TurfMutt Lesson Plan: Stop the Carbon Creep, a Drama

Did you know that the TurfMutt Foundation has a wealth of lesson plans for kids in grades K-8 that help them learn important science lessons in their own backyard and school yards? TurfMutt educational resources are free and aligned to Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) standards. Led by the spokesdog for the Foundation, Mulligan the TurfMutt, the lessons are a fun and engaging way to keep kids learning all year long.

In the lesson entitled, “Stop the Carbon Creep: A Drama,” students will conduct a play to explain how plants like the ones found in yards or parks use photosynthesis to absorb carbon out of the atmosphere.

As more carbon dioxide is added to the atmosphere, the planet continues to warm. But plants like flowers, trees and shrubs play an important role in storing carbon. Plants pull carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere and carbon is stored in plants, leaves, and stems. In fact, currently about 25% of carbon emissions from the use of fossil fuels are taken up and stored by plants!

Download the lesson plan here to help children perform the play about defeating Carbon Creep, one of the environmental villains that TurfMutt needs help eradicating. Click here to view all of the lesson plans available from TurfMutt.

To learn more, download the TurfMutt Foundation’s International Backyarding Fact Book here. For even more, sign up for Mutt Mail, a monthly e-newsletter with backyarding tips and all the news from the TurfMutt Foundation here. To learn more about creating the yard of your dreams, visit TurfMutt.com. Look for Mulligan the TurfMutt on the CBS Lucky Dog television show on Saturday mornings.