Understanding Natural Cycles Through Comics

1. Chapter 2 Cycles in Nature

2. The Cycles of Matter • Three cycles that moves matter among the environment and living things • Water cycle • Carbon cycle • Nitrogen cycle

3. The Water Cycle

4. The Water Cycle • The movement of water among oceans, atmosphere, land, and living things. • Precipitation- water moving from atmosphere to land • Ex: rain, snow, sleet, hail • 91% falls into the ocean, 9% on land renews fresh water supply

5. The Water Cycle • Evaporation- water moving from the land to the atmosphere • The sun’s heat causes water to change from liquid to vapor • Condensation- water vapor becoming liquid again due to cool atmosphere • Transpiration- water moving from living things back into the atmosphere • Ex: evaporation from leaves, perspiration from humans

6. The Water Cycle • Ground Water- precipitation that seeps into the ground and is stored in underground caverns and porous rock • Provides water for the soil, streams, rivers, and oceans • Our water supply is not getting larger so we must protect our fresh water from pollution!!

7. Run Off- rainfall not absorbed in soil that collects in rivers, lakes, streams, and oceans.

8. The Water Cycle

9. The Carbon Cycle

10. The Carbon Cycle • The movement of carbon from the environment into living things and back again • Carbon is essential to all living things because it is part of our molecules.

11. The Carbon Cycle • Photosynthesis- carbon moves from the environment into living things • Plants use carbon dioxide from the air to make sugar • Animals get carbon from eating plants • Respiration- carbon moves from living things back to the environment • Sugar molecules are broken down to release energy and carbon dioxide is given off when we exhale

12. The Carbon Cycle • Decomposition- carbon moving from dead organisms back to the environment • Fungi and bacteria decompose dead organisms • Combustion- the process of burning fuel • Burning fossil fuels releases carbon back into the atmosphere

13. The Carbon Cycle

14. The Nitrogen Cycle

15. The Nitrogen Cycle • The movement of nitrogen from the environment to living things and back again. • 78% of our atmosphere is nitrogen gas • Nitrogen fixation- the process of bacteria changing nitrogen gas into usable nitrogen for plants • Animals get nitrogen from eating plants • Other bacteria decompose dead animals and animal waste and return nitrogen to the atmosphere

16. The Nitrogen Cycle

17. Dr. Destruction Comic Strips • You and your group will be responsible for creating a comic strip featuring an evil villain who plans to destroy an ecosystem by interrupting one of the cycles that runs in an ecosystem. • Choose one cycle from the following: • Water Cycle • Carbon Cycle • Nitrogen Cycle

18. Dr. Destruction Comic Strips • The comic strip must explain: • The way the cycle works • How the villain plans on disrupting the cycle • What effects the villain’s interruptions will have on the cycle • What plan your superheroes have for stopping the interruption • You will be graded on: • Having all requirements in your comic strip • Using color and creativity in the final product • All members will be graded on the final project with a participation grade added based on their involvement in the project.