean
Explore​: Teacher will
a lot of information from the
informally walk around and
articles, a shorter/faster
ask students questions while
The purpose of this Teacher will provide feedback explanation can be provided
also monitoring their
assessment is to see how as groups are doing their afterward.
annotations on the articles.
students are research. Teacher will highlight If students struggle with
PM 1 Students will complete jigsaw
understanding the relevant information for gleaning relevant
readings in small groups of 3:
articles. students to share with their information from the
ocean, organic matter, and
groups. readings, they will need a
human activity. They will
longer/more in-depth
share their findings with their
presentation of explicit
group members.
teaching after.
If there is no positive
Teacher will walk around and
progress made in the
Elaborate: ​Students will check on the students’ progress
students’ initial model to the
The purpose of this create a group model on by asking them questions that
revised model, students will
assessment is to monitor butcher paper. They may do demonstrate their
be given an extended time
PM 2 students progress in more research if desired AND understanding. No feedback will
outside of class to make an
understanding. gallery walk other groups be given here, however,
additional revised model
models while giving post-it students will self-assess their
that demonstrates their
feedback. performance by evaluating
understanding of the carbon
other groups’ tasks.
cycle.
Evaluate​: Final model will be
The purpose of this If students create a poor
created on:
summative assessment is Teacher will walk around and model, the lesson in the
https://www.hhmi.org/bioint
to measure the students’ evaluate the models. Verbal following day will start off
SSN eractive/understanding-globa
academic achievement feedbacks will be given to with reviewing the content
l-change​ by students
at the end of students. material that must be
individually on their
instructional period. reinforced by students again.
Chromebooks.
FOCUS OF INSTRUCTION
Instructional Strategies
● Written (on handout) and oral directions
● Scaffolding for small groups
Lesson Introduction/Anticipatory Set
Time Teacher Does Student Does
 Teacher instructs students to draw an initial model of the Carbon
Cycle in their notebooks. Teacher will instruct students to list what
they remember about the carbon cycle from previous years in
science or from everyday life. As they are working on this model,
the teacher may demonstrate what a model looks like on the
board. Starting with some key concepts/terms off to the side, the
teacher can follow-up by drawing cause/effect arrows among
some of the components. To help get them started, teacher may
provide some terms related to carbon (as needed). See below:

List of key terms can include:

1) Photosynthesis
a) Cellular respiration
b) Carbon dioxide
c) Sugar
2) Carbon sinks
Engage​: Students will explore the unit phenomenon of
a) Oceans
the Carbon cycle by drawing an initial model of the
i) algaea
Carbon cycle. They will do this in their notes. They may
ii) acidification
use any of the terms from the list to help get them
b) Forests
1 day started.
i) flora
ii) deforestation
Students will take notes on objectives and essential
3) Carbon sources
question for the unit. During the video, students will
a) Flora and fauna
write down any questions this video elicits.
i) decomposed flora into coal
ii) decomposed fauna into oil
b) Energy production
i) coal plants
ii) combustion engine
4) Food Chain
a) Decomposition
b) Energy transfer

Teacher will go over the objectives for the day (see above).
Teacher will present the lesson essential question and anchoring
phenomenon:
EQ: What roles do algae play in the carbon cycle?
AP: algae video (3 mins)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vcYPI6y-Udo

Lesson Body
Time Teacher Does Student Does
 Explore:​ In jigsaw fashion, small groups of 3 students
each will read an articles related to the Carbon cycle.
One student will read about the role of the ocean,
another student will read about the role of organic
Explore​: Teacher will provide instructions and material for a jigsaw
matter, and the third student will read about the
reading. Teacher will provide scaffolding while students are
impacts of human activity. The students will also take
reading in order to identify main ideas and key concepts. Teacher
notes on their article and pose any questions they
will also help with informing students what information is most
have after reading it. These questions can be
important to share, and how they can best share it with their
addressed by other students in the group or by the
group. Teacher will then Instruct the students to come together to
teacher.
share what they’ve learned from their exploration.

