Water Resources Prepared by Kathia Rodriguez [email protected] June 26, 2014 This material was produced for Excellence in Curricula and Experiential Learning (EXCEL) Program, which is funded through UNT Sustainability. The University of North Texas holds the copyright. This material is available for use under a Creative Commons Attribution-­‐NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. Title Prepared By Original Creation Date Version Date of Current Version Revised By Description Rights Information Licensing Information Document Information Water Resources UNT Sustainability June 26, 2014 1.0 June 26, 2014 A collection of activities and resources regarding water resources that meet state education standards and national sustainability standards for the 7th grade level. ©University of North Texas This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-­‐
NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Revision History Previous Version Changes Water Resources none Water Resources Table of Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................... 1 Grade Level .............................................................................................. 1 Discipline .................................................................................................. 1 TEKS ......................................................................................................... 1 National Education for Sustainability Learning Standards ....................... 2 Objective .................................................................................................. 3 Keywords ................................................................................................. 3 Description of Activities ........................................................................... 3 Activities ................................................................................................................ 4 Activity 1: Water in Texas ........................................................................ 4 Introduction ................................................................................... 4 Materials ........................................................................................ 4 Products ......................................................................................... 4 Process ........................................................................................... 4 Additional Resources ............................................................................................ 6 Online Resources ....................................................................................... 6 Water Resources Introduction Grade Level These activities are intended for a seventh grade classroom. Discipline These activities have a science and social studies focus. TEKS Content: Scientific investigation and reasoning. TEKS §112.19. Science, Grade 7. (a)(4)(A)(i)(ii)(iii) Organisms and environments. TEKS §112.19. Science, Grade 7. (a)(4)(E)(i)(ii)(iii) Throughout social studies in Kindergarten-­‐Grade 12, students build a foundation in history; geography; economics; government; citizenship; culture; science, technology, and society; and social studies skills. The content, as appropriate for the grade level or course, enables students to understand the importance of patriotism, function in a free enterprise society, and appreciate the basic democratic values of our state and nation as referenced in the Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.002(h). TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (a)(5) Skills: The student uses critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving to make informed decisions and knows the contributions of relevant scientists. TEKS §112.19. Science, Grade 7. (b)(3)(A)(B)(C)(D) The student knows that natural events and human activity can impact Earth systems. TEKS §112.19. Science, Grade 7. (b)(8)(A)(B)(C) The student knows that living systems at all levels of organization demonstrate the complementary nature of structure and function. TEKS §112.19. Science, Grade 7. (b)(12)(A)(B)(C)(D)(E)(F) The student knows that reproduction is a characteristic of living organisms and that the instructions for traits are governed in the genetic material. TEKS §112.19. Science, Grade 7. (b)(14)(A)(B)(C) The student uses geographic tools to collect, analyze, and interpret data. TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (b)(8)(A)(B) The student understands the location and characteristics of places and regions of Texas. TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (b)(9)(A)(B)(C) Water Resources Excellence in Curricula and Experiential Learning 2 The student understands the effects of the interaction between humans and the environment in Texas during the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (b)(10)(A)(B) The student understands the characteristics, distribution, and migration of population in Texas in the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries. TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (b)(11)(A)(B)(C)(D) The student applies critical-­‐thinking skills to organize and use information acquired through established research methodologies from a variety of valid sources, including electronic technology. TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (b)(21)(A)(B)(C)(D)(E)(F)(G)(H) The student communicates in written, oral, and visual forms. TEKS §113.19. Social Studies, Grade 7. (b)(22)(A)(B)(C)(D) National Education for Sustainability K-­‐12 Student Learning Standards 1.1 ~ Intergenerational Responsibility ~ Responsibility to Future Generations 2.1 ~ Interconnectedness ~ Interdependency 2.2 ~ Ecological Systems ~ Natural Resources ~ Environmental Stewardship 2.3 ~ Economic Systems ~ Food Systems 2.4 ~ Social and Cultural Systems ~ Resource Distribution 3.1 ~ Personal Action ~ Project Planning Water Resources Excellence in Curricula and Experiential Learning 3 Objective Students will learn the important role of water in Texas. The location of settlements, the types of agriculture, and other human activities were and are linked with available water -­‐ either as surface water or as groundwater. Key Words River basin In-­‐basin uses Aquifer Groundwater Recharge Recharge zone Acre-­‐foot Description of Activities The following activities have been compiled to address the topic of “Water Resources” in seventh grade classrooms. The activities meet the state and national education standards for seventh grade, and are intended to supplement pre-­‐existing curricula, with a focus on integrating sustainability topics. The activities can be used in conjunction or alone. Water Resources Excellence in Curricula and Experiential Learning 4 Activities Activity 1: Water in Texas Introduction In this activity, students will learn about water resources in Texas Materials Computers Map of Texas (not provided) Blank or graph paper Products Map Graphs Report Process 1.
