Blue Planet Full Lesson

Blue Planet : © Hemera–Thinkstock Photos © Hemera–Thinkstock :

Why do we call our planet “Earth” when its surface is mostly water? photo credit photo

n Grade Level Part II Pre-K through 2, Upper Elementary, • Whiteboard, chalkboard or flip chart Middle School, High School ▼ Summary • Notepaper and pencil (per group of Students estimate the percentage n Subject Areas three to four) of Earth’s surface that is covered Earth Science, Geography, Math (statis- by water and, by tossing an tics), Health (physical education) Pre-K through 2 Activity inflatable globe, take a simple • Inflatable beach-ball globe that shows n Duration probability sample to check their water and land masses or classroom Preparation time: Part I: 10 minutes; estimates. Part II: 5 minutes; Pre-K through 2: globe 5 minutes • Whiteboard, chalkboard or flip chart Activity time: Part I: 30 minutes; • Copies of Planet Paint (one per Part II: 20 minutes; Pre-K through 2: student) 3 15-30 minutes Objectives Students will: Making Connections n Setting • estimate the percentage of Earth’s sur- Students recognize that the planet is made Indoor or outdoor face that is covered by water. up of both land and water. However, they • predict what a probability sample will n Skills may not have considered how much of Earth reveal about the relative coverage of Gathering information (calculating); is covered with water, the residence time Organizing (plotting data, graphing, land and water. of water in different places, the amount of estimating); Analyzing; Interpreting; • estimate how long water remains in potable (drinkable) water and the unequal Applying (predicting) locations such as rivers, lakes, ground distribution of water on Earth. Understanding water and the ocean. n Charting the Course these concepts, students should develop a Following “Blue Planet,” “A Drop in Materials greater appreciation for protecting water the Bucket” illustrates the amount of quality and quantity. salt and fresh water on Earth. “The Life Warm Up Box” illustrates the necessity of water • Two sets of colored beads or paper for life. Students simulate the water squares (71 blue beads or squares and 29 Background cycle in “The Incredible Journey.” “Aqua tan) Bodies” demonstrates the amount Dramatic views of Earth from space have of water in our bodies and in other • Large plastic bag confirmed what global mapping has shown animals and plants. “Is There Water on • Four chenille twists for well over a century: the majority of Earth’s Zork?” investigates the properties of • Calculator surface is covered by water. Cartographers water. • Copies of Blue Planet—Do the Math! and geographers have mapped and measured 3 n Vocabulary (one per student) the surface of Earth and have determined the approximate areas as follows: estimate, guess, percentage, prob- Part I ability, random sample, residence time, • Inflatable beach-ball globe that shows Land area = 148,429,000 sq. km Water area = permafrost, potable, sample size water and land masses or classroom 361,637,000 sq. km globe Source: National Geographic Atlas of the World • Whiteboard, chalkboard or flip chart • Pencil and notepad • Calculator

Probability is a powerful tool when we don’t know the expected results. For example, if we didn’t know by scientific measurement that 71 percent of Earth’s surface is covered by water, probability theory would allow us to take a random sample of points on the globe’s surface and apply our findings to the entire surface of the globe. (See the example in the Warm Up below.)

In this activity, students will use the power of probability and a random sample of points on the globe’s surface to determine if their results coincide with what they know, or think they know, about the proportion of land to water on Earth’s surface.

