How Can We Provide Freshwater to Those in Need?
How Can We Provide Freshwater to Those in Need? is part of Smithsonian Science for the Classroom, a new curriculum series by the Smithsonian Science Education Center. It is aligned to a group of grade 5 standards. It has a focus on engineering design, with a secondary focus on Earth and space science. In this module, students:
- Define the problem of human’s need for freshwater and the limited amount of freshwater available
- Develop a model to show how human activities interact with components of the Earth’s system to cause groundwater pollution
- Design, test, and evaluate different solutions for treating contaminated water
- Use a digital simulation to design and test a solution to the problem of water scarcity
- Communicate two perspectives on the causes and effects of an environmental crisis
- Design, test, and evaluate a solution to pump, treat, and allocate water in a particular town
Below are digital resources that support teaching of this module.
Water Matrix
Download PDF
This file shows images that highlight real-world freshwater issues, problem, solutions, and experiences.
California Snowpack
Download PDF
This file shows California snowpack over a 3-year period.
H2GO Criteria and Constraints
Download PDF
This file has criteria and constraints for the problem of moving water a short distance.
My Water Footprint Example
Download PDF
This file shows how to complete the My Water Footprint homework.
Food Sources Water Footprint
Download PDF
This file shows the amount of water necessary to produce common food sources.
Create a Graph
https://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/
This website allows students to select a graph, input data, label, and share their findings.
Groundwater Video
https://carolinascienceonline.com
This video can be found on Carolina Science Online at the link above. If you have purchased this module, you have an access code that should be activated as soon as possible. If you are having trouble finding your code or logging in, please contact cso_support@carolina.com.
Earth’s Major Groundwater Reservoirs
http://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/thumbnails/image/depletion_labels.jpg
This website shows all of the Earth’s major groundwater reservoirs.
Public Service Announcement Examples
Download PDF
This file shows examples of public service announcements.
Water Pump Criteria and Constraints
Download PDF
This file has criteria and constraints for the problem of moving water upward.
Profiles of Scientists
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/blogs/secretlife/video-profiles/
This website contains profiles of scientists.
History: Anacostia River – Back to the Future
Download the PDF
This file describes the Smithsonian Anacostia Community Museum’s exhibition, Reclaiming the Edge: Urban Waterways and Civic Engagement.
What’s Inside a Water Filter?
Download Video
This video shows the inside of a water filter.
Arsenic in Pakistan Groundwater
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/pakistan-arsenic-laced-groundwater-puts-60-million-people-risk-180964636/
This website contains an article that describes the problem of arsenic in the groundwater in Pakistan.
Aquation
https://ssec.si.edu/aquation
Play the web version of Aquation or download the game from this website to a device.
Aquation Basics
Download PDF
This file describes the basics of the Aquation game.
Aquation: Transferring Water and Wealth
Download PDF
This file describes how to transfer water and wealth in the Aquation game.
Aral Sea Water Balance
http://www.ciesin.org/docs/006-238/tab1.gif
This website gives the average annual water balances for the Aral Sea from 1926 to 1985.
Today’s Front Pages
http://www.newseum.org/todaysfrontpages/
This website contains a gallery of today’s front pages from newspapers across the country.
Aral Sea Resources
https://learninglab.si.edu/collections/aral-sea-exploring-change-over-time-with-satellite-imagery/feRuUz32bUFPPbw6#r
This website provides a collection of maps, satellite images, and magazine articles about the Aral Sea.
History of the Aral Sea
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/aral-sea-pretty-much-gone-180952914/?no-ist
This website contains an article that describes the history of the Aral Sea.
Model for Summative Written Assessment Q2
Download PDF
This file contains a model to answer question #2 in the summative written assessment.
Stakeholder Descriptions
Download PDF
This file gives descriptions of stakeholders involved in the design challenge.
Preparing for a Water Emergency
https://www.ready.gov/water
This website describes how to prepare a water supply kit for an emergency.
Kit Tips & Tricks