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Present students with the following terms and encourage them to brainstorm and come up with the definitions: • River basin -­‐ watershed or drainage area for a river and all tributaries • In-­‐basin uses -­‐ need for water within a river basin • Aquifer -­‐ large amounts of water located under the surface (groundwater) • Groundwater -­‐ water located under the below the surface of the land • Recharge -­‐ the addition of water to an aquifer • Recharge zone -­‐ area on the land surface where water will move down to the aquifer • Acre-­‐foot -­‐ amount of water needed to cover one acre of land one foot deep in water. This amount of water equals 325,851 gallons. In order for students to have a basic understanding of water sources in Texas, present the following facts: • Not counting the Great Lakes, Texas ranks first in the nation for number of square miles of fresh, inland surface water (4,950 sq. mi.). • Caddo Lake is the only natural lake in Texas. • Texas has over 6,700 lakes with at least 10 surface acres. There are only 205 major reservoirs in Texas and 74 of these contain over 98% of the state’s storage capacity. • Texas has already developed 75-­‐80% of its conventional (fresh ground and surface) water resources. • Texas has 15 major rivers. • There are approximately 80,000 miles of rivers and streams in Texas. • Major and minor aquifers underlie approximately 81% of Texas. Water Resources Excellence in Curricula and Experiential Learning 3.
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5 Use the Texas Water Development Board’s website to obtain information on water availability, historical/ projected water usage, and water demand data for the period from the 1990’s to 2050. Select a river basin in the local Water Planning Region and complete the following: • On a blank map of Texas, color the river basins and show the selected river basin. • List the existing reservoirs/lakes in the river basin. • List planned and recommended reservoir projects in the river basin. • Find the major aquifer in the river basin. • Find how much groundwater the aquifer will hold. • Using a bar graph, show in-­‐basin water need by use group (for example: mining) for the years 2000 and 2050. • Compare in-­‐basin water needs versus in-­‐basin water supplies for the years 2000 and 2050 using line graphs. Using the river basin and aquifer data as a basis, have students write a short report discussing water availability needed to meet future demand. The report is to include the map and graphs in addition to the information found out about the river basin and aquifer. Also include possible ideas for a restoration plan for their specific river basin/aquifer. Students should describe the political, economic, and social actions that would need to be taken in order to restore and maintain adequate water levels. The need for water in Texas will continue to increase for the foreseeable future. Water resources used to meet this need will, as in the past, include both water on the surface and water in an aquifer as groundwater. For river basins the primary question is whether or not in-­‐basin water supplies will meet the in-­‐basin water needs or if water will need to be imported from another part of Texas that has a surplus. For aquifers the primary question is whether or not recharge rates can meet or exceed the rate at which water is and will be removed from the aquifer. Excess removal of water can lead to many problems including the water no longer being available. Discuss this situation with the class and focus on the following questions: • What is expected to cause a total water use increase or decline by the year 2050 in the selected river basin? • What are the dangers of overusing the available water in an aquifer? • What are ways that an aquifer can be maintained as a water resource? Water Resources Excellence in Curricula and Experiential Learning 6 Additional Resources Online Resources Reference Resources http://www.twdb.state.tx.us/waterplanning/index.asp http://www.twdb.texas.gov/surfacewater/rivers/index.asp http://www.twdb.texas.gov/surfacewater/rivers/river_basins/index.asp http://www.waterdatafortexas.org/reservoirs/statewide http://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/models/gam/index.asp http://www.twdb.texas.gov/groundwater/docs/UMs/UM-­‐52.pdf Water Resources EXCEL is a division of the Sustainable Communities Initiative