UNIT PLAN TEMPLATE

Unit Title: Investigating Environmental Issues: Fresh Water Use Number of Lessons: 7 Time: (in weeks) 2.5 - 3
weeks

Name: Thomas Cormier, Maddy McDonald & Subject(s): Environmental Science Grade(s): 12
Breanna Saulnier

Rationale: Students should be exposed to the way water affects them on a local, provincial, national, and global level. It is important for
students to make connections on how their use of water affects those around them, and how contamination, pollution, and depletion can have a
negative impact on society and production.

Prescribed SCOs :
Describes earths water supply.
Develop an understanding of the natural freshwater ecology and the impact of people.
Describe water use, locally, nationally and globally.
Describes ways in which we can use water more sustainably.
Research relevant, local, regional and/or national organizations and government agencies, and identify their mandate and
perspective on water issues.
Design and carry out an experiment to test the impact of people on freshwater ecology.
Demonstrate the effective and critical use of a variety of investigation and research methods.

Cross-Curricular Connections:

World Issues:
- Students are to be briefly introduced to the concept of global interdependence and the shrinking of our planet into a Global
Village. They should understand that this global community represents a system where events in one part of the system has consequence
for the rest of the system.
- Students should examine the factors which combined to create our global community.
- Students should be aware of the workings of the global community, the areas of interdependence, and the consequences to our
modern society.
- Students should understand that the future of the planet and its people depends upon the choices which the world community
makes today. They should also be cognizant that these decisions will not always result in purely beneficial results, but will sometimes
involve unforeseen side effects because of the complexity of the issues.

English:
GCO: 4 - Students will be expected to select, read, and view with understanding a range of literature, information, media, and visual texts.
GCO: 1 - Students will be expected to speak and listen to explore, extend, clarify, and reflect on their thoughts, ideas, feelings, and
 experiences

Political Science
- Section B: Who governs Canada- Key Question (4): who makes sure that public policy is carried out
- Section C: Influences on Government- Key Question (2): how does mass media influence the political process
- Section C: Influences on Government- Key Question (3): what influences do pressure groups have on political process

Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and Differentiated Instruction (DI):

SMARTBoard, Powerpoint, Prezis and the projector will be used to facilitate directions and instruction.
FM system will be used for students with hearing impairments.
Handouts will be distributed for students that require visual aids.
Frequent pauses, stretching and mind breaks will be used to regroup students and offer kinesthetic students the outlet they need.
The content of this unit will motivate naturalistic intelligences.
The classroom layout and arrangement will facilitate easy movement for the students and the teacher.

Design for this unit:

Lesson # Specific (a) Outcomes Assessment Strategies Lesson Activities Resources
Title: Outcomes in in Student Friendly Your reader needs to (fully (Specific to This Lesson)
Time: lesson Terms understand what you are
(b) Teaching going to do).
Strategies Listed
Lesson # 1 Describes SWBAT: Formative APK: Students will begin in General Presentation:
Title: earths water Students Observat small groups and each be PowerPoint
Introduction supply. will be able to ion: given a role. They will PowerPoint
to Water describe the water on Anecdota choose their roles by Remote
Time: 55
Develop an earth. l Notes choosing a card located in a Smart Board
minutes
understanding Students Conferen zip-lock bag, which is White Boards
of the natural will be able to cing located in a larger bag that is 20 Handouts
freshwater describe how Peer colour coordinated. Word Wall
ecology and the freshwater impacts Assessment Labels for Diagram
impact of people and They will be given two
people. ecosystems. Summative quotes and asked to reflect APK:
Exit Slip on them in their small- Role Cards
Teaching Strategies: Focus Question: groups. Students will be
Questioni How can you use directed to discuss the quote During:
ng: Focusing on the water more at their tables. They will be Mini-Labs:
higher levels of sustainably? What given five minutes for this Paper Towel, Bowls, Water,
 Blooms Taxonomy. could you do to help activity. After they have Ice, and Kettle
Chunking third world countries discussed the quotes the
Think- that have no water? reporter for the table will Closing:
Pair-Share report the knowledge to the 20 Cue Cards
Small class as-a-whole.
group discussion
with designating Explain to students that
tasks (reporter, during the presentation they
recorder, timer, etc.) will be responsible for
placing their pre-distributed
labels correctly on the
diagram of the water cycle

During: There will be an

interactive presentation of
the Water Cycle- it will
include mini labs and class
discussion- what will be
discussed is as follows:
Precipitation
Condensation
Evaporation
Collection

