Georgia Performance Standards Framework for Water in Motion 6 th Grade Unit Organizer: Water in Motion (4 weeks)

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1 The following instructional plan is part of a GaDOE collection of Unit Frameworks, Performance Tasks, examples of Student Work, and Teacher Commentary. Many more GaDOE approved instructional plans are available by using the Search Standards feature located on GeorgiaStandards.Org. Unit Organizer: Water in Motion (4 weeks) OVERVIEW: The main focus of this unit is the distribution and movement of Earth's water. In previous grades, the student learned that water occurs on Earth in three basic forms: liquid, gas (vapor) and solid. Instruction focused on recognizing these three basic phases and the conditions at which they form. The student also obtained a basic understanding of air, wind, clouds, fog and gravity. This unit will not only expand on these topics, but will provide a functional understanding of the nature and importance of the water cycle. The unit includes investigations into the mechanisms that drive the water cycle, the different phases or states that water will form, and the distribution of water on Earth surface. The student will learn how solar heat, gravity and the rotation of Earth on its axis are the driving forces for both climate and the water cycle. The unit will also investigate how evaporation cleans and replaces Earth's freshwater water supply before precipitation returns it to the land surface. It will emphasize the limited nature of freshwater and why it must be conserved. STANDARDS ADDRESSED IN THIS UNIT Focus Standard(s): S6E3 Students will recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes. a. Explain that a large portion of the Earth s surface is water, consisting of oceans, rivers, lakes, underground water, and ice. b. Relate various atmospheric conditions to stages of the water cycle. S6E4 Students will understand how the distribution of land and oceans affects climate and weather. a. Demonstrate that land and water absorb and lose heat at different rates and explain the resulting effects on weather patterns. b. Relate unequal heating of land and water surfaces to form large global wind systems and weather events such as tornados and thunderstorms. c. Relate how moisture evaporating from the oceans affects the weather patterns and the weather events such as hurricanes. S6E5 Students will investigate the scientific view of how the Earth's surface is formed. i. Explain the effects of human activity on the erosion of the Earth's surface. j. Describe methods for conserving natural resources such as water, soil, and air. S6E6 Students will describe various sources of energy, and with their uses, and conservation. a. Explain the role of the sun as the major source of energy and the sun's relationship to wind and water energy. b. Identify renewable and nonrenewable resources. July 2008 Page 1 of 10

2 Supporting Standard(s): S6E2 Students will understand the effects of the relative positions of the Earth, moon and sun. c. Relate the tilt of the Earth to the distribution of sunlight throughout the year and its effect on climate. S6E3 Students will recognize the significant role of water in Earth processes. c. Describe the composition, location, and subsurface topography of the world's oceans. d. Explain the causes of waves, currents, and tides. S6E5 Students will investigate the scientific view of how the Earth's surface is formed. d. Describe processes that change rocks and the surface of the Earth. f. Explain the effects of physical processes (plate tectonics, erosion, deposition, volcanic eruption, gravity) on geological features including oceans (composition, currents, and tides). Characteristics of Science: S6CS1 Students will explore the importance of curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to understand how the world works. a. Understand the importance of and keep honest, clear, and accurate records in science. S6CS2 Students will use standard safety practices for all classroom laboratory and field investigations. a. Follow correct procedures for use of scientific apparatus. b. Demonstrate appropriate techniques in all laboratory situations. c. Follow correct protocol for identifying and reporting safety problems and violations. S6CS3 Students will use computation and estimation skills necessary for analyzing data and following scientific explanations. a. Analyze scientific data by using, interpreting, and comparing numbers in several equivalent forms, such as integers and decimals. b. Use metric input units (such as seconds, meters, or grams per milliliter) of scientific calculations to determine the proper unit for expressing the answer d. Draw conclusions based on analyzed data. July 2008 Page 2 of 10

3 S6CS4 Students will use tools and instruments for observing, measuring, and manipulating equipment and materials in scientific activities. a. Use appropriate technology to store and retrieve scientific information in topical, alphabetical, numerical, and keyword files, and create simple files. b. Estimate the effect of making a change in one part of a system on the system as a whole. c. Read analog and digital meters on instruments used to make direct measurements of length, volume, weight, elapsed time, rates, and temperature, and choose appropriate units for reporting various quantities. S6CS5 Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and technological matters. a. Observe and explain how parts are related to other parts in systems such as weather systems, solar systems, and ocean systems including how the output from one part of a system (in the form of material, energy, or information) can become the input to other parts (e.g., El Nino s effect on weather). S6CS5 Students will use the ideas of system, model, change, and scale in exploring scientific and technological matters. b. Identify several different models (such as physical replicas, pictures, and analogies) that could be used to represent the same thing, and evaluate their usefulness, taking into account such things as the model s purpose and complexity. S6CS6 Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly. c. Organize scientific information using appropriate tables, charts, and graphs, and identify relationships they reveal. S6CS7 Students will question scientific claims and arguments effectively. a. Question claims based on vague attributions (such as Leading doctors say... ) or on statements made by people outside the area of their particular expertise. b. Recognize that there may be more than one way to interpret a given set of findings. S6CS10. Students will enhance reading in all curriculum areas by: c. Building vocabulary knowledge. Demonstrate an understanding of contextual vocabulary in various subjects. Use content vocabulary in writing and speaking. Explore understanding of new words found in subject area texts. d. Establishing context. Explore life experiences related to subject area content. Discuss in both writing and speaking how certain words are subject area related. July 2008 Page 3 of 10

