|
Unit Plan |
A River Runs Through It
Emily Wendt
Andover High School
Bloomfield Hills, MI |
 |
|
get print version... |
AGI, TERC, and their employees do not warrant the completeness, accuracy, appropriateness,
and/or safety of the procedures, materials, and content contained herein.
|
|
|
|
Stage 1: Identify Desired Results |
|
|
|
Unit Description |
|
|
| |
This unit is designed for use with a 9th grade Integrated Science class. Students will focus on the watershed areas in and around Bloomfield Township, Oakland County, and the State of Michigan. They will explore how human activities affect the hydrosphere. Students will conduct tests to assess the regional water quality in the area lakes, streams, rivers and ponds, then report their findings to the local community. |
|
|
|
Relationship to the Big Ideas in Earth Science: |
|
| |
All students will:
Sci. V.2.h.1 Identify and describe regional watersheds.
Sci. V.2.h.2 Describe how human activities affect the
quality of water in the hydrosphere.
Sci. I.1.h.2 Design and conduct scientific investigations.
Sci. I.1.h.4 Gather and synthesize information from books
and other sources of information.
Sci. II.1.h.6 Develop an awareness of and sensitivity to the natural world.
|
|
|
Unit Enduring Understandings: |
|
| |
- Students will be able to identify and describe the local and regional watersheds of the Great Lakes Basin and the U.S.
- Students will be able to describe how human activities (agriculture, fishing, manufacturing, energy production, herbicide and pesticide use, sewage, acid rain, and nutrient levels ) and water fowl affect the quality of water in the hydrosphere.
- Students will learn how to design and conduct several water quality tests using the freshwater lakes, streams, ponds, ditches, and/or canals in the community.
- Students will learn how to use a variety of book and technological resources in order to identify the regional watersheds and how to conduct investigations.
- Students will become more aware and sensitive to the effects humans have on the natural world.
|
|
|
Unit Essential Questions: |
|
| |
- How does water flow throughout the U.S.?
How does water flow throughout Michigan?
How does water flow throughout Oakland County?
How do you determine the watershed within which you live ?
How would you describe the watershed in which you live?
How does water flow through your neighborhood? - How do human activities typically affect water quality within the
watershed?
How do human activities adversely affect the water quality within your local watershed?
Why should we prevent adverse effects on the water quality within our watershed?
- How would you know if any human activities are affecting your local water quality?
- How can the Internet be used to locate information regarding
your local watershed?
How can water test kits be used in determining water quality?
- Why should we worry about the water quality in our area?
How can individuals maintain good water quality?
How can we share the information with the rest of the community?
|
|
|
What students will need to know and be able to do (knowledge and skills): |
|
| |
- Students will need to know:
a. what is meant by a "watershed".
b. the difference between local and regional watersheds.
c. the definitions of drainage basins, divides, reservoirs,
tributaries, and water run-off.
d. how to read maps and use map legend information.
e. how to navigate the Internet. - Students will need to know:
a. there are limits to natural resources.
b. rate of water use: quantity and how urbanization affects it.
c. human activities that affect water quality: agriculture,
fishing, manufacturing, energy production, oil spills, garbage,
global warming, marine life, industrial waste disposal, agricul-
tural run-off, herbicides, pesticides, sewage, acid rain, nutrient levels, landfills, leaching, disposal of toxic wastes.
d. water purification technology: water treatment, filtering,
chlorination.
e. what happens to wastewater from their homes, where their clean water
comes from. - Students will design and conduct investigations using appropriate methodology and technology, and will need to know:
a. how to use scientific instruments (thermometer, balances, water test kit).
b. how to obtain water samples and transport them
to school for further testing.
c. how to measure the pH level of the water.
d. how to conduct tests for oxygen and coliform bacteria.
e. how to read maps.
f. how to access water in the area.
g. how to report data and write lab reports.
h. how to work co-operatively with a partner.
- Students will need to:
a. be able to use the Internet to conduct research along
with other written resources.
b. be able to read and interpret scientific data from a variety of
sources. - Students will need to:
a. understand what is meant by the "balance of nature".
b. know the effects of organisms on each other and how human
activities tend to shift the balance of nature.
|
|
|
What do students typically misunderstand? |
|
| |
One can be an isolationist-- individuals have no effect on water quality in the area.
The water in the home is actually coming from Lake St. Clair.
The Rouge River is a dirty river that affects only Detroit.
Polluting Lake Huron and Lake St. Clair only effects Detroit water.
Industry is the major polluter of the Rouge River system.
A watershed is primarily concerned with water and not the land through which it moves.
Rivers flow from north to south. |
|
|
Stage 2: Determine Acceptable Evidence |
|
|
|
|
|
G |
|
What is the Goal of the performance? |
|
|
| |
Your goal is to conduct a study of the water quality in the various waterways within the community and to suggest ways in which the water quality could be improved. |
|
|
|
|
|
R |
|
What Role does the student assume in the performance? |
|
|
| |
Working in teams of two, one will assume the role of an ecologically-minded local waterfront homeowner and the other will assume the role of a representative from the local Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ).
|
|
|
|
|
|
A |
|
What Audience does the student address? |
|
|
| |
Your audience is your local homeowner's association and area residents. |
|
|
|
|
|
S |
|
What is the Situation for the performance? |
|
|
| |
Area lakes and waterways have at times been declared unsafe for swimming due to high levels of bacteria, often caused by the number of water fowl inhabiting the area. These bodies of water are part of our local watershed and require regular monitoring for water quality. Students will test, report findings, and make suggestions regarding their assigned body of water to their respective homeowner's association (audience). |
|
|
|
|
|
P |
|
What Product should be produced? |
|
|
| |
A written report of findings regarding a local body of water.
