MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE
8th Grade Theme: Systems
Unit 8-Va
Unit Question: What Affects the Systems of Fluid Earth?
Focus Question: Why Are Earth’s Fresh Waters Important?
HSCE and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) level
E4.1A Compare and contrast surface water systems (lakes, rivers, streams,
wetlands) and groundwater in regard to their relative size as Earth’s
freshwater reservoirs and the dynamics of water movement (inputs and
outputs, residence times, sustainability). (2)
E4.1B Explain the features and processes of groundwater systems and how
the sustainability of North American aquifers has changed in recent history
(e.g., the past 100 years) qualitatively using the concepts of recharge,
residence time, inputs and outputs. ( 2)
Key Concepts
Aquifers, biosphere, freshwater reservoirs, groundwater, hydrogeology,
hydrosphere, inputs, land use, outputs, recharge, rivers, streams, surface water
lakes, sustainability, water quality, wetlands, residence times.
Cross Curricular Connections:
ELA: Writing Explanations; Social Studies: Persuasive Writing- Taking a Stand, Inventions (industrial revolution) impact on water usage;
Career Pathways: Marine Biologist (Prentice Hall Earths Waters pp. x-3), Oceanographer; Math: analyzing data from graphs
March-April
Weeks 24-29
TEACHING OBJECTIVES AND RESOURCES
1.
Determine prior knowledge/student understanding of GLCE. (Pre-Assessment Item(s))
2.
Describe how Earth’s water is distributed.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp.14-15, skills activity p. 15
 Website: www.miseagrant.umich.edu/flow/unit2.html
 Optional Resource: MEECS Water Quality Kit- lesson 1: Where is All the Water in the World?
Describe a river system.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 20-21
 Transparency: H7
 All In One Teaching Resource: Surface Water (Guided Reading) pp. 66-69, Surface Water (Review and Reinforce) p. 70; The Columbia River
Debate (enrich) p. 71
3.
4.
Explain how ponds and lakes form.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 22-25, Lab Zone Skills Activity p.24
 All in One Teaching Resource: Surface Water (Review and Reinforce) p. 70
5.
Describe the common types of freshwater wetlands and important functions they serve.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters s pp. 28-33, Lab Zone Discover Activity p. 28, Lab Zone Try This Activity p. 32
 Transparency: H10
 All In One Teaching Resource: Wetland Environments (Guided Reading) pp. 74-76, Wetland Environments (Review and Reinforce) p. 77; The
Shrinking Everglades (enrich) p. 78
 Science Explorer Video Exploration: Earth: The Water Planet
 Website: www.miseagrant.umich.edu/flow/unit2.html
6.
Describe how water moves through underground layers of soil and rock.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 34-35
 Transparency: H12
 All In One Teaching Resource: Water Underground (Guided Reading) pp. 81-83, Water Underground (Review and Reinforce) p. 84; A Model
Aquifer (enrich) p. 85
* Optional Resource: MEECS Water Quality Kit - lesson 5: Why Care About Groundwater?
7.
Explain how people obtain water from an aquifer.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters. pp. 36-39, Lab Zone- Design Your Own Lab pp. 40-41 (pp. 86-88 in All-In-One)
 Transparency: H13
Compare and contrast surface water systems and groundwater in regard to relative size and the dynamics of water movement.
 Foldables
 Venn Diagrams
 Thinking Map- Bubble: to identify characteristics of each type of surface water and groundwater
 Thinking Map- Double Bubble: to compare and contrast
8.
9.
Explain what a drought is and how it affects an aquifer.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 78-79, Lab Zone- Design Your Own Lab pp. 40-41
10. Identify ways that people use water and describe ways to conserve available fresh water.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters, Lab Zone Discover Activity p. 48, Tech and Design Timeline pp. 50-51, Writing in Science p. 51
 Compare water uses from 100 years ago to now- relate to social studies and industrial revolution. Discuss effects on aquifer.
 All In One Teaching Resource: Water Supply and Demand (Review and Reinforce) p. 124; Whose Water is it? (Enrich) p. 125
 Website: www.PHSchool.com web code cfd-3021- Water Conservation
 Science Explorer Video Explorations: Freshwater Resources (video field trip)
* Optional Resource: MEECS Water Quality Kit – lesson 2: How We Use Water
SAMPLE BELLWORK/DO NOW
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Where is most water on Earth found?
Why can’t people directly use water from the ocean for drinking?
Write the words marsh, swamp, and bog on the board. Ask- What is
similar about all three of these areas?
How does water fill up spaces underground?
Give two examples of how you used water today.
Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters – Math
Analyzing Data p. 54, p.56
What effects can an increased demand for water have on society?
SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS
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Foldable comparing 2 surface water systems.
Foldable comparing a surface water system to groundwater
Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters: Lab ZoneChapter Project p. 47
Debate Selling of Great Lakes Water
Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters: Lab Zone Build
Inquiry p. 51 TE
Write an explanation for the focus question.
Thinking Map: Tree Map classifying types of surface water
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE
8th Grade Theme: Systems
Unit 8-Vb
Unit Question: What Affects the Systems of Fluid Earth?
Focus Question: How does the use of land affect water quality?
