Water Quality Lesson and Rubric

Desired Learning Outcomes:

• Identify the key factors that influence water quality
• explain how human interference can affect the quality of a water ecosystem and the survival of organisms
• Identify different relationships among the factors that affect water quality
• Explain how the key factors affect the living organisms in a water ecosystem
• Use of credible cyber resources for research and data collection
• Use of ICTs as research is being conducted such as testable questions and locating accurate information
• Use of ICTs to support data collection, analysis, presentation and finally to draw conclusions.
• Use of ICT to present findings to the public in a clear way

Acceptable Evidence:
The activity addresses the following Next Generation Science Standards performance expectations (Achieve Inc. 2013):

• MS-LS2-1. Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
• MS-LS2-2. Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
•  MS-LS2-4. Construct an argument supported by empirical evidence that changes to physical or biological components of an ecosystem affect populations.

Learning Activities:
Day1: Students will brainstorm as a group and create a list of factors affecting water quality. As a group they should discuss their opinions. After this 10-15 minute exercise have students search for article related to water quality. As they are working help them conduct their research by giving them tips on putting in key words. Help them draw conclusions to their findings.
Day 2: Propose 2 main questions that students can thereby conduct research with testable questions. Ask students how to collect data . Show them how to use various forms of technology to collect data and to examine the correlation between the two factors discussed-water temperature and dissolved-oxygen. Have students organize their work in a spreadsheet and chart.
Day 3: Now it is time for scaffolding. The students have collected data with the teachers guidance and now it is their time to research on their own. Show students how to use other ICTs to enhance their search and presentation. Give students their own research questions to go ahead on their own.
Day 4: Have students identify a scientifically testable question within their research. Students can work as a group to help each other formulate a hypothesis, develop a research plan, collect and analyze data, evaluate the data, and draw conclusions.Encourage the more advanced students to further their investigation by looking at other databases. Upon completion, have students share and discuss their work and the work of their peers.

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Water Quality Rubric