Jonathan Flanakin

When I was asked what I wanted to do

with my life fifteen years ago I would have

talked your ear off about how I would change

the world in my own whacky and convoluted

ways. I will admit that I had high aspirations as

a 5th grader, but my goals have always stayed

true. I’ve explored various careers from law

enforcement to geology, each offering their

own purpose in regards to benefiting the

community, however; as I dabbled here and

there I found that sharing my experiences and

knowledge with others is often the most

rewarding.

My goal as a middle school teacher is to

help students progress through an often

difficult time in their lives with less speed

bumps and more opportunity. In 35 years I

want to be able to look back at what I have

accomplished and see that I have influenced

students to not only become more scientifically

literate, but also outstanding citizens in the

community.

As I begin to delve deeper into the

educational aspects of teaching I am often

forced to set aside my subject focus, science,

although I do find myself researching and

exploring on the side. I enjoy setting off on my

own expeditions, looking for new rocks or

fossils to add to my collections and share with

others. Sometimes my kitchen even turns into a

weekend laboratory where I can recreate

experiments for future use or reference. Being

able to translate my personal scientific

experiences into my classroom is certainly

something I look forward to.

As I gaze ahead into the future I am

excited to be furthering my formal education

and dream of the years I have ahead of me as

an educator. I hope that soon I will be able to

be a part of a collective that truly cares about

the future of the individuals they teach. There

are many goals associated with education

within our society and I wish to serve the

community to not only achieve them, but to

reach beyond.

“Education is not the

filling of a pail, but

the lighting of a fire.”

– William Buster Yeats

jonmo89.wix.com/the-test-tube

Watersheds Jonathan Flanakin

Earth Science 8th

Rationale: The fact that water plays such an essential role on our planet, from thousands

of dynamic systems to deep internal processes, calls for an understanding of its ability to affect

the environment in which we inhabit. Such knowledge will grant students the ability to make

conscious, informed, and responsible decisions regarding Earth and its resources in the future, as

well as open an avenue unexplored for further reasoning, investigation, and experimentation. An

understanding of watersheds as well as erosion, sedimentation, and other water based processes

are of course crucial for further hydro-geological and environmental science study, but a general

knowledge of these processes will allow students to further their scientific inquiry and delve

deeper into concepts and ideas that affect their local resources.

Summary: Throughout this unit students will be encountering the general principles

behind watersheds, wetlands, erosion, sedimentation and investigate methods used to examine

the structure, composition, and dynamics of Earth’s surface in regards to inland water movement.

Through this they will observe, investigate, experiment, create and essentially adopt the

perspective of both a scientist and citizen of this planet. The unit will begin with some lessons

reviewing the water cycle and introducing the concept of watersheds, and from there it will

branch out into local/national case studies, topographic map reading/construction, and erosion

modeling/testing. To finish the unit students will investigate a specific facet, interest or problem

related to watersheds, pose a question, and begin to compile research. This will eventually

culminate into a project they can share with their classmates.

http://www.earthscienceliteracy.org

Essential Questions:

- How do we go about understanding and explaining watersheds?

- How do watersheds affect my community/nation/the world?

- How are watersheds affected by humans?

Objectives:

- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.1 Cite specific textual evidence to support

analysis of science and technical texts.

- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.3 Follow precisely a multistep procedure when

carrying out experiments, taking measurements, or performing technical tasks.

- CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RST.6-8.4 Determine the meaning of symbols, key terms,

and other domain-specific words and phrases as they are used in a specific

scientific or technical context relevant to grades 6–8 texts and topics.

Length of Unit: 4 Weeks

Materials and Resources:

- School will provide general materials (paper, technology, etc.)

- I will provide lesson specific materials (examples, articles, etc.)

- Students will provide their notebooks, writing utensils, and anything

dependent upon their research if I am incapable of providing it.

Means of assessment:

- Pre-assessment will be done via discussion, small activities, and exit slips

- Formative assessment will include participation, checking for work, and

oral/written feedback.

