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Students measure the primary productivity of rye grass. They measure the initial mass of rye grass and then continue growing the plants for a week—some in light, and some in dark. Students measure both dry and wet mass of the plants and determine which measurement is more appropriate for their productivity studies. They use the data collected to calculate net and gross primary productivity. In the Inquiry Activity, students test a chosen variable and determine its effect on primary productivity.

Product Details
Students measure the primary productivity of rye grass. They measure the initial mass of rye grass and then continue growing the plants for a week—some in light, and some in dark. Students measure both dry and wet mass of the plants and determine which measurement is more appropriate for their productivity studies. They use the data they collect to calculate net and gross primary productivity. During the Inquiry Activity, students test a variable of their choice and determine its effect on primary productivity. This kit accommodates 8 groups of students.

Unit Connections
This laboratory investigation correlates to Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems, topic(s) 1.2: Terrestrial Biomes, 1.8: Primary Productivity, 1.10: Energy Flow, as well as the 10% Rule in the AP® Environmental Science Course and Exam Description.

Standards Connection
This kit addresses the following AP® Environmental Science concepts:
Big Idea 1: Energy Transfer (ENG)—Energy conversions underlie all ecological processes. Energy cannot be created; it must come from somewhere. As energy flows through systems, at each step, more of it becomes unusable.

• ENG-1 Energy can be converted from one form to another.
• ENG-1.A Explain how solar energy is acquired and transferred by living organisms.
• ENG-1.A.1 Primary productivity is the rate at which solar energy (sunlight) is converted into organic compounds via photosynthesis over a unit of time.
• ENG-1.A.2 Gross primary productivity is the total rate of photosynthesis in a given area.
• ENG-1.A.3 Net primary productivity is the rate of energy storage by photosynthesizers in a given area, after subtracting the energy lost to respiration.
• ENG-1.A.4 Productivity is measured in units of energy per unit area per unit time (e.g., kcal/m2/yr).
• ENG-1.C Determine how the energy decreases as it flows through ecosystems.
• ENG-1.C.1 The 10% rule approximates that in the transfer of energy from one trophic level to the next, only about 10% of the energy is passed on.
• ENG-1.C.2 The loss of energy that occurs when energy moves from lower to higher trophic levels can be explained through the laws of thermodynamics.

Time Requirements
Teacher Preparation (before class):

• Prelab, 60 minutes
• Investigation 1: Primary Productivity—Light vs. Dark, 45 minutes
• Investigation 2: Primary Productivity—Inquiry, 60 minutes

• Prelab, 45 minutes
• Investigation 1: Primary Productivity—Light vs. Dark: Day 1, 45 minutes
• Investigation 1: Primary Productivity—Light vs. Dark: Day 2, 45 minutes
• Investigation 1: Primary Productivity—Light vs. Dark: Day 3, 15 minutes
• Investigation 2: Primary Productivity—Inquiry - Planning the Inquiry, 45 minutes
• Investigation 2: Primary Productivity—Inquiry - Performing the Inquiry: Day 1, 45 minutes
• Investigation 2: Primary Productivity—Inquiry - Performing the Inquiry: Day 2, 45 minutes
• Investigation 2: Primary Productivity—Inquiry - Performing the Inquiry: Day 3, 15 minutes
• Student Presentations, 60 minutes
• Free-Response Questions, 60 minutes

Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support instruction. Digital resources may include a teacher manual and student guide, pre-lab activities and setup videos, phenomenon videos, simulations, and post-lab analysis and assessments.

Prior Knowledge and Skills
Students should be familiar with the following skills or concepts:

• Trophic levels
• The terms biomass, consumer, and producer
• The reactants and products of photosynthesis and cellular respiration reactions

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