Explain​: Before lecturing on photosynthesis and cellular

respiration, the students will explain the key concepts they
Explain:​ The students will review their personal notes
gathered from the articles. Each student is responsible for taking
that they’ve taken during the explore phase and
notes on the discussion. The students will expand on these notes
present key concepts to the rest of the groups. They
during the lecture on photosynthesis and cellular respiration and
will also pose any questions they had after reading the
internet safety by teacher. It is also important to note that what
article to the group or the teacher for clarification.
credible sources are and why students shouldn’t use Wikipedia for
They will also discuss among each other any
researching science topics.
components that they found in the article that they’ve
never heard of, and what it may possibly mean for
An important note to make during the lecture is to go over how
their model.
easy it is to refine crude oil into useful products like: gasoline,
plastics, and jet fuel-- tying it back to the driving question of the
The students will then take notes on the lecture on
unit. It is also important to note how the massive consumption of
photosynthesis and cellular respiration. The students
2 days crude oil into goods affects the carbon cycle, thus tying the ​lesson
will also review any notes that they took after
total to the unit anchoring phenomenon.
watching the algae video and discuss here.
Elaborate Part I:​ Teacher will assist students with scaffolding as
Elaborate Part I​:​ ​After their exploration of the content,
they research online and create a model by asking probing
the students will get together and discuss everything
questions. Ask the students how their newfound knowledge
they’ve learned and consider how this new
affects their initial group model, and allow the students to revise
information changes their initial group model.
their model on a separate poster. After their revision, the students
Students will then create a new model of the Carbon
will write their reasons for revision on a separate piece of paper
Cycle as a group on large butcher paper, including all
and display it next to their initial group model as well as their
of the key concepts and components they gathered. At
revised model. This will allow the gallery walk students to see how
this stage, they may also do more research online so if
each lab groups’ understanding of the carbon cycle has changed.
desired.. The students will then do​ ​a gallery walk. Each
After the gallery walk, the teacher can begin lectures on
lab group will display both of their models on their lab
photosynthesis and how cellular respiration affects the carbon
table with a written explanation of their model. All the
cycle. A good probing question here is to ask, “Where does the
students then proceed to each lab table and consider
‘bulk’ of a plant come from?”
their developed model and read their explanation. The
students should note how the initial model has
changed compared to the revised model
Elaborate Part II:​ Teacher will walk around and look at the models
as well. Teacher will also scaffold as groups provide feedback.
Teacher will clarify procedural issues and make sure students are
Elaborate Part II​: Students will then do a gallery walk
giving correct feedback.
other groups models and give the other groups
feedback through post-its. They must write on the
post-it: one question they have and one “like” they
have, and one “need” about each group’s poster.
Lesson Closure
Time Teacher Does Student Does

Evaluate​: Students make new models on

Evaluate​: Teacher will give students the link on Google Classroom
https://www.hhmi.org/biointeractive/understanding-g
1 day and help students with using the online tools and will pass out the
lobal-change​, and they will evaluate their group
rubrics they will use to peer-review each other.
members’ models with a rubric.
Instructional Materials, Equipment, and Multimedia
● Chromebooks for online research/articles
● post-its
● rubrics
● butcher paper
Co-Teaching Strategies

DIFFERENTIATION
English Learners Striving Readers Students with Special Needs Advanced Students
Students who speak the same For students who are hard of
primary language can be hearing or have vision
grouped together so they have impairment, they can sit closer to
native language support as the video source.
needed. It is also important to
ensure that a proficient English Students will be provided the
speaker is in the group to reading material a day or two
Striving readers will be provided Advanced students will
model effective beforehand, so that they can
with pre-annotated notes in the receive an advanced article of
communication. A take more time to read it and be
margins to help them identify the content.
combination of oral instruction prepared. They may receive an
key points in the reading.
and written direction should audio/read aloud of the article or
be provided. annotated notes or larger font
(depending on the need).
ELs will be provided with
pre-annotated notes and They will also be monitored more
synonyms of potentially frequently to ensure that they
difficult words in the margins. are on track.
REFLECTION: SUMMARY, RATIONALE, AND IMPLEMENTATION
Supporting changes in student understanding is prevalent with the initial model the students create in the Engage portion of the lesson
and how it compares to their revised model in the Elaborate portion. We specifically support this change by providing materials for
them to expand their understanding. We hope the articles provided will allow them to identify key components that they’ve overlooked
or never heard of. Small group work in the explore portion allows students to discuss the material and expand their thinking. The
elaborate activity of gallery walk allows them to continue their thinking by seeing other group’s models and leaving feedback for them.
Lastly, even after they create another model, they must evaluate each other’s work to grow and see from another perspective.

