EARTH SCIENCE     Earth Systems _____________________________________________________________________   Grades 3-5 Lessons:   A Living Watershed Standards Alignment: Grades 3-5 Topics Covered: Diversity and Interdependence of Life; Earth Systems Lesson Synopsis: Using the local watershed as a classroom, students have the opportunity to understand basic ecological concepts, conduct scientific inquiries, understand the interdependence between science, technology, and mathematics in an urban community, develop competency in the use of technology equipment, and develop co-operative working relations in this unit. Promotes stewardship for our earth. Link to Lesson: http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEC/AEF/1996/droege_watershed.html A Lot of Litter Standards Alignment: Grades 3-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, recycling; Diversity and Interdependence Lesson Synopsis: Students will be able to: identify sources of litter as they read through a play; take a leadership role and address public issues as they deliver a presentation to their peers; and identify and assess the possibilities of group decision making, cooperative activity and the elements of the rules of fair play. Link to Lesson: A Lot of Litter (pdf document) Acid Rain and Its Effect Standards Alignment: Grades 5-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems; Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students work in groups for up to three weeks to investigate the possibility of acid rain in your area and to investigate the damage that acid rain can do to buildings, monuments, and plants. Each group will prepare a report to local government that details their findings. Link to Lesson: http://pals.sri.com/tasks/5-8/AcidRain/ Alice in Waterland Standards Alignment: Grades 3, 5, 6-8 (Heavy Hitter grades 6-8) Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Water Cycle, Hydrologic Cycle, Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students use a simulated field trip, lecture discussion, and student-gathered data to explore water use and its effects on wildlife habitat. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this Project Wild Aquatic lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Cleaning Up Standards Alignment: Grades 4 and 7 Topics Covered: Earth Systems Lesson Synopsis: The student will identify ways to prevent surface water pollution and simulate the removal of pollutants from water by filtration. Link to Lesson: Cleaning Up (pdf document) To Dam or Not to Dam Standards Alignment: Grades 4-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Diversity & Interdependence of Life, Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students portray individuals representing differing perspectives and concerns related to the potential positive and negative effects from constructing a dam on a river. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this Project Wild Aquatic lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Designing a Habitat Standards Alignment: Grades 3-8 (Heavy Hitter for gr. 7) Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Diversity & Interdependence of Life, Habitats, Interactions, Heredity Lesson Synopsis: Students design a habitat suitable for aquatic wildlife to survive in a zoo or an aquarium. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this Project Wild Aquatic lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Garbage Bag Watershed Standards Alignment: Grades 5 and 7 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, precipitation; Diversity and Interdependence of Life Lesson Synopsis: Students build a tabletop watershed model to determine where rain and snowmelt flows and demonstrate non-point source pollution and ways to prevent this pollution. Link to Lesson: Garbage Bag Watershed (pdf document) Get the Groundwater Picture Standards Alignment: Grades 3-7 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Life Science, Diversity and Interdependence of Life Lesson Synopsis: Students will “get the ground water picture” and learn about basic ground water principles as they create their own geologic cross section or earth window. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Wet website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/3501/Default.aspx Hazardous Materials Survey Standards Alignment: Grades 5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems Lesson Synopsis: Students conduct a survey of school or home to determine kinds of hazardous materials that are being used. Link to Lesson: Hazardous Materials Survey (pdf document) How Big is a Crowd? Standards Alignment: Grades 5 Earth Science; Grade 7 Life Science Topics Covered: Earth Systems; Diversity and Interdependence of Life Lesson Synopsis: Students compare the relative sizes of the five Great Lakes and their human populations as well as describe some of the problems that arise when many people depend on a limited resource. Link