Effectiveness of MN dams in water retention/ Efectividad de represas en Minnesota con respecto a la retencion de agua
Summary
Through this field activity, students will obtain hands on experience by measuring stream flows and observations of landform and stream processes of dams (in Ramsey County- Keller & Round lake dams) before water freezes (fall) and after the weather deposition (spring) has occurred. The collected data will then be analyzed to measure how much sediment deposition gets deposited yearly and what will be the life-span of the dam before it gets filled up. Students will critically develop alternatives to prevent dam sediment fill up and develop experimental models to prove their hypothesis.
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Learning Goals
This activity is designed for students to build on critical thinking skills through observations, measuring and questioning. Students will also collect and analyze data with simple measuring techniques or equipment. Students will list and describe vocabulary concepts related to hydrology and math connections such as stream flow, dams, area, volume, stream processes (erosion, transport and deposition). Students will view and measure the impact water dams have in relation to the human interactions and interdependence of the same.
Context for Use
The method of teaching will remain of open inquiry, but guided questions will be formulated in order to keep students on focus. Keller and Round Lake dams were chosen because they are in the same county, in Ramsey County. The distance difference is about 20 minutes top which makes them easy to access for a field activity in just one trip. In order to make your own adaptations, use your own County as a start up and choose at least two dams in order for students to be able to make a comparison. The lesson is designed for 8th grade students, it would be ideal for the trip to be done on a day of the weekend for about 40 students with chaperones. Otherwise, it could be done during the week with more students (140 or more) if you have the support of other staff members. The majority of time taken is due to the fact that students need to take profound observations of both dams, make drawings and answer guided questions. Half day will be a good time set for this activity during the fall, but make sure to plan ahead for weather conditions. For spring data, the teacher can provide the data to compare the deposition variables or make another field trip to make observations. If you can't make the comparison, it will become a great activity to start of the next school year with the upcoming students. Remember, deposition will still be there! The skills students will need to acquire before this activity are observational, journaling, field note-taking skills and safety rules. Students should also become familiar with the new vocabulary (dam, stream flow, stream processes, etc.)
Description and Teaching Materials
Objectives of Lesson/Learner Objective:
1. Students will demonstrate with 70% accuracy or more their overall understanding of stream flows and yearly amount of depostion.
2. Students will demonstrate observational skills during the field trip experience in order to explain phenomena observed.
3. Students will take and analyze field notes and then sharing them with other students.
4. Students will become critical thinkers by collecting, drawing and analyzing data and making in-depth comparisons in order to validate the importance of safe human interactions and water systems into maintaining a healthy dam.
Materials Needed/Preparation:
Journaling notebook, pencil or colored pencils, vocabulary key word list, safety rules list, parent permission slip with emergency contact information, activity sheet with guided questions, snacks, emergency kit, rain coat (optional), closed- toe shoe, sunscreen, water bottle, calculator (optional).
Anticipatory Set/Motivation/Snappy Launch:
To get them started with hydrology and water dam real life uses and applications is good to know what they know about water and specifically, dams. Here is a short video from you-tube that you can use to assess what they already know on where does water goes and water dams. This activity can be done with anticipation during the week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zjPqA2FIns (about 5 min)
Great provoking divergent questions are what do you see? How does it look like? How does it feel like? Students can make a pie chart describing all that comes up in their minds. Where do you think that water goes? In your own words, what is a dam? What uses you think a dam has? How much water can dams retain yearly? They can work in small groups to discuss questions.
Procedure: Instructional Method /Strategies/Connected to Content
Instructional Method: Before the field trip experience, students need to become familiar with observation, journaling, field note-taking skills and safety rules. Students should also become familiar with the new vocabulary (dam, stream flow, stream processes, etc.) This can be done through the week, through another lesson plan. The instructional method during the field trip is open inquiry with guided questions.
Instructional Strategies:
Field observation and Field trip strategies are the major strategies used for this activity, but other strategies must take place too. Here are some of them.
Bloom's Taxonomy: Included in objectives and questioning techniques.
3-2-1 (Three-Two-One) Writing activity where students write: 3 key terms from what they have just learned, 2 ideas they would like to learn more about, and 1 concept or skill they think they have mastered. This will be done in their journals.
Activating prior knowledge: with the anticipatory activity.
Active learning, collaborative learning and Authentic Instruction: With the field trip experience and small group discussions and observations.