- Summative assessment will be based on their research projects/presentation,

which will be graded with separate personal/group rubrics.

Watersheds Unit

Mr. Flanakin

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Week One

Water Cycle Phase Changes Introduction Review

Water cycle Continued Molecule Stories

Watersheds Construction

Wetlands Construction

Outdoor Activity Makeup

Week Two

Hurricane Case Studies

Case studies continues

Local watersheds

Local watersheds Discussion

Outdoor Activity Makeup

Week Three

Topographic models to maps

Topographic maps to models

Fictional Topographic map writing activity

Erosion models Erosion models discussion Outdoor/makeup?

Week Four

Introduction to unit projects

Research Finalize Choice

Research Research Meet with teacher

Week Five

Research Research Present Present Present Outdoor? Conclude

Lesson 1 – Water Cycle and States/Phase changes

Teacher: Jonathan Flanakin Subject: Science Grade Level: 8th

Topic: Water Cycle and States/Phase changes

Rationale: Students must fully understand the water cycle and the states of matter in order to

grasp the big idea of the unit. The Earth is essentially a water planet in that the substance plays a

huge role in processes across all scientific disciplines, and being cognizant of its dynamics is

paramount to further investigation.

Objectives:

1. From memory, students will be able to list the 3 phases of water and understand how

heat, or lack thereof, contributes to phase transition. (Comprehension)

2. In a group, students will be able to discuss the locations where water is stored and

explain the processes through which it travels from one place to another. (Comprehension)

3. Given a diagram students will be able to create a story involving the process in which

water cycles and travels around the world. (Synthesis)

Materials Needed: Glasses/cups, ice, water, ziplock bags, tape, projector, diagrams etc.

Instructional Framework: Initiating/review

Literacy Strategies: Story writing, Observations, KWL

Day 1

Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify aims and establish set. (10 mins)

Students have previously learned about the water cycle (hopefully), and have a basic

understanding of geography.

Quick write (KWL - 5 mins): What do you know/want to know about the water cycle and

phase changes?

1. Have students volunteer to share and discuss comments/questions

1. Ask students to finish up the chart after the lesson and discuss later.

Phase 2: Move on to introduction experiment. (20 mins)

Ask students what they think will happen if they put an ice cube in a ziplock bag.

o Mention weight, water vapor, displacement etc. to seed ideas.

Have students write down their predictions in their lab books.

o Remind them to draw pictures, diagrams, etc.

Go forward with the proposed experiment. Put students into pairs and pass out cups,

bags, and ice cubes.

o Have students put the ice cube in the cup, and then the cup and cube into the bag

and seal. (have students label them!)

o Make them measure the weight of the bags and have them record their data in the

lab books, and store the bags until the next day.

Phase 3: Phase change activity (to end of class)

Set a glass of ice water on the table at the front of the room. (advanced organizer)

o Ask students to make observations: What’s happening to the ice? What’s

happening on the outside of the glass? Etc.

Ask for volunteers to come to the front of the room

o Each student will represent a single molecule of water, and they will move about

according to their state of matter.

o Direct students through a story where the freeze, melt, evaporate etc. and they act

as though they are in that state. (link arms when frozen, disperse when liquid,

float away when gas etc.)

o Begin discussion about temperate change resulting in phase change, lead it toward

what phase change affects in the environment.

Day 2

Phase 1: Finish intro experiment. (20 mins)

Have student retrieve their bags and begin making observations (ice melted,

condensation, water traveled etc.)

Have students measure the weight of the bags again and compare to yesterday

Ask students: Did anything surprise you? Were your predictions correct, why or why not?

o Flow directly into water cycle discussion

1. Water that exists on the planet is old, rarely created or destroyed.

2. Quantity of water in the bag remained the same. (analogy to water on

Earth)

Phase 2: Water cycle diagrams and stories. (30 mins) – Have students finish KWL for HW

Hand out water cycle worksheet and put diagram up on the projector.

o Ask students to name some places on or around the planet where water can be

found, as they call them out write them in on the projector and have them copy on

their own diagrams.