HSCE and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) level
E4.1C Explain how water quality in both groundwater and surface systems is
impacted by land use decisions. (2)
Key Concepts
Aquifers, biosphere, freshwater reservoirs, groundwater, hydrogeology,
hydrosphere, inputs, land use, outputs, recharge, rivers, streams, surface water
lakes, sustainability, water quality, wetlands, watershed, agricultural practices,
urbanization, industrialization impact on water quality,
Cross Curricular Connections:
ELA: Writing Explanations; Social Studies: industrial revolution inventions, Career Pathways: Environmental Scientist, Ecologist
March- April
Weeks 24-29
TEACHING OBJECTIVES AND RESOURCES
11. Identify sources of water pollution.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 68-77, Chapter Project p. 47
 All In One Teaching Resource- Freshwater Pollution (Guided Reading) pp. 141-144
 Presentation Express- Video: Freshwater Resources- Freshwater Pollution: Acid Rain
 Website: www.miseagrant.umich.edu/flow/unit2.html
 Optional Resources: Science Explorer Video Exploration: Land, Water, and Air Resources (from Environmental Science Book); LeTUS
Unit- What is the Water like in our River? Lesson 1: What is Water Quality?
12. Determine how run-off carries pollution to water sources.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 68-77, Discover Activity p. 68
 Transparency: H22
 All In One Teaching Resource- Freshwater Pollution (Review and Reinforce) p. 145; Location, Location (Enrich) p. 146
13. Determine how land use decisions affect water quality.
 MEECS Water Quality Kit- lesson 4: Ho Do Land Uses Affect Water Quality?
* Optional Resource: LeTUS Unit- What is the Water like in our River? Lesson 7: Land Cover and Our River
SAMPLE BELLWORK/DO NOW
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What is water pollution?
What are some sources of water pollution?
Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters Lab Zone Skills
Activity p. 71
How can rainfall on a city street or farm field move into groundwater
or surface water?
How can run-off carry pollution to water sources?
Show transparency H22 and have students identify potential
problems.
SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS
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Students draw a path of a pesticide used on a farm field to a lake
some distance away.
Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters p. 77 2b, 2c,
3b (incorporate writing of explanations.
Create Posters promoting ways to reduce water pollution
Analyze water samples from the Detroit River
Write and Explanation: How does land use affect water quality.
Thinking Maps: Flow Map tracing path of pollution to a river
or lake
MIDDLE SCHOOL SCIENCE INSTRUCTIONAL GUIDE
8th Grade Theme: Systems
Unit 8-Vc
Unit Question: What Affects the Systems of Fluid Earth?
Focus Question: What are the characteristics of ocean water?
HSCE and Depth of Knowledge (DOK) level
E4.2A Describe the major causes for the ocean’s surface and deep water
currents, including the prevailing winds, the Coriolis effect, unequal heating
of the Earth, changes in water temperature and salinity in high latitudes, and
basin shape. (2)
Key Concepts
Boundary currents, climatic zones, conduction, convection, coriolis effect,
deep ocean current, el-nino, heat transfer of ocean currents, ocean currents,
prevailing winds, water density, salinity, seawater density
Cross Curricular Connections:
ELA: Writing Explanations; Career Pathways: Oceanographer; Math: Calculating Density
March/ April Weeks 24-29
TEACHING OBJECTIVES AND RESOURCES
14. Identify causes of surface currents.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 116-118, Lab Zone Skills Lab p. 122-123
 All In One Teaching Resource- Currents and Climate (Guided Reading) pp. 218-221, Currents and Climate (Review and Reinforce) p. 222; The
Sargasso Sea (Enrich) p. 223
 Transparency: H38
 Science Explorer Video Exploration: Ocean Motions
15. Describe the salinity of ocean water.
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Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 108-110, Lab Zone Technology lab p. 114-115
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All In One Teaching Resource: Ocean Water Chemistry (Guiding Reading) pp. 208-210, Ocean Water Chemistry (Review and Reinforce)
p.211; The Composition of Ocean Water (Enrich) p. 212
16. Describe how conditions in the ocean change with depth.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 111-113, lab zone discover activity p. 116
 Transparency: H36
17. Identify the causes of deep ocean currents.
 Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters pp. 120
 Transparency: H39
 Website: www.phschool.com - sci-links web code scn-0834
18. Determine mastery of GLCE (post assessment item(s)).
SAMPLE BELLWORK/DO NOW
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Why is salt often put on icy sidewalks and roads?
Which do you think freezes at a lower temperature- salt water or
fresh water?
Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters p. 110 Math
Skills- Calculating Density
Have you heard stories or messages in bottles that are found
somewhere far away from where it was thrown? How do you think
the bottle got there?
What do you think causes the ocean’s surface and deep-water
currents?
SAMPLE ASSESSMENTS
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Text: Prentice Hall Science Explorer Earth’s Waters, Lab Zone Skill
Activity p. 118
All In One Teaching Resource: Making Salinity Currents pp. 233235
Foldable comparing surface and deep currents
Foldable comparing ocean water from deep below the surface and
near the surface.
Thinking Maps: Double Bubble Map comparing surface and deep
currents
Write an explanation: Does the sun impact the ocean currents?