Advance Organizers: Students will be creating a comparison diagram with observations and data collected (Fall & Spring observations).
Use of affirmations: to keep students motivated and focus.
Buddy system: While on field trip and for countdown.
Use of calculator: To obtain measurements.
Direct instruction: Short time instruction will be necessary at some point through the field trip in order to allow speakers or teacher to explain phenomena or formulate/respond to emerging questions.
Content Outline:
I. Bus (FALL) (15 min)
A. Student / chaperone countdown.
B. Rules and safety guidelines discussion.
C. Small group assignation (4 to 5).
II. First stop (Keller Lake) (1 hour approx)
A. Students will receive instructions. Bathroom break
B. Make observations, dam drawings and data collection with teacher/experts.
C. Calculate data (stream flow, volume, area), if time available.
D. Students will gather to discuss observations and phenomena explanation.
E. Snack/ bathroom break
III. Second Stop (Round Lake) (1 hour approx)
A. Students will receive instructions. Bathroom break
B. Make observations, dam drawings and data collection with teacher/experts.
C. Calculate data (stream flow, volume, area), if time available.
D. Students will gather to discuss observations and phenomena explanation.
E. Bathroom break
IV. Back to buses! Go home!
V. In School time, data collected can be calculated if time was not available or weather conditions did not permit it. Students will also fill in the 3-2-1 activity.
VI. (SPRING) same procedure can be done if time and money available, or teacher can provide data to calculate the difference of deposition before and after and calculate the effectiveness and life-spam of the dams. An activity sheet will be given.
Vocabulary words:
Dam, stream flow, watershed, stream processes (erosion, transport &deposition), stream bed, discharge. More may be needed to be added.
Classroom Management: Routines: Materials distribution/clean-up, Movement, Transitions
Routines are structured. Check the content outline. Chaperones will be assisting with management, movement (bathroom/snacks) and transitions. They will also be responsible for student countdown before leaving every stop. Teacher and experts will be floating through groups.
Lesson Evaluation & Reflection for closure
Teacher:
Is more review needed for certain parts?
Was the allotted time appropriate?
Did problems arise?
What was plan B? Was it needed?
Students:
Students will reflect individually with the use of the 3-2-1 activity and then they will share as a whole group discussion their findings and ideas.
1. Students will demonstrate with 70% accuracy or more their overall understanding of stream flows and yearly amount of depostion.
2. Students will demonstrate observational skills during the field trip experience in order to explain phenomena observed.
3. Students will take and analyze field notes and then sharing them with other students.
4. Students will become critical thinkers by collecting, drawing and analyzing data and making in-depth comparisons in order to validate the importance of safe human interactions and water systems into maintaining a healthy dam.
Materials Needed/Preparation:
Journaling notebook, pencil or colored pencils, vocabulary key word list, safety rules list, parent permission slip with emergency contact information, activity sheet with guided questions, snacks, emergency kit, rain coat (optional), closed- toe shoe, sunscreen, water bottle, calculator (optional).
Anticipatory Set/Motivation/Snappy Launch:
To get them started with hydrology and water dam real life uses and applications is good to know what they know about water and specifically, dams. Here is a short video from you-tube that you can use to assess what they already know on where does water goes and water dams. This activity can be done with anticipation during the week.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zjPqA2FIns (about 5 min)
Great provoking divergent questions are what do you see? How does it look like? How does it feel like? Students can make a pie chart describing all that comes up in their minds. Where do you think that water goes? In your own words, what is a dam? What uses you think a dam has? How much water can dams retain yearly? They can work in small groups to discuss questions.
Procedure: Instructional Method /Strategies/Connected to Content
Instructional Method: Before the field trip experience, students need to become familiar with observation, journaling, field note-taking skills and safety rules. Students should also become familiar with the new vocabulary (dam, stream flow, stream processes, etc.) This can be done through the week, through another lesson plan. The instructional method during the field trip is open inquiry with guided questions.
Instructional Strategies:
Field observation and Field trip strategies are the major strategies used for this activity, but other strategies must take place too. Here are some of them.
Bloom's Taxonomy: Included in objectives and questioning techniques.
3-2-1 (Three-Two-One) Writing activity where students write: 3 key terms from what they have just learned, 2 ideas they would like to learn more about, and 1 concept or skill they think they have mastered. This will be done in their journals.
Activating prior knowledge: with the anticipatory activity.
