Grade level
Asking questions (for science) and defining problems (for engineering);
Developing and using models;
Constructing explanations (for science) and designing solutions (for engineering);
Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
Cause and Effect
Stability and Change
ESS2.C: The Roles of Water in Earth’s Surface Processes
ESS3.A: Natural Resources
ESS2.D: Weather and Climate
ESS3.C: Human Impacts on Earth Systems
Through a drawn initial model, students hypothesize about what could have happened to the lake that was in their community several generations ago, but no longer exists. This scientific modeling task seeks to elicit their initial thinking and set the stage for a set of activities and explorations that will help them gain more information, to further analyze the mystery of this disappearing lake.
At this early stage, students recognize the need for humans to have access to water to satisfy some of their basic needs. The artifacts below raise different ideas for where the water might have gone and the mechanism behind its disappearance.
Some students recognize the solely human impact (as opposed to other natural causes) on water systems by drawing models that show the water being carried away by humans (Samples A, B). Other ideas focus on natural mechanisms such as the water cycle that move water throughout the system (Sample C). Interestingly, while Sample C shows a detailed understanding of the abstract water cycle, this student does not connect the cycling of water to the disappearance of water in the lake. Other initial ideas about natural mechanisms include the lack of rain due to drought (Sample D) and the physical blocking of water by rocks (Sample E).
