The Nitrogen Cycle

Objective

In this lesson we will learn about the Nitrogen cycle. It is one of the major nutrient cycles as listed in Ecology standard 6.d which states: Students will know how water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle between abiotic resources and organic matter in the ecosystem and how oxygen cycles through photosynthesis and respiration.

Introduction

Water carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and phosphorus are some of the most important substances for sustaining life. Any ecosystem must be able to cycle these elements into various forms to allow various organisms to utilize them. These cycles occur naturally through processes like photosynthesis in plants and respiration in animals and other organisms. Nitrogen is a key building block in a number of important molecules, such as nucleic acids, amino acids, and proteins. Without it, life on Earth would be impossible. While you are reading this, you are breathing in nitrogen. In fact, 80% of the air is made of nitrogen!

The key parts of the nitrogen cycles are photosynthesis, combustion, cellular respiration, and death and decomposition. Other key terms are nitrogen fixation, nitrification, assimilation, ammonification, and denitrification. There is a land nitrogen cycle and a water nitrogen cycle.

Nitrogen Cycle on Land

Nitrogen Cycle in the Ocean

Assignment

In this lesson, you will submit a quiz, complete a group presentation and review peer presentations. Visit the links below to learn about how the cycle works, key components and human factors in disupting the cycle.

The Nitrogen Cycle as it relates to Carbon - video

Nitrogen Cycle: http://www.enviroliteracy.org/article.php/479.html

Carbon and Nitrogen Cycles: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=R8-E6cDCr5U&feature=fvwp

Legumes can reduce need for Nitrogen Fertilizer: http://www.physorg.com/news189106072.html

Human Impact on the Nitrogen Cycle

Acid Oceans and Nitrogen Cycles: http://news.discovery.com/earth/acid-oceans-and-nitrogen-cycles.html

Nutrient overload: Unbalancing the global nitrogen cycle: http://www.wri.org/publication/content/8398

Quizzes

Take the following quiz as a practice quiz. Review the answers you missed .

http://www.visionlearning.com/library/quiz_taker.php?qid=305&mid=98&mcid=

Then, take the following quiz and email me the answers to each question written out in full sentence response.

http://www.proprofs.com/quiz-school/story.php?title=nitrogen-cycle-quiz_1#

Resources

To complete this assignment, you will need internet access, Flash Player to view the videos, gmail account to access the shared presentation project.

The following site provides several links to help complete your presentation.

http://www.visionlearning.com/library/resources.php?mid=98&mcid=&l=

Process

First, review the material seen in the video, images and other links listed in the assignment. Then take the two quizzes to make sur eyou are understanind the information.

Next, you will be placed in to groups of 3-4. Each group will create a slide presentation covering an assigned component of the Nitrogen cycle. Include key organisms that contribute to this process along with examples.  The presentation should also include the form the nitrogen takes before and after this part of the process.  Conclude with the effects humans are having on this part of the cycle if applicable. The final project should have at least 6 images, one pertinent video and 5 useful links filling a minimum of 12 slides. Use Google Presentations, so that all team members can access and contribute to the project. After one person sets up the presentation and adds the other group members, all will have access to the presentation to edit and add.

Once complete and submitted, presentations will be available to the entire class and you will be required to comment on each of the other group’s presentation. Your remarks should point out specific strong and weak points in each presentation followed by your own assessment of how it could be improved.

Rubric for Presentations

Presentation and Peer Review Rubric

Criteria Points 1 2 3 4 Organization Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information. Fewer than 7 slides. Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around. 7-8 slides. Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow. 9-11 slides. Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.12 slides minimum. ____ Content Knowledge Presentation does not demonstrate grasp of information. Presentation only covers basic information with no details and answers rudimentary questions. Content in mostly accurate with no major errors but lacks multiple examples for each section. Presentation demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) with explanations and elaboration. ____ Visuals No visuals or video. Some visuals that rarely support text and presentation. Visuals and video related to text and presentation, but fewer than six. At least 6 different visuals plus a video to reinforce screen text and presentation. ____ Mechanics Presentation had four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors. Presentation had three misspellings and/or grammatical errors. Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors. Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors. ____ Links Presentation contains only 2 of fewer links that may not be the best representation of the information.   Presentation contains only 2 or 3 links that may somewhat represent the information Presentation contains only 4-5 links that support the information Presentation contains 5 or more links that well-represent the information and enhance the presentation ____ Peer Review Review is basic and does not demonstrate any comprehension of the presentation. No strengths or weaknesses listed. Each is less than 100 words. Many spelling and grammatical errors. Reviews are scattered. Mention of a strength or a weakness is not in every review and responses are fewer than 100 words. Several spelling and grammar errors. Reviews mention strengths and weaknesses but there are a couple grammatical or spelling errors and word count is at the minimum. Reviews are well-written and mention detailed strengths and weaknesses. Very minor to no spelling and grammar errors. Answers are around 150 words or more. ____ Total----> ____

All members of the group receive the same grade.

Conclusion

The nitrogen cycle is one of the important nutrient cycles that keep life sustained on earth. Other important cycles are the water cycle, and the carbon, oxygen and phosphorus cycles. Each cycle overlaps and is dependent on each other for success as organisms use and produce various forms of the minerals at a given phase in its cycle.

Class Overview

Welcome to the introduction to biology. This course is designed for the high school freshman and sophomores who have not yet taken a course in biology.

Biology is the study of LIFE! We will learn about the building blocks of all organisms through how organisms work together with the earth to create ecosystems and biomes.

In this class we will have a lot of hands on experiments, so one of the first things we have to learn is about lab safety.

Each day begins right at the bell, so please be in your seats at that time. We adhere to thedress code and other governing board policies of the district, even on fieldtrips, so please be familiar with those expectations.

There will be several field trips to collect data for experiments and observation. We will travel to tide pools, local botanical gardens and the natural history museum throughout the course.

For a master calendar of when final exams and breaks will be for the upcoming school year, please visit the link to the El Capitan High School website.

Thank you, and I look forward to a fun year.

My Profile

Hi and welcome to my blog page. My name is Mary, and I am excited to share some information with you. I have always loved biology, since I was a child growing up in Florida. I pursued a degree in biology at Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. I held various positions related to science, but teaching became an interest following years pursuing my other passion, volleyball. I played through college and have remained involved as a player while beginning to coach several years ago. Now I run a club and coach at the varsity high school level. I enjoy spending time with the players and watching them grow as individuals while they grow as athletes. This made me realize that teaching biology would be something I would definitely enjoy.

My experience in the classroom has not yet begun, but I do look forward to it. I begin student teaching in fall 2012.

My personal life is busy around volleyball as my husband coaches, too, but we do enjoy our two dogs and watching our son play high school football and lacrosse. I also have a passion for photography and worked as a staff photographer for many years in San Diego for a local magazine. I enjoy gardening and travelling, too, whenever we somehow get a break and some moments away from all the other things that complete our lives.