Introduction

Student Activities

For the Teacher

California Science Content Standards

National Science Standards

Resources

 To the Teacher

 California Science Standards Addressed in this Unit

Resources

This unit is designed to meet the California Science Content Standards for third through seventh grade. The lessons in this unit can be adapted for each of the these grade levels. The reading level of some of the links is more appropriate for grades 5-7. It would be wise to preview the material on each link before making assignments. Teacher discretion should be used when adapting these activities to a particular grade level. Each lesson is designed to be used as in independent activity or as part of an integrated long term unit. Activity 4 contains links to some optional online activities>

See this chart for grade level appropriateness and other information and hints:

Activity 
 Grade Levels

 Time

 Directions/Hints

Materials
Activity#1. What can you do with water?  3-7

 1-3 weeks (1 hour/day) depending on grade level and depth.

..longer if you choose to have students do multimedia projects.

 Check reading levels of web sites for younger students before making assignments.

If students are keeping electronic journals set up a folder or disk for each student to save his/her work in.

Students will need water journals,. A composition book, a wire ring notebook will work. Try having students keep electronic journals in a word processing program on the computer.
Activity #2. Why is our water polluted, and what can we do about it?  4-7

 1-3 weeks (1 hour/day) depending on grade level and depth.

..longer if you choose to have students do multimedia projects.

Check reading levels for younger students on reading activities.

If students are keeping electronic journals set up a folder or disk for each student to save his/her work in.

Students will need water journals. A composition book, a wire ring notebook will work. Try having students keep electronic journals in a word processing program on the computer.

Students may need clay, video camera, markers, crayons, paint, glue, scissors, puppet making materials.

Students will need litmus paper, dissolved oxygen tablets, nitrate test paper, a sechi disk (can be made with a button and string), and other materials described in online experiments such as jars, thermometers, etc.

Activity #3

How can we use art, writing and poetry to stop water pollution?

 3-7

  1-3 weeks (1 hour/day) depending on grade level and depth.

..longer if you choose to have students do multimedia projects.

 If students are keeping electronic journals set up a folder or disk for each student to save his/her work in.

Students may need to revise and edit descriptions several times to make sure they have clearly described their painting.

This activity pre-supposes students have been taught a variety of poetry forms. If this has not been taught, you may want to do so.

 Students will need water journals. A composition book, a wire ring notebook will work. Try having students keep electronic journals in a word processing program on the computer.

You will need a draw or paint program such as Claris(Apple)Works, SuperPaint, KidWorks, Kid Picks, The Dabbler...

You will need art paper, and crayons, water colors, markers or colored pencils.

 Activity #4: How can we compare our information with information from other places?  4-7

 NGSKN is a 6 week project.

The Jason Project takes several weeks to months depending on the depth of study.

 Scavenger hunt:1 week (1 hour/day) depending on grade level, and depth

Third graders can participate in the National Geographic Society Kid's Network activities, and the Jason Project.

Check reading levels on web sites before assigning the scavenger hunt to younger students.

If students are keeping electronic journals set up a folder or disk for each student to save his/her work in.

 Students will need water journals. A composition book, a wire ring notebook will work. Try having students keep electronic journals in a word processing program on the computer.

Students will need poster board or large paper, crayons, markers, colored pencils or paint. They will also need scissors and glue.

If producing posters on the computer, students will need a draw or paint program.

If students are video taping their speeches, they will need a video camera.

Many of the activities in this unit depend on cooperative group activities. Please click here to learn more about forming and using cooperative learning groups in your classroom.

Goals for this water pollution unit:

  1. Students will understand the global causes and effects of water pollution.
  2. Students will understand the human controllable factors that influence the health of our watersheds.
  3. Students will be knowledgeable about the properties of water.
  4. Students will be able to use the knowledge gained in this unit to affect changes in their communities that will improve the quality of their local water supply.

Measurable objectives for this water pollution unit are:

  1. Students will be able to identify the physical and chemical properties of water.
  2. Students will be able to use the scientific method to gather data about water and water pollution.
  3. Students will be able to form plans to stop water pollution.
  4. Students will understand the causes of point and not point source pollution.
  5. Students will be able to demonstrate that they understand the difference between chemical and organic pollution.

Assessment:

Information and ideas on how to organize multimedia projects

Where To Next?
The Task Show Your Stuff
Activities How'd You Do?
Resources  For the Teacher