The purpose of this activity is to demonstrate that animals and plants depend upon each other for survival.

To get started, think of “Photosynthesis: Acquiring Energy from the Sun”. As you read start thinking about how plants consume carbon dioxide (an animal waste product) and release oxygen (a plant waste product). Begin researching what happens when plants are unable to provide sufficient amounts of oxygen to maintain animal life. To help you explore this topic begin researching why the biosphere experiment in the 1980s was prematurely stopped.

Here are some suggestions for resources:

Key words: photosynthesis and respiration

*Google Searches:
ophotosynthesis and respiration

o Biosphere experiment

In your exploration make a special point to note answers to the following questions:

*How do plants acquire carbon dioxide and release oxygen?

*For what purposes do plants acquire carbon dioxide?

*Do you think that a plant could survive in an air tight box that had everything the plant needed except a source of oxygen?

Write a one page, double spaced paper (500 + words) titled “Why There Would Be No People Without Plants.”