WebQuest is set up!

Ok. I spent today setting up my WQ and have most of the teacher page set up! Hooray, it's starting to come together.

Now I just have to sort through the sites that I plan on using because I found a lot.

More WQ Sites

http://www.ocwd.com/Prado-Wetlands/ca-28.aspx
(Prado Dam off the 91 fwy)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prado_Reservoir
(more info about Prado reservoir)

http://www.cfbf.com/issues/index.cfm
(California Farm Bureau Federation)

http://www.cfbf.com/agalert/AgAlertStory.cfm?ID=1088&ck=B1563A78EC59337587F6AB6397699AFC
"All water is not the same"

http://aquafornia.com/   General site

http://aquafornia.com/archives/47731
Festival that also teaches about water conservation



http://aquafornia.com/archives/47719
Lake Mead
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/2011/04/18/20110418lake-mead-replenished-by-snowfall.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Mead
http://news.cnet.com/8301-11128_3-9870349-54.html 
http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-6151167-7.html

Recycling water in Israel. China is looking to them for Water technology.

http://news.cnet.com/8301-10784_3-9799839-7.html Making artificial rain in New Mexico.

WQ Tasks for Students

Students will be divided into groups of 5-6.

This WQ is designed to be used after the students have learned the water cycle.

Students will investigate examples of what happens when there is a break in the water cycle and how that can lead to scarcity of water and other problems. (Usually because of human intervention, but sometimes also due to natural/environmental causes).

Students will look at water problems and scarcity issues that are occurring locally and globally/internationally.

Students will create a 3-D visual of the water cycle in their groups and explain each part.
Students will present a report of one of the problems of how the water cycle was "broken"(either local or international).
Students will create a visual to show the percentage of water and how it is distributed on earth.

Week 10: Websites for Water WQ

http://water.org/learn-about-the-water-crisis/facts/
(http://water.org/)
-Facts about water on a global/international scale. 

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/sc1.html
-A quiz: How much water does it take to grow a hamburger?

http://ocsd.com/mm/wwtp/default.asp
-A visual diagram where students can click on each step of the wastewater treatment process (what happens when your flush the toilet or when water goes down the drain?)

http://www.deq.state.la.us/portal/Default.aspx?tabid=1979
-Water cycle activities and a brief overview.

http://www.msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/wc/oceans/4/wcoc4_1a.html
-Comparing the properties of fresh and sea water.

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/earthwherewater.html
-Where is Earth's water located and how it's distributed.

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http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/venice/siege.html
-NOVA/PBS "Venice Under Siege".

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/venice/sieg_flash.html
-NOVA/PBS Interactive Map of Venice

http://geography.about.com/od/specificplacesofinterest/a/nile.htm
-Aswan Dam in Egypt (Some of the problems after it was created)

http://www.pbs.org/kqed/chinainside/nature/waterissues.html
-China's Top Water Issues

http://www.orexca.com/aral_sea.shtml
-Active Visual Display of how the Aral Sea shrank.

http://www.adb.org/Documents/Presentations/RC_Shared_Water/Ataniyazova.pdf
-More Information about the Aral Sea problem for teachers.

http://www2.scholastic.com/browse/unitplan.jsp?id=93&eml=TNL/e/20110328/email///April_Update///Generic/////
-Scholastic Teacher Link for the Water Cycle

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http://www.findingdulcinea.com/news/environment/2010/feb/Seeding-the-Clouds-for-Drought-Relief.html
-Human Intervention with Cloud Seeding

http://www.sci.sdsu.edu/salton/Salton%20Sea%20Description.html#Anchor4368
-Salton Sea Problem (California)

http://www.naturestudy.org/projects/mono.htm
-Mono Lake Problems (California)

http://www.ustrust.com/ust/pages/Aspen-Ideas-Festival.aspx
-What's a cool drink of water worth? Video

http://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/index.php
-100 Ways to conserve water

WEEK 10: Change of Topic!!!

Ok, after going over details with the professor, I am now changing my WQ topic and grade level. I'm currently teaching High School, but somewhere, I got the idea from my peers that it had to be related or directed at the grade we were currently teaching. That made it difficult for me because this is my first time teaching High School.

Anyhow, my WQ topic will be on 5th grade Earth Science (the water Unit).

5th Grade Science Standards for Earth:

3. Water on Earth moves between the oceans and land through the processes of evaporation and condensation. As a basis for understanding this concept:
a. Students know most of Earth’s water is present as salt water in the oceans, which cover most of Earth’s surface.
b. Students know when liquid water evaporates, it turns into water vapor in the air and can reappear as a liquid when cooled or as a solid if cooled below the freezing point of water.
c. Students know water vapor in the air moves from one place to another and can form fog or clouds, which are tiny droplets of water or ice, and can fall to Earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow.
d. Students know that the amount of fresh water located in rivers, lakes, underground sources, and glaciers is limited and that its availability can be extended by recycling and decreasing the use of water.
e. Students know the origin of the water used by their local communities.

I'm really exciting because I've found some great sites. I will compile it into another blog post soon.

I picked this topic because students for the most part do not think about the scarcity or water because it is readily available to them. However, students need to understand that water is a limited resource and that we need to be more mindful about how we use it.

The "hook" or problem will be related to the scarcity of the water and possibly along the lines of the government limiting your water usage.
-Where are the different water sources located?
-How does the water cycle work?
-Why might California be in a drought even though there was a lot of rain this season?
-How much water do we need to produce foods (ref. to link on "How much water does it take to grow a hamburger?")
-Where does the water go after we flush a toilet (ref. to Orange County Sanitation District link).