Carbon Footprint Christmas Tree Activity – Real vs. Artificial Trees
By Science of Curiosity
Get your students thinking about sustainability with this fun, Christmas-themed high school science activity! Using simplified Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) data, students break down and compare the carbon footprints of real vs. artificial Christmas trees over a 10-year period. It’s a mix of data analysis, CER writing, environmental science, and real-life decision-making. Students will learn about how scientists evaluate the carbon footprint of real and artificial trees, including manufacturing, transportation, use, and disposal. Then they’ll analyze data, calculate emissions, and write a Claim–Evidence–Reasoning (CER) response to answer the big question: Which type of Christmas tree has a smaller carbon footprint - real or artificial? Finally, students take what they have learned and create an infographic designed to educate and influence the public to make environmentally friendly Christmas choices. What’s Included: • Student handout explaining Life Cycle Assessments (LCAs) and clear, student friendly explanations of sustainability concepts • Data tables for real & artificial tree footprints - production emissions - transportation emissions - disposal impacts - recycling effects • Student calculation questions • CER writing task • Discussion questions • Infographic Project instructions and 100 point rubric with four prompts to choose from, easy differentiation for time and challenge level • Teacher Answer Key with completed calculations and sample CER response • Teaching Gui
Find it on: Teachers Pay Teachers, Creator website