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TeachNet Grant: Running Water

Meryl Meisler
mmeisle@schools.nyc.gov

Institute for Collaborative Education

345 East 15th Street

New York, NY 10010


Grade/Subject: 6 (can be adapted for grades 5 – 8): Earth Science, English Language Arts, Art

About the Grant:

Materials: Computers with Internet connection, QuickTime movie-making software such as iMovie or Premiere Elements, animation software such as Flash, video camera (optional)

http://eduplace.com/graphicorganizer/pdf/kwl.pdf KWL Graphic Organizer

http://xinsight.ca/tools/storyboard.html Storyboard Template

 

 

Description:

Students learn about conserving and protecting one of the greatest natural resources and necessities of life: water.

 

How it Works:

Running Water involves an in-depth study of water, its components, and its many uses. There is a special focus on how best to protect this incredibly important natural resource. Middle-schoolers study the water cycle and learn just how limited fresh water is on our planet.

 

Final Project/Product:

Students create short movies and animations educating their peers about water: where it comes from, its many uses, and how we can each help conserve it. 

 

Overall Value:

Your class will develop a greater appreciation of the miracle of the water coming out of their faucet. They use the Internet to learn how humanity has struggled to harness this essential natural resource and how their very existence has been dependent on it. The students will use a variety of multimedia techniques to reinforce their own learning and to teach their peers about the importance of protecting and conserving water.

 

Tips for the Teacher:

Contact your local Environmental Protection Agency. They will be able to supply educational materials, pamphlets, possible guest lecturers, field trip opportunities, and real-world outlets for students on their websites and at science fairs and film festivals.

Project URL

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/forest-and-water-by-eliza

Forests and Water, an animation by Eliza C.

 

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/the-water-cycle-by-brittany-k

The Water Cycle by Brittney K.

 

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/world-without-water-by-nicky-c

A World Without Water by Nicky C.

 

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/it-starts-with-you-by-emmy-h

It Starts With You by Emmy H.

Objectives

1. Students will learn about the water cycle.

2. Students will learn where their own water supply comes from.

3. Students will learn about the Earth’s water supply.

4. Students will learn how much water it takes to do several everyday activities.

5. Students will learn how to reduce water usage.

6. Students will learn some of the physical and chemical properties of water.

7. Students will learn about watershed protection.

8. Students will learn about potential sources of pollution that reduce water quality.

10. Students will collaborate to plan and produce short animations and movies to educate their peers about water.

Websites Used

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/msac.html

All About Water - the US Geological Survey's Water Science for Schools information site. This is the interactive section of their extensive site where students can answer challenge questions, give opinions, and participate in questionnaires about water issues.   

http://water.usgs.gov/outreach/OutReach.html

This site provides water education posters online and in printable PDF format. Posters are available for both elementary and middle school in English and Spanish.

             

http://nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drinking_water/wsmaps_wide.shtml

This site shows maps of New York City ’s water supply system.

             

http://ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dep/html/drinking_water/history.shtml

This site provides a history of New York City ’s water system.

 

http://popularmechanics.com/science/earth/1484317.html

Digging NYC Water Tunnel No. 3:  Blasting through miles of bedrock, sandhogs are the unsung heroes of New York 's water system. This site offers fabulous photos of this great public water work in progress.

 

http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/droplet.html

Droplet and The Water Cycle: NASA makes it fun for learners by simulating the journey a water molecule takes as it travels the water cycle.

 

http://epa.gov/ow/kids.html

The Environmental Protection Agency site offers projects, art, and experiments to involve students in environmental protection.

             

http://watereducation.org/doc.asp?id=1022

This is the site of the Water Education Foundation, a resource for information about water resource issues.

http://printablepaper.net/category/storyboard

This site has printable storyboard templates.

             

http://nyc.gov/html/dep/html/environmental_education/index.shtml

The NYC Department of Environmental Protection site is a must for New York City educators. It is full of information about resources, trips, trout in the classroom, and numerous grant opportunities

Standards Addressed:

Standard 1:

Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Grade: 6

Subject: Science and Technology

 

Standard 2:

Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

Grade: 6

Subject: Science and Technology

 

Standard 3:

Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.

Grade: 6

Subject: Science and Technology

 

Standard 4:

Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

Grade: 6

Subject: Science and Technology

 

Standard 5:

Students will actively engage in the processes that constitute creation and performance in the arts (dance, music, theatre, and visual arts) and participate in various roles in the arts.

Grade: 6

Subject: The Arts

 

Standard 6:

Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in the arts in various roles.

