The Case of the Wacky Water Cycle
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Educational Product Educators Grades 3-5 EG-2003-09-16-LARC A Lesson Guide with Activities in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Please Note: Our name has changed! The NASA “Why” Files™ is now the NASA SCIence Files™ and is also known as the NASA SCI Files™. http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov The Case of the Wacky Water Cycle lesson guide is available in electronic format through NASA Spacelink - one of NASA’s electronic resources specifically developed for the educational community.This publication and other educational products may be accessed at the following address: http://spacelink.nasa.gov/products A PDF version of the lesson guide for NASA SCI Files™ can be found at the NASA SCI Files™ web site: http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov The NASA Science Files™ is produced by the NASA Center for Distance Learning, a component of the Office of Education at NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton,VA.The NASA Center for Distance Learning is operated under cooperative agreement NCC-1-02039 with Christopher Newport University, Newport News,VA. Use of trade names does not imply endorsement by NASA. www.swe.org www.buschgardens.com www.cnu.edu www.epals.com www.nec.com www.sbo.hampton.k12.va.us A Lesson Guide with Activities in Mathematics, Science, and Technology Program Overview ...........................................................5 Segment 4 National Science Standards ..........................................6 Overview ...........................................................................67 National Mathematics Standards................................8 Objectives .........................................................................68 International Technology Education Vocabulary........................................................................68 Association Standards.....................................................9 Video Component..........................................................68 National Technology Standards................................10 Careers................................................................................69 National Geography Standards ................................11 Resources ..........................................................................70 Segment 1 Activities and Worksheets...........................................71 Overview ...........................................................................13 Objectives .........................................................................14 Vocabulary........................................................................14 For additional information about the NASA SCI Files™, contact Shannon Ricles at (757) 864-5044 or Video Component..........................................................15 [email protected]. Careers................................................................................16 Resources ..........................................................................17 Production of the NASA SCI Files™ is made possible by the generous support provided by the Society of Activities and Worksheets...........................................18 Women Engineers (SWE); Busch Gardens,Williamsburg; Hampton City Public Schools; and the NASA Langley Segment 2 Research Center’s Aerospace Vehicle Systems Technology Program Office. Overview ...........................................................................33 Objectives .........................................................................34 Writer and Teacher Advisors: Shannon Ricles and Vocabulary........................................................................34 Becky Jaramillo. Video Component..........................................................34 Graphic Designer: René Peniza Careers................................................................................35 Editor: Susan Hurd Resources ..........................................................................36 Activities and Worksheets...........................................37 Registered users of the NASA SCI Files™ may request a Society of Women Engineers (SWE) classroom mentor. For more information or to request a Segment 3 mentor, e-mail [email protected] Overview ...........................................................................51 Objectives .........................................................................52 Vocabulary........................................................................52 Captioning provided by NEC Foundation of America Video Component..........................................................52 Careers................................................................................53 Resources ..........................................................................54 Activities and Worksheets...........................................55 NASA SCI Files™ is a production of NASA’s Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA. All Rights Reserved. Broadcast and off-air rights are unlimited and are granted in perpetuity with the following stipulations: NASA SCI Files™ shall not be used for commercial purposes; used, in whole or in part, to endorse a commercial product; stored, in whole or in part, in a commercial database; altered electronically, mechanically, or photographically without the expressed and prior written permission of NASA.This publication is in the public domain and is not protected by copyright. Permission is not required for duplication. 2003-2004 NASA SCI Files™ Series 5 http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov Program Overview The tree house detectives are eager to earn money After learning that climates change very slowly over to help Kathryn sponsor her soccer team on a white- time, the detectives rule out the possibility of a water rafting trip. They plan to have a car wash to climate change causing the drop in the water level. raise money. However, their efforts soon dry up as However, Dr. D mentioned that some climatic events KSNN™ announces that the water level in the could disrupt the normal climate patterns, so they reservoir has dropped drastically and water decide to learn more from Dr. David Adamec at restrictions are in force. The tree house detectives NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, are disappointed but understand the importance of Maryland. Dr. Adamec explains the phenomenon of following the restrictions.They are a little confused, the El Niño and La Niña weather patterns and tells however, because they have been unaware of any how they affect the weather across the United drought-like conditions that could have caused the States. Getting more discouraged, the detectives lower water level in the reservoir. decide that they need to find an alternate source of water. Jacob hopes to find a source of water just One group of tree house detectives decides to head under their feet with his divining rod. On the more to NASA Langley Research Center in Hampton, practical end, Corinne agrees to meet Dr. D again at Virginia where they speak with Dr. David Hamilton the Hoover Dam in Henderson, Arizona. Dr. D to learn about the water cycle. Another group of explains watersheds and the purpose of dams. detectives heads to Luray Caverns in Virginia to Realizing that there is no way they can build a dam speak with Dr. D to learn more about water and in the next two days and that they have no where it is found on Earth. They are surprised to expectations the divining rod will work, they decide learn that a lot of the Earth’s freshwater is located to find a different alternate source of water. underground, which leads them to Ms. Hamilton, a hydrologist with the United States Geologic Survey With a whole ocean of water just a few miles away, (USGS), who explains facts about groundwater. the detectives decide to learn more about how to turn saltwater into freshwater. They dial up Mr. Ken As the tree house detectives continue their Herd in Tampa, Florida at the Tampa Bay investigation into the problem, they decide that if a Desalination Plant.The tree house detectives now lot of freshwater is underground, they need to learn become truly discouraged. Desalination is very more about how water gets into the ground. They expensive, there is no rain in the forecast, the contact a NASA SCI Files™ Kids’ Club that is climate has not changed, and they are running out conducting an experiment on the permeability of of ideas. soil types with help from their Society of Women Engineers (SWE) mentors. After learning more They decide that if the restrictions are going to about groundwater, they find out that the continue, they had better learn more about water groundwater levels will rise when it rains.They set conservation. They are off to enjoy a hot summer off to check out the weather forecast and contact day and visit Mr. Brian Nadeau at Busch Garden’s Dr. James Hoke of the National Oceanic and Water Country USA in Williamsburg,Virginia. Next Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), who helps stop is the Hampton Roads Water Efficiency Team in them understand how weather forecasts are made. Hampton,Virginia, where they learn more about After learning that weather forecasts today are water conservation from Ms. Hillegass. They are also pretty accurate, they become discouraged because surprised to learn that Ms. Hillegass questions the there is no rain predicted for the next three days. need for the current water restrictions. After one The car wash is in four days! Not sure whether they more trip to Dr. D, they are confident that the water are experiencing a drought or if something has will flow soon. happened to change the climate,