Perennial Biomass Production
Articles/Websites
Grades9, 10, 11, 12, APEarth and Space Sciences
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by Project Drawdown
What it is
- This article examines the increased benefits and carbon sequestration for shortcomings of using perennial instead of annual crops for biomass production.
- Students will learn the impact this replacement can have on emissions reductions, the cost to implement this change, and other factors to consider.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Students and teachers can easily share this article via social media.
- Helpful sidebars present numerical data with easy-to-understand graphics and include a call to action for students.
Prerequisites
- The vocabulary is rigorous, so a definition list is appropriate.
- Students should understand "hectare" versus "acre" since the data is in hectares.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Students can use this article for a research project on different types of bioenergy and how they fit within broader climate mitigation strategies.
- This article can fit within a larger unit on various kinds of alternative energy.
- This article can enhance a lesson on the connection between modern agriculture and climate change.
- This article can support a lesson on other potential applications for perennial crops.
From the scientist review
This article discusses the potential benefits of replacing annual crops, like corn, with perennial grasses and plants and investigates the possible impact on carbon dioxide emissions. The article is organized like a scientific paper and includes an introduction, methods, results, discussion, and conclusion sections. The report also mentions the limitations of the study. The information is accurate, and this resource is recommended for teaching.
Ready to use it?
Hosted on drawdown.org
Want this to fit your class?
Add your location for local examples, questions, and action ideas.