Grade: 6

Subject: The Arts

 

Standard 7:

Students will respond critically to a variety of works in the arts, connecting the individual work to other works and to other aspects of human endeavor and thought.

Grade: 6

Subject: The Arts

 

Standard 8:

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding.

Grade: 6

Subject: English Language Arts

 

Standard 9:

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people.

Grade: 6

Subject: English Language Arts

Lesson 1:

Day 1 - 2

 

Title: What do you KWL about H20?

 

Project Objectives:

1. Students will identify what they already know and what they want to know about water

2. Students will identify the kind of water they drink at home.

3. Students will identify where their home water comes from.

4. Students will participate in interactive surveys where they can answer challenge questions, give opinions, and participate in questionnaires concerning water issues.

 

 

Materials:

· computers with Internet connection

· notebook and pencil or pen

· KWL chart

 

Lesson One

Procedures:

1. Prior to class, teacher prints out copies of the KWL graphic organizer so that each student can have their own copy. On each computer, bookmark  http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/msac.html

2. On the board, the teacher writes in large letters: H2O=WATER.

And “Do Now: In your own words, describe what H2O is and why it is important to you.”

3. The students write their responses in their notebooks.

4. Ask the students to share their answers aloud, then write their responses in a web format on the board.

5. Tell the class that they are going to make "a big splash" by creating educational films about water.

6. Distribute the KWL charts, and ask each student to write "H20=Water" on top. Ask them to fill in the columns “What I Already Know “ and “What I Want To Know.”

7. Ask the students to share their responses. Find connections between the students' answers and interests.

8. Prior to class, bookmark

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/msac.html

Tell the students that they are going to take part in an important worldwide survey conducted by the Georgia Water Science Center. Individually (or in groups of 2-3), students log onto http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/msac.html and answer challenge questions, give opinions, and participate in questionnaires concerning water issues.

 

 

Homework:

Students tart and keep a water diary throughout the unit. They write the date, time, and written and/or visual description of each occurrence when they used water each day. They can also estimate how much water was used.

 

 

Assessment:

Did the students complete the KWL chart? Did they share their information aloud with their classmates and find connections with each other’s responses? Did the students participate in the interactive online survey concerning water issues?

Lesson 2:

Day 2-3:

Title: Mapping Water

 

Project Objectives:

1. Students will collaboratively decipher content on maps about water.

2. Students will write an age-appropriate explanation of information found on water maps.

3. Students will present their research about water to their classmates.

4. Students will create their own water maps.

 

 

Materials:

· printed-out water education posters found at http://water.usgs.gov/outreach/OutReach.html

· paper

· pencils

 

 

Procedures:

 

1. Prior to class, print out the grade- and language-appropriate posters at http://water.usgs.gov/outreach/OutReach.html   and make at least two photocopies of each poster.

2. Elicit from the class what maps are and we use them. Elicit why (or why not) bodies of water are important to include on maps.

3. Divide the class into nine groups.

4. Each group will be given two copies of one of the following maps: coastal hazards, watersheds, hazardous waste, wetlands, water use, waste water, navigation, ground water, and water quality.

5. Instruct the groups to collaboratively "read" the information on the map. Each group will write an explanation of the information on the map and what it illustrates about water. The group will give 4- to 5-minute oral presentations to the entire class about what they learned on day 3.

6. On day 3, each group makes their presentation. If need be, continue presentations on day 4.

7. Hang a copy of each map and each group's written report in your classroom.

 

Homework: 

Continue water-use diary. Each student makes a map of incoming and outgoing sources of water in their home. This map can be fanciful (not accurate).

 

 

Assessment:

Did the groups interpret their water map? Did each group make a written explanation of their water map? Did each group present their findings to the class? Did each student make a map of their own water supply system at home?

Lesson 3:

Title: Sandhogs and New York City's Water Supply

 

 

Project Objectives:

1. Students will be familiarized with the history of New York City's water supply system.

2. Students will learn what a reservoir is.

3. Students will learn what an aqueduct is.

4. Students will learn about sandhogs and Tunnel Number 3.

 

 

 

Materials:

· pencils, paper

· computers with internet connection or printed out maps of NYC Water system  found at http://nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drinking_water/wsmaps_wide.shtml

· printed-out history of New York City's water supply system http://ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dep/html/drinking_water/history.shtml

 

 

Procedures:

1. Prior to class, bookmark http://ci.nyc.ny.us/html/dep/html/drinking_water/history.shtml and http://nyc.gov/html/dep/html/drinking_water/wsmaps_wide.shtml   and http://popularmechanics.com/science/earth/1484317.html

2. Have students silently read the history of the New York City water supply system. Ask them to underline or make a list of words and phrases they did not understand.

