Grade 8 Earth and Space Science: WATER SYSTEMS ON EARTH
Lesson #1 - Intro to Water Systems on Earth Unit
Objective/Purpose: D2 - describe how water and ice shape the landscape
Rationale: It is expected that students will
- Discuss water cycles and water’s connections to everything on the planet.
- Begin to understand the idea that water is not a limitless resource.
- Discuss water in different states – ice, snow, waterfalls, etc. - and show how these different
states of water connect to water systems on Earth (oceans, lakes, etc.).
Materials: pictures of water, textbook
Anticipatory Set:
Activity: “The Many Ways People Use Water”. Before looking at the textbook, have students
participate in a Think-Pair-Share activity to brainstorm a few different uses for water. The key to
this activity is for students to understand the many ways we use water, and how we use water
for a variety of different purpose: for sun, health, energy, safety, transportation, etc.
Categorizing the uses will illustrate the importance of water in our everyday lives. Follow up
with a class discussion.
Lesson Development:
-Powerpoint slides: follow photos of water as it travels from glacier to ocean and discuss things
that are affected by water during this cycle – animals, plants, mountains, soil, etc.
-Examine how water that is carried to the ocean as freshwater eventually meets salt water.
-Powerpoint slides: look at a number of pictures of water (mountains, glaciers, rivers, waterfalls,
etc.) to generate discussion about different forms of water.
-Discuss pollution and its impact on water – water as resource, water as a commodity, water
and how we use it everyday.
Closure:
Ticket Out the Door: “What are three things affected by water as it travels from glacier to
ocean?” and “What are 3 ways in which water is polluted?”
Extensions:
-Students can begin to create an advertisement to teach people how to prevent the pollution of
water; in other words, an anti-pollution ad. For example, draw a picture of soap and chemicals
going down the drain and depict that this can have negative effects on water and the
environment.
Adaptations:
-This lesson contains lots of visual information in the form of pictures, which will be helpful for
those students who learn visually.
Assessment/Evaluation:
-Informal Assessment during “The Many Ways People Use Water” activity - are all students
participating?
-Collect Ticket out the Door and review to ensure that the topics and main ideas from the lesson
were understood.
Grade 8 Earth and Space Science: WATER SYSTEMS ON EARTH
Lesson #2 - Distribution of Water (part A)
Objective/Purpose: D1 - explain the significance of salinity and temperature in the world’s
oceans
Rationale: It is expected that students will
-Examine misconceptions about freshwater supplies on the planet.
-Look at how much water covers the planet and the distribution between fresh and saltwater.
-Examine water cycles in British Columbia.
Materials: chart paper, coloured markers, pictures and short Youtube video clips on the water
cycle, binder, crossword puzzle
Anticipatory Set:
Ask students what they already know about the water cycle. Create a quick KWL (Know,
Wonder, Learn) chart and fill in the ‘K’ and ‘W’ columns together as a class. The ‘L’ column can
be filled out at the end of the lesson.
Student Activity/Participation:
-Talk about how water moves through the water cycle; show Youtube video clips.
-Introduce new terms, such as evaporation, condensation, sublimation, ground-water, run-off,
etc. Have students record in the “Definitions” section of their binder.
-Have students estimate the percentage of the world’s fresh and saltwater distribution. This will
likely come as a surprise, and so take a few minutes to discuss and segue to topic of water
conservation.
-Give examples and generate discussion about water usage and availability around the world.
Closure:
Fill out the ‘L’ column of the KWL chart, and if time permits, work on the crossword puzzle on
water and erosion terms:
http://www.bcscience.com/bc8/docs/puzzles/chapter10_puzzle/index.html
Extensions:
-Continue working on anti-pollution ads.
-More information on the distribution of water:
http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html
Adaptations:
-Lots of visual information is presented in this lesson, for those students who learn better
visually. Included are Youtube video clips and images of the water cycle projected to the whole
class.
Assessment/Evaluation:
-Informal assessment: make note of participation in class discussion of water usage.
-Keep KWL chart handy to refer to and add to if necessary throughout this unit.
Grade 8 Earth and Space Science: WATER SYSTEMS ON EARTH
Lesson #3 - Distribution of Water (part B)
Objective/Purpose: D1 – explain the significance of salinity and temperature in the world’s
oceans
Rationale: It is expected that students will
-Examine misconceptions about freshwater supplies on the planet.
-Look at how much water covers the planet and the distribution between fresh and saltwater.
-Examine water cycles in British Columbia.
Materials: chart paper, coloured markers, laptops or computer lab time, textbook
Anticipatory Set: Quick discussion of how much water students think they have used so far
today. Did they brush their teeth this morning? Leave the water running, or turn it off? Did
students flush the toilet today? Take a shower? Drink any water? Wash hands? Do any
laundry? etc. Get students thinking about their individual consumption of water.
Student Activity/Participation:
-Group activity: Students brainstorm and present ideas about how we could do better to
conserve water. Half of class spent in the computer lab working in small groups (3 to 4
students) to come up with ideas for a mini-presentation, second half of the second class spent
presenting ideas to the class.
Closure:
-Wrap up presentations by filling in a chart for the classroom: What ideas for conservation can
you incorporate immediately? What ideas take more time and planning? This way students will
be able to remind themselves daily of ways they can conserve water.
Extensions:
-Information on Environment Canada’s role in water management and conservation::
http://www.ec.gc.ca/eau-water/
-Have students research which nations around the world have the highest use water, which
ones have the lowest and why.
Adaptations:
Some students may find it easier to do their work on the computer, so the group activity is a
good way to have all students equally involved.
Assessment/Evaluation:
-Informal assessment of participation in group presentation - are all students adding to group
discussion?
-Have students hand in their notes and charts on water conservation.