Students will explore the Nitrogen Cycle by modeling the movement of a nitrogen atom as it passes through the cycle. Students will stop in the different reservoirs along the way, answering questions about the processes that brought them to the different reservoirs.  

This lesson was based on an activity from UCAR Center for Science Education. 

Explore and connect to the GLOBE Weather protocol bundle. 

Explore and connect to the GLOBE Urban protocol bundle. 

Explore and connect to the GLOBE Air Quality protocol bundle. 

What is the atmosphere and why is it important?

Dr. Norman Loeb, an atmospheric scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, is the principal investigator for an experiment called the Clouds and the Earth’s Radiant Energy System (CERES). CERES instruments measure how much of the sun’s energy is reflected back to space and how much thermal energy is emitted by Earth to space.

This hands-on activity uses the kitchen sink to model the properties of the boundary of the heliosphere and takes learners through the scientific processes used in investigations: Making observations, using models, and communicating results.

This resource helps to identify and access GLOBE protocols and hands-on learning activities that complement the Air Quality phenomenon.