Water: A Never-Ending Story A curriculum module intended for grades 3-5. Approximate time frame: 3 class periods I. Teacher Background Water on earth is used over and over. The water cycle, the continuous movement of water from ocean to air and land then back to the ocean in a cyclic pattern, is a central concept in meteorology. In the water cycle, the sun heats the Earth's surface water, causing that surface water to evaporate (gas). This water vapor then rises into the earth's atmosphere where it cools and condenses into liquid droplets. These droplets combine and grow until they become too heavy and fall to the earth as precipitation (liquid if rain, solid if snow). Water is temporarily stored in lakes, glaciers, underground, or living organisms. The water can move from these places by streams and rivers, returns to the oceans, is used by plants or animals or is evaporated directly back into the atmosphere. II. Module Goals-- students will: 1. Understand that water on earth moves in a continuous cycle. 2. Be able to name and explain the stages of the water cycle. III. Overview of the Module The students will then construct a terrarium as a way to observe the water cycle as a whole. IV. Introducing the Module Teach your students the "The WATER CYCLE BOOGIE." See lyrics in Attachment A. After teaching the song, have a class discussion to explore student s prior knowledge of the water cycle (Attachment B). Use the following questions to determine what concepts the students understand and to identify misconceptions. The objective of these introductory activities is to build interest in the water cycle. This activity will allow the students to use their prior knowledge about the water cycle and to spark their interest so that they want to learn more. Discussion questions: 1. Does the earth have more or less water now than 1,000 years ago? Explain. 2. From where does water that is on the ground come? 3. How does water get into the oceans? 4. What are clouds? 5. What are clouds made of? 6. How does rain form? 7. What do you think all those words we used when we sang the "Water Cycle Boogie" mean? After discussing these questions with your students, explain to them that they are going to build a terrarium to help them better understand the water cycle. Page 1 of 11
TADD Lesson Plan V. Activity Set Up The activity should be conducted in cooperative groups of 2-3 students. This will allow the students to have personal involvement in the activities and help them construct their own understanding of what is happening. This will require materials and set-up for each group. If small group works are not possible the activities might also be set up as centers. Groups of students could then rotate through each station. This approach would require fewer materials and less set up. A final option would be to conduct the activities as a teacher directed demonstration with the whole class observing. This would require fewer materials and less set up, however, it is recommended only if the two options discussed above are not possible. A. THE WHOLE WATER CYCLE 1. Materials for terrarium activity Potting soil A package of seeds e.g. marigold or pea Container for pouring water. A plastic container e.g. small like you can get at the grocery for salad. (Check with your local water department they may have the materials for a terrarium they will give you.) 2. Discussion questions a. Prior to building the terrarium How do all of the parts of the water cycle fit together? What would happen if one part was left out? b. After building the terrarium Observe what happens to the water in this closed container and help the students observe and describe the different parts of the water cycle they see in the terrarium. Keep track of your observations in a science journal. Each day look for the following things: What is the seed doing? On which parts of the terrarium do you see water? What new is happening in your terrarium today? 3. Procedures Review the Water Cycle Boogie and then have the students do it. Explain that each student will get to build or have their own terrarium to observe the water cycle. Provide each student with a small plastic container which can be covered tightly with either a clear lid or plastic wrap. Have each student put soil in the bottom, put a plant seed in the soil, and lightly water the soil. Cover the terrarium with the lid or plastic wrap and place in a location where it can get sunshine. Page 2 of 11
TADD Lesson Plan Water on the Move Game Students will play a "Water on the Move" game to deepen their understanding of the water cycle. I. Background for Teachers: Describe the water cycle. This activity requires students to have a basic understanding of the following science language and processes: Condensation occurs when water vapor in the air turns into liquid water, as on the outside of a cold glass of water. Evaporation is the opposite of condensation in that liquid water turns into water vapor. How fast water evaporates depends on the amount of water vapor already in the air (humidity), the temperature, the amount of surface area exposed to the air, and air movement over the surface of the water. Groundwater is the water beneath Earth's surface often found in saturated soil and rock. Groundwater supplies wells and springs. Water that falls to Earth in the form of rain, snow, hail, or sleet is called precipitation. The process of water going from a solid such as snow or ice to vapor gas is sublimation. Plants absorb water usually through their roots. This water is eventually evaporated into the atmosphere from the plant surface such as leaf spores through a process called transpiration. Water in a gas form is called water vapor. II. Instructional Procedures: A. Pre-Assessment/Invitation to Learn Brainstorm with the students different places where water is found on Earth. Tell them to be very specific (e.g., water falls, humidity, in the soil, groundwater, on leaves, etc.) Go over the words on the worksheet, Water on the Move. As these words are defined, tell where the water lists they have brainstormed fit in the vocabulary list. As a class, fill in the location blanks below the Travel Map (Attachment C). Use the general terms listed below for locations 2: Cloud, 3: Down Pour, 4: Rain Boots, 5: Well Pump, 6: River Bridge, 7: Row Boat, 8: Light House, 9: Ocean Liner, 10: Whale, 11: Airplane, and 12: Sun Beam. (Attachment D) B. Instructional Procedures 4. Divide the class into teams of 5 or 6, and give each team a pair of dice. 5. Give each team a Travel Diagram and Travel Log. C. Words to Use Condensation Groundwater/Aquifer Water Cycle Vapor Liquid Evaporation Precipitation Transpiration Sublimation Temperature Runoff Infiltration Page 3 of 11