4 Nature of Science: S6CS8 Students will investigate the characteristics of scientific knowledge and how it is achieved. a. When similar investigations give different results, the scientific challenge is to judge whether the differences are trivial or significant, which often requires further study. Even with similar results, scientists may wait until an investigation has been repeated many times before accepting the results as meaningful. ENDURING UNDERSTANDINGS Students will understand that: Water occurs on Earth in three basic states: liquid, solid (ice) and gas (atmospheric moisture). Climate conditions, especially temperature and humidity, determine the amount and state of the water that reaches the land surface. Approximately 71% of the Earth's surface is covered by liquid water, while approximately 3% is covered with ice. Less than 1% is covered with freshwater. Most of Earth's water is located in the oceans as saltwater (over 97%); while lesser amounts are found in atmospheric moisture, glacial ice, lakes, streams and groundwater. The cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere plays and important role in determining climatic patterns. Water evaporates from the surface of the Earth, rises and cools, condenses into rain or snow, and falls again to the surface. The water falling on land collects in rivers and lakes, soil, and porous layers of rock, much of it flowing back into the ocean. Heat energy carried by ocean currents has a strong influence on climate around the world. Solar energy in combination with unequal heating and Earth's rotation are the driving forces of the water cycle. Extensive evaporation occurs in the warm ocean areas as a result of solar heating and wind energy. Precipitation occurs as these warm water-rich winds cool. Water does not change temperature as quickly as land, thereby causing winds to commonly form along coastal regions as warm air rises and nearby cooler air moves in beneath the rising warm air. As the water on land flows towards the oceans, it carries large quantities of weathered and dissolved rock material. These materials are then deposited as a thick layer of mud along the ocean floor and as dissolved salts in ocean water. Evaporation generates atmospheric moisture that is generally very clean and salt-free as the liquid water is changed to a less dense gas or water vapor. July 2008 Page 4 of 10

5 Fresh water, limited in supply, is essential for life and most industrial processes. Rivers, lakes and groundwater can be depleted or polluted, becoming unusable or unsuitable for life. Everything on or anywhere near the Earth is pulled toward the Earth s center by gravitational force. The benefits of the Earth s resources such as fresh water, air, soil, and trees can be reduced by using them wastefully or by deliberately or inadvertently destroying them. The atmosphere and the oceans have a limited capacity to absorb wastes and recycle materials naturally. Cleaning up polluted air, water, or soil or restoring depleted soil, forests, or fishing grounds can be very difficult and costly. ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: How much of the Earth is covered by each of the following: saltwater, ice and freshwater? Why is Earth's water constantly in motion? What are the most important sources of water for human use? How does water change from one form to another? How are local weather events and processes tied to the water cycle? How can weather observations be used to predict floods, droughts, hurricanes, and thunderstorms? Why do land and water heat and cool at different rates? How does this form weather patterns? How does water become polluted? How does the water cycle clean Earth's freshwater supply? How can changes in the water cycle cause ice ages (glaciation) and changes in sea level? July 2008 Page 5 of 10

6 CONCEPTS: One Stop Shop For Educators Role of water in Earth processes, distribution of Earth s water, relationship between water cycle and atmospheric conditions, differences in heat absorption of land and water, formation of global weather patterns, relationships between solar heating and wind and water energy, differences between renewable and nonrenewable resources, water cycle processes (evaporation, precipitation and condensation), climate changes LANGUAGE: Water cycle, evaporation, condensation, precipitation, transpiration, land transport, solar energy, gravity, waves, ocean currents, tides, polar ice, ice caps, glacier, glaciation, groundwater, atmospheric moisture, humidity, relative humidity, thermal absorption, conservation, freshwater, saltwater, clouds, renewable and nonrenewable resources MISCONCEPTIONS There is an endless supply of freshwater on the Earth. All of the water used by humans comes from rivers, streams and lakes. Most of Earth's water occurs as liquid. The oceans are extremely deep with little or no mixing. Groundwater is found at the same level and in the same amounts under the surface. Wind only forms around storm systems. PROPER CONCEPTIONS Most of Earth's water is saltwater and not suitable for land plants and animals including humans. In addition, much of the freshwater is either frozen in ice caps and glaciers or located below the surface as groundwater. River and stream water are the most important sources of water for humans; however, a large portion (~33%) used by humans is obtained from groundwater. Water occurs as liquid, solid (ice) and gas (atmospheric moisture) with the majority of freshwater being glacial ice. Relative to their width, oceans are shallow. Oceans have average depths of only four kilometers while they are often thousands of kilometers wide. Solar heating and wind can therefore result in substantial vertical mixing. The amount and availability of groundwater depends on climate, rock or sediment type, and location. Wind is caused largely by uneven heating and cooling of the oceans and land surface. July 2008 Page 6 of 10