Discuss the importance of each and ask guiding questions.

o Next, ask students how they think water moves from place to place. As they call

them out label them on the diagram.

Once the diagrams are completed, tell the students a story of a water molecule that

journeys through the water cycle (phase changes, locations, etc), get creative!

o Tell students that they will now create their own story.

Either give them creative freedom, or have them roll die to decide how

and where their molecule will travel (storage/phase change). Each number

could represent a different location (groundwater, atmosphere etc.)

Lesson 2 – Watersheds and Wetlands

Teacher: Jonathan Flanakin Subject: Science Grade Level: 8th

Topic: Watersheds and wetlands

Rationale: Students should be cognizant of how watersheds and wetlands affect and are affected

by natural and human influence. Introducing the roles of both watersheds and wetlands allow

students to explore issues such as drought, flooding, contamination and restoration. Students will

most assuredly be affected by these issues in the future, and understanding their origin and

importance in regards to watersheds is paramount for maintaining a healthy environment.

Objectives:

2. Using provided material, students will be able to construct watershed models for use

in investigation and experimentation. (Synthesis)

3. Given a model, students will be able to analyze the importance of wetlands in regards

to point and non-point pollution. (Comprehension)

4. In a discussion, students will be able to explain how scientists use a model for

investigation, as well the limitations in doing so. (Evaluation)

Materials Needed: Plastic containers, sponges of different color, spray bottles, markers,

cardstock paper, food coloring, projector, etc.

Instructional Framework: Constructing

Literacy Strategies: Prompts, observations, What’s in a picture?

Day 1

Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify aims and establish set. (10 mins)

Students have solidified their knowledge of the water cycle from the last lesson, and

understand phase changes

Advanced organizer – Have students write about the following prompt. (5 mins)

1. Where does a raindrop go after it hits the school building? Where does it go from

there?

2. Have students share and draw a path of travel on the computer, most likely ending

up in the Gulf of Mexico. Begin watershed discussion

3. Tell students they will be building their own models of watersheds and observing

what happens to the model when it “rains”.

Phase 2: Watershed construction (groups of 3)

Begin by demonstrating the steps the students will be taking so they can see how it is

done as well as how it should look when completed.

o Crumple cardstock into a ball and flatten it out again so it has many ridges and

valleys. Pick one end to be the top, which will be the mountains, the other side a

bay

o Draw water onto the watershed (creeks, rivers, lakes, etc.). Make students think

about where to the rivers should be placed, and where bodies of water may form.

o Next, draw natural areas (trees, planets, rocks, sand) and urban areas (houses,

schools, farms, roads etc.). Again, make students think about their placement.

o Carefully fit the watershed into the plastic bin so that the “mountains” are tilted

up on one side of the bin, and the land slopes towards the “bay”

o Allow students to take turns spraying the paper for a few minutes until they have

a decent sized puddle on the bay end.

Have students make observations in their lab books and answer the

following questions

Describe the path that the rain took through your watershed.

What happened to the drawings of natural areas? What does this

represent in nature?

What happened to the drawings of the urban areas? What does this

represent in the real world?

What affect did the runoff from natural and urban areas have on

the bay that formed at the bottom of your watershed?

The models we created are not perfect. What is wrong with our

models? How are they different from a real watershed?

After allowing the students to write for a bit, initiate a discussion on how the models

represent watersheds. Bring up runoff, urban/natural/agricultural areas, erosion etc.

Allow them to finish the questions for homework tomorrow.

Day 2

Phase 1: Incorporation of wetlands. – Begin with “What’s in a picture” strategy

Tell students that they will be building another watershed, but this time they will be

looking at how wetlands are involved.

Open a discussion about what they think wetlands are. Show them different pictures of

wetlands and let them describe them.

Let them free write in their lab books as well. Have they ever seen one? What do they

look like? Plants and animals? Mention other words associated with wetlands to spark

interest (marsh, swamp, fen etc.)

Have 3 students per group, but have groups pair up with each other.

