Meet GEDI, the laser that soars above Earth at 17,150 miles per hour onboard the International Space Station (ISS). GEDI has advanced laser technology that reveals the makeup of remote forest ecosystems around the globe. It measures the height of leaves, branches, trees, and shrubs to help scientists map the structure of forests and better understand how ecosystems are storing or releasing carbon. Sounds pretty cool right? This is just the beginning of the GEDI impact on Earth.

Biodiversity

Life on land

Climate change

Climate action

Analyze and interpret data collected through geographic research and field investigations (e.g., relief, topographic, and physiographic maps; rivers; forest types; watersheds) to describe the biodiversity by region for the state of Alabama (e.g., terrestrial, freshwater, marine, endangered, invasive).

SCI.9-12.17.a

relating the carbon cycle to global climate change.

SCI.10.SC3.1

SCI.11.SC3.1

recognizing the words represented by common/academic language abbreviations and acronyms with instructional support. (e.g., in., min., F, AZ, NASA, etc.)

ELL.3-5.L.2.E-8

recognizing and stating the words represented by content area abbreviations and acronyms (e.g., adj., min., NASA).

ELL.6-8.L.2.B-8

recognizing and stating the words represented by content area abbreviations and acronyms. (e.g., in., min., ASAP, NASA)

ELL.9-12.L.2.E-8

Identify the earth events that cause changes in atmospheric conditions (e.g., volcanic eruptions, forest fires).

SCI.4.6.2.PO 5

Describe the government’s investment in physical capital (e.g., NASA, transportation).

SOC.7.5.2.PO 9

Explain the impact of government investment in physical capital (e.g., NASA, transportation.)

SOC.8.5.2.PO 3

Each element on Earth moves among reservoirs, which exist in the solid earth, in oceans, in the atmosphere, and within and among organisms as part of biogeochemical cycles. As a basis for understanding this concept: Students know the carbon cycle of photosynthesis and respiration and the nitrogen cycle

SCI.9-12.ES.7.a

Each element on Earth moves among reservoirs, which exist in the solid earth, in oceans, in the atmosphere, and within and among organisms as part of biogeochemical cycles. As a basis for understanding this concept: Students know the global carbon cycle: the different physical and chemical forms of carbon in the atmosphere, oceans, biomass, fossil fuels, and the movement of carbon among these reservoirs

SCI.9-12.ES.7.b

Matter and energy are recycled through cycles such as the carbon cycle.

SCI.8.SC.8.L.18.C

Identify key events in Florida, such as the construction of military bases and World War II training centers and the development of the space program and NASA.

SOC.9-12.SS.912.A.6.In.o

SC.8.L.18.C

Construct a scientific model of the carbon cycle to show how matter and energy are continuously transferred within and between organisms and their physical environment.

SC.8.L.18.3

Recognize the responsibilities of some of the departments and regulatory agencies of the federal government (e.g., the Treasury, NASA, EPA, FCC).

SOC.8-10.14A.4

investigate a variety of Earth systems that are powered by solar (e.g. water cycle, climate, carbon cycle) and/or geothermal (e.g. plate tectonics, volcanism) energy

SCI.7.SC-7-ET-S-1

Explain that some environmental changes occur slowly while others occur rapidly (e.g., forest and pond succession, fires and decomposition).

SCI.7.2.D.5

Identify and describe the physical features (lake, river, hill, mountain, forest) and human features (town, city, farm, park, playground, house, traffic signs/signals) of places in the community.

SOC.1.3.B.5

Analyze the effects on the environment and the carbon cycle of using both renewable and nonrenewable sources of energy.

SCT.10.3.3.10.A2

Explain how the ocean dominates the Earth’s carbon cycle.

SCT.12.3.3.12.A5

Interpret evidence suggesting that humans are influencing the carbon cycle.

SCI.9-12.5.1.c

Compare the rate at which CO2 is put into the atmosphere to the rate at which it is removed through the carbon cycle.

SCI.9-12.5.2.c

Describe how human activity influences the carbon cycle and may contribute to climate change.

SCI.9-12.3.3.c

Ask questions to obtain, evaluate, and communicate information about how changes to an ecosystem affect the stability of cycling matter and the flow of energy among living and nonliving parts of an ecosystem. Emphasize describing the cycling of matter and flow of energy through the carbon cycle.

SCI.8.8.3.3

Analyze and interpret data to determine the effects of photosynthesis and cellular respiration on the scale and proportion of carbon reservoirs in the carbon cycle. Emphasize the cycling of carbon through the biosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere and how changes to various reservoirs impact ecosystems. Examples of changes to the scale and proportion of reservoirs could include deforestation, fossil fuel combustion, or ocean uptake of carbon dioxide.

SCI.9-12.BIO.1.3

explain the global carbon cycle, including how carbon exists in different forms within the five subsystems and how these forms affect life; and

SCI.11-12.ESS.15.D

identify the purpose of selected independent executive agencies, including the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and regulatory commissions, including the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and Federal Communications Commission (FCC);