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Project Based Learning: Unit E – Freshwater and Saltwater SystemsEarth is sometimes described as the water planet: over two-thirds of Earth’s surface is covered by oceans and freshwater features. By exploring examples of aquatic systems, students come to appreciate the dynamic nature of these systems and learn about the interaction of landforms, sediments, water and climate. Students also investigate factors that affect the distribution and health of living things in aquatic environments and the supply and quality of water for human use.

Driving Question: Describe how humans have had an impact on our water systems and explain how you see the future of our water supplies on Earth.

Presenting Your Learning:

Portfolio – create a portfolio (PowerPoint, poster, duotang, website, blog – your own or on edmodo, binder) of all of the below tasks. The learning that needs to be included in the portfolio is bolded for your convenience. For the tasks that require you to perform a hands-on task, take pictures using a mobile device to put in with the task.

The Learning:

Accomplishing the Learning - You’ll be working in groups to complete the following learning tasks. The higher the level you work up to, the harder the tasks will become. You will be expected to perform tasks up to your comfortability level. Some tasks are accompanied by an activity that will enhance the learning.

Checking for Understanding – Each task has a check for understanding question. This is not something you need to do, but it is something you need to be able to do. You may incorporate them into your portfolio if you wish.

Overarching Curriculum -

- Describe the distribution and characteristics of water in local and global environments, and identify the significance of water supply and quality to the needs of humans and other living things

- Investigate and interpret linkages among landforms, water and climate - Analyze factors affecting productivity and species distribution in marine and freshwater

environments- Analyze human impacts on aquatic systems; and identify the roles of science and technology in

addressing related questions, problems and issues

Grading Breakdown for the Course and This Project

Course breakdown of marks:

75% coursework and 25% final exam

There are 5 units, so each unit is worth 15% of your final grade (5 times 15% is the 75% coursework)

In each unit, your marks are broken down as such:

Project – 50% (7.5% of your final grade)

Quizzes – 20% (3% of your final grade)

Unit Test – 30% (4.5% of your final grade)

Your project is broken down into 3 parts:

Level 1 – 80% of the project grade

Level 2 – 15% of the project grade

Presentation of the main ideas – 5% of the project grade

Marking Scheme for the Project

Section Questions (1 each) Assignments (5 each) Section Total Project Breakdown % of ProjectLearning Guides 95% of Project

Divided into Seven Sections

Learning Guide 1- Level 1 7 Questions 1 Assignment 12 marks /12 times 80% =

Remark: % times 1/8 =Remark:- Level 2 1 Question N/A 1 marks /1 times 15% =

Remark:

Learning Guide 2- Level 1 11 Questions 1 Assignment 16 marks /16 times 80% =

Remark: % times 1/8 =Remark:- Level 2 6 Questions N/A 6 marks /6 times 15% =

Remark:Learning Guide 3

- Level 1 10 Questions N/A 10 marks /10 times 80% =Remark: % times 1/8 =

Remark:- Level 2 3 Questions N/A 3 marks /3 times 15% =Remark:

Learning Guide 4- Level 1 12 Questions N/A 12 marks /12 times 80% =

Remark: % times 1/8 =Remark:- Level 2 N/A 1 Assignment 5 marks /5 times 15% =

Remark:

Continued

Section Questions (1 each) Assignments (5 each) Section Total Project Breakdown % of ProjectLearning Guide 5

- Level 1 4 Questions 2 Assignments 14 marks /14 times 80% =Remark: % times 1/8 =

Remark:- Level 2 2 Questions N/A 2 marks /2 times 15% =Remark:

Learning Guide 6- Level 1 9 Questions 3 Assignments 24 marks /24 times 80% =

Remark: % times 1/8 =Remark:- Level 2 3 Questions N/A 3 marks /3 times 15% =

Remark:Learning Guide 7

- Level 1 6 Questions 2 Assignments 16 marks /16 times 80% =Remark: % times 1/8 =

Remark:- Level 2 1 Question 1 Assignment 6 marks /6 times 15% =Remark:

Learning Guide 8- Level 1 6 Questions 2 Assignments 16 marks /16 times 80% =

Remark: % times 1/8 =Remark:- Level 2 1 Question 1 Assignment 6 marks /6 times 15% =

Remark:

Presentation N/A N/A 20 marks /20 times 5% 5% of theProject =

Total = %

Learning Guide 1: Water, Water Everywhere! The Blue Planet

Level 1 Learning (80%)

We have long called ourselves the blue planet. Upon looking at our lonely planet from space, we realize how significant water is on our planet. Many people are well aware that saltwater is not safe to drink because of the effect the salt has on you. So of all the water on our planet, how much is fresh? Let’s explore. (1) Collect the ‘Distribution of Water’ Assignment and complete it.

Freshwater and saltwater significantly different from one another, and as we’ll explore later, that comes with consequences to the types of life that can live there. (2) Make a table with two columns, one for saltwater and one for freshwater. In the two columns, put down at least 4 points that make that category special. Since we know that most of the water on our planet is salty, (3) How does the ocean get salty?

Of our small amount of freshwater on our planet, there are several different places where it is stored. (4) Explain the difference between a lake and a pond and (5) explain the difference between streams and rivers.

One huge reservoir of fresh water on our planet is in glaciers. Research what a glacier is and (6) explain what a glacier is, and (7) describe the process in which they may form. As much as they are inhibiting on land in terms of the space they take up, (8) what reasons are glaciers important to us?


Hopefully you’ve discovered by now that freshwater is rather rare on our planet. Most of the water on the planet is saltwater. So, (1) what are two ways (one natural and one manmade technology) for saltwater to turn into freshwater?

Checking for Understanding

Remember – this is stuff you need to be able to answer, not stuff I’m expecting in your portfolio. Think of it as a study guide for this section.

- Distribution of water in the world- Significance of the difference between saltwater and freshwater- How glaciers form, and why they are important

Learning Guide 2: The Power of Water


Tides are the result of something pretty surprising. (1) Research what tides are exactly, and describe them in a sentence or two. (2) What causes tides? There are two types of tides. Both of them are caused in the same way, but have slightly different results. (3) Research the different types of tides, and describe them in a few sentences. (4) Find and include a picture that shows the different types of tides.

The vast amount of water on our planet continually cycles from the ocean to the land, where it flows back to the ocean. In the process of flowing back to the ocean, water deforms the land. Water has carved its way through our landscape to be able to reach the ocean from any point on the land where it may fall. This has been done over the course of thousands of years of rain. Let’s explore erosion a little bit. (5) Collect the Exploring Erosion Assignment and complete it.

From looking at the effect of erosion on a small piece of land, we see that water tends to follow specific paths all the way down to the lowest point it can get. This water is called run-off. A watershed is created by run-off, (6) Research and describe what exactly what a watershed is. In Alberta, we have several large watersheds. Each watershed specifically feeds into one big river. There are several of these rivers in Alberta. (7) Research the big watersheds that exist in Alberta. (8) Get a picture that shows the large watershed for the big rivers in Alberta, and point out on the picture what river they feed water into using arrows to show how the water will flow.

The water that runs along a watershed is called the run-off. Not every surface on the earth will react the same to run-off. Some surfaces suck up most or all of the water and do not allow much runoff. Other surfaces allow for almost no water to penetrate down to reach the groundwater. Collect a bag with plastic wrap, paper towel, a sponge, and get a 10mL beaker. Hold each above the sink, and slowly pour 10mL of water onto each surface as it is tilted, one at a time. (9) Make some observations for each one in point form. (10) Match the three surfaces you examined with which would likely represent A) grassy fields, B) sandy areas, and C) mountainside. (11) Why do you think it important to understand how run-off works in terms of watersheds?

Let’s try and expand our picture of watersheds. Let’s imagine all of Canada for a minute. Every part of Canada receives rainwater throughout the year. In the same way, every part of the planet also receives rainwater, and the watersheds that the rainwater falls onto feed into rivers all across the planet. Let’s close the water cycle by examining how water goes from rain, to getting back into the ocean. (12) In a full paragraph (5-7 sentences), describe how rainwater and snow melt on the planet use watersheds to get to the ocean. Trace the journey of water from the top of a mountain all the way back to the ocean to be re-evaporated one day. Include in your answer how rivers/streams and run-off surfaces play a role in watersheds.


