Sondra Sheets

Micro teaching lesson plan

December 2, 1998

TEACHER INFORMATION

Title of Lesson: EVERY DROP COUNTS

Topics: Math process- problem solving and reasoning

Math product- number sense and number operations

Science process- observing, predicting, and data collection/record keeping

Science product- water chart

Student Level: 6th grade

Objectives: students will be able to 1) estimate their water usage 2) learn,

develop and practice conservation behaviors 3) identify ways that oil
spills can affect birds

Materials: "Water Use Chart" poster

• "Water Use Chart" information sheet for each student
• "A Day in the Life" problem solving sheet for each student
• cooking oil
• feathers (natural)
• shallow containers with lids
• hand lens
• overhead
• baggies
• poster tack
• paper bags
• envelopes with facts inside
• napkins
• hand towels

Prerequisite Skills: gallon capacity/measurement

Time required: 25 minute

TEACHING PROCEDURES

Introduction: ask questions regarding water:

Where does water come from?

Who has an idea of how much water the United States consumes in one day?

Review: Water comes from groundwater which is water that fills the spaces

Strategies:

• Students will draw an envelope out of the basket and according to their number on the envelope that is their group assignment (teacher will have group numbers on each table for less confusion).
• Ask the students to guess/estimate how many gallons of water they use in one day and write their estimate on their envelope. Pick a few students to share their estimations.
• Hand out prepared paper bags according to group numbers of envelopes. The bags should include:

  bag of feathers

  container with cooking oil

  "Water Use Chart" information sheets

  "A Day in the Life" problem solving sheets

  hand lens

  napkins

  hand towel

• Put "Water Use Chart" poster on the board with the correct answers covered up. On the back of the "?" square for each correct answer are equations for the students to work out as you go through the chart. The answers to the equations are the numbers on the envelopes. For example...

  21 = 3

7

so whoever has the #3 envelope has the answer to the question asked.

This helps get all of the students to work all of the equations because they do not want to get caught off task if they have that envelope number

• Solve all equations and answer all of the Water Use chart
• Have the students get out "A Day in the Life" problem solving sheets and go over the beginning of the sheet and instruct them to finish it on their own using their "Water Use Charts" that they have just completed.
• On the overhead, go over the sheet and most importantly go over the end of the worksheet where they calculate.
• The people who did not have answers in their envelopes are to now open their envelopes and discuss their facts with their group members. If time allows, have the group pick one fact from the group to share with the rest of the class.

Conclusion:

• After the students have a grasp on water use and conservation, tell them that now that they have learned how to save their water they also need to know how to take care of that water they are saving. One example of water pollution is oil spills.
• Have the students get out their hand lens and feathers. Instruct them to look at the feathers and make comments about what they see with their group members.
• Have the students get out the bowl of cooking oil and take the lid off. Next have the student dip their feathers into the oil. Then have a discussion on what affect this would have on birds if they were to get into oil. Then have them try to take the oil off with their napkins. They will need to use their hand towels for cleaning up any oil. Discuss the affects of oil.
• Ask the students what we should do with our used oil.

Evaluation: worksheets, cooperation, and participation

What are some ways you can conserve water?

Describe some possible effects of oil on a feather.

Give examples of ways that water quality can be affected negatively by human use.

Give examples of actions people can take to protect the quality of water.

EXTENSION

Have students keep a journal for a week of their families water use.

Have the students create their own brochure on water use.

Have someone from the Kansas State Extension Office come in and talk about water use and conservation.

Hard boiled egg activity on page 274 in Project Wild

RESOURCES

Project Wild K-12 Activity Guide pages 274-275

Aquatic Project Wild pages 174-179

Hays City Hall