Water Systems Grade 8 Science

Water Systems:Grade 8 Science

Lesson 1: IntroductionDiscussion:- What comes to mind when you think about water?- Where do you use water? -What issues surround the use of water? -What have you heard in the media lately about water?

Water... An Economic? Social? Political? Or Environmental issue?1 issue? 2 issues? Or all?Why?Culminating Task:World Water Conference presenting a research article related to local, national and/or global water issues. Students will be working in pre-chosen groups of 3 or 4 Students identify the economic, political, social and environmental cause and effect relationships. Students will have to problem solve and present solutions for their water issue. Students will present their work in the form of a creative poster board and handout in their presentation booth in the water conference. These conferences will be open to classrooms in the school and other community members.

Possible Topics for Culminating:Research Topics for Students: Contamination PesticidesOil SpillsWells in other global areasNative Water ResourcesClimate change Natural Disasters (floods in India, Hurricane Katrina)Biodiversity (northern climates, polar bears)Consumption Water bottlesVarious countries consumptionWater Rights Exporting Water*Any other topic approved by the teacher

Rubric Creation:CriteriaLevel 4Level 3Level 2Level 1Possible Criteria:Professional and KnowledgeableIdentification of Issues (Content)Group WorkOrganization (poster and presentation)HandoutCommercial De-brief:http://bit.ly/e1Tqil (Brita Commercial about city vs. nature)http://bit.ly/eDAn9F (Africa Charity Commercial)http://bit.ly/i7jqYB (Nestle Pure Life Commercial) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEnlrE4iMBU&NR=1&feature=fvwp (Charity: Water)

-How does that affect our thinking? Who is producing the ad? What perspectives are shown in this ad?

Sustainability:-Is the ability of something to exist or be used at the same level for a long period of time without being damaged, harmed, or reduced for future useTask: Brainstorm a list of things that we can do to treat water sustainably. -Why is this important?

Remember, water is a local, national and global issue!

Lesson 2: States of WaterGet out your textbooks!Review pages 281-284 in textbook regarding states of water-Liquid (surface water, underground water)Solid (mountain glaciers, ice sheets, polar icecap)-Gas (water vapour, clouds)

Review pages 285 in text regarding Cycling Nature of Water

Liquid Water:Surface water- oceans, rivers, streams, lakes planets water reservoirUnderground water- as rain water falls, it soaks into the soil and flows down between the soil particles (the water sits on the upper surface which is the Water Table, the remainder sits in a reservoir called an aquifer)

Solid Water:Glaciers- mass of ice and overlying snow that moves slowly down a mountain slope under the influence of gravityIce Sheets- particularly large glacier that covers the landPolar Icecap- refers to the big ice masses at the polesGaseous WaterWater vapour- when liquid evaporates from oceans, lakes and riversClouds- made up of condensed droplets of water vapour

Thermal Energy:Thermal energy- As thermal (heat) energy increases, molecules increase and water can change state. As thermal energy increases, liquids can become a gas (molecules move faster and spread out) as thermal energy decreases, molecules come closer together and move slower.

An Aquifer

An aquifer is an underground layer of water-bearing permeable rock or unconsolidated materials (gravel, sand, silt, or clay) from which groundwater can be usefully extracted using a water well.Hydrologic CycleKey Words:CondensationPrecipitationGroundwater FlowEvaporation Sublimation (gas to solid) Deposition (solid to gas)

Continued...

TASK: Think/Pair/Share: Explain this cycle to a partner... And then share with the class!Photo Essay:

Social Justice images of Water Use: http://on.natgeo.com/hcfNc2

Discussion:1) What places in the world do not have equal access (distribution) to water?2) If we know water works in cycles and in systems, why do we have to be conscious about our pollution here?

Lesson 3: WatershedsWatersheds- pages 285-287A watershed is an area of land where all the water eventually drains into one main water body, such as a stream, wetland, lake, or ocean (p. 286)Activities that affect water in one part of the watershed therefore have an effect downstream in the watershed

Virtual Tour and Poster Creation:Ollie the Otter Virtual Tour: http://www.crd.bc.ca/watersheds/kidscorner/index.htm#-Watershed World: Farm, Marina, Gas station, Shopping Centre, City, etc

Awareness: How should you manage a watershed? What are some tips for awareness?

Graphic Organizer: Complete 6 sections of the 8. Factors Affecting Water Quality-The water that flows into your sink or bathtub has flowed through your local watershed.-Any human or natural activities in your watershed will affect the water that reaches your home.-All of these actions are connected to you because they have the potential to contaminate your water supply.Contaminants:Contaminants are contents that are harmful to humans and wildlife.There are 3 main categories:Biological (microscopic organisms such as bacteria and viruses)Chemical (dissolved substances from human or natural processes)Physical (all materials that do not dissolve in water)

Natural Water Table ChangesAs water cycles from water bodies to the atmosphere and back again, water levels naturally rise and fall. Major natural changes to the water table include:Flooding (too much water)Drought (not enough water)Earthquakes (shift groundwater)Human Causes of Water Table ChangeHumans sometimes overuse or misuse water, affecting water supply in these ways:Overuse of Wells (draining aquifers)Irrigation of Farms (moving water)Industrial Use (polluting water)Water Diversion (dams, locks, canals)Lesson 4: Investigating Water Issues Close to HomeRecall the commercials we watched about clean drinking water around the world

Is all Canadian Water clean? Who doesnt have clean water?2) A Water Contamination Clip- Pollutantshttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqNUTlY5foQ

3) Think/Pair/Share-Create a list of examples where water has been contaminated on a global, national and local level

4) Kashechwan vs. Walkerton Water Crisis (Articles)What are the main issues? What are the causes? What are the solutions?-What are the similarities? Differences?

