Nitrogen Cycle Inquiry Lab - MS 6-8 Science

Engage your middle school students with this interactive, student-led Nitrogen Cycle Board Game Lab. Through gameplay, students model how nitrogen moves through the atmosphere, plants, animals, and the environment. The included templates can be printed on standard paper or card stock, and laminating them allows for reuse year after year.

This product includes three fully differentiated versions of the lab, ensuring accessibility for all learners. Each version features comprehension questions, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (C.E.R.) prompts, and a reflection section to deepen student understanding of the nitrogen cycle.

Essential Question

How does nitrogen in the atmosphere end up in plants and animals?

What’s Included

• Teacher Resource Pages: Preparation time, standards/objectives, step-by-step directions, materials list, and additional resource suggestions

• Answer Keys: Suggested responses for all lab versions

• C.E.R. and Reflection Questions: Structured Claim-Evidence-Reasoning prompts plus three reflection questions per lab

• Fully Editable Files: Customize to meet your classroom needs

3 Differentiated Lab Versions

Dependent Student Lab – Combines procedural steps with inquiry-based questions. Moderately student-centered with guided exploration throughout. Recommended for on-level learners.

Modified Student Lab – Provides the most structured experience, simplifying steps and incorporating supports such as sentence stems or multiple-choice options. Ideal for students who benefit from additional scaffolding or modifications.

Independent Student Lab – The most student-centered experience. Students make most experimental decisions, conduct research, and draw their own conclusions. Perfect for advanced learners or enrichment activities.

Materials Needed per Group

• Nitrogen Cycle Board Game Sheet

• One die

• Player tokens (coins, game pieces, or marbles)

• Internet access for research (Independent Lab version only)

Save Time and Engage Students

This low-prep, high-engagement lab helps students explore the nitrogen cycle through inquiry, collaboration, and critical thinking. All materials are ready to print, prep, and play—just add dice and tokens!

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.