Nevada Water

Nevada Water (5th Grade) In this unit, students will investigate the proportion of fresh water and salt water on Earth. They will model the hydrosphere and how it flows between different reservoirs as it interacts with the atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Then, students will zoom in to focus on their local watersheds in Nevada. They will take an interdisciplinary approach to investigate scientific ideas about water management and communicate about them. They will develop literature and math skills along with meeting science standards. Lesson 1: Earth’s Water Phenomenon: Some lakes in Nevada are shrinking. In this lesson, students model the proportions of fresh and saltwater on Earth. They obtain information, use mathematical reasoning, and create models to describe the proportion of salt and fresh water in various global reservoirs. They investigate the essential question: Why are some lakes and reservoirs in Nevada shrinking? This lesson focuses on NGSS standard 5-ESS2-2: Describe and graph the amounts of salt water and fresh water in various reservoirs to supply evidence about the distribution of water on Earth. [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to oceans, lakes, rivers, glaciers, ground water, and polar ice caps, and does not include the atmosphere.] Lesson 2: Mapping Your Water Phenomenon: Nevada is the most arid state in the nation, yet it provides over 3 million people with water for cities, agriculture, and industry. In this lesson, students play a game that models the flow of water through the Nevada atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere. Students create physical models of watersheds and make predictions about how water will flow through the system. Then they plan and conduct an investigation using those watershed system models. Students gather data and develop evidence for how their local watershed system supplies water to communities by using an ArcGIS map and/or printed maps. Students then develop an explanation for how the arid Nevada ecosystem sustains water use for 3 million residents. This lesson focuses on NGSS standard 5-ESS2-1. Develop a model using an example to describe ways in which the geosphere, biosphere, hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact. [Clarification Statement: Examples could include the influence of the ocean on ecosystems, landform shape, and climate; the influence of the atmosphere on landforms and ecosystems through weather and climate; and the influence of mountain ranges on winds and clouds in the atmosphere. The geosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and biosphere are each a system.] [Assessment Boundary: Assessment is limited to the interactions of two systems at a time.] This lesson also incorporates a STEAM extension which focuses on Nevada Visual Arts Standards: VA:Cr2.5.3 Identify, describe, and visually document places and/or objects of personal significance.VA:Cr2.5.1 Experiment and develop skills in multiple art-making techniques and approaches through practice. Lesson 3: Water Protectors Phenomenon: Cultures in Nevada use scientific ideas to protect water resources. In this lesson, students obtain and combine information and construct explanations for how their communities can use science ideas from their families and communities to protect water resources. They will create science comics to inform and argue for important science ideas. Then they will apply their learning to develop an argument with evidence for how their community can address water management problems. This lesson focuses on NGSS standard 5-ESS3-1: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use scientific ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment. This lesson also incorporates Nevada Visual Arts Standard VA:Re8.5.1: Interpret art by analyzing characteristics of form and structure, contextual information, subject matter, visual elements, and use of media to identify ideas and mood conveyed.