Real World: The Carbon Cycle – Essential for Life on Earth
Carbon is an essential building block for life. Learning how carbon is converted through slow- and fast-moving cycles helps us understand how this life-sustaining element moves through the environment. Discover how NASA measures carbon through both field work and satellite imagery keeping watch through its eyes on the sky, on Earth, and in space.
Background Information
Grades 6 through 8
- Climate Kids Why Is Carbon Important?
- GLOBE Carbon Cycle
- My NASA Data Earth System: Matter and Energy Cycle (The Carbon Cycle)
- NASA Earth Observatory The Carbon Cycle
- NASA eClips Real World: What Is Soil Moisture?
- NASA Science Mission Directorate Carbon Cycle
- NASA TERRA Carbon Cycle and Ecosystems
- NOAA Carbon Cycle
Activities
Grades 6 through 8
- Wisconsin Energy Institute Poker Chip Model: Global Carbon Pools and Fluxes
- GLOBE Carbon Cycle Learning Activities
- My NASA Data Carbon Dioxide Production and Sequestration
- My NASA Data How can a series of Landsat images help scientists estimate a forest's age over time?
- My NASA Data Investigating Deforestation Through An Earth Systems View Using Landsat
- My NASA Data Where in the world are major environmental changes?
- NASA Carbon Quiz
- NASA The Carbon Cycle Game
Grades 6 through 12
- NASA Climate Kids The Climate Time Machine