Possible Challenge: Students may not understand the articles on the Carbon Cycle.
Possible Solution: Careful annotations can support students that may need help identifying key information. The teacher can also
provide scaffolding in person. Presenting the skills to negotiate expository texts will also be helpful. Have the students briefly skim
through the article and familiarize themselves with the subheadings as well as any graphs or pictures they see. Have the students
consider what they think this article is about before they read it. It is also possible, if the lab groups are large enough, to assign two
readers to an article and have them each individually read sections, and then compare their understanding of what they read to each
other.

Possible Challenge: Students may struggle with leaving feedback for each other on their group models.
Possible Solution: Sentence frames such as “I like this part where you put….”, “I was confused about….”, “This part here could use
more detail because…”

Supplemental Materials​ below:

 Explain: Jigsaw Reading

This article is comprehensive and will be broken down into 3 parts for each student to read:
https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/features/CarbonCycle

For further research, students may look at these articles...

Ocean article:
https://interactiveoceans.washington.edu/story/Carbon_Cycle
https://interactiveoceans.washington.edu/story/Ocean_Acidification

Organic Matter:
https://www.sare.org/Learning-Center/Books/Building-Soils-for-Better-Crops-3rd-Edition/Text-Version/Organic-Matter-What-It-Is-a
nd-Why-It-s-So-Important/Organic-Matter-and-Natural-Cycles
http://www.columbia.edu/~vjd1/carbon.htm

Human activity:
https://scied.ucar.edu/longcontent/changing-carbon-cycle
 Online Safety and Other Considerations

For Safety:

1) Do not give away personal information. Such as: name, age, gender, or location-- not even the state.
2) Do not click on any embedded links, always use the search engine. Especially if it is information that you did not specifically
request.
3) Do not chat with anyone online, though if you wanted to interview or contact the writer of the article then ask for
permission first.

Students may view the material on this website page before engaging in online research:
https://itsbecauseofscience.weebly.com/internet-use.html

Other Considerations:
1) Wikipedia is not a credible source.
2) URL addresses that end in .edu or .gov are more credible, and .org is okay too depending on the specific site.
 Rubric for Carbon Cycle Model

Directions:

The carbon cycle diagram must include the following terms:

1. places: ocean, land, atmosphere
2. a minimum of 5 carbon “sources"
3. a minimum of 5 carbon “sinks”
4. Each arrow tracking the carbon should have a number that corresponds with a number on an attached Key or Legend.
5. You must then explain what is occurring at each step/arrow directly on and the model.
6. provide a figure caption briefly explaining your model.

***Make sure that you have labeled/indicated where photosynthesis and cellular respiration occur and define the terms as well.

5 3 1

My model contains ocean, land, and My model only contains ⅔ of the domains My model only contains 1 domain or
atmosphere domains are unclear

My model contains at least 5 carbon My model contains 3-4 carbon sources My model contains 1-2 carbon sources
sources

My model contains at least 5 carbon My model contains 3-4 carbon sinks My model contains 1-2 carbon sinks
sinks

I have arrows corresponding to a key or Not all arrows are labeled with a number Arrows are missing or unclear
legend of what is occuring at each step corresponding to a step.

I clearly explain what is occurring at I mostly explain what is happening at explanations are unclear or missing
every step/arrow some of the steps/arrows

I provide a clearly titled figure caption of Figure caption may be untitled or I am missing a title or explanation
my model with my explanation explanation is unclear