Procedure ▼ Warm Up • Show students the beads or paper squares in a clear plastic bag. • Tell students their task is to statistically sample the beads or squares to predict what percentage of them are blue. (Another way of saying this: They will determine the probability of selecting a Our blue planet as seen from space photo credit: © NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Image blue bead or square.) • Shake the beads or squares so they are The total surface area of Earth is the sum of up five times, and tails up five times, even randomly distributed in the bag. the land area and water area (510,066,000 sq. though the actual result may not have these • Have a student, without looking at the km). By dividing the water area by the total exact numbers. The probability remains bag, randomly remove a single bead surface area, we can calculate the percentage the same. or square. Always have students return of Earth’s surface that is covered by water: the bead or square to the bag after they 361,367,000 ÷ 510,066,000 = 0.7085, which This same concept holds true for water report its color and be sure to shake the we can round to 0.71, or 71 percent. locations on a globe. In theory, a random bag before drawing another bead or sampling of 100 points on an accurate globe square. Since we know by measurement that would yield 71 points on water and 29 points • Using a second supply of beads, have approximately 71 percent of Earth’s surface is on land. Smaller samples should yield similar two students record the results by covered by water, the mathematical concept ratios. For example, a random sampling of 40 placing the beads on chenille twists. of probability allows us to predict what will points on our globe should return approxi- Have one student place only blue beads happen when we randomly select locations mately 28 points that are water, or 70 percent. on a chenille twist; have the other on a globe. The number of samples, or the sample size, is student place tan beads on another Probability is the same concept as selecting important. For our purposes, a sample size of twist. This represents the data in a heads or tails for a coin toss. If you toss a 30 or more is needed to return a reasonably graph-like format. If you are using coin into the air, there is a one in two (or 50 good statistical result. As you might expect, squares, have students create two bar percent) probability the coin will land heads the larger the sample size, the more accurate graphs on the board: blue squares and up. If you toss the coin 10 times, there is the the results obtained. tan squares. same probability the coin will land heads

• After a total of 30 beads or squares • Why do you think some people call 6. After each catch, the person who have been selected from the bag, Earth the blue planet? (The answer is caught the ball announces whether stop and have students calculate the not that water is blue, but that most the tip of his or her left thumb is on percentage of blue beads or squares of Earth’s surface is covered by water, land or water. If the tip of the thumb selected compared to the other color. which appears blue.) is touching both land and water, the To calculate the percentage, divide • What percentage of Earth’s surface student should choose the one it seems the number of blue beads or squares do you estimate is covered by water? to be touching more. Remember that by the total number of beads selected (Record your answer in a pie chart on the ice cap in the Arctic (at the North (30) and convert the decimal into a the Student Copy Page. Post answers Pole) is all water, while the continent percentage (multiply by 100). on the chalkboard or flip chart.) of Antarctica is under much of the ice • Repeat the procedure. After the col • Are you guessing or do you know the cap at the South Pole. Ask students: If ors of the second 30 beads have been percentage is a fact? If you know it’s a your thumb lands on Antartica, should recorded, divide the total number of fact, how do you know? Did someone you choose land or water? (If the blue beads from both samples by 60 tell you? Did you read it in a book or thumb lands on Antarctica, it should be (the total number of beads sampled) research it on the Internet? counted as land.) and convert your answer to a per • Is water evenly distributed across 7. Record each catch under headings centage. Your percentage of blue beads Earth? (No, because it is separated by titled “land” or “water” on a notepad, should be close to 71 percent. If your continents and other landforms. Many chalkboard or flip chart. Another percentage differs slightly from 71 factors contribute to water’s uneven option is to assign two students to percent, it is okay. Statistical sampling distribution on Earth, such as: climate be recorders. Each student holds one allows for a margin of error. However, [related to the latitude of a region], chenille twist. The “land” student places if your sample differs significantly, you landforms, soil, geography, seasonal a tan bead on the chenille twist each may want to continue sampling. precipitation.) time a student announces land. The • Even though you’ve only sampled 60 of • Have students stand and form a circle “water” student places a blue bead the beads, probability allows you to be facing toward the center while you on his or her twist each time water is fairly certain that when all the beads stand in the center. called. are counted, approximately the same 3. Say to students: We are going to 8. Toss the ball around the group until percentage as your sample will be blue. randomly sample Earth’s surface by you have at least 30 sample points • Finally, have students count all the tossing and catching the beach ball. and each person in the group has beads. They should find 71 are blue and Each time the ball is caught, we will caught the ball. 29 are tan, which turns out to be 71 record whether the tip of the catcher’s 9. Ask students to return to their seats. percent blue beads (71 divided by 100). left thumb is on land or water. Have them look at the tally. Ask • In the activity, we’ll apply our sampling 4. Remind the students of their them to write a ratio expressing the skills to Earth’s surface. estimates. Choose an estimate from relationship of the number of water the recorded list. Ask: If this estimate catches to the total number of catches. ▼ The Activity is close to accurate, what do you expect Then have the students convert that Part I will happen when we toss and catch the ratio into a percentage. (Example: Land 1. Ask students if they believe the beach ball? (Example: If the estimate = 12, Water = 28, Total = 40. Water concept of probability tested in the is 60 percent water, we’ll expect that ratio = 28/40. Percentage of water is 28 Warm Up is correct. If not, discuss approximately six of every 10 tosses of divided by 40 or 70 percent.) ideas such as batting averages, free- the ball will be caught with the tip of 10. If you do not have a beach-ball globe, throw percentages or other common the left thumb on water. In other words, you can use a classroom globe and probabilities. the probability of touching water is 0.60 have students sit and pass it from 2. Show students an inflated beach-ball or 60 percent.) one student to the next. globe or classroom globe and ask: 5. Establish rules for tossing the beach 11. Compare the sample percent • What does this represent? ball. Students may toss the ball to each age with students’ estimates and • What colors do you see? What other or may toss it to you in the center predictions. Were they close? do the different colors represent? and you then toss it to each student. Tell students that scientists and

