ACTIVITY 3
Where Has All The Groundwater Gone?

Activity Overview

In this activity, students will work in groups to collect, organize, graph, and analyze quantitative data showing the uses of groundwater in their state. Students will read, summarize, and discuss news articles about the emerging impact of merchant power plants on groundwater resources.

Objectives

Students will:

·  Search Internet databases to collect, organize, graph, and analyze data on state groundwater uses.

·  Read, summarize, and discuss news articles about the effects of merchant power plants on the volume of groundwater.

Cross Curricular Activities

Mathematics

Students search a database containing quantitative data on water uses in

their state. They will organize the data into tables, plot a pie chart, and analyze the data.

English

Reading and summarizing news articles about merchant power

plants will require reading skills. The students will communicate their

understandings in writing and orally.

Social Studies

Students will read and make informed decisions about the economic costs and benefits associated with merchant power plants.

Process Skills

interpreting organizing data graphing analyzing

observing collaborating inferring visualizing

Materials

§  Excel or other spreadsheet software

§  Internet access

§  Newspaper articles

Suggested Time Frame

Two 50-minute class periods

Procedure

Day 1

  1. Have the class brainstorm ideas about the different types and percentages of water use in the state.
  2. Then ask student groups to access the USGS Water Science for Schools database (http://wwwga.usgs.gov/edu/mapgallery.html) and search for data on water uses in the state. Have each student complete the activities on Activity Sheet 1.
  3. The graph shown below is a color rendering of the graph in question 5 on Activity Sheet 1.

Day 2

  1. In groups, students will read and summarize the news articles about merchant power plants. The groups will make predictions in writing about the future impact of merchant power plants in the area based on information in the news articles (Activity Sheet 2) and the trends graph.
  2. Class discussion will conclude the activity.

Thought Provoking Questions

·  How would you rank the following water users in your state based on percentage of use? 1) agriculture (irrigation), 2) industry, 3) power generation, 4) aquaculture, 5) municipal use, 6) rural domestic, and 7) livestock Describe the rationale behind your ranking.

·  In states where there are amounts of saline water, how is the water purified for use?

·  Describe some of the factors that contribute to variations in water use in different areas of the US.

·  Of groundwater and surface water, which is the source of most drinking water in the US?

·  What factors have led to an increase in the amount of groundwater used for electricity production over time? Why?

·  What are some possible reasons for the increase in public consumption of groundwater since the 1990’s? How might this increase be reduced during the 20th century?

Assessment

·  Excel table and pie graph

·  Activity Sheet 1 & 2

·  Participation in class discussion

·  Peer and self evaluation

·  Written predictions about the impact of merchant power plants on groundwater reservoirs

Resources

·  USGS Water Science for Schools: http://wwwga.usgs.gov/edu/mapgallery.html

·  The Advocate Online:

http://www.theadvocate.com

Louisiana Team 11 National Computational Science Leadership Program

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