(1) Choose five (5) of the following glacial features that are a result of glacier erosion and 1) get a picture of them, and 2) give a definition of how they form.

- Crevasse, Moraine, Cirques, Arete, Horn, Erratics, or U shaped valleys

(2) Research two other glacial features not named in the question above and provide a picture and 1) get a picture of it, and 2) give a definition of how they form.

Examine the bin of sand labeled watersheds. Don’t move or adjust the landscape. Put toothpicks in the landscape (remove them when you’re done!) to show where high points and low points are in your landscape. (3) Draw a diagram of the landscape or take a picture of it. (4) Predict where the water would flow and where it would end up (5) Shade where your watershed is (a different colour for each watershed), and highlight any rivers and lakes in your diagram or picture. (6) Finally, shade in or highlight the areas where you predict the erosion would be highest and explain why you made that prediction.



- The types of tides, and how they work (their connection with gravity)- Erosion by tides- Erosion by streams

o Flow rate and slope of the stream- Erosion by glaciers- What a watershed is and how they are connected to river systems- How run-off differs

Learning Guide 3: Living in Water


Marine systems have some of the most diverse sets of organisms on the planet. Some areas like coral reef are teeming with life of all kinds. To get a grasp on water ecosystems explore (1) what kinds of organisms live in freshwater systems like rivers, lakes, and ponds and (2) What kinds of organisms live in saltwater systems like oceans and seas? List at least 8 for each.

It is interesting to compare the life that exists in both types of water, since the type of organisms that live in both are similar in many ways, and different in others. In order to compare them, we’ll need to review a particular concept. (3) Define the term adaptation. (4) Make a two column table. In one column put behavioural adaptations and in the other column put structural adaptations. List at least three adaptations in each column that humans have to help us survive.

Now, let’s explore the things that make saltwater and freshwater organisms similar to one another. (5) Find at least 5 adaptations that an organism living in water has for survival. These adaptations can be either behavioural (how they act) or structural (what body ‘tools’ do they have). Next, let’s explore the differences between the two groups. (6) In a paragraph (5-7 sentences), describe how saltwater and freshwater organisms differ from one another.

One important commonality between the two types of water systems is that the organisms living there depend entirely on a group of organisms called phytoplankton. (7) Research what phytoplankton are and why they are important in their ecosystem (I need more than one reason here, they are quite important afterall!) (8) Compare the role of phytoplankton with the role of plants on land.

Again, in both cases, it is important that the water quality be high enough for the organisms to live in. (9) What makes water ‘high quality’. List at least 3 things that help qualify water as good. (10) How does water quality affect the amount of organisms that can live in the water?


(1) Can saltwater organisms live in freshwater? What would go wrong, and how would their adaptations to saltwater negatively affect them?

(2) What kinds of organisms can live in both? What adaptations do they have to overcome this difficulty?



- Differences that exist between freshwater organisms and saltwater organisms- Similarities that exist between freshwater organisms and saltwater organisms- What kinds of adaptations allow organisms to live under the water- Specific adaptations that allow organisms to live in either freshwater or saltwater- The importance of phytoplankton- How water quality affects life under the water

Learning Guide 4: What is in the Water? Not Just H2O!


In this section, we are going to be exploring the contents of water. In our water we have certain dissolved substances. This includes minerals, nutrients, and other organic materials in and around the rocks and soil. They get dissolved in the water as it flows over the land, through the ground, and/or down rivers.

We are going to explore how the amount of dissolved materials affects the organisms. Your teacher has collected some pond water, and inside of there should be plenty of water organisms. We will be exploring the effect that nutrients have on these organisms, specifically the algae. (1) Research the life cycle of algae to help understand their importance, (2) how are phytoplankton (algae) important in water food chains?