Follow-Up Discussion:5) Debate: Should access to clean water be considered a human right and why?

6) Why are we studying water? Why is this such an important topic?

Remember:Clean drinking water is not only an international problem- there are issues close to home! There are inequality issues in regards to water

Why care?We need to create positive changes within our own communitiesWe need to become informed citizensLesson 5: Creating a Water Filtration SystemWhat are some water issues we have been discussing? What have we discussed so far in the unit in terms of contaminants?

Media Clip Demonstration on why water contamination has become such an epidemic within our worldhttp://www.circleofblue.org/waternews/2009/world/video-no-reason/*The video highlights these challenges for global economic leaders. The message: Do not forget the role water plays in every aspect of the global economy.

Media Clip Recap:The video describes in surprising images and unlikely pacing the roles water and water scarcity play in the global economy

We took a different approach to illuminating the topic, said Eric Daigh, the films producer. In the video we step sideways and do something that connects with people in new ways. We all know how many people lack access to safe fresh water. We all know how many die each year from dirty water. But we need to have the epiphany moment, to grasp the interaction between water and agriculture, the economy, culture and conflict.

Experiment: You have been hired by a water treatment plant to build the most efficient water filtration system*Hypothesis, Procedure, Observations, Debrief for discussion, Reflection

Experiment De-brief:1)Why was the water contaminated with dirt effectively filtered using their filtration systems, while the water with food colouring still remained unclear?

2) What does the food colouring represent? De-brief Continued...3) Why would/wouldnt you drink the water from your water filtration system?

4) What connections can we make from this experiment to what we have been discussing so far?

Experiment: ReflectionWhat would you change if you could re-build your system?What can you do to improve our water system? What ideas can you propose to stop the contamination of water? *Remember to relate your answers to today's discussions and experiment!

Lesson 6: Human Influences on WaterSomething to think about:How much water do you think you consume or use on a daily basis? (How many liters?)

The amount of water consumed in the world is currently: 550, 386 billion liters and growing by the minute

Water Articles/Research:Outline 6-10 interesting facts in regards to each brochure or reading. List this information on chart paper to share with the class.

Your Water Footprint!-Complete the water foot print quiz athttp://www.waterfootprint.org/?page=cal/WaterFootprintCalculator -record the size of your water footprint on your piece of paper

Water Around the World!

Canadas Footprint-Video outlining how Canada is attempting to lessen their water footprinthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcb4db7_xbI Lesson Debrief:-Brainstorm ways you can individually consume and use less water and create a mind map.

Lets Get Creative!-You are expected to create an action plan (commercial, skit, song, etc) within your group in which you share information with the class on what you read-Refer to the rubric!Lesson 7: Guest Speaker

Lesson 8: The Impact of Fluid SpillsNot every oil spill is the same

DisasterIn March of 1989, a huge ocean tanker called the Exxon Valdez bottomed out as it struck a reef near Alaska, dumping more than 50 million liters of crude oil into the oceanThis spill is widely known as one of the worst disasters of all time, killing thousands of birds, fish and other marine life.

Oil Spills on WaterWhen oil is added to water, it floats on top of the surface and spreads out, making it easier to find.This happens because oil is less dense than waterOil Density: 0.88g/cm3 Water Density: 1.0g/cm3Impact on the EnvironmentWaves and wind can have an effect on the amount of environmental damage.There are many methods that can be used to clean up oil spills, including:Booms (contain the spill)Skimmers (act like vacuums to remove oil)Sorbents (sponge-like materials soak up oil)Dispersants (break down the oil)Burning (using fire to burn off the oil)Oil Spills on LandSince the oil does not spread as quickly on land, the spill is usually more localized.Sometimes, contaminated soil must be removed after a spill is cleaned upThe average cost of cleaning up an oil spill is between $20 and $200 for every liter spilled.If we manage oil carefully, we can reduce the chance of spills.Lesson 9: The Water Treatment PlantFirst, the raw water must pass through filters to remove solid contaminants.Chemicals are then added to kill any microorganisms that were not already filtered.This water now is ready to be pumped into homes and businesses.The process can be very expensive.

Testing Water QualityIn many places, people use to be unaware that they could become sick or die from drinking contaminated water.Today, water samples from treatment plants are sent to scientists in laboratories to test.Sometimes, the problem could be the water itself, but it could also be a problem with the pipes, holding tanks, or radioactivity.