Interactions between Water, Earth's Surface, and Human Activity

Sue DeBari (Western Washington University)
Kyle Gray (University of Northern Iowa)
Julie Monet (California State University - Chico)
Editor: Anne Egger (Central Washington University)

Author Profiles

This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process. (view details)

This material was developed and reviewed through the InTeGrate curricular materials development process. This rigorous, structured process includes:

team-based development to ensure materials are appropriate across multiple educational settings.
multiple iterative reviews and feedback cycles through the course of material development with input to the authoring team from both project editors and an external assessment team.
real in-class testing of materials in at least 3 institutions with external review of student assessment data.
multiple reviews to ensure the materials meet the InTeGrate materials rubric which codifies best practices in curricular development, student assessment and pedagogic techniques.
review by external experts for accuracy of the science content.

Initial Publication Date: January 22, 2015 | Reviewed: January 2, 2013 (see revision history: 2 events)

Summary

This two-week (~10-hour) module focuses on water and its importance to humans, both as a limited resource and in shaping Earth's surface. Water's flow through the hydrologic cycle is driven by Earth's external energy source – the Sun. Running water also moves and deposits sediment that ultimately becomes part of the rock cycle, whose energy source also includes Earth's internal heat energy. Students see that river systems change shape over time, are influenced by climate and by human activity, and affect human activity, for example through flooding. Students develop their understanding while working in small groups, through interaction with simplified physical models of complicated systems, with Google Earth images of stream profiles in different climates, and with real river flooding data sets. Activities within this module are aimed at content courses for pre-service teachers, but they also could be adapted to other undergraduate introductory geoscience or environmental science courses.

Strengths of the Module

Students who learn with this module will:

Construct their own understanding of the behavior of rivers through the use of stream tables and real streamflow data
Engage in a data-rich activity that is well-aligned with the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
Analyze streamflow and precipitation data and apply their knowledge to inform their local community about flooding hazards

In working with data, students will:

Use Google Earth to measure distances and elevations and calculate stream gradients
Calculate flood recurrence intervals
Look for trends relating precipitation and streamflow data

Show NGSS addressed in this module

Supported Next Generation Science Standards:

Performance expectations:

5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment.
MS-ESS2-5 Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

Science and Engineering Practices: Analyzing and interpreting data; Using mathematics and computational thinking
Disciplinary Core Idea: ESS2.C. The role of water in Earth's surface processes
Crosscutting Concepts: Cause and effect; Energy and matter
Connections to Nature of Science: Scientific knowledge assumes an order and consistency in natural systems

Show literacy principles addressed in this module

Supported Earth Science Literacy Principles :

Big idea 1: Earth scientists use repeatable observations and testable ideas to understand and explain our planet.
Big idea 5: Earth is the water planet.
Big idea 8: Natural hazards pose risks to humans.

Supported Essential Principles of Climate Science:

Essential principle 7: Climate change will have consequences for the Earth system and human lives.

Addressed community developed, nationally-recognized Atmospheric Science Literacy Principles :

Essential principle 3: Atmospheric circulations transport matter and energy.

Addressed grand challenges in earth and environmental science ( This site may be offline. ) :

Mitigate risk and build resilience from natural and human-made hazards (AGI)
Recognizing the signal within the natural variability, and communicating uncertainty and relative risk [for flooding] (GSA)

A great fit for courses in:

Introductory geoscience
Earth science for pre-service teachers*
Environmental science
Water resources

Show me more about why this is focused on pre-service teachers*

This module is designed for introductory geoscience courses that are designed around active learning and group work. The constructivist learning style used in this module is particularly suited to courses for elementary education majors, but is accessible to any introductory geoscience student. While it can stand alone as a unit, it would work best in a course where it fits with other, similarly structured units. No prior knowledge is needed, though suggestions are offered for teaching this module if students already have background knowledge in plate tectonics.

Instructor Stories: How this module was adapted
for use at several institutions »