Have the groups create some wetlands the same way as they did yesterday, however this

time one group will have wetlands (represented by a row of damp sponges), and the other

will have no wetlands.

Have them test the watersheds at the same time, right next to each other. Make sure they

spray each one an equal number of times.

o Have them write their observations in the lab books, and answer the questions.

How quickly did the bay with a wetland fill up compared to the bay

without wetlands?

How much water is in the bay of the watershed with the wetlands

compared to the other?

Our models are not perfect. What is wrong with our wetland models? How

are the different that real ones, and how can we fix them?

Allow them to write for awhile and then begin a discussion about how wetlands act as

sponges, and let students share their observations.

Phase 2: Wetlands and pollution.

Have students think about what would happen if a tractor trailer carrying pesticide

crashed on a road near a creek and a whole bunch of it leaked out into the surrounding

area. What parts of the watershed might be affected.

Students will now have a chance to test their hypotheses on their models, except this time

the teams will switch roles so that the team without a wetland last time will have one this

time.

Have students make their watersheds again, and set them up the same as earlier.

o This time, during the “rain” go around and spray several squirts of red colored

water at the top of each of the team’s water sheds. This will represent the

pesticide that leaked into the environment.

Let students make observations again and answer questions

o What other real world pollution could affect a watershed

o Where did the pollution go in your watershed

o What parts of the watershed were affected? What parts were not?

o Describe any differences you noticed between the watersheds with and without

wetlands.

After letting students write awhile, allow students to share and bring up the differences

between run-off pollution and single point solution (pesticide spill).

Lesson 3 – Local Watersheds

Teacher: Jonathan Flanakin Subject: Science Grade Level: 8th

Topic: Missouri Watersheds

Rationale: Connecting students to their local watersheds will reinforce their community outlook

on how exactly watersheds, and the resulting dynamics, play a role in their lives. Students must

have an understanding of not only these processes, but also their impact on economy, wildlife,

and why their local watershed is important Missouri’s inhabitants.

Objectives:

1. Given a map, students will be able to identify the major watersheds of Missouri.

(Knowledge).

2. Given a map, students will be able to compare larger state/region wide watersheds to

local, community watersheds. (Analysis)

3. In a group, students will be able to discuss the importance of watersheds to their

community and region. (Analysis, Application, Evaluation?)

Materials Needed: Physical map of Missouri, color coded labels, satellite images, local

watershed images, projector etc.

Instructional Framework: Constructing

Literacy Strategies: Map analysis, observations, prompts, top ten lists

Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify aims and establish set. (10 mins)

Students have previously learned about the watersheds, wetlands, and have a solid

understanding of traditional mapping.

Have students look at the relief map of Missouri and have volunteers point out different

land marks. (St. Louis, highest/lower points, the capitol, different rivers/lakes etc.)

Ask students to write about the following prompt: Looking at the relief map of Missouri,

draw your own map predicting where there are watersheds and discuss why you chose

those areas.

1. After letting the write, let some of them share their drawing (maybe on overhead)

and let them explain themselves.

Phase 2: Watershed identification and investigation

Bring up a Missouri map on the projector and ask students to help you draw their

predictions based on the relief, guiding them with questions etc.

o Tell students that they’ve just identified the watersheds that are in Missouri.

Review the definition of a watershed and highlight the borders of them on the map.

o Stress that the watershed is land that collects the water and allows it to drain into

local rivers, streams and lakes.

o If there’s time, bring up the importance of watersheds in regards to economy and

wildlife

Show students that they can use their hands as models of watersheds as a sort of cheat

sheet.

o Have students cup their hand together like a bowl, with their pinkies touching.

The tallest points, their fingertips, are the mountains with snow capped

peaks (fingernails).

As snow melts off their finger tips it runs down the valleys, between the

fingers, as rivers. The wrinkles in their palms are other rivers, creeks,

lakes etc.

Have a discussion on this simple model. Any ideas on how to make it

better? Is it flawed in anyway? Etc.

