Positives

• Students gain a deep history of global carbon sinks and sources by considering climate conditions back to the Carboniferous period.
• The text provides a thorough explanation of the role trees and organic material play in the global carbon cycle.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should have an understanding of how trees can be considered a sink for carbon dioxide and the burning of fossil fuels serve as a source of carbon dioxide emissions.

Differentiation

• Consider discussing different organisms that were present throughout the history of the planet. Discuss how humans have influenced the global carbon cycle through activities like the burning of fossil fuels.