We will be doing a full lab report and then discussing the significance of it. (3) Collect the Dissolved Substances Lab Report assignment. The efforts of your group to complete the daily measurements and show that in a data table that you will construct over a two week period will count as one assignments (worth 5 marks), and the actual lab write-up that everyone needs to do will also be counted as a separate assignment (also worth 5 marks). Follow the instructions on the lab, filling out each section as described including problem, hypothesis, variables, materials, procedure, data, analysis, and conclusion.

(4) What is meant by ‘potable water’. (5) Under what conditions do governments consider water to be potable, and (6) What kind of contaminations can cause water to be become not-potable.


Our farmland has a limit to the number of nutrients in the soil. Every time plants grow on a farm, they take some of those nutrients, leaving the soil slightly less rich. To keep up with the demand for food on our planet, we need rich soil. So we have gotten ourselves into a cycle of using fertilizers to enrich the soil before every crop cycle. (1) Describe why it is important to understand the watershed that every farm is a part of, in terms of how the fertilizer they use will impact the surrounding area.

Aside from fertilizer, there are many substances that can get into the groundwater, (2) What are two sources of groundwater contamination other than fertilizer from farms, and explain how each a) can get in the groundwater (its source), and b) how it can affect the life that relies on that groundwater.

To humans, potable water is a standard for water that we have created. It is not something that exists naturally (there is no animal that ‘knows’ when water is potable or not, although they can judge by a few things like colour and smell, they can’t test for dissolved substances). So to understand where humans have drawn the line between good, healthy water, and water that is unfit to drink, (3) collect the assignment called Potable Water and complete it.


- How phytoplankton populations can increase or decrease rapidly depending on conditions

- How to determine what the manipulated variables, responding variables, and controlled variables in a science experiment are

- What kind of dissolved substances affect water- What determines if water is potable or not

Learning Guide 5: Watching Our Water


Our demand for ‘stuff’ forces us to take resources and dump wastes into our environment at an accelerated rate. The pollution that humans have been spreading contaminates our land and water worldwide because our land and air are connected through global systems (which we’ll explore a bit more in Learning Guide 6). There are consequences to our actions, and part of today’s scientific efforts is trying to discover what we can do to prevent the collapse of ecosystems because of our choices. Some of the richest ecosystems on our planet like our coral reef have already been utterly destroyed because of pollution. (1) Research how much of the Earth’s coral reef has been affected by pollution. Our wastes bring extremely high levels of nutrients and other chemicals to every ecosystem. (2) What happens when too many nutrients get into a water system, and explain why this can actually be a bad thing for the organisms in the water?

Water that runs along or through the ground picks up a lot of material and dissolved substances. When it reaches a river, lake, pond, marsh, or any other body of water, it carries those things with it. There are natural places on the earth that purify water, but there are humans all over the land on earth, so we have created our own ways to purify water. (3) Research and list the type of materials that are removed using a purification technology. (4) Research a water purification technology and get a picture of it. (5) Describe how that particular technology removes the materials you listed in part (3).

By properly testing our water, we can see what contaminates are in there. These contaminates at least tell us the story about where they came from. (6) In a paragraph (5-7 sentences), describe what the dissolved materials in water can tell us about where the water came from.

There is a technique used by scientists to tell if there is something wrong with an ecosystem. They make use of something called a bioindicator. (7) Define Bioindicator. (8) What makes a bioindicator organism special from other organisms? In other words, why can’t any species be a bioindicator? (9) Describe how frogs are used as bioindicators. (10) Give 2 other examples of a bioindicators in water ecosystems, and describe how each is used as a bioindicator.


(1) Make your own filtration system to purify water (purify means remove things from it, not necessarily just salt!). Note* this is not a system for distillation (we aren’t looking at evaporating water and recapturing it, we are looking at water purification, there is a difference!). Your filtration system will be measured based on four things:

1. How clear you can make the water.2. Should operate over a reasonable amount of time.3. Should not be too complex for someone to operate.4. As low cost as you can make it.

This will be counted as an assignment.

(2) Describe an experiment you could do to test a river or lake for pollution near a town or city of your choice using a bioindicator. Your experiment needs to include: how you will capture the bioindicator and therefore get your measurements, how you will use the bioindicator to measure pollution, and at what ‘tipping point’ will your bioindicator tell you that something is wrong.


