Activity 5: Rates and Quantities Experiment

Cameron Weiner - Undergraduate - Middlebury College, weinercameron@gmail.com

Lisa Gilbert -Professor of Geosciences and Marine Science - Williams-Mystic, lgilbert@williams.edu

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Summary

In this activity, middle school students time how long it takes, and measure the volume of water they use, to wash their hands. From these measurements, students calculate the rate at which water flows out of their faucets and use this rate to add description to a sink systems diagram.

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Context

Audience

This rates and quantities experiment is designed for a middle school science course. Materials presented here are designed to be implemented in a remote learning environment, either as part of an entirely online or hybrid course.

Skills and concepts that students must have mastered

Students need background information on systems thinking vocabulary (flows and reservoirs) to complete all of the analysis questions. See Activity 1: Introduction to Systems Thinking for an idea of how to introduce systems thinking vocabulary.

How the activity is situated in the course

This activity is the 5th activity in a Systems Thinking module designed for middle school science courses but can act as a stand-alone exercise. Within the systems thinking module, this activity introduces the concept of using measured data and rates to describe flows within a simple system. The activity also fits well alongside topics of water conservation and scarcity as well as units on rivers.

Goals

Content/concepts goals for this activity

  • Students will measure the volume of water used to wash their hands.
  • Students will calculate rates based on recorded time and measured volume data.
  • Students will use measured volumes and calculated rates to describe flows and reservoirs in a simple system.
  • Students will learn how to reduce their hand washing water footprint.

Higher order thinking skills goals for this activity

Other skills goals for this activity

Description and Teaching Materials

Materials:

Activity Description (Total time: 50 min - 10 before class, 40 in class)

Part 1 - Preparing for Experiment(10 min)

Before the class period in which the students perform the hand-washing experiment, the instructor should provide students with the Pre-Experiment Student Handout Activity 5. This handout explains the materials that will be needed in order for the student to perform the experiment and contains two comprehension questions and a video that introduces the idea of water footprints and the importance of water conservation. Students should come to the class prepared to perform the experiment, having watched the video. 

Students also have the option to watch the linked videos of the experiments instead of performing the experiments in their homes. With the video option, students can still practice timing the experiment, measuring volumes, and calculating rates without needing running water or measuring materials.

Part 2 - Hand-washing Experiment, measuring rates and volumes(30 min)

The instructor shares their screen, showing the Experiment Instructions Activity 5 Powerpoint.  The experiment entails students measuring the volume of water they use to wash their hands and calculating the rate at which water flows out of their faucet. The experiment instructions also contain an option for students to complete the experiment virtually with videos if they do not have access to running water or measuring supplies. The instructions for completing the experiment are outlined below.

 Slide 1: The instructor tells students that the day's lesson will focus on using measured data to describe flows and reservoirs in systems. 

Slide 2: Students are asked to open the Student Handout Activity 5 from the google classroom folder.

Slide 3: Prompts students to predict: How much water do you think you use to wash your hands every day? Over video, the instructor displays a 2 L bottle of soda, or other common volume reference, so students can visualize what 2 L of water looks like, prompting students to answer Question 1, the prediction question, in the blank provided on the student handout. 

Slide 4: Next, the instructor asks students to complete Part B of the handout: Read Hand Washing Experiment Procedure. 

Slide 5: After providing time for the students to read the experiment instructions and procedure, the instructor reviews the experiment instructions with the students and clarifies any questions. The instructor can choose to play a video of the first experiment for students choosing to complete the experiment in person. The instructor sends students into 2 person breakout groups to complete Part C of the activity.

Slide 6: Post experiment instructions: 

Once a breakout group has completed all 4 experiment trials (meaning both students have performed experiment 1 and experiment 2 or played experiment 1 and 2 videos), the group checks-in briefly with the instructor to review their data and preview the analysis section. After meeting with the instructor, students complete the analysis section individually or remain in the same breakout groups. The analysis section contains three different sections. The instructor can choose to complete all or one of the three sections. 

The first section focuses on rates applied to systems thinking diagrams (questions 1-7), the second section focuses more heavily on rates and volumes in the water use context (question 8-11), and the final section offers students local context by relating water withdrawals to the school's drinking water reservoir (question 12). 

Teaching Notes and Tips

Depending on the students' math level, the instructor can choose to provide students with the equation to calculate water use rates or have students generate the equation on their own.
The instructor can also add additional analysis questions that help students connect the experiment to their class units or themes.


Assessment

References and Resources

This systems thinking module is based on the undergraduate Systems Thinking module on InTeGrate, created by Lisa A. Gilbert, Deborah S. Gross & Karl J. Kreutz. This rates and quantities experiment relates to Unit 2: picturing complexity and Unit 3: Modeling a System.

Systems Thinking Vocabulary Glossary

Why teach systems thinking, rates, or water scarcity and conservation in Middle School?

"Appendix G - Crosscutting Concepts." 2013. Next Generation Science Standards. https://www.nextgenscience.org/sites/default/files/Appendix%20G%20-%20Crosscutting%20Concepts%20FINAL%20edited%204.10.13.pdf.

Working towards:

  • MS-ESS3-3. Apply scientific principles to design a method for monitoring and minimizing a human impact on the environment.
  • MS-ESS3-4. Construct an argument supported by evidence for how increases in human population and per-capita consumption of natural resources impact Earth's systems.

Common Core Math Standards

  • 6.RP.A.3 Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve real-world and mathematical problems. 

Ties to Sustainable Development Goals: 

"Goal 6: Water and Sanitation." United Nations Sustainable Development. https://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/water-and-sanitation/.

Learn more about teaching systems thinking: 

Learn more about systems thinking:

  • Meadows, Donella H., and Diana Wright. 2008. Thinking in Systems: A Primer. White River Junction, Vt: Chelsea Green Pub. https://wtf.tw/ref/meadows.pdf.