An oral presentation with visuals for fellow residents.
Students will produce a "communication product" to share with community residents (brochure, flyers, posters, powerpoint presentation, local access cable TV presentation, video, song, or children's storybook, etc.).
|
|
|
|
|
|
S |
|
What are the Standards for the product? |
|
|
| |
The report/presentation must include:
1. location of test site using an aerial photo from Google Earth or other satellite
source;
2. temperature of the water at the test site;
3. digital photograph of the test site showing physical characteristics
of the test site, description of site (debris, oil slicks, odors, etc.);
4. results of laboratory tests run on water sample (ammonia, nitrites,
pH, nitrates) ;
5. appropriate data tables reflecting test results;
6. approximate number of homes situated along the shoreline;
7. approximate number and kind of watercraft using the waterway;
8. sampling of area residents regarding pesticide/fertilizer use;
9. sampling of area residents regarding sprinkler systems and other water usages. |
|
|
Preconception Survey: |
|
| |
Describe what is meant by the term: watershed.
Which watershed do you live in?
Where does the water in your taps come from?
What are the typical pollutants in the local watershed?
What are the main sources of pollutants in the local watershed?
What might individuals do to improve the water quality within the local watershed?
How could you test the water quality within your watershed?
|
|
|
Quizzes, Tests, and Academic Prompts: |
|
| |
Group discussions/sharing water test results, class presentations.
Readings regarding watersheds and water quality with appropriate worksheets and questions (HW).
Class discussions on how land use activities affect local watersheds.
Discussions of boundaries and how watersheds may or may not be
restricted and influenced by society.
Water tests. |
|
|
Other Evidence: |
|
| |
Participation in lab activities.
Written newspaper article/letter to the editor.
Self-reflection on part of student. |
|
|
Stage 3: Plan Learning Experiences, Instruction, and Resources |
|
|
|
|
|
Use WHERETO as a guide to describe the learning experiences, instructional strategies, and resources you will use to help students
address the essential questions of the unit and achieve deep understanding of the big ideas. |
|
|
| |
"W" Introduce the idea that water received through the faucets in our
homes is drawn from local waterways. It must go through a water
treatment facility in order to arrive at our homes in its "clean" condition.
Maps will be used showing the water distribution patterns for the U.S.,
as well as Michigan and Oakland County; showing the connections to
the water running through the area and the water used on a daily basis.
"H" Most student live near a lake, pond, stream, or river in the area and asking if they have any concerns regarding the quality of the water will be enough of a hook to stimulate discussion and enthusiasm regarding in-depth study of their own"backyard". Would you drink the water out of your lake? Have students bring in newspaper articles regarding the local lakes to create a bulletin board display.
"E" "What is a Watershed" Article and class discussion
What is a Watershed Article
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/glossary/whatisaws.html
Color Me a Watershed p. 223 Project WET Curriculum and Activity
Guide for Teachers
Watershed maps skill buiding activities
U.S. Watersheds Map
http://nps.gov/cuva/kidstuff/pac/watersheds/USMapGreen.htm
Michigan Watersheds
www.hrwc.org/5michmap.htm
Go With the Flow--Students gain an understanding of how water moves and collects in your local watershed
http://education.ssc.nasa.gov/fad/detail.asp?LessonID=114
Rouge River Article
www.northvillemich.com/ada/rouge.htm
Project assignment
Bloomfield Township guest speaker; water/sewage treatment and water quality within the local watershed
Bloomfield Township information
http://bloomfieldtwp.org/Services/WaterSewer/2004AnnualWaterReport.htm
Class discussion of human activities and how they effect
watersheds, and reading assignment
"Whose Problem is It?" p.429 Project WET: Curriculum and Activity Guide for
Teachers
Reflecting on Lakes Article
http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/ReflectingLakes.html
"Land Use Heroes" Article
http://mymichigan.org/article.php?list=rel2&type=30&rel2=9
How Many People Can an Aquifer Support? Activity
http://www.classzone.com/books/earth_science/terc/content/investigations/
es1406/es1406page01.cfm?chapter_no=investigation
Field trip to E.L. Johnson Nature Center (Bloomfield Hills) to visit the northern reaches of the
Rouge River watershed and observe proper water collection/testing techniques.
Water testing within the classroom lab
Water Quality Tests
http://www.epa.nsw.gov.au/stormwater/hsieteachguide/stg2activity41.htm
Water Testing 2
http://oasisdesign.net/water/quality/testing.htm
Water Testing 3
http://riverlee.org.uk/watqua/watqua1/watqua-01a.htm
Media center computer lab for students to learn how to use
map technology and to research assigned lake survey
Reference Maps as Tools to Identifying Geographic Features
http://education.ssc.nasa.gov/fad/detail.asp?LessonID=87
Class Presentations of lake research; sharing results
Class discussion of what students can do with the information and how
to share with the community.
Putting the Water Quality Plan into Action
http://www.semcog.org/products/pdfs/wqtools.pdf
Water Resources of Oakland County
http://mi.water.usgs.gov/splan2/sp9G400
"R" Students will be given time to have a brainstorming session on issues
specific to the local watershed and given time to reflect on where they should
go from here--what can they do with the information they have gathered.
Students will write a newspaper article reflecting the results of their
water study.
"E" Students will design a communication product or tool which can be shared with area residents. This product may be exhibited in a variety of ways: bulletin board displays, flyers, brochures, cable access television, school web pages, display tables for parent groups, newspapers, etc. Students will be given time to work in small groups, trading and assessing one another's product. Students will also have time to meet individually with the teacher. Students will be encouraged to join various local environmental groups concerned with water issues for the county.
|
|
