HWR 203Lesson PlanSpring 2009

Day 3 – Cycles & Models (tight time-line)

All the water we’ve ever had is all the water we’ll ever have.

Objectives:

  • Students will compare and critique hydrologic cycle components and interactions through discussion
  • Students will create a diagram of the Southwest water cycle reflecting local climate and present compilation to class
  • Students will summarize main surface water components and driving forces through reading and class discussion/lecture
  • Students will begin conceptualizing abstract systems & processes by using flow diagram techniques and other known models to visualize complexities.

Activities:

  • Reading Quiz on CD Intro (10 min, ~5 min to take)
  • Fill out seating charts (as the finish quiz)
  • Assign ruined rivers readings (hand-out sign-up sheet – each person selects different river)
  • Lecture/discussion of reading assignments (10 minutes)
  • View water cycle DVD segment (5 min) (
  • Activity: Water cycle analysis(20 minutes)
  • Introduce water cycle images
  • Play watercycle loop during activity
  • Groups of 4 will analyze images, compare and find similarities and identify reservoirs and transport elements
  • Short discussion of common elements and components
  • Activity: SW Water Cycle diagram (20 min)
  • Groups of 4 will sketch Southwest water cycle, using arrows of various sizes to represent amount of flow
  • Students will present SW water cycles and explain transport processes and uniqueness
  • Powerpoint of water cycle elements and how we measure them
  • Activity/Homework – Plagiarism (10 min)
  • Purpose: make sure all are aware of different kinds of plagiarism – best strategy is to summarize reading in your own words w/o looking at article.
  • Do first one as a class, assign rest for homework
  • Ask for any questions regarding what is or is not plagiarism

Supplies needed:

  • CD Intro reading quiz (8x8)
  • Table seating charts (8)
  • Ruined rivers sign-up sheets (8)
  • Copies of 6/pg water cycles to analyze (16)
  • Bring colored markers, 11x17” paper, etc. for activity (16)
  • Plagiarism (2-sided) (60)

Homework:

  • Read: one Ruined Rivers segment – 100 word summary on D2L
  • Finish plagiarism assignment
  • Intro model activity (15 minutes)
  • Students create model of a non-abstract cycle

Questions to ask: The course is united through an emphasis on the following questions:

  • How does the entire system work?
  • How does it work as a coupled set of subsystems?
  • How are humans interacting with the rest of the Earth system?
  • What feedback mechanisms operate in the system?
  • How can this information help forecast the long term planetary effects of human disturbance?