Active learning, collaborative learning and Authentic Instruction: With the field trip experience and small group discussions and observations.
Advance Organizers: Students will be creating a comparison diagram with observations and data collected (Fall & Spring observations).
Use of affirmations: to keep students motivated and focus.
Buddy system: While on field trip and for countdown.
Use of calculator: To obtain measurements.
Direct instruction: Short time instruction will be necessary at some point through the field trip in order to allow speakers or teacher to explain phenomena or formulate/respond to emerging questions.
Content Outline:
I. Bus (FALL) (15 min)
A. Student / chaperone countdown.
B. Rules and safety guidelines discussion.
C. Small group assignation (4 to 5).
II. First stop (Keller Lake) (1 hour approx)
A. Students will receive instructions. Bathroom break
B. Make observations, dam drawings and data collection with teacher/experts.
C. Calculate data (stream flow, volume, area), if time available.
D. Students will gather to discuss observations and phenomena explanation.
E. Snack/ bathroom break
III. Second Stop (Round Lake) (1 hour approx)
A. Students will receive instructions. Bathroom break
B. Make observations, dam drawings and data collection with teacher/experts.
C. Calculate data (stream flow, volume, area), if time available.
D. Students will gather to discuss observations and phenomena explanation.
E. Bathroom break
IV. Back to buses! Go home!
V. In School time, data collected can be calculated if time was not available or weather conditions did not permit it. Students will also fill in the 3-2-1 activity.
VI. (SPRING) same procedure can be done if time and money available, or teacher can provide data to calculate the difference of deposition before and after and calculate the effectiveness and life-spam of the dams. An activity sheet will be given.
Vocabulary words:
Dam, stream flow, watershed, stream processes (erosion, transport &deposition), stream bed, discharge. More may be needed to be added.
Classroom Management: Routines: Materials distribution/clean-up, Movement, Transitions
Routines are structured. Check the content outline. Chaperones will be assisting with management, movement (bathroom/snacks) and transitions. They will also be responsible for student countdown before leaving every stop. Teacher and experts will be floating through groups.
Lesson Evaluation & Reflection for closure
Teacher:
Is more review needed for certain parts?
Was the allotted time appropriate?
Did problems arise?
What was plan B? Was it needed?
Students:
Students will reflect individually with the use of the 3-2-1 activity and then they will share as a whole group discussion their findings and ideas.
Teaching Notes and Tips
Although this activity has not been done before you should plan ahead for a plan B option and also a remedial class activity for students that could not attend the field trip. Adaptations should be done and safety measures should be taken with students of exceptional needs. Make sure you send home permission slips and field trip rules and be return on time signed. Collect chaperone money for field trip. Make sure you have confirmed correct data for the dams' stream flow, volume, depth & height (area) in order for students to work with the most precise information. You will also want to create another activity done before the field trip experience where students can measure and make all calculations in a smaller stream. This can be a model created at school, or a nearby stream. Set them up for success! Since this is an ongoing project, you might encounter the possibility to be out of time to achieve the measurements for Spring. In that case you might want to collect the give the data to the class and have them make the calculations or the experiment to be done for the next school year upcoming class. During the Fall, students will eventually collect the data as well. :)
Assessment
Students will complete individually the data activity sheet and respond to the questions. They should answer using the correct formula to a 70% accuracy or more. Teacher will collect their work. They will also answer in their journals the 3-2-1 activity. Teacher will collect data activity sheets and comment on their journals. An assessment rubric will be added.
Standards
8.3.2.3.1 (Interdependence within the Earth system) Describe the location, composition and use of major water reservoirs (dams) on the Earth, and the transfer of water among them.
8.3.4.1.2 (Human Interactions with Earth systems) Recognize that land and water use practices in specific areas affect natural processes and that natural processes interfere and interact with human systems.
8.1.3.4.2 (The practice of science) Determine and use appropriate safety procedures, tools, measurements, graphs and mathematical analyses to describe and investigate natural and designed systems in Earth and physical science contexts.
8.3.4.1.2 (Human Interactions with Earth systems) Recognize that land and water use practices in specific areas affect natural processes and that natural processes interfere and interact with human systems.
8.1.3.4.2 (The practice of science) Determine and use appropriate safety procedures, tools, measurements, graphs and mathematical analyses to describe and investigate natural and designed systems in Earth and physical science contexts.