to Lesson: How Big is a Crowd? (pdf document) How Does Crop Cover and Mulch Affect Soil Loss? Standards Alignment: Grade 5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, erosion Lesson Synopsis: Using soil boxes, students will compare how much soil gets carried off bare soil from rain as compared to soil covered with crops or mulch. Link to Lesson: How Does Crop Cover and Mulch Affect Soil Loss? (pdf document) How Does Your Stream Flow? Standards Alignment: Grades 3-5, 7 Topics Covered: Processes that Shape the Earth; Earth Systems; Diversity and Interdependence of Life Lesson Synopsis: Using a Stream Table, students will become familiar with stream features and the natural processes of erosion and deposition. They will also experiment with materials that might encourage more natural patterns of sediment movement and deposition. They will also explore the impacts of altering streams. Link to Lesson: How Does Your Stream Flow? (pdf document) How Long Does it Take to Disappear? Standards Alignment: Grade 5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems Lesson Synopsis: Students will make a time line describing how long it will take various items to decompose. Link to Lesson: How Long Does it Take to Disappear? (pdf document) Just Passing Through Standards Alignment: Grades 4-5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Processes that shape the earth Lesson Synopsis: In a whole-body activity, students investigate how vegetation affects the movement of water over land surfaces. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Wet website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/3501/Default.aspx Macroinvertebrate Mayhem Standards Alignment: Grades 3-5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Life Science, Diversity and Interdependence of Life Lesson Synopsis: Students play a game of tag to simulate the effects of environmental stressors on macroinvertebrate populations Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Wet website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/3501/Default.aspx Modeling a Catchment Basin Standards Alignment: Grades 3-5, 6-8 Topics Covered: Life Sciences; Ecosystems: Science and Technology; Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students will construct a 3-dimensional model of a catchment basin or watershed. They will use the model to explore catchment basins, water pathways, and manipulate the model to illustrate how basins (and water pathways) can change. Link to Lesson: http://www.globe.gov/tctg/hydro_la_modelcatchment.pdf?sectionId=160 N, T, B: Pollutants Three Standards Alignment: Grades 5 and 7 Topics Covered: Earth Systems Lesson Synopsis: The student will do list and describe three types of surface water pollution (nutrient, bacterial, toxic); observe the effects of various water pollutants on algae growth and illustrate a cause of each of the three types of pollution. Link to Lesson: N, T, B: Pollutants Three (pdf document) Pollution on the Move Standards Alignment: Grades 5,7 Topics Covered: Earth Systems; Human Impact on Earth; Diversity and Interdependence of Life, Interaction of Organisms Lesson Synopsis: Students will be able to: describe pollution; identify sources of natural and human-made pollutants; explain how pollutants enter and move through the environment; and explain how recycling reduces pollution. Link to Lesson: Pollution on the Move (pdf document) Additional Handouts used with this lesson: Mapping Pollution, Pollution Clues, Venn Diagram Pollution Search Standards Alignment: Grades 3-8 (Heavy Hitter gr. 5) Topics Covered: Earth Systems; pollution Lesson Synopsis: Here’s a way for your students to take a closer look at pollution: what it is, what its sources are, and what are some things people can do to reduce it. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Learning Tree website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5116/Default.aspx Puddles and Soil Standards Alignment: Grades 5-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems; Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students study four samples of "rain water." The students are asked to determine the pH of the samples and then to neutralize them. Link to Lesson: http://pals.sri.com/tasks/5-8/Pollution/ Role of Plants in Water Filtration Standards Alignment: Grades 4-7 Topics Covered: Diversity and Interdependence of Life; Earth Systems Lesson Synopsis: Students will experiment with plants and pollutants to understand the role of plants in filtering water moving through a watershed. Link to Lesson: http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/activity_grades_4-8_plantsinwaterfiltration.html Stream Dynamics Standards Alignment: Grade 4 Topics Covered: Earth Systems; erosion, water cycle Lesson Synopsis: The purpose of this lesson is to compare a natural stream with one that has been straightened in an urban area. The student will se how water movers slower in a meandering