Activity 6: Creating a Systems Diagram

This activity is intended 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. This activity is designed to pair with a water cycle unit or a unit on water pollution.

Students need background information on systems thinking vocabulary which can be found in Activity 1: Systems Thinking Vocabulary Introduction. Some basic background information on surface and groundwater is also necessary (Students need to know that surface and ground water are both drinking water sources and that groundwater enters the ground by filtering through the ground.

This activity fits well with activities 1, 2, 3, 4, and 7. These prior activities introduce systems vocabulary, apply systems vocabulary to a drinking water supply diagram, allow students to reflect on the importance of assessing and viewing a system from a variety of angles and perspectives, and help students understand how to set and assess limitations of their diagrams.

• Students will be able to identify wastewater system elements.
• Students will be able to sort wastewater system elements into reservoirs, flows and events.
• Students will be able to build a systems diagram from written information on the wastewater system.
• Students will be able to review, edit and add to their systems diagram based on additional written information on the wastewater system.

Materials:

• Zoom meeting or other online platform (with breakout groups enabled)
• Activity 6 Google Drive Folder:
  • Instructor Guide Activity 6
    • Make a single copy for Instructor use
  • Creating a Systems Diagram Powerpoint
    • Make a single copy for Instructor use
  • Diagram Student handout Activity 6
    • Give students access to their own copies to fill out individually
  • Answer Key Diagram Student Handout Activity 6
    • Make a single copy for Instructor use
  • Sewer Student Handout Activity 6 OR Septic Student Handout Activity 6
    • Other links to Loopy and online news articles and databases provided within these handouts
  • Answer Key Sewer Student Handout OR Answer Key Septic Student Handout
    • Make a single copy for Instructor use
  • Instructor Resource: EPA Map and GoogleEarth How-To Powerpoint

Activity Description (total time: 45 min)

Part 1 - Introduction(1 min)

The instructor begins sharing their screen with the Creating a Systems Diagram Powerpoint.

Slide 1: Topic introduction: Creating a systems Diagram - Using multiple sources

Slide 2: Activity Goals: 

• Learn the basic steps needed to create a systems diagram
• Create a systems diagram of the wastewater system
• Revise, edit, and add to the diagram based on new information

Here's an example of how the instructor might introduce the activity goals:

"Throughout today's class we'll: First, learn the basic steps needed to create a systems diagram. Next, create a system diagram of a part of the school water system about which many of you still have lingering questions: the wastewater system. And finally revise, edit and add to the diagram based on newly provided information to make your diagram more comprehensive."

Slide 3: Introduces the guiding thematic question for the activity: Where does our dirty water go? 

Here's an example of how to introduce the guiding question: "So we'll look at the question: Where does all that water that we use (to wash our hands, go to the bathroom, and leave in our cups and cans in the cafeteria) go?"

Slide 4: Directs students focus to the first goal of the activity: Learn the basic steps needed to create a systems diagram.

An example of how to use this slide: "But before we delve into that question let's learn how to create our own system diagram from scratch."

Part 2 - Explain the basic steps used to create a systems diagram(10 min)

The instructor asks students to open their Diagram Student handout Activity 6. The handout contains guided notes for students to complete as the instructor lectures. 

Slide 5 introduces the first step students take when creating a systems diagram: 1) List the elements of the system (reservoirs, flows, events, measured data). Students complete Question 1 of the Diagram Student handout Activity 6.

• If the students have completed Activity 2 or 3 of this module, the instructor can ask students to call out when they performed this step in the past (both Activities 2 and 3 require students to generate lists of system elements based on provided background information before creating a diagram). If students have completed Activity 5 or other experiments involving calculating rates or quantities, the instructor can ask students to call out an example of when they have used measured data (flow rates and volumes in Activity 5) to describe a system.

Slide 6 displays two questions: How do we know about these elements? (What sources did we use?). These questions are included here to relate this activity to Activity 4: Multiple Sources in Systems Diagram reflections. Students should begin to develop a habit of thinking about where their information comes from in order to identify missing information and perspectives (sources). 

• If the students have created lists of elements with multiple sources of information in the past (Activities 2 and 3 from this module), the students can call out examples of the sources of information that they used to create these lists.