Introduce the students to the idea of top ten lists, and have them get into groups

o Let them pick out a topic related to watersheds, give them some ideas etc

“Top ten reasons why dams affect the watershed”

“Top ten awesome things wetlands provide the community”

“Top ten reasons why scientists use models in their work”

o Let them get creative, and have them share at the end of class or the next day.

Lesson 4 – Cartography of Topography

Teacher: Jonathan Flanakin Subject: Science Grade Level: 8th

Topic: Topographic maps

Rationale: The ability to read, understand, and create a topographic map is needed in order to

successfully investigate and evaluate not only watershed processes, but also any landform based

issues that may need to be assessed.

Objectives:

1. Given a topographic map, students will be able to understand the construction and use

contour lines to determine the Earth’s surface in three dimensions. (Analysis/application)

2. Given a three dimensional model, students will be able to construct a topographic

map in two dimensions. (Analysis/application)

Materials Needed: Several topographic maps, relief maps, plastic bins, transparencies, clay,

foam, scissors, markers, projector, etc.

Instructional Framework: Constructing

Literacy Strategies: Analysis, observations, word mapping activity

Day 1

Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify aims and establish set. (5 mins)

Students have pervious knowledge of other types of maps (political, relief, road etc.)

Give students copies of some topographic maps and have them write for a few minutes:

What does this type of map show that other maps do not? After they write for awhile

reveal exactly what a topographic map is, who uses it and for what.

1. Contour lines

2. Hills (concentric circles), flat areas (lines spaced apart), steep areas (close

together). Just give them a basic idea of how to read the map, if some are having

trouble understanding, they’ll soon get a better idea once the activity starts.

Phase 2: Making topographic maps from clay models

Tell students that over the next few days that they’re going to be making their own island,

and then create a topographic map that describes it. There are then going to give that map

that they created to another group, who is going to try to make a new three dimensional

model from their map. It’s sort of like landform version of the telephone game.

Divide students into groups and have them collect their materials. Set up constraints on

how their islands are to be made. Give them 15-20 minutes to make it.

o Should fit inside the transparency

o Should have high and low regions

o No extreme cliffs or overhangs

o Not too complicated

After they’ve made their models, demonstrate how to make a topographic map from an

example model.

o Use a marker to label North, South, East and West on the transparency.

o Place the clay model in the bottom of a plastic bin.

o Put the clear lid on the bin, and the transparency on top of the lid

o Looking down over the bin, trace the shoreline, and mark the tallest hill.

o Remove the lid, and holding a ruler inside the container, pour 1cm of water,

which marks the new sea level.

o Replace the lid, and trace the new shore line onto the transparency.

o Each time 1cm of water is added, a new line is added to the map. Have students

repeat this process over and over until the model is completely submerged. Each

centimeter of water represents 10 feet in the real world.

Give students 30-40 minutes to create their maps

o Collect maps at the end of class

o If there is time, let one of the groups volunteer their map, and ask students if they

can tell which model it belongs to. Discuss the features etc.

Day 2

Phase 1: Making models from topographic maps

Make photocopies of each map for the groups, and have them exchange their maps with a

different group.

Tell students that today they’re going to be making new models from another groups

topographic map. Dependant on the materials you have available you can have the make

their models out of whatever is easiest for you. Using cardstock paper and a little bit of

clay is usually the easiest.

Demonstrate how to make a model from a topographic map. You don’t have to make a

whole one, just show how to do the first few levels and let them at it. (30-40 minutes)

o Using card stock paper, trace each level of the topographic map and cut out

(should be 20-25 pieces total)

o Once they’re all cut out, use small balls of clay, or anything else you can get your

hands on (a bunch of smaller erasers?), and begin stacking the different levels.

Once they’re all stacked the students should have a 3d paper model of the original

clay model.

Phase 2: Investigate the product and the process

Once the students models are completed, have them put the original model, the map, and

the new model side by side. Have them answer the following questions in the lab books.

o Look at the models to discover how the different features appear on the maps

o What problems did you run into while making these maps/models?

o How similar are the models? How are they different?

o Why aren’t they exactly the same?

