Contaminants in the water cycle
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A lesson plan for grade 8 Science
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In this Xpeditions lesson, students review the water cycle and investigate how a region’s water supply can become contaminated.
Students will:
- describe the water cycle;
- answer questions about the EPA’s list of water contaminants;
- sketch fictitious towns, showing the water cycle, contaminants and their sources, and the health effects of these contaminants; and
- write paragraphs recommending where a citizen’s group should focus its energies to improve their town’s water quality.
Xpeditions provides links to necessary web resources, detailed instructions for completing the lesson, and suggestions for assessment and extension activities.
North Carolina Curriculum Alignment
Science (2005)
Grade 8
- Goal 1: The learner will design and conduct investigations to demonstrate an understanding of scientific inquiry.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- explain observations.
- make inferences and predictions.
- develop the relationship between evidence and explanation.
- Objective 1.08: Use oral and written language to:
- Communicate findings.
- Defend conclusions of scientific investigations.
- Describe strengths and weaknesses of claims, arguments, and/or data.
- Objective 1.09: Use technologies and information systems to:
- Research.
- Gather and analyze data.
- Visualize data.
- Disseminate findings to others.
- Objective 1.10: Analyze and evaluate information from a scientifically literate viewpoint by reading, hearing, and/or viewing:
- Scientific text.
- Articles.
- Events in the popular press.
- Objective 1.05: Analyze evidence to:
- Goal 3: The learner will conduct investigations and utilize appropriate technologies and information systems to build an understanding of the hydrosphere.
- Objective 3.02: Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
- Water distribution on earth.
- Local river basin.
- Local water availability.
- Objective 3.07: Describe how humans affect the quality of water:
- Point and non-point sources of water pollution in North Carolina.
- Possible effects of excess nutrients in North Carolina waters.
- Economic trade-offs.
- Local water issues.
- Objective 3.08: Recognize that the good health of environments and organisms requires:
- Monitoring of the hydrosphere.
- Water quality standards.
- Methods of water treatment.
- Maintaining safe water quality.
- Stewardship.
- Objective 3.02: Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