The Instructor then walks through slides 7-9, describing systems diagramming step 2.

• Slide 7: Step 2 - Draw the systems Diagram: 
• Slide 8: 2.1 - Space out the reservoirs and events in a logical pattern
• Slide 9: 2.2 - Draw the flows connecting the reservoirs
  • Students complete Handout Q2

Slide 10 introduces systems diagramming step 3: Review the diagram then add or edit the systems elements. Slide 11 provides students with two questions to ask themselves when completing step 3: What parts of the system do you feel confused about? Where could you find out more information? These questions help students analyze the diagram they created and identify parts of the diagram that they feel confused about. In identifying their knowledge gaps (also called limitations - see Instructor Guide Activity 7), students can then think about other sources that could provide more information to fill those gaps. 

Students complete handout Question 4.

• If the students have discussed the utility of using multiple sources to create a systems diagram (Activities 3 and 4 from this module), the students can call out when they thought about these questions and edited a systems diagram in the past.

After explaining the systems diagramming steps, the instructor displays slide 12 which gives an overview of the steps to create a systems diagram. The instructor briefly reviews all the steps and allows time for questions.

Part 3 - Students apply systems diagramming steps to a simple system(30 min)

Slide 12: The instructor asks students to open the Sewer Student Handout Activity 6 OR Septic Student Handout Activity 6. 

The instructor should choose to provide students with one of these two handouts, depending on if sewer systems or septic systems are more relevant to students in the class. The handouts both contain background information on municipal sewer and septic systems, an outline of the steps to create a systems diagram with space and instructions to complete each step. 

The instructor can stop sharing the Powerpoint and begin sharing a blank sewer or septic student handout to explain how students should complete Part 1 of the handout. Here's an example of how to explain the student handout part 1:

"First we are going to take 10 minutes to complete part 1 of this handout. Part 1 contains three different sections: section A, B, and C. In section A, you will read this little bit of background information and highlight all the system elements of the wastewater system. Then in Part B, you will sort those elements that you highlighted into Reservoirs, Flows, Events, and Thing(s) moving through the system. Finally, in part C you will use the list in Part B to create a systems diagram that explains: What happens to our wastewater? Only use the system elements that you think are relevant to answer this question." 

[If asking students to complete their diagrams on loopy:] 

"You will create the systems diagram on an online modeling tool called LOOPY. So before we start, I'll show a quick video of how to navigate LOOPY before we begin Part 1." 

[Show LOOPY video on ppt. Slide 14]

The instructor should decide how they want students to complete step 2. Either students draw their systems diagrams on a piece of paper or use the online platform LOOPY to create the systems diagram. If the students use LOOPY, the instructor can show the Loopy instructional video embedded in the powerpoint slide 14 (3 min) or just explain Loopy themselves on slide 15.  

If students make a loopy, they can paste the link to the Loopy and a screenshot of the Loopy below Section C. If the students draw the diagram on paper, they can take and upload a picture after class.

The instructor stops screen sharing the powerpoint and provides students with 10 minutes to complete Part 1 of the Wastewater Systems Diagram Student Handout. After 10 minutes, the instructor reminds students to copy the link to their loopy diagram and then paste the link along with a screenshot of their diagram below Part C on the handout before moving on. Reassure students that it is okay if they have not completely finished their diagrams.

The instructor then shares their screen with a blank sewer or septic student handout. The instructor reviews the steps students will take to complete Part 2 of the handout, showing students each section while describing the section. The instructor might explain the instructions for Part 2 like this: 

"Part 2 is very similar to Part 1. Section A provides you with more information on the wastewater system. Again you are going to highlight the elements of the wastewater system that are relevant to answer the question: What happens to our wastewater? You'll then complete Part 2 section B by sorting and adding the systems elements that you highlighted to the table in Part 1 Section B. If you run out of room you can add additional rows to your table. Once you've completed Section B, you will complete Section C where you edit and add to your previous systems diagram to adjust for this new information. Remember to keep the question that you are trying to answer in mind: What happens to our wastewater? Now you'll have 15 minutes to complete Part 2."