- How too little or too much of any nutrient is a bad thing (and perhaps why)- How water purification systems work- How we can track contamination to its source- What a bioindicator is, and how they can be used to monitor an ecosystem

Learning Guide 6: The Bigger Picture - Global Water Movement


The ocean is a big place, and yet, we hear of things washing ashore all the time. This means that the water must be moving… but how? Let’s first look at the global patterns of water movement.

This is a generalized pattern, which leaves out a lot of detail, but it shows the connection between the oceans. This is the movement of the global ocean currents, also known as the ‘global conveyor belt’. (1) Research what causes the ocean currents on the planet. (2) Why is important to have both warm and cool currents in the ocean?

There is a deep connection between wind and water movement. (2) Examine the two pictures above, and describe in your own words the connection between wind and water in different places in the world. (3) What are three factors that influence the direction of wind and water currents?

Examine the picture above. (4) Describe how the Labrador Current might affect the climate in Newfoundland. (5) Describe how the Gulf Stream might affect the climate in England. (6) Describe how the North Atlantic Drift might affect the climate in Northern Europe. Let’s consider it all together now. Observe that Newfoundland and England are at the same latitude on the planet. (7) Without looking up anything on the internet (it’s okay if you’re wrong on this one, I just want your hypothesis), how do you think the climate will compare between England and Newfoundland. Now, let’s do some actual research. (8) Report the average temperature in St. John’s, Newfoundland and London, England. (9) Explain why you think there is any difference between St. John’s and London.

Our ocean currents have a lot to do with our climate. (10) If the global conveyor belt were to stop or change in any way, describe the potential effect (so again, a hypothesis) on places like Newfoundland and London. In other words, think about how all of the living things in those areas will be affected.


(1) How are wind currents caused. What pattern do you see in global wind patterns?

(2) Research two things that driven by ocean and wind currents – La Nina and El Nino.

Our first world country (Canada) often gets people in third world countries (like many in Africa and Asia) to build factories in their country to produce our goods, this is called outsourcing. This causes a lot of pollution in their air and water. Biomagnification is a problem that comes from chemicals building up in organisms further down the food chain (namely, the top level carnivores). Right now, the Orca Whales (killer whales) off the coast of BC (near Victoria and Vancouver) are experiencing an incredibly tough challenge with biomagnification. They have very high levels of mercury, to the point where their bodies are toxic. Now, (2) look at the picture of the global conveyer belt again, and write a paragraph long hypothesis (5-7 sentences) that connects the biomagnification in the whales near Victoria to our outsourcing of factories.


- How our ocean currents are connected globally- How ocean currents are caused- The connection between wind and water currents (note, this is different from tides!!!)- How ocean currents affect the regions of land they are near

Learning Guide 7: Depending on Water


We are pretty dependent on water throughout our lives. What most people don’t realize is that we depend on water a lot more than you know. (1) Describe how we use water for our biology, industries, and agriculture each in a couple of sentences, giving a couple of examples for each.

In Alberta, there is considerable concern for the humans that live around the tar sands. One point of concern is the Athabasca River. The tar sands companies take a lot of water out of the Athabasca River, and there are monitoring systems set up to detect any contamination in the water. There are communities down river from the tar sands like Fort MacKay that rely on that water are particularly concerned. (2) Explain why a community downriver from ANY industrial site may or may not be concerned about their water quality due to watersheds. (3) Explain why a community upriver of ANY industrial site may or may not be concerned about their water quality due to watersheds.

(4) Using the same idea from above involving watersheds, why do we need to be concerned about agricultural places like farms and greenhouses near rivers? Farms and other agricultural zones aren’t always near a river. So to make sure there is enough water for the plants, they drill holes in the ground called a well. A well is technology that allows us to take water from the ground. Remember from the previous sections where you learned about dissolved solids in water. In this case, we’re looking at salt. (5) Describe how taking water from the ground and using that as our water source for farms and other agriculture cause salination.