3. Elicit the list of words they were not sure of and write them on the board. Allow students time to look up the meaning of the words in a dictionary or on dictionary.com

4. Ask for student volunteers to read the history aloud to the entire class.

5. At the end of every paragraph, discuss with the class the meaning of the "mystery" words in the context of what they just read.

6. Distribute to each student (or have them look online) the map of the New York City water supply system.

7. Ask the students to imagine where they would place another tunnel to bring water to NYC and why?

8. Students, individually or in small groups go to http://popularmechanics.com/science/earth/1484317.html to read out Sandhogs and the NYC Tunnel # 3. Discuss the article aloud.

9. Students try to locate on the New York City water map where the new tunnel will be built.

 

 

Homework:

Continue water-use diary. Write an entry imagining you are a person in New York City in the 1700 or 1800s writing to their family abroad describing the water access situation.

 

Assessment:

Did the students discuss the history of water supply in New York? Did the students find the meanings of aqueduct, reservoir, and well? Did the students discuss the article about Sandhogs and the NYC Tunnel #3?

Lesson 4

Title: The Water Cycle Game

 

Project Objectives:

1. Students will learn about condensation.

2. Students will learn about precipitation.

3. Students will learn about infiltration.

4. Students will learn about runoff.

5. Students will learn about evapotranspiration.

 

 

Materials:

· computers with internet access

· notebook and pencil

 

Procedures:

1. Prior to class, bookmark http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/droplet.html

2. Elicit from students what they think a life cycle is.

3. Elicit what they think a water cycle is.

4. Individually or in pairs, have each student play the interactive online game "Droplet and The Water Cycle."

5. Write the words condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration on the board.

6.  Instruct the students to take notes about what they learn about the words written on the board while playing the game.

7. At the end of the game, elicit from the class what they learned about the water cycle and the terms written on the board.

 

Homework:

Continue water diary.

 

Assessment:

Did the students find and discuss the meaning of: water cycle, condensation, precipitation, infiltration, runoff, and evapotranspiration?

 

Lesson 5 (Day 5 - 10 or more)

 

Title: Running Water Movies

 

Project Objectives:

1. Students will teach their peers about water.

2. Students will plan and produce short educational movies or animations about water.

 

 

 

Materials:

· storyboard forms

· pencils

· animation software such as Flash

· video camera (optional)

· movie-editing software such as iMovie or Premiere Elements.

 

 

Procedures:

1. Prior to class bookmark the student-made educational animations and movies about water:

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/forest-and-water-by-eliza

Forests and Water, an animation by Eliza C

 

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/the-water-cycle-by-brittany-k

The Water Cycle by Brittney K.

 

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/world-without-water-by-nicky-c

A World Without Water by Nicky C.

 

http://iceayv.ning.com/video/it-starts-with-you-by-emmy-h

It Starts With You by Emmy H.

2 Review with students some of the important things they have learned about water in the past four (or more) days. Print out enough copies of blank storyboards for each student in your class http://printablepaper.net/category/storyboard

 

3. Elicit from the students why they think it is important to conserve and preserve water.

4. Have the students view the samples of previous student animations/films about water that you bookmarked.

5. Elicit from students the following about each of the projects:

What is the story?

Who was the intended audience?

What is the message?

What is the style of the movie?

6. Have student brainstorm ideas for their own educational movies about water. Write their responses on the board.

7. In small groups, students decide upon a short movie or animation they would like to make.

8. The groups decide:

What is the story?

Who is the intended audience?

What is the message?

What will be the style of the movie?

Which members of the group will be responsible for various tasks (research, sound, animation, acting, and editing).

9. The group researches their topic online and/or at the classroom library.

10. The groups storyboard their plan.

11. The groups go into production phase (filming, editing, and animating).

12. Convert the completed movies to QuickTime.

13. Hold a Running Water Film Festival!

 

Homework:

Continue water diary.

 

 

Assessment:

Did the students critically discuss the water movie samples?

Did the students preplan and produce their own educational short movies or animations about water?

Did the students screen their Running Water movies to their peers?

Meryl Meisler is an artist and an educator. She has taught art in the New York City Public School System since 1979. At the Institute for Collaborative Education, she teaches digital and traditional art. Meryl proudly served as a teacher representative on the Board of Trustees of The Teachers Network from 2000 - 2009. She has won numerous grants and awards for her teaching and personal artwork.


 

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