• If students are drawing a diagram on paper, they should create a new diagram on a new piece of paper so that they can still upload a picture of their first diagram after class.

After 15 minutes, if students made a loopy, they can paste the link to the Loopy and a screenshot of the Loopy below Section C. If the students draw the diagram on paper, they can take and upload a picture after class.

• Optional: students post links to their systems diagrams in a google document for all students in the class to view. If there is enough time, students can also edit their diagrams after viewing their classmates' diagrams.

Students may create disorganized systems diagrams because they probably will not fully understand all of the components of the diagram, because the Part 2 background information introduces a large number of new flows and reservoirs, and because Loopy (if they are using that platform) has limited space to create diagrams. It's okay if students struggle with understanding some of the new information or representing all the information presented! This struggle will set them up well for Activity 7, where students will learn that all systems diagrams have limitations. In Activity 7, students will learn how to set limitations on their diagrams as well as assess the limitations of their diagrams.

How to adapt locally: Providing students with a map of the school, treatment plant, and waterways can help students better visualize the system (see EPA and GoogleE Teacher Instructions powerpoint in the activity folder to find out how to search for your local utilities provider). The school's water utilities provider should be able to provide teachers with information on where the wastewater treatment facilities are and which waterways they release wastewater into.

The map linked here and on the student wastewater handouts can also provide local context about nearby rural communities who have polluted drinking water from farm runoff.

Diagram Answer Key Student Handout

Answer Key Sewer Student Handout

Answer Key Septic Student Handout

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 1: Introduction to Systems Thinking: What is a System and Unit 2: picturing complexity.

Online Systems Diagramming Tool: Loopy by Nicky Case: https://ncase.me/loopy/

Systems Thinking Vocabulary Glossary

Drinking Water and Waterways Quality Sources:

Overview of Water Quality Issues and Human Impacts: Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment, See Chapter 9: Human Impacts

Background on Changes in Water Resource Availability and Connection to Climate Change (See Ch. 3): "Chapter 3: Water Resources." Climate Change Impacts in the United States: The Third National Climate Assessment. 2014.

Interactive Maps:

"Drinking Water in Rural Communities Is Threatened by Farm Pollution." Environmental Working Group. Accessed August 15, 2020. http://www.ewg.org/interactive-maps/troubleinfarmcountry/fertilizer.php.

"U.S. EPA DWMAPS." https://geopub.epa.gov/DWWidgetApp/.

Other Sources:

US EPA, OW. 2015a. "Learn About Septic Systems." Overviews and Factsheets. US EPA. June 9, 2015. https://www.epa.gov/septic/learn-about-septic-systems.

"Where Does All the Dirty Water Go?" 2002. EPA. https://www3.epa.gov/npdes/pubs/centralized_brochure.pdf.

"Signs of Septic System Failure :: Washington State Department of Health." https://www.doh.wa.gov/communityandenvironment/wastewatermanagement/septicsystem/signsoffailure.

Lee, Jane. 2014. "Driven by Climate Change, Algae Blooms Behind Ohio Water Scare Are New Normal." National Geographic News. August 6, 2014. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/news/2014/8/140804-harmful-algal-bloom-lake-erie-climate-change-science/.

Why teach systems thinking or the water supply chain 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-ESS2-4. Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth's systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.

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.

Ties to Sustainable Development Goals: 

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

Learn about why we should teach Systems Thinking in Earth Science:

• Lisa A. Gilbert, Deborah S. Gross & Karl J. Kreutz (2018): Developing undergraduate students' systems thinking skills with an InTeGrate module, Journal of Geoscience Education. https://doi.org/10.1080/10899995.2018.1529469.
• An explanation of the different types of  systems thinking involved in Earth's systems 

Learn more about teaching systems thinking: 

• Q Design Pack Systems Thinking. Institute of Play. http://educators.brainpop.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/IOP_QDesignPack_SystemsThinking_1.0.pdf
• Mambrey, Sophia, Justin Timm, Jana Julia Landskron, and Philipp Schmiemann. 2020. "The Impact of System Specifics on Systems Thinking." Journal of Research in Science Teaching, July, tea.21649. https://doi.org/10.1002/tea.21649.

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.