Discuss these questions in class, answer any questions they may have, talk about what

and how the maps are used by hikers, scientists etc.

Day 3 (optional)

Phase 1: Outdoor exploration

If it is possible (block time, during a field trip, students own time?), go outside and use a

topographic map to navigate the real world. Have the students identify hills and valleys

and orient themselves on the map to figure out where they are and how to get from one

place to another. You may want to take an outdoor trip after the erosion activity so that

the students have a chance to explore both topographies and erosion patterns in the same

day

OR

(Word mapping activity) - You can have the students create their own fictional

topographic map from a worksheet grid, and they can then share this map with their

peers. Students can even switch papers and then try to describe their partners map

accurately with only words.

Lesson 5 – Erosion Models

Teacher: Jonathan Flanakin Subject: Science Grade Level: 8th

Topic: Erosion

Rationale: Exploring erosion patterns and how water affects the land is integral to understanding

the surface processes that affect communities every day. These processes play major roles in not

only how flora and fauna use the environment, but also how people utilize the land to their

advantage.

Objectives:

1. Students can describe the major types of sediment. (Knowledge)

2. Given reference materials, students can identify common river features and erosion

patterns. (Comprehension)

3. From a model, students can explain how sediment size and current affect deposition

of sediments. (Analysis)

Materials Needed: Small jars, cups, stir sticks, paper clips, plastic tubs, diatomaceous earth,

gravel, sand, sponges, water, food coloring, paper towels, projector etc.

Instructional Framework: Constructing

Literacy Strategies: Observations, analysis, reaction guide

Day 1

Phase 1: Introduction: Clarify aims and establish set. (10 mins)

Students have previous experience with soil suspensions as well as geological time.

Tell students that they will be exploring erosion with multiple types of sediments they’ve

already encountered previously (geology).

o Ask the students: What do you know about erosion so far?

Review erosion, sediments, deposition etc.

Hand out a reaction guide that focuses on lesson (deposition, weathering vs. erosion,

geological time etc.). After filling it out tell them to put them away until tomorrow.

As a demonstration, bring out a jar you’ve previously filled with ¼ gravel, ¼ sand, ¼

diatomaceous earth, and a ½ teaspoon of hydrated potassium aluminum sulfate (can be

found at grocery stores, used for pickling), fill with water and seal.

o Show the students the jar and point out the mixture. Ask students to predict what

will happen if you shake the jar and then allow the sediments to settler.

o Shake the jar a bunch for ~10 seconds

o Set the jar down on a table. Have the students make observations about what they

see and notice. Gravel should settle to the bottom, sand in the middle, and silt on

the top

o Ask students why they think the sediments layered this way. Emphasize particle

size/weight.

Phase 2: River models

Explain that today the students will cut two rivers, one in a tub comprised entirely of silt,

the other made of mixed sediments like in the jar.

o Ask students to predict what they think will happen to each river in the lab books.

What differences do you think there will be between the single and mixed

sediment rivers?

What will happen to the silt, gravel, and sand in the mixed container?

o Have them write down their complete hypothesis, and have them explain why

they think theirs is correct.

o Explain that the rivers will be run side by side for 5 minutes each, then they will

make observations, and then they will run the rivers again for 5 more minutes and

a final set of observations will be made.

Divide the students into comfortable groups (3 or 4), and assign each group a specific

river (single or mixed sediment). Each group will run their river next to a group’s of the

opposite river. Place the prepared tubs on the tables (propped up) and set up a dripper for

each.

Have students run their drippers for 5 minutes, starting each one at the same time and

adjusting the drippers so the flow rates are equal. Assist groups as needed.

After 5 minutes, have students stop their rivers, have them make observations/draw

pictures of their rivers, and label.

Have them run the rivers for 5 more minutes, then stop again, make observations etc.

