About This Lesson
This lesson can be taught before or after the Calcifiers vs. Non-Calcifiers lesson. It is designed to help students visualize how ocean acidification can make it more difficult for some marine organisms to build calcium carbonate shells and skeletons.
Students will use two LEGO models representing present-day and higher-CO2 ocean conditions. In both models, calcium
building blocks remain readily available, while the higher-CO2 ocean contains fewer carbonate-ion building blocks. Students
will compare how quickly and easily they can build calcium carbonate structures under the two modeled conditions.
This is a simplified classroom model. The differences in LEGO abundance are intentionally exaggerated so students can
clearly observe the effect of reduced carbonate availability.