geographers have measured Earth’s Part II 2. Divide students into groups of surface and have calculated that ap 1. Ask students if water exists in other three to four. Have them discuss the proximately 71 percent is covered by locations besides on Earth’s surface. results listed on the board, and rank water. How did their sample compare (Ground water, soil water, atmosphere) these seven categories listed in step 1 to the scientists’ measurements? If their How does a drop of water get into from the longest time a drop of water sample differs greatly from 71 percent, these various locations? (Precipitation, could remain in that location (called can they determine why? What might evaporation, surface water runoff, residence time) to the shortest time. they do differently? Would more tosses ground water recharge) Ask if they Tell students that residence times move the sample percentage closer to have any ideas how long a drop of range from 10 days to 10,000 years. 71 percent? Try it. water remains in a river, lake or Have one student in each group serve 12. Have students create a pie chart reservoir, soil, ground water, ocean or as a recorder. Have the groups prepare showing the percentage of water and sea, ice cap or glacier, the atmosphere. several reasons why they selected their land on Earth. Ask them to consider what would cause particular ranking. 13. Show students views of Earth a drop of water to remain in one of 3. Bring the groups together and from space. Ask them again if they these locations longer than in another. have the student recorders report believe Earth is accurately called the For example, would they expect that their results to the class. Record the blue planet. (The NASA website has water would remain longer in a river answers on a whiteboard or poster. excellent images.) Have students or in a glacier? What are the forces that 4. Discuss the differences between the produce a digital presentation affect how long a molecule of water rankings, and ask the groups why illustrating the blue planet. remains in a location? (Solar energy, they selected their ranking order. gravity, atmospheric pressure) Record Ask other groups if they would like to their ideas on a board or chart. change their previous rankings.

The residence time of a water molecule in a glacier is estimated to be photo credit: © Hemera–Thinkstock Photos 1,000 to 10,000 years.

