Introduction
Student Activities
For
the Teacher
California Science Content
Standards
National Science
Standards
Resources |
To the Teacher
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:
- Students will understand the global
causes and effects of water pollution.
- Students will understand the human
controllable factors that influence the health of our watersheds.
- Students will be knowledgeable
about the properties of water.
- 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:
- Students will be
able to identify the physical and chemical properties of water.
- Students will be
able to use the scientific method to gather data about water
and water pollution.
- Students will be
able to form plans to stop water pollution.
- Students will understand
the causes of point and not point source pollution.
- 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?
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