| Week
- Connection |
Science |
World
Geography |
Language
Arts |
Math |
Week
1
In two pre-lessons for this unit science will learn about the complexities of watersheds, how the unequal distribution of fresh water impacts human life, and the importance of protecting and conserving fresh water.
|
|
|
|
|
Beyond
the tap
|
Week
2
Students will explore groundwater systems as a vital component of watersheds, with a focus on point and non-point source contamination. Social studies supports this line of inquiry by teaching students how to read maps and how to analyze data embedded in the physical features of maps such as water usage. Language arts begins an in-depth examination of how to be a successful reader.
|
|
The
Earth is an Orange |
Why
is Reading Important? |
|
|
|
|
| May
We Present Planet Earth? |
Breaking
Through Reading Roadblocks |
Week
3
In science students will learn about the wastewater treatment process and will then test the quality of the drinking water from their city’s system. Social studies will introduce the concept of climate change and how weather patterns and physical features of the earth affect the living organisms. Language arts will explore how the skill of reading empowers individuals and how illiteracy is dangerous to a community, especially in regards to environmental health problems.
|
|
Who
are Successful Readers? |
Calculating
Parts per Million: Do we have a problem here? |
|
The
Changing Planet |
Where are we? |
|
How does reading Empower us? |
How
big is it? |
| The
Dangers of Illiteracy |
Week
4
Students will explore the dose response of the freshwater crustacean, Daphnia, in learning how to do an environmental bioassay. Math supports this lesson by instructing the students on how to calculate parts per million. Social studies will look at man’s impact on climate change and how international treaties could positively impact global warming. In language arts students will examine how strong research skills aid them in being independent learners.
|
|
Why
be an Independent Learner? |
Biomagnification |
| Climate Change Roundtable |
Investigating
Issues That Matter |
How
many people live there? |
| Using
Research Tools Successfully |
What
do you want to know?: Country Statistics |
Week
5
In science students will learn about the problems that arsenic in water causes and the new standards for arsenic levels in groundwater in the United States. Social studies classes will explore the impact that water sources have on the development of societies. In language arts students will continue to refine their research skills, especially crediting sources correctly. Math will support the other disciplines by teaching students how to create graphs to present statistics.
|
Headline |
| Arsenic
and Old Lace |
| 4
X 4 |
Water: The Indispensable Resource |
How
can Research shape Ideas? |
Bar and Histograms
What would you use? (Part 1)
|
| Arsenic
Globally |
Give
Credit Where Credit is Due |
Line
and Scatter
What would you use? (Part 2)
|
Week
6
Students will see how the distribution of minerals in bedrock affects surrounding ground and surface water and how solutions precipitate out in different conditions. Social studies classes will build on the science by elaborating on how central clean water is to survival and therefore what role it plays in politics. Math will support these lessons by helping students to better understand data that is represented in pie charts. In language arts students will explore how advertisers use persuasive techniques to impact the marketplace.
|
Finding
the Mother Load |
Who
am I? |
The
Merchants of Cool |
What
Pie?
What would you use? (Part 3)
|
| Why
here? |
Living
in the Matrix |
|
| Around
the World |
Target
Audience |
| What
happens to Create the Lode? |
The
Three Appeals |
Week
7
The connection between gold mines and arsenic contamination of the surrounding water sources will be explored in science. In social studies students will learn about the impact of arsenic contamination in water supplies across the globe. Language arts classes will connect to these lessons by seeing how persuasive techniques can be used to change human behavior beyond the commercial realm and will also review the essay writing process.
|
Not
Just Gold
|
Create
a Commercial |
|
| Postcards
from the Rim |
| The
Powers of Persuasion |
Persuade
or Die!
Review: Essay Elements |
| |
Natural Disasters |
Peer Editing |
Week
8
Using skills learned in math, students in science will make
posters illustrating how arsenic contamination occurs, how
it causes
environmental health problems, and how it can be alleviated.
Social studies classes will examine natural and man-made
disasters, with an eye towards determining into which category
would fall arsenic contamination of water sources. In language
arts students will look at how the speeches of some influential
people of the 20th century used persuasive techniques.
|
|
What
a Disaster! |
Great
Speakers of the 20th Century |
|
|
| |
The
Water Dilemma |
Tricks
and Techniques for Speech Delivery |
Week
9
The real world problem of arsenic contamination of water sources in Bangladesh will be presented through role playing of members of the World Health Organization and scientists who would participate in such a symposium.
|
|
|
Evaluating
Rhetoric |
|
|
|
Water
Mitigation |
Final
Project |