Closing: Exit Slip: How can

you use water more
sustainably? What could you
do to help third world
countries that have no water?
Lesson # 2 Describe water SWBAT: Formative: APK: Have percentage facts APK:
Title: Global use, locally, Students Observation written on the whiteboard Whiteboard
Impacts of nationally and will be able to Mind-map cart. Students will be guided Whiteboard
Water globally. describe how water is by the teacher through this Markers
Time: 55
used on a local, Self-Assessment: activity but asked to estimate
minutes
national and global Making the percentages of each During:
scale. Connections category relying on their Chart Paper
prior knowledge After they Chart Paper
Teaching Strategies: Summative: have estimated, they will be Markers
Discussio Observation shown the facts. For 20 Handouts
n Mind-Map example:
Guiding Ball Toss Ideas - Freshwater 2.5% Closing:
Mind- - Saltwater 97.5% Ball
maps
Throw Pre-distribute chart paper
the Ball [Ball Toss] already divided into 2. It will
(once you are tossed be labeled the following:
the ball it is your turn causes and effects. This
to share an idea) activity will be used to
organize ideas on depletion
and scarcity.

During: Students will draw

a mind-map of the possible
causes of water depletion. In
the second quadrant, you will
brainstorm possible effects
of water depletion. Ignore
the third and fourth
quadrants for the time
being.
Students will share their
ideas on the quadrants

Show them what research

points to being the causes of
water depletion. They can
record these on their handout
in the blank tables. Repeat
this process with effects of
water depletion.

Closing: Students will

participate in a Ball Toss
where they are encouraged to
share an example of local,
national or global uses of
 water.

Lesson # 3 Describes ways SWBAT: Formative: APK: APK:

Title: in which we Students Monitori Give students a blank chart 20 Chart
Sustainable can use water will be able to list and ng students while that they would use to fill out Photocopies (daily,
Water Use more explain ways in which they complete their the amount of water that they weekly, monthly)
Time: 55
sustainably. water can be used charts use on a daily, weekly, and Charts
minutes
wisely. Conferen monthly basis. This way
cing small group students can calculate the During:
Teaching Strategies: discussions and amount of water that they PowerPoint
Discussio whole class use individually. Presentation
n discussions Chart Paper
Situated We will give students time to Chart Paper
Learning discuss in groups their Markers
Promptin results and ways they can
g Self Assessment reduce their water use. Then
Brainstor Making we will discuss some of the Closing:
ming connections results as a class and ways 20 Cue Cards
that they can reduce their
water usage.
Summative:
Exit During:
Ticket Label the three groups that
students are sitting in:
farmers (agriculture),
manufacturers (industry),
luxury lifestyle/ wealthy
businessman/ woman
(personal). Have the students
discuss various solutions
their group could practice
to use water more
sustainably.We will give
chart paper to brainstorm
ideas
In students groups they will
use their label to come up
with solutions that their
label could practice to use
water more sustainably.

Students will be briefly

introduced to the ideas of
scarcity. During this section
students will be exposed to
the ideas of physical and
economic scarcity their
causes and effects. After
watching the Case Study
(video) on Rwandas
contaminated water they
will brainstorm ideas on how
clean water would change
the lives of those who do not
have access to clean/ fresh
water.

We will have students in

groups brainstorm or create a
mind-map of the ways clean
and/ or freshwater could
change the lives of those
living in areas of water
scarcity

Closing: Students will be

asked to reflect individually
on the following focus
question and write their
answers on a cue card.
Describe
ways in which we can
use water more
sustainably that affects
our agriculture.
What can you
do to help those in areas
 of water scarcity?
Lesson # 4 Research SWBAT: Formative: APK: Students will be APK:
Title: Water, relevant, local, Students Monitori grouped into small groups Chart Paper
Food & regional and/or will be able to ng students while (3-4) and be asked to Chart Markers
Agriculture national demonstrate skills in they complete their brainstorm what they know
Part I
organizations researching water charts about the connection During:
Time: 55 -
220 minutes
and government issues that affect the Conferen between water and Laptops
agencies, and Global South. cing small group agriculture. Each group will Internet
identify their discussions and be asked to share two of their PowerPoint
mandate and Teaching Strategies: whole class ideas with the class. These Textbooks/
perspective on Brainstor discussions ideas will be recorded on the Books/ Readings
water issues. ming whiteboard.
Small- Exit Slip:
Group Work Self Assessment During: Students will be Sticky Notes
Inquiry- Making given access to laptops and
Based Learning connections ask to research one of the
following topics: water and
agricultural production;
Summative: successful agricultural water
PowerPo management practices;
int/ Prezi (Rubric - adapting to extreme climate
pre-distributed change and pollution;
during the beginning building new partnerships
of this lesson) [see and water depletion;
next Lesson #5) sustainable water practices in
agricultural production;
clean water access in third
world countries. They will
work in small groups to
come up with a quick
presentation based on their
topic - with the intent of
teaching the content to the
class (reciprocal teaching).
Students should use Power
Point or Prezi (they have
used both in prior
assignments) to offer
 visualization during their
brief presentation.

