Carbon Fluxes in the Arctic Headwater Streams

Summary

Materials and Preparation

• Printed or digital copies of the student worksheet 
• Graphing tools – Students will need access to either:
  • Graphing software (Google Sheets, Excel, or another online graphing tool)
  • Graph paper and colored pencils/pens if graphs are done by hand
• Rulers and pencils – For accurate graph scaling (if using graph paper) and sketching Arctic landscape.
• Internet access – If students watch the video about Macall Hock’s research.
• Data sets – The data will be both embedded and available to print
• Colored markers/pencils – These are used to create graphs and visualize the carbon flux sketch.

Optional:

• Science Notebooks or Lab Journals – For annotating concepts, developing hypotheses, answering questions, and taking notes.
• Computers/Tablets – If using digital graphing tools or watching the suggested video from the document.

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Learning Objectives

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Opening Activity

• Introductory video: How Arctic Feedback Loops Impact Earth’s Climate

Start with an engaging question: “How can the Arctic, one of the coldest places on Earth, influence global climate change? How does this landscape affect us all?”

Show a short video clip or series of images about the Arctic’s rapid environmental changes due to global warming. Highlight permafrost thaw and its role in carbon emissions.

Ask students to brainstorm how carbon in the Arctic could affect the rest of the world. Write their ideas on the board.

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Activity Overview

Use the instructors Guide for full activity detail:

• Carbon Fluxes in Arctic Headwater Streams_Instructors Guide
• Carbon Fluxes in Arctic Headwater Streams_Student Worksheet

Part I introduces key concepts related to Arctic carbon fluxes, including permafrost’s role, headwater streams’ importance, and the significance of this topic in climate change research. It includes background information, a section on stream classification using Strahler numbers, and challenge questions to encourage critical thinking. This section also features a “Meet the Scientist” segment, highlighting the work of researcher Macall Hock.

Part II consists of a lab activity where students analyze hydrological data from different Arctic seasons (snowmelt, Arctic summer, and late season). Students are asked to graph data on stream flow rates, photosynthetic light levels, and temperature fluctuations. They then interpret this data to understand how these factors influence carbon fluxes in Arctic streams. The lab concludes with a structured analysis and a CER (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) exercise to reinforce scientific thinking and writing skills.

Part III  In this part of the lesson, students are asked to create a visual representation that captures the key concepts about carbon fluxes in Arctic headwater streams. The goal is for students to demonstrate their understanding of the complex processes occurring in these unique environments. The sketch is meant to be a conceptual drawing, not a scientific illustration. Students should focus on conveying the main ideas about carbon fluxes in an informative and visually appealing way.

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Reflection

Ask students to reflect on the following questions:

• “How does your sketch help explain carbon fluxes in the Arctic ecosystem?”
• “What were the biggest challenges you faced in representing the complex interactions in the system?”
• “How might climate change further affect these carbon fluxes?”

  Conduct a class discussion, or have students write a brief reflection in their notebooks.

Exit Tickets: 

• “What are the most important things you learned about carbon fluxes in Arctic headwater streams?”
• “How has your understanding of the Arctic’s role in global climate change changed?”
• “What challenges did you face during the graphing or sketching activities, and how did you overcome them?”
• “How do you think you could apply the skills you learned in this lesson to real-world environmental issues?”
• “What’s one key concept you learned today, and how does it connect to the real world?”

Optional Gallery Walk:

• Organize a gallery walk where students display their sketches around the room and observe others’ work. Encourage students to leave comments or questions on sticky notes.

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Supporting Documents

Assessment of Learning Objectives:

You can assess students based on their:

• Graphs and data interpretations
• CER writing and reasoning
• Carbon flux sketches
• Participation in discussions and group work

Use the rubrics provided in the handout to evaluate scientific accuracy, labeling, and presentation.

Graphing Activity: Review the students’ graphs for accuracy. Did they correctly interpret the data on stream flow, photosynthetic light, and temperature across the seasons? Check for proper scaling, labeling, and the use of different colors for each season.

CER Statements: Assess students’ CER statements to determine whether they can make a strong claim based on evidence from their data analysis. Evaluate how well they connect their evidence to the claim using scientific reasoning.

Carbon Flux Sketches: Use the rubric in the PDF to assess the accuracy and detail of the students’ sketches. Do the sketches correctly understand carbon movement in Arctic headwater streams? Are the seasonal variations and feedback loops represented?

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