We’ve also been looking at filtration of substances out of water. Wetlands act as a natural filtration system. Most people have a negative opinion of what a marsh is, but they have something incredible to offer to us. (6) Describe how wetlands act as a natural filter for our water (it might help to look at how moss play a role). We are destroying our wetlands (like marshes) and deforesting our forests so fast that we may not see the true consequences of it. (7) Describe how destroying a marsh might affect the watershed it is a part of.

Finally, let’s explore our effect on the ocean. Recently in 2010, an offshore oil drilling unit owned by British Petroleum (BP) had an explosion. It caused its pipes to split open, allowing the trapped oil to freely spill into the ocean. This is often referred to as the BP oil spill, or the deepwater horizon oil spill. (8) Explain in a paragraph (5-7 sentences) the different effects the BP oil spill had on the ocean and land around it. (9) Collect a picture of the oil spill to accompany your paragraph. Obviously the humans directly around that area are affected deeply by this spill, but considering our last topic of global water movement, (10) why should the entire world care about this kind of disaster? (11) To what extent should BP be responsible for cleaning up this mess? Do you think it is solely their responsibility, or should the community or government also be involved? Defend your position with more than just your opinion, find some facts or figures about why or why not BP should be responsible.

You’ve been looking at how different choices we make affect the water we so dearly depend on. With all of our technology that brings us so many comforts and freedoms in our lives, our technology is limited in a lot of ways. Our water systems are constantly under stress from our lifestyles, and the technology is currently not up to the task of protecting it. (12) Summarize the effect our society and technology has on a) the land, and b) the natives in the land.


(1) Look up the ‘Lower Athabasca Water Quality Monitoring Plan’ and describe the following parts of the experiment: the problem that exists, and a summary of the plan to conduct the experiment. Note* this could turn into a very long read if you lose focus of what I’m asking for. I’m asking for a summary of the plan, not a detailed step-by-step.

(2) Evaluate the limitations to our technology by describing where our shortcomings are and provide some thoughts about how we could improve our technology in at least 3 examples involving either freshwater or saltwater. For example, discussing how our technology can’t replace our wetland’s ability to naturally filter our water was a good fit; however, we’ve already done that one! Hint* In other words, think of three more areas where either our technology lacks or our technology has failed and discuss why it is that way or how it happened and then explain how we have to improve.


- How our technology is limited in its use and safety

Learning Guide 8: Why is the Ocean There?


The ocean is a fantastic and mysterious place. First of all, let’s (1) define what an ocean basin is. It is a place very much like the surface of the earth, but it has one key difference, it erodes differently. Let’s explore a couple of properties about the ocean floor. (2) What is an ocean trench? (3) What is an ocean ridge? (4) What is an abyssal plain?

(5) Describe how the ocean floor might get shaped compared to how land above water is shaped. *hint – what shapes the land we live on (think erosion), how would that compare with the ocean?

(6) Describe the tectonic plate theory in a few sentences. (7) Using the theory of plate tectonics, describe how an ocean trench may be formed. The following picture may help you in coming to your conclusion.

(8) Describe what a continental shelf is.


(1) What evidence do we have that connects plate tectonics to the ocean ridges?

Alfred Wegener was the first to really come to the conclusion that the surface of the Earth was divided into tectonic plates. (2) Research Alfred Wegener’s role in developing the theory of plate tectonics, with what he first called ‘continental drift’.


- Understand key features about the ocean floor: trenches, ridges, plains, continental shelves.

- How plate tectonics are linked with ocean basin formation

Presentation (5%)

Now we need to put your learning together. This is where you make your presentation by putting together the unit to drive home your understanding.

Big helpful hint here – use the work you’ve already done in your portfolio! Re-use your own ideas, refer to previous assignments for your information, discuss activities you did, etc… Don’t reinvent the unit when you’ve already done it! This is just putting the ideas all together in one place.

You can do your presentation in any format of your choice, some suggestions are: essay format (written description), PowerPoint, Video (could be a talk, animation, or anything that shows the information), audio recording of a discussion, poster, website, blog, or any other presentation method of your choice. This is an open-ended way present your learning.

The key theme in this unit is water as a source of life. All of the topics discuss the why water is important and what is special about it, so your presentation will emphasize that theme. Include in your presentation the minimum following content regarding the characteristics of water and its importance:

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