5. Have the groups vote on the final ▼ Wrap Up McKinney, Barbara Shaw. 1998. A Drop order for their prediction of • Ask students again: Why do some Around the World. Nevada City, CA: Dawn residence time for water molecules people call Earth the blue planet? How Publications.+ found in different locations. would they feel if Earth was called A journey with a raindrop as it touches 6. Show the class the following results Water? all life-forms as a solid, liquid and and remind them that these figures • Ask them to guess why Earth is used vapor from Maine to Mumbai. Also see are approximations: as the name for our planet. (Although A Teacher’s Guide to a Drop Around the all of the other planets were named World for lesson ideas. Oceans and seas 4,000 years after Greek and Roman gods and Project WET Foundation. 2008. Water is Life. goddesses, “earth” is an English/ Ground water 2 weeks to 10,000 Bozeman, MT: Project WET Foundation.+ years German word that means “ground.”) Colorful illustrations show the water • Ask students what they would name Lakes and reservoirs 10 years cycle and how water is important our planet. Icecaps, glaciers to humans and animals alike on the African continent. and permafrosts 1,000 to 10,000 years ▼ Project WET Reading Corner Soil moisture 2 weeks to 1 year Carlisle, Madelyn. 1992. Let’s Investigate Relf, Pat. 1996. The Magic School Bus: Wet All Marvelously Meaningful Maps Over. + Rivers 2 weeks . Hauppauge, NY: New York, NY: Scholastic Press. Barrons Juveniles.* Students go on an adventure in the Atmospheric water 10 days Learn how to read a map, including Magic School Bus to learn about the how to read symbols, scale, topography water cycle. Source: Igor A. Shilomanov, State Hydrological Institute and so forth. (SHI, St. Petersburg) and United Nations Educational, One Well: The Story Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Paris, Strauss, Rochelle. 2007. 1999; Max Planck, Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg, Dorros, Arthur. 1993. Follow the Water from of Water on Earth. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can 1994; Freeze, Allen, John, Cherry, Groundwater, Brook to Ocean. Madison, WI: Demco Media.* Press Ltd. Prentice-Hall: Englewood Cliffs NJ, 1979. + A broad look at water today and how Two young children follow rain water to the earth can literally be one well from 7. Remind students that there are vast a brook and on to the ocean. which we all draw the water we need to differences among water systems. survive. Water may move very quickly Eales, Philip. 2007. Map: Satellite. New York, as ground water or may remain NY: Dorling Kindersley, Inc. Sussman, Art. 2000. Dr. Art’s Guide to Planet underground for thousands of years, Gathered together in a single book are Earth: For Earthlings Ages 12 to 120. White such as the fossil water of Nebraska’s satellite images from all over the world River Junction, VT: Chelsea Green. Ogallala Aquifer. Through the water showing arctic ice, ozone depletion, Highly acclaimed book examines cycle, water is constantly on the move. seasonal changes and natural and matter cycles, energy flows, and life However, under the right conditions, man-made features. webs and how all are connected on it is possible for water to be “locked planet Earth. Hooper, Meredith. 2008. A Drop in My Drink: up” (e.g., in glaciers, ground water, the * A Story of Water on Our Planet. London, UK: National Governors Association Center for Best ocean). Practices and Council of Chief State School Officers. Francis Lincoln Children’s Books. 8. Ask students why scientists would be “Texts Illustrating the Complexity, Quality, and Range The story of a single drop of water is of Student Reading K-5” and “Texts Illustrating the unable to give exact time frames for Complexity, Quality, and Range of Student Reading followed through eons of earth’s history. the residence time of water in various 6-12.” Common Core State Standards Initiative. www.corestandards.org/ (June, 2009). locations. What would cause one Locker, Thomas. 2002. Water Dance. San + molecule of water to remain in a glacier Diego, CA: Voyager Books/Harcourt. Reading materials for Pre K-2 Activity. for 10 years and another molecule of Travel from a mountain pond to a water to remain in a different glacier raging waterfall and from an ocean mist for 10,000 years? (Varying climate, to a sparkling rainbow. Dramatic haiku- solar energy differences) Are there like text and lush paintings give water several ways these results could voice and substance in this tribute to be ranked from longest to shortest water and the water cycle. There is a residence time? (Yes) companion teacher resource.

Assessment ▼ The Activity Teacher Resources Have students: 1. Have students sit in a large circle Books • draw a pie chart illustrating their esti- on the floor with the teacher in Gleick, Peter, el al. 2009. The World’s Water: mate of the amount of water and land the middle. The teacher should roll The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources, on Earth (Part I, step 12). the globe-ball to each 2008-2009. Washington, DC: • draw a pie chart representing 71 percent student. Have the The Island Press. of Earth’s surface as water and 29 student stop the ball National Geographic Society. percent as land and compare to their with one finger. Ask 2010. National Geographic Atlas estimate (Part I, step 12). them if their finger is of the World. 9th ed. Washing- • produce a digital slideshow of images on blue or green. Have ton, DC: National Geographic reinforcing the idea of Earth as the blue an aide record the Society. planet (Part II, step 13). result on the board. • estimate how long water remains in Have the student roll Strahler, Alan H. 2010. Intro- locations such as rivers, lakes, ground the ball back to the ducing Physical Geography. 5th water and the ocean and compare with teacher in the center. ed. New York, NY: John Wiley other groups to determine best esti- 2. Once you have rolled and Sons, Inc. mates (Part II, steps 1-6). the ball 30 times, Journals have the aide total the Hrennikoff, Margo. 2006. Extensions count. Ask students “Implementing an Imaginative Have students research Water Distribution again if they think Unit: Wonders of the Water and Availability maps and predict our there is more water or Cyc l e .” Educational Perspectives, water future. Have them discuss ongoing land on Earth. Compare 39 (2), 27-33. research to provide plentiful, clean water their answers to the for all people who need it, now and into the tally. Toft, Joanne and Kathy Scoggin. future. 3. Ask why some people 2007. “The Ripple Effect.” call Earth the blue Science and Children, Pre-K through 2 Activity planet. We may call 45 (3), 21-23. Objectives our planet Earth, but it Vowell, Julie and Marianne Students will: is mostly water. Phillips. 2007. “A Drop through • identify land and water areas on a globe. Ti m e .” Science and Children, 44 • determine that water covers the greater ▼ Wrap Up (9), 30-34. area of Earth. Have students color the Student Copy Page, Planet Websites Procedure Paint. Remind them that National Aeronautics and ▼ Warm Up all land should be green and Space Administration (NASA). • Show students the beach-ball globe or all water blue. Ask them if Students may search NASA classroom globe. Ask them what it is. there are areas that should be images for the Blue Planet. • Tell them that it is like a picture of colored blue on the land. What www.nasa.gov. Accessed Earth where all people, plants and do those areas represent? December 6, 2010. animals live. (Lakes, rivers, ponds) Ask National Center for • Ask them what they think the green them to predict what color Educational Statistics (NCES). color is? The blue? Write the words will cover most of the picture. A fun website where students “land” and “water” on the board. design their own graphs. http:// • Ask them if they think there is more nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index. water or land on Earth. photo credit: © Project WET Foundation asp. Accessed December 6, A student in Uganda 2010. participates in the Blue Planet activity.