TADD Lesson Plan D. How To Play 1. Each player rolls the dice to determine his or her starting location using the Travel Map. This location should be written on #1 of your Travel Log. 2. Each player then takes a turn rolling the dice to determine the new location. Record the new location on the Travel Log and tell how water can move from the previous location to the new one. You should use at least one of the words from the Words to Use section above. (For example, if the previous location is tree and the next location is air, a player could say that the water in the tree moves to the air through transpiration when the water is evaporated into the atmosphere from the leaves of the tree.) 3. If you land on the same location, roll again until a new location is determined. 4. The game ends when the Travel Log is completed. FLOODS I. Concept / Topic to Teach: Floods, Flood safety and Turn Around Don t Drown II. General Goal(s): A. To teach students what floods are and what causes floods B. To teach students about the power of fast moving water C. To teach students about the realities of flash flooding D. To teach students importance of Turn Around Don t Drown III. Anticipatory Set (Lead-In): A. What is a flood? We learned about the water cycle and that water is constantly on the move. But what happens when there is too much water? A flood results from days of heavy rain and/or melting snows, when rivers rise and go over their banks. B. What is a flash flood? A flash flood is sudden flooding that occurs when floodwaters rise rapidly with no warning within several hours of an intense rain. They often occur after intense rainfall from slow moving thunderstorms. In narrow canyons and valleys, floodwaters flow faster than on flatter ground and can be quite destructive. C. Can you name a dangerous substance in nature you must have to stay alive? (Water) D. What makes water so dangerous? (We can drown in water.) E. Sometimes it can rain so hard that streams and waterways fill up with water very fast. Who knows what we call that? (Flash Flood) Page 4 of 11
TADD Lesson Plan IV. Step-By-Step Procedures: A. Show the Flash Flood safety video. Ask students to watch and listen very carefully. http://www.schooltube.com/video/c601bb3135ce0f1ca866/flood-safety-geared-towards-kids-and-someadults B. Discuss the following principles that can be found in the safety video: Sometimes heavy rainstorms can quickly fill waterways with rushing water. People can t stand up in fast moving water. We should never play in waterways because we can t always tell when a flash flood might happen. Move to a safe area quickly. Move to higher ground, like the highest floor of your home. Avoid areas subject to sudden flooding like low spots and canyons. Avoid already flooded areas. If a flowing stream of water is above your ankles stop, turn around and go the other way. Do not attempt to drive through a flooded road. The depth of the water is not obvious and the road may be washed away. If your car stalls, leave it and seek higher ground. Rapidly rising water may engulf the car, pick it up and sweep it away. Turn Around Don t Drown. Kids should never play around high water, storm drains or viaducts. Be cautious at night, because it is harder to see flood dangers. If told to evacuate, do so immediately. V. Closure (Reflect Anticipatory Set): A. Who can remember the name of the dangerous substance in nature you must have to stay alive? (Water) B. What makes water so dangerous? (We can drown in water.) C. What do we call it when it rains so hard that streams and waterways fill up with water very fast? (Flash Flood) D. Do flash floods hurt people? (Flash floods are the #1 weather-related killer in the U.S. Nearly 80% of flash flood deaths are auto related. Know beforehand if your area is a flood risk.) E. How much water is needed for your car to float away? (A mere 2 feet of water can float a large vehicle or even a bus. This is why you should never drive through flooded roads.) F. How much water can knock a person off their feet? (Just 6 inches of rapidly moving flood water can knock a person down.) VI. Expanded Learning. A. Show the video What s That Warning? Flood vs. Flash Flood. Ask students to watch and listen very carefully. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=toobzfkcb3y B. Discuss with students NWS Issued Alerts and what they mean! Page 5 of 11
TADD Lesson Plan What is a FLOOD WATCH? An alert that means an overflow of water from a river is possible for your area. What is a FLASH FLOOD WATCH? An alert that means flash flooding is possible in or close to the watch area. Flash Flood Watches can be put into effect for as long as 12 hours, while heavy rains move into and across the area. What is a FLOOD WARNING? An alert that means flooding conditions are actually occurring in the warning area. What is a FLASH FLOOD WARNING? An alert that means flash flooding is actually occurring in the warning area. A warning can also be issued as a result of torrential rains, a dam failure or snow thaw. C. Ask students to draw a poster depicting the safety advice Turn Around Don t Drown. To win the poster contest a student must be in Grade 3-5. The prizes a student could win are as follows: $250 for first prize, $150 for second prize or $100 for third prize plus trophies and certificates to students. The deadline for submittal is April 1. See Attachment E, Flood Safety Poster Contest. Page 6 of 11
ATTACHMENT A Page 7 of 11
ATTACHMENT B Page 8 of 11
ATTACHMENT C Page 9 of 11
ATTACHMENT D 2. Location: 7. Location: 3. Location: 8. Location: 9. Location: 4. Location: 10. Location: 5. Location: 11. Location: 6. Location: 12. Location: Page 10 of 11
ATTACHMENT E Page 11 of 11