Once they’ve completed writing, have them answer the following questions in their lab

books.

o What differences do you observe between the single sediment and mixed

sediment rivers?

o What do you think will happen to the silt in the mixed sediment river

What will happen to the gravel?

What will happen to the sand?

o Have students discuss the questions in the teams, and compare answers etc.

Day 2

Phase 1: Group discussion

Have one member from each group report their conclusions about their rivers to the class

o Create a list on the board as they report, noting any that are said multiple times or

discrepancies

o After they’ve reported, encourage discussion about their observations

Return to their observations about the jar yesterday. Have them discuss the big ideas.

o Do silt particles behave differently in fast moving water (either the river channel

or the sediment jar) than gravel particles? How? Why?

o Where is the water moving fastest in their rivers and where is it moving slowest?

o How does the speed of the current affect the sediment load, in particular, the types

of sediment that might be suspended?

o How does the speed of the current affect deposition, in particular, when different

types of sediment might be deposited?

o How do these models compare to real rivers in the real world? Would real rivers

be more like the single sediment rivers or the mixed sediment rivers?

Have students get back in their groups to come up with a theory to answer the following

o How does the speed of the current affect the type of sediments that are carried and

deposited by a river? When water moves quickly, what happens? When water

moves slowly, what happens? Why?

o Have them look over their reaction guides from yesterday and talk about what

they’ve learned, prior misconceptions etc.

Group Work/Participation (10 points)

You begin work on this project with 10 points each. Students who do not contribute equally to

their project are subject to losing points in this category.

Experiment (10 points)

Experiment followed lab report guidelines – 2 points

Experiment followed scientific method – 2 points

Hypothesis clearly explained – 2 points

Methods clearly explained – 2 points

Conclusion/analysis clearly explained – 2 points

Environmental Plan (10 points)

Social issue is clearly defined – 2 points

Proper research is cited from report – 2 points

Impact of social issue is explained – 2 points

Plausible solutions thoroughly explain – 1 point each (4 total)

Total: _____/50 Points

2 points 4 points 6 points 8 points 10 points

Visual Aid Visual aid is

boring,

uninspired

and is

missing

most/all

requirements.

Visual Aid is

boring and only

includes a few

of the

requirements

Visual Aid is

sufficient,

and includes

at least half

of the

requirements

Visual Aid is

creative and

includes most

requirements

Visual Aid is

creative and

includes all

requirements

Written

Report

Report is

vague/off-

topic, and is

missing

most/all

requirements

Report is vague

and only

includes a few

of the

requirements

Report is

lacking in

detail, and

includes at

least half of

the

requirements

Report is

thorough and

includes most

of the

requirements

Report is

thorough and

includes all

requirements

Presentation A few

members

spoke,

presentation

was off-topic

or lacking

content

A few

members

spoke,

presentation

was

lacking/missing

content

All group

members

spoke,

presentation

was

disorganized

and too short.

All group

members

spoke,

presentation

was

somewhat

disorganized

All group

members

spoke, and

presentation

was

organized.

Rubric- Watersheds Unit Project

50 points total (circle which project you’re doing, experiment or environmental plan)

Throughout our unit on watersheds

and wetlands we have studied and

investigated many different processes and

issues that affect our daily lives, both on

local and national levels. Over the next two

weeks you and your group will be

researching a topic of your choosing, and

then report your findings to the rest of the

class.

What do you want to research?

Your group will explore a specific

process or concept related to watersheds and

create an experiment that explains it. You will

then present your research, experiment, and

findings to the class.

OR

Your group will explore a social issue,

either locally, nationally, or globally that is

related to watersheds or wetlands and create an

environmental plan that proposes plausible

solutions. You will then present your research

and environmental plan to the class.

Groups will be assigned according to which one you

choose.

Mr. Flanakin

Watersheds Unit Project “To put your hands in a river is to feel the chords that bind the Earth

together.” – Barry Lopez

If your group is having trouble with coming up with ideas or finding resources, talk to Mr. Flanakin!

This is your project, so be creative, be thorough, be a scientist, and have fun.

Name:_______________

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