Blue Planet © 2005, 2008, 2011 Project WET Foundation 130 Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, Generation 2.0 © 2011 Project WET Foundation Blue Planet—Do the Math! Student Copy Page Warm Up and PART I (1 of 3)3

Warm Up

First Draw of Beads (30) 1. The total number of beads withdrawn is 30.

2. The total number of blue beads withdrawn is ______

3. Divide:

Number of blue beads withdrawn ÷ 30 = ______(this will be in the form of a decimal)

4. Multiply:

(decimal from #3) X 100 = ______% (percentage of blue beads withdrawn)

Second Draw of Beads (30) 5. First Draw (30 beads) + Second Draw (30 beads) = 60 beads total

6. First Draw (# of blue beads) + Second Draw (# of blue beads) = ______(total blue beads)

7. Divide:

Total blue beads ÷ 60 beads = ______(this will be in the form of a decimal)

8. Multiply:

(decimal from #7) X 100 = ______% (percentage of blue beads withdrawn)

9. Is your percentage of blue beads close to 71%?

10. If your percentage differs a lot from 71%, what could you do? (A larger sample size?)

Blue Planet © 2005, 2008, 2011 Project WET Foundation Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, Generation 2.0 © 2011 Project WET Foundation 131 3 Blue Planet—Do the Math! Student Copy Page Warm Up and PART I (2 of 3)

11. Count all of the beads:

How many blue beads? ______tan beads? ______

So, in the actual sample what was the percentage of blue beads and tan beads?

# of blue beads counted ÷ total number of beads = decimal X 100 = ______% blue beads

# of tan beads counted ÷ total number of beads = decimal X 100 = ______% tan beads

Part I

1. Draw a pie chart showing how much of Earth you think is water and land. You can have fun creating a graph on several websites for example, http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/createagraph/.

2. Write a ratio expressing the # of water catches to the total # of catches.

3. Calculate the following:

# of water catches ÷ total number of catches = ______(decimal) X 100 = ______%

Blue Planet © 2005, 2008, 2011 Project WET Foundation 132 Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, Generation 2.0 © 2011 Project WET Foundation Blue Planet—Do the Math! Student Copy Page Warm Up and PART I (3 of 3) 3

4. Scientists and geographers have measured Earth’s surface and have calculated that about 71% is covered by water. Land area (148,429,000 sq. km) + Water area (361,637,000 sq. km) = 510,066,000 sq. km, Earth’s total surface area Based on these figures, calculate Earth’s water area:

361,637,000 ÷ 510,066,000 = ______(decimal) X 100 = ______% water area

5. Create a pie chart showing the correct percentages of land and water on Earth. How does it compare with the one below created on the KIDS’ Zone of the National Center for Educational Statistics, http://nces.ed.gov/nceskids/index.asp? Write the percentages for land and water under the blue and green squares.

Blue Planet © 2005, 2008, 2011 Project WET Foundation Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide, Generation 2.0 © 2011 Project WET Foundation 133 3 Student Copy Page Pre-K through 2 Activity (1 of 1) Planet Paint Blue Planet—