But Just a Drop to Drink.

Transcription

1 But Just a Drop to Drink. Subject Areas: Science, Math, Language Arts Setting: Classroom Duration: One class period Skills: Reading, researching, observing, surveying, critical thinking, calculating, speaking, creating Vocabulary: fresh water, salt water, ground water, surface water, precipitation, condensation, conservation, evaporation, infiltration, runoff, stream flow, Correlation to Core Curriculum Standards: Science: 5.1 (A,B), 5.3 (A,C,D), 5.8 (B,D), 5.10 (A,B); Math: 4.1 (A,B) Language Arts: 3.1 (A,E,H), 3.2 (A,B,C,D), 3.3 (A,B,D), 3.5 (A,B,C) Art: 1.2 (D) Objectives: 1. Students understand the division of water across the earth 2. Students are able to illustrate the water cycle and its components 3. Students will identify ways to conserve water resources Materials: Water Cycle Diagram, Barnegat Bay Watershed Map, 1 liter container, three small, clear 3-5 ml containers, food coloring, tap water, pipette or eyedropper, paper and pencil or student journal Background: Water is an amazing substance, and one we all need to survive. The unique properties of water have helped to foster life on earth, and have assisted humans in developing civilization. Although there are vast quantities of water on this earth, very little of it is 28

2 available for our uses (around 1%). By learning how water cycles on the earth, and how little water we have available, students can understand why water is such a precious resource that needs to be conserved and protected. Procedure: Display a picture of the water cycle. Explain to the class the different parts of the water cycle and how the water we use has been on earth forever. Point out that there is over 326,000,000 cubic feet of water on earth. Ask the students why we often hear about conserving water, since there seems to be so much of it. Label the one-liter container #1, and the small containers #2 and #3. Fill container #1 with water and add two or three drops of food coloring so students can observe quantities better. Tell students this represents all of the water on earth. Remove approximately 30 ml of water from container 1, and put in container 2. Explain that this is all of the fresh water on earth, meaning the water left in the container is all salt water. Ask them why this is important. You may want to add another drop of food coloring so the students can see the small quantities of water. Then remove 6 ml from container 2 and place it in container 3. Explain that the second container is all of the fresh water that is trapped in ice and glaciers all over the world, while container three is all the non- frozen freshwater in the world. Then remove about 1ml of water from this last container and leave it in the eyedropper. Explain that container 3 represents all the water trapped in rocks and soils in the ground, and in our aquifers. Then tell them the eyedropper represents the water in streams and lakes. Place all the containers next to each other for comparison. Ask students if they can identify the sources of the water we drink and use in our everyday lives. Note that since some groundwater and streams and lakes (about 1% of the worlds water) provide our water supplies, it is that much more important that we keep our waters clean, and conserve as much as possible. 29

3 Procedure: Activity - Short Term/Younger Grades Pass out water cycle diagrams and have students label all of the parts of the cycle. Have students list three ways they can conserve or keep from polluting our precious water resources. Procedure: Activity - In-Depth/Older Grades Have students find out how much water is used in common household and landscaping activities. Have them keep track of their water use for a week, and summarize how their household could use less water. Take a class average of water use and compare it to information on the average household. Brainstorm if there are ways that the school could conserve water. Extension: Taking it further Have students research ways of conserving water (low flow shower heads, rain barrels, etc), and write a paragraph describing how the water is saved, how expensive the idea is to implement, and how much water can be saved. To share this information, have students give a class presentation as well as making a poster, flyer, or collage. Optionally, bring all of the reports together to make and reproduce one booklet, and have students bring them home to share. Assessment: Water cycle diagrams Water use journals Lists of ways to reduce water consumption Also see: Drop Pass, Movement of Water, Water Water Everywhere from Beneath the Shell, NJDEP. Water Cycle All Around Us from Discovering Barnegat Bay. 30

4 Water Cycle Diagram Diagram adapted from Beneath the Shell, NJDEP. 31

5 Water Cycle Worksheet Water Cycle Worksheet 1 Fill in the blanks to show how water moves in this picture. What human activities do you notice that might interfere with water cycling? Diagram adapted from Beneath the Shell, NJDEP 32

6 Water Cycle Worksheet 2 Draw the arrows to show how water moves in this picture. Notice the human activities that might interfere with water cycling. Diagram adapted from Beneath the Shell, NJDEP. 33