Biology
Liquid Gold
Subject Area: Biology Grade Levels: 9 -12 Date: 08 – 03 - 2010
Lesson Overview
Content Standards:
6A. Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects. AS a basis for
understanding this concept:
d. Students know how water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle between abiotic resources and organic
matter in the ecosystem and how oxygen cycles through photosynthesis and respiration
California Tech Education Standards:
1.2 Science
Specific applications of Investigation and Experimentation Standards (grade nine through
twelve)
1.a Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes,
spreadsheets ad graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and
display data.
1.d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence
1.f. Distinguish between hypothesis and theory as scientific terms
1.j. Analyze situations and solve problems that require combining and applying concepts from
more than one area of science
Materials Included in this Other Materials for this Lesson
Lesson
Worksheets Water video clip
Dissolved Oxygen Lab Kit GIS: computer lab
TDS reader Water Cycle Game Set up
Turbidity Test
Skills the Student will Learn Student Deliverables
1. Graphing 11. Lecture Notes: Water Cycle
2. Mapping: GIS 12. Water Cycle Game
3. Using Thermometer 13. Lab Report 1: Water Quality
4. Data Collection 14. Lab Report 2: Dissolved Oxygen
5. Data Analysis 15. GIS Map
6. Reference Point 16. Process Paper/Reflection
7. Measuring Oxygen Production 17. Quiz
8. Reading a pipette
9. Measuring with pipette
10. Technical Writing
Length of Lesson: 5 Days
Activity Day One
1. Video clip of Storm water or Rain ????
2. Entry Document: Wood Rodgers Letter to the Student
3. Read: Follow the Water Drop in his life cycle
4. Diagram the Life Cycle of the drop of water
Activity Day Two
1. Lecture: Water Cycle, Practical Uses of Water
2. Water Cycle Game: from USGS website
3. Prepare for Water Quality Lab
Activity Day Three
1. Lab I: Water Quality
2. Lab II: Dissolved Oxygen
Activity Day Four
1. Computer Lab: Introduction to GIS
2. GIS Map work time
Activity Day Five
1. Review: Where does your water come from
2. Why do we call it liquid gold? Good water/Bad water; International water issues
3. Reflection/Process Paper: 1 page
4. Quiz/Survey
Enrichment Suggestions
1. Expansion into storm water and designing new low impact development ideas such as rain
gardens and green roof ideas.
Student Resources
www.esri.com/softwre/mapping_for_everyone/index.html
www.usgs.com
State Standards Met
Content Standards:
6A. Stability in an ecosystem is a balance between competing effects. AS a basis for
understanding this concept:
d. Students know how water, carbon, and nitrogen cycle between abiotic resources and organic
matter in the ecosystem and how oxygen cycles through photosynthesis and respiration
California Tech Education Standards:
1.2 Science
Specific applications of Investigation and Experimentation Standards (grade nine through
twelve)
1.a Select and use appropriate tools and technology (such as computer-linked probes,
spreadsheets ad graphing calculators) to perform tests, collect data, analyze relationships, and
display data.
1.d. Formulate explanations by using logic and evidence
1.f. Distinguish between hypothesis and theory as scientific terms
1.j. Analyze situations and solve problems that require combining and applying concepts from
more than one area of science
Lesson Plan Relevance To Externship
This lesson was a result of 40 hours with geologist and water resources engineers. This serves
as an introduction to students about the source of their water and where it is going. We will be
studying the water cycle, water quality, contamination, and prevention of pollution.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/ci/ct/sf/
The CTE standards (PDF; 4MB; 441pp.) and framework (PDF; 10MB; 484pp.) are
available for purchase or download from the California Department of Education through
CDE Press.
Rubric for the (type in the title) Project
Student 1 2 3 4
Deliverables Exceeds Meets Approaches Fails to meet
Expectations Expectations Expectations Expectations