Introduction
UNDERSTANDING EARTH AND SPACE SYSTEMS WATER SYSTEMS
The earth's surface is more than 70% covered by water. Most of this water is salt water and is contained in our oceans. Water plays a role of vital importance in our global ecosystem. Did you know you play an important role in caring for our most precious resource? Water is crucial to all life on earth. Water influences our climate and weather patterns. We must manage our water resource to ensure its sustainability for generations to come.
Task
To begin with please view the following video regarding the importance of water for life on earth:
Your Task
To investigate and analyze the following:
1. The Water Cycle
2. Water Treatment
3. Water Contaminants
4. Water Quality
5. Water and Climate
Upon the culmination of your investigation, you will determine actions you can due to ensure the long term sustainability of water for generations to come.
You will work in groups of 5. Each person will be assigned one of the above areas of study regarding water systems. You will research your topic and then compile your information into a Google Slides style presentation. After detailing the importance of your topic of study, you will then focus on advising your classmates on how they can be good water stewards and ensure sustainable water for generations to come.
Process
Here are the steps to follow to complete this task:
1. Get together as a group and look at the 5 areas of focus. Choose one of the tasks you would like to focus on and investigate further.
2. As a group ensure each of the group members has a different area of focus and is ready to begin.
3. You are to become a subject expert on the topic you have chosen. You will be responsible for informing both your other group members and eventually the rest of the class about your topic.
4. After each member has completed their topic, you will come together as a group and compile your Google Slides into one overall Google Slides for your whole group encompassing your whole topic.
5. Upon completion of your overall Google Slides project, you will be presenting to the rest of the class to inform them of your research and act as teacher to teach them the appropriate lesson on water systems. The presentation should be in the range of 20 minutes.
Below are some staring points for each topic:
1. The Water Cycle
2. Water Treatment
3. Water Contaminants
4. Water Quality
5. Water and Climate
Important Terms and Definitions
Please ensure as a group you list, define and give examples of the following terms:
- salinity
- concentration
- desalination
- chemical contaminants
- algal bloom
- biomagnification
- biological contaminants
- turbidity
- acidity
- pH
- contamination
Evaluation
Water Systems Task and Presentation
Your Name _________________________________________________________________
|
|
Level 4 |
Level 3 |
Level 2 |
Level 1 |
|
Preparedness and Audience Engagement |
Presenter kept audience interested. Presenter made audience want to learn more about water systems. |
Presenter did a good job keeping audience interested. Most of the required information was present. |
Presenter made a good effort to introduce the topic. Presenter did not maintain audience attention. Important information about the topic was missing. |
Presentation was not introduced nor rehearsed. Required information about the water systems was not shared. Plenty of room for improvement in the presentation. |
|
Summary and Recount of the Topic |
The presentation was well organized and well presented by the presenter. All the important information about the topic was presented. |
A good summary of the topic was provided by the presenter. While the presentation was well organized, it seems key information was left out and at times the presentation was hard to follow. |
Presentation information was somewhat organized. However, it appears important details were missing and at times the presentation was hard to follow for the audience. |
Presentation seemed disorganized and lacked necessary details about the topic for the audience. Appeared the presenter was not entirely familiar with the topic. |
|
Presenter Style |
Presenter shared videos and images with style and discussed the importance of their part to the overall theme of the presentation. |
Presenter shared videos and images with style and mostly discussed the importance of their part to the overall theme of the presentation. |
Presenter attempted to share videos and images with style and attempted to discuss the importance of their part to the overall theme of the presentation. |
Presenter did not share videos with style and did not attempt to discuss the importance of their part to the overall theme of the presentation. |
|
Presentation Clarity |
Presenter spoke clearly, with appropriate volume and was easily understood by the audience. |
Presenter usually spoke clearly, with appropriate volume and was easily understood by the audience. |
Presenter occasionally spoke clearly, with appropriate volume and was not easily understood by the audience. |
Presenter rarely spoke clearly, with appropriate volume and was not understood by the audience. |
|
Knowledge of Scientific Terms |
demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of the earth’s water systems and the influence of water systems on a specific region with thorough effectiveness. |
demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of the earth’s water systems and the influence of water systems on a specific region with considerable effectiveness. |
demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of the earth’s water systems and the influence of water systems on a specific region with some effectiveness. |
demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of the earth’s water systems and the influence of water systems on a specific region with limited effectiveness. |
Conclusion
After completion of your presentation, please complete the following questions independently:
1. Evaluate your personal water consumption, compare it with personal water consumption in other countries and propose a plan of action to reduce personal water consumption to help address water sustainability issues.
2. Assess the impact on local and global water systems of a scientific discovery or technological innovation.
3. Identify the various states of water on the earth’s surface, their distribution, relative amounts, and circulation, and the conditions under which they exist.
Credits
The following websites were used to develop this Web Quest. You may access these websites to assist you in completing your task.
https://science.nasa.gov/earth-science/oceanography/ocean-earth-system/ocean-water-cycle
http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/curriculum/elementary/scientec18currb.pdf
https://gpm.nasa.gov/education/water-cycle
https://www.livestrong.com/article/128483-steps-water-purification/
https://terra.nasa.gov/citizen-science/water-quality
Teacher Page
This Web Quest is designed for Grade 8 Science for the Strand of Understanding Earth and Space Systems - Water Systems. Researching and completing this assignment will entail the following curriculum expectations:
1. Assess the impact of human activities and technologies on the sustainability of water resources.
2. Investigate factors that affect local water quality.
3. Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of the earth’s water systems and the influence of water systems on a specific region.
As well, the presentation will provide opportunity for assessment in Oral Communication, specific to the following curriculum expectation:
use speaking skills and strategies appropriately to communicate with different audiences for a variety of purposes.
and Media Literacy:
create a variety of media texts for different purposes and audiences, using appropriate forms, conventions, and techniques.