stream. They will also look at how a meandering stream is actually longer than a straight stream. Link to Lesson: Stream Dynamics (pdf document) Target Splash Erosion Standards Alignment: Grade 4 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, erosion Lesson Synopsis: Students will demonstrate splash erosion and determine its impact on bare soil. Link to Lesson: Target Splash Erosion (pdf document) The Water Cycle Standards Alignment: 4-7 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, the Water Cycle Lesson Synopsis: Students will discover how water is created in nature and the path it takes to reach our rivers, streams, and taps. Using the scientific method, students will conduct an experiment that simulates the water cycle. Link to Lesson: http://www.thirteen.org/h2o/educators_lesson2.html Water Use & Conservation Standards Alignment: 4-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, the Water Cycle, Human Impact on the Environment Lesson Synopsis: Students will learn what it means to conserve water, and will monitor their family’s water use, as well as propose methods for home water conservation. Link to Lesson: http://www.thirteen.org/h2o/educators_lesson4.html To Dam or Not to Dam Standards Alignment: Grades 4-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Diversity & Interdependence of Life, Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students portray individuals representing differing perspectives and concerns related to the potential positive and negative effects from constructing a dam on a river. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this Project Wild Aquatic lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Waste Watchers Standards Alignment: Grades 3-8 (Heavy Hitter gr. 5-7) Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Human Impact on Earth; Nature of Matter; Nature of Energy, Energy Types/Sources Lesson Synopsis: In this activity, students can take a look at how they use energy in their own homes and how they can reduce the amount of energy they waste. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Learning Tree website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5116/Default.aspx Water Canaries Standards Alignment: Grades 5-8 (Heavy Hitter grades 5 & 7) Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Water Quality, Diversity & Interdependence of Life, Interactions Lesson Synopsis: Students investigate a stream or pond using sampling techniques (pH, water temperature, and the presence of a diversity of organisms). Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this Project Wild Aquatic lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Water Holding Capacity of Soil Standards Alignment: Grades 5-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems; Rocks, Minerals, Soil Lesson Synopsis: The retention of water by different materials affects their use by plants and animals. In this activity, students design a method to determine the water-holding capacity of sand, soil, and moss. Link to Lesson: http://pals.sri.com/pals/tasks/9-12/WaterCapacity/ Water Pollution Standards Alignment: Grades 5-8 Topics Covered: Earth Systems; Human Impact Lesson Synopsis: Students study four samples of "rain water." The students are asked to determine the pH of the samples and then to neutralize them. Link to Lesson: http://pals.sri.com/tasks/5-8/Pollution/ Watersheds: The Clean Up Job Standards Alignment: Grade 5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, watersheds, pollution Lesson Synopsis: Students will experiment to discover the importance of soil and healthy watersheds in cleaning water. Link to Lesson: Watersheds: The Clean Up Job (pdf document) Wetland Metaphors Standards Alignment: Grades 5, 7, 8 (Heavy Hitter grades 5 & 7) Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Diversity & Interdependence of Life Lesson Synopsis: Students are presented with a selection of objects to investigate as metaphors for the natural functions of wetlands. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Where Does the Water Run? Standards Alignment: Grades 4-8 (Heavy Hitter gr. 7) Topics Covered: Earth Systems, Water Cycle, Diversity & Interdependence of Life, Habitats, Nature of Matter, Interactions Lesson Synopsis: Students will describe relationships among precipitations, runoff, and aquatic habitats, using measurements they take in the field about these items. Link to Lesson: Not available in electronic format at this time. To obtain this lesson, visit the Project Wild website at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/tabid/5864/Default.aspx Working Together to Prevent Pollution Standards Alignment: Grades 5 Topics Covered: Earth Systems, pollution Lesson Synopsis: Students will distinguish between point source and non-point source pollution; list ways to prevent non-point source pollution; sing a song about working together. Link to Lesson: Working Together to Prevent Pollution (pdf document)