The following project is currently under progress by Rhode Island teachers. Although in some activities, the teachers have borrowed and adapted ideas from other teachers and current programs and sources on the Internet, the work is their own. The activities are displayed here in their original form , unedited as they have submitted them. In most cases, these are ongoing projects. The names, school districts, and email addresses of the authors are included. Please feel free to contact the authors with any suggestions, comments, or even participation.Teaching and learning are cooperative efforts.
"WATER-OUR PRECIOUS RESOURCE"
The students will investigate water as a limited resource and develop a better understanding of the dynamics of the watercycle. This will lead them to a realization of why water conservation is necessary as they learn ways they can conserve water, and ways other people have approached the problem of our need to conserve water. Most of the suggested activities are based on availability of internet access. These activities can be used as a limited unit to study the water topic with a telecommunications focus or can be a component of a larger cross curricular unit involving more traditional teaching materials and methods.
Look At The Facts
In this activity, students will search the internet for statistics on individual, personal, and community water usage. The information that is collected will be recorded in electronic journals. The students will use spreadsheets to organize the data and graphs to represent the information. See Water Conservation Homepage
How Wasteful Are We?
The students will use metered water measurement to estimate the amount of water they use during a shower. It will be necessary for the students to measure the amount of time it takes for the shower head in their home to fill a gallon container. This will give them a constant (x) to use in determining how many gallons of water are used during one of their showers.
number of minutes in the shower / x = number of gallons of water used during that shower
Results will be recorded on a spreadsheet. Similar measurements will be taken daily for one week. The students will use this information to determine a personal weekly average, a daily average for the class, and an overall average for the class at the end of the week. Estimates can be made regarding the amount of water used daily for showers by the student population. Daily results and averages will be displayed in graph form.
Sharing Through E-mail
This activity can be done simultaneously with Activity 2 or upon completion of Activity 2. Students will search home pages for schools interested in participating in a project with another middle school. Through e-mail, the students will contact the other school(s) and invite them to participate in Activity 2. The students will compare the data from the other school with their own and send comparisons via e-mail.
Taking The Challenge
Students will then "challenge" the other school(s) to conserve water. The class will determine a specific way that an individual can conserve water. For example, students might challenge others to use less water by turning off the water while brushing teeth or by taking a less lengthy shower. The class will be responsible for determining the method of measurement, approaching the other school(s), and determining how results will be recorded. Communication with the other schools will be by e-mail. A suggested internet site might beWorld Wide Water Conservation.
The science activities in this project will concentrate on bringing the students background information on water as a limited natural resource. They will be researching water related topics, identifying problems and seeking solutions for various water crisis, performing experiments to test water quality, and looking globally at this natural resource.
"Who else is getting wet?"
In this activity the students will search for other middle schools that have home pages on the web to see if there are any projects that are going on related to the subject water, water pollution, or water conservation. They can also draft letters to teacher identified classrooms that have water projects or have done them in the past. They can communicate with middle school students via there mail to ask about what kinds of water issues that are in their communities for example,droughts, floods, conservation programs, shortages . Visit Web.66.
"Water a precious resource"
Students will research for background on water topics such as ground water sources, the water cycle, our watersheds and estuaries, using both traditional research materials, CD roms, and on line information sources that have been identified by teacher and that students have discovered using various search mechanisms. Cooperative groups can be assigned to do more completes research and present their findings to the class in both oral and written (charts graphs, pictures) activities.
"The global waterfront"
Using online news services, and current periodicals, the students will identify what is happening globally that is, or may in the future , impact on the worlds water supplies. Students will see the effects various crisis, (wars, natural disasters, pollution , international laws ) have on water supplies use and pollution. StudyEnvironment on -line.
" Crystal Clear "
In this activity students will be designing experiments to do simple tests to see if the water in their local systems is safe to drink. They can e-mail their local water department to find out how to do these test and to request a visit from a person who does water quality tests for their community. Students will compile their experiments in complete lab report form in their electronic journals.
TECHNOLOGY COMPONENT
The Technology Education part of this project deals with water usage and conservation. The activities will center on our human made water supply systems. Students will first identify their own water system, trace any problems, and look for ways to improve the system. They will compare their findings with other students in communities throughout the United States and other countries. The internet will be used as a resource for all the water conservation activities and as well a means for exchanging information with other students. Additional resources will also be used.
WHAT WE TAKE FOR GRANTED
In this activity students will gather information about water systems in their community and homes. They will make a sketch of their own water system and write a short description of its parts and their location. This information will be sent to other students and a request made for similar information in return. Students will search Encyclopedia Britannica's Britannica.
ALL THOSE PIPES
Students will make a list of draft questions they can use to visually inspect their water system. They will request questions from other students and from online resources. Using this information, they will make a list of questions they can use for their inspection. Students will visit Plumbing System.
WHERE'S THE LEAK?
Using their sketches and inspection form, students will visual examine their water system. Pictures can also be taken and developed digitally to be used in the final electronic report. The inspection form will be exchanged with other students for their ideas on water conservation. Students will be using water conservation checklist.
IS THERE A WIDGET IN YOUR FUTURE?
The last activity involves using the inspection report to improve and/or repair the water system. Students can solicit information from other schools, various online venders, and resources to rectify the system if possible. A final report will be made to summarize the benefits of this phase of the project. Students will go to Home Repair and Maintenance.
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