Exit Ticket: At the end of

this activity, before leaving
they will be to record two
ways that their topic would
change their lives?
Lesson # 5 Research SWBAT: Formative: APK: Students will be given APK:
Title: Water, relevant, local, Students Monitori 5 KWL charts. Their APK KWL Handout
Food & regional and/or will be able to ng students while will be to write down what Pens/ Pencils
Agriculture national demonstrate skills in they listen to other they know about the topics
Part II
organizations researching water presentations. presented in class (first During:
Time: 55 -
110 minutes
and government issues that affect the column): water and Laptop
agencies, and Global South. Peer Assessment agricultural production; Internet
identify their Survey successful agricultural water PowerPoint
mandate and Teaching Strategies: (After Presentation) management practices; PowerPoint
perspective on KWL on Group adapting to extreme climate Remote
water issues. Presentati Participation and change and pollution;
on (Reciprocal Work Ethic building new partnerships Exit Slip:
Teaching) and water depletion; Cue Cards
Summative: sustainable water practices in
PowerPo agricultural production;
int/ Prezi (Rubric) clean water access in third
KWL world countries. In the
Charts (Rubric) second column they will
record one question they will
ask the groups at the end of
each presentation.

During: Students will take

turns presenting their
findings to the class. During
this time, the listening
students will fill out the third
column of their KWL charts.
(This is part of their grade in
the rubric and will be
 collected for assessment.)

Exit Ticket: Students will

write down one thing they
have learned from each
presentation on a cue card
and hand it to the teacher
before exiting the classroom.
Lesson # 6 Design and SWBAT: Formative: APK: Students will do a APK:
Title: Case carry out an Students Observat brief think-pair-share activity Loose-Leaf
Study: Water experiment to will conduct an ions brainstorming the ways in Pens, Pencils,
and Farming test the impact experiment in order to Anecdota which water affects humans Markers
Globally
of people on understand the impact l Notes across the globe - with a
Time: 55
minutes
freshwater humans have on the Conferen special emphasis on those During:
ecology. worlds fresh water cing without access to clean and Three Different
supply and the safe water. Articles: Farmers in the
ecosystems that Self-Assessment: Global South (two groups
surround it. Making During: Students will be per article)
Connections introduced to water problems Chart Paper;
Teaching Strategies: in the global south. Chart Markers
Brainstor Summative: Students will be divided into White Board
ming Sampling six equal groups. Each table Smart Board
Think- Students Work will have one of three PowerPoint
Pair-Share different articles on farmer (instructions)
Reciproca suicides in the global south.
l Teaching For the remainder of the Exit Slip:
Exit- period students will work Cue Cards
Ticket with their articles to come up
with a quick presentation Homework:
(reciprocal teaching) to Article: How to
convey the information to Build a Terrarium
their classmates.

Exit Slip: Students will

write three ideas on a cue
card answering: What can
we do to help farmers in the
global south access water
 more sustainably to avoid
decreased production during
periods of drought? This is
an individual activity and
students will hand it in to the
teacher prior to leaving and
receive the article for their
homework in return.

Homework: Students will be

assigned a short article on
how to build sustainable
terrariums - as preparation
for the next lesson.They will
complete this activity for
homework.
Lesson #7 Design and SWBAT: Formative: APK: We will be preparing a APK:
Title: carry out an Students Observat smartboard game Smartboard
Terrarium experiment to will conduct an ion (interactive) where students (game)
Time: 55 test the impact experiment in order to Teacher- will place the steps to projector
minutes
of people on understand the impact Student building a terrarium in order. whiteboard to
freshwater humans have on the conference This should be a review of place outcomes and agenda
ecology. worlds fresh water Peer their reading assignment markers to write
supply and the Assessment from the night before. objectives
Demonstrate ecosystems that Checklist
the effective surround it. During: Students will build During:
and critical use Students Summative: a terrarium in groups of three Soil
of a variety of will be able to use Lab to four by following the Activated-
investigation critical thinking to Report handout distributed by the Carbon
and research conduct research in a teacher. Each of their 15 Identical
methods. lab. terrariums will have a Plants
decided manipulative: oil, Live Moss
Teaching Strategies: salt, pesticide, chemicals, 15 Terrarium
Project access to water (one third of Bowls
Based Learning the water used). Students Water
will record how these Decorative
elements - when mixed with Rocks
water - can be detrimental to 20 Checklist
agricultural production. Handouts

PBL Focus Question: How Closing:

does the quality of water 20 Observation
affect the production of Sheets
agriculture in the developing
worlds?

Closing: Students will

submit their first observation
sheet - based on their
terrariums. They will
continue to monitor the
terrariums throughout the
next four weeks.