7 Seasonal weather and climate conditions are constant and unchanging. Not only is there is a substantial range in yearly climatic conditions, but long term global warming and cooling also occur. You can always tell if water is polluted by its color, taste or smell. Water pollution occurs in many forms, some are odorless, tasteless and invisible to the human eye. Earth's freshwater supply is fixed and unchanging. Evaporation in the oceans constantly purifies and replenishes freshwater supplies on land. Human use and climate changes can directly affect the amount of available freshwater. EVIDENCE OF LEARNING: Culminating Activity: Goal To collect weather data and then interpret how these climatic conditions will affect local water supplies. Role You have been selected to serve as an assistant climatologist (a person that studies climate and long-term weather change) for Georgia s Environmental Protection Division (EPD). Audience The audience is a group of local farmers, city officials and landowners. Situation - There has been a long-term drought in your area. Assume that water restrictions have been implemented for your county at this time. The EPD has asked you to use local weather observations to predict changes in local water supplies and make decisions regarding future water restrictions. You will collect and analyze the past month's weather and climate data from the nearest station of the Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network ( To obtain the monthly data, either you or your teacher will select the station closest to the school and print out the 31-day weather summary for that station. Also use the Water Balance Calculator link to compare precipitation and evapotranspiration (evaporation by plants) for the 31-day period. (Note: Different students or groups of students can select different monthly periods or different stations or more accurate predictions could be made using data from the same month over a 3- or 5-year period to look for yearly differences.) Using your knowledge of the water cycle and climate, you must determine if the water restrictions should be continued or discontinued. You must then present your findings and recommendations to a group of farmers and landowners. The presentation should include a description of the major sources and limited nature of freshwater supplies. Using the past month's weather data from GeorgiaWeather.net or other sources, you must then predict if there was adequate rainfall during the past month to increase water supplies and remove the water restrictions. Based on the current seasonal water use and the past month's weather data, also predict if next month's rainfall amounts will either increase or decrease freshwater supplies in the area. Present these predictions with your supporting data to the group. Also describe ways by which the farmers and landowners could better conserve freshwater supplies in the future. July 2008 Page 7 of 10

8 Product - Using graphs and/or charts, analyze how last month's weather and climate data have affected water supplies. Based on this analysis, make a decision on the need for future water restrictions and state your reasons for this decision. Next, make a presentation for farmers, city officials and landowners that includes models, drawings or graphs that define a drought, describes the most common sources of freshwater for homes and industry, and summarizes your findings and supports your decision on the water restrictions. Also list ways that local water resources could be better conserved. Use the "Predicting Water Supplies Rubric" for the presentation. July 2008 Page 8 of 10

9 Distribution of Earth's Water Solar Heating and the Water Cycle Atmospheric Conditions to the Water Cycle Conserving Freshwater Predicting Water Supplies Rubric Accurately describes the Includes accurate but not distribution of Earth's complete information on water and the most the distribution of Earth's important sources of water and the most freshwater used by important sources of humans, but not very freshwater used by thoroughly. humans. Thoroughly and accurately describes the distribution of Earth's water and the most important sources of freshwater used by humans. Thoroughly and accurately describes how solar heating moves water into the atmosphere and cooling results in condensation and precipitation. Thoroughly and accurately describes the relationship between atmospheric conditions (wind, humidity, and temperature) and the water cycle. Thoroughly and accurately describes the limited nature of Earth's freshwater supplies and how this resource can be better conserved. Accurately describes the relationship between solar heating, evaporation, condensation and precipitation, but not very thoroughly. Accurately describes the relationship between weather conditions and the water cycle, but not very thoroughly. Accurately describes the limited nature of Earth's freshwater supplies and conservation methods, but not very thoroughly. Includes accurate information on the relationship between solar heating and evaporation, precipitation or condensation, but not all three. Includes accurate information on the relationship between the water cycle and wind, humidity or temperature, but not all three. Includes accurate information on the limited nature of Earth's freshwater supplies or conservation techniques, but not both. Includes inaccurate or no information on the percentage and Earth's water that is freshwater and where it is located. Includes inaccurate or no information on solar heating and its importance in the water cycle. Includes inaccurate or no information on the relationship between local weather conditions and the water cycle. Includes inaccurate or no information on the limited nature of freshwater supplies and conservation techniques. July 2008 Page 9 of 10

10 UNIT RESOURCES U.S. Geological Survey 'Water Science for Schools' The Water Cycle Website: EPA's Water Information Website for Kids: Georgia Water Conservation Tools for Teachers Website: Georgia Public Broadcasting Video Streaming Website: Georgia Automated Environmental Monitoring Network NASA's Earth Observatory Website July 2008 Page 10 of 10