CincinnatiWaterSupply

Preamble: Sources are detailed below, by type, and in activity 3-D-1. For this lesson plan, I have categorized the primary sources into 7 activities, as follows:
 * || __Topic__ ||= __Time estimate (days)__ ||= __Estimated point value__ ||= __Assessment__ ||
 * 1 || Review of the scientific process ||= 2 ||= 20 ||= KWL/word wall (continuing) ||
 * 2 || Where does our water come from? ||= 4 ||= 40 ||= KWL/word wall (continuing) ||
 * 3 || How do we know our water is usable? Drinkable? Contaminated? ||= 2 ||= 30 ||= SEA/SA Worksheet ||
 * 4 || History of water use in Southwest Ohio, back to the last glaciers in town! ||= 2 ||= 30 ||= SEA/SA Worksheet ||
 * 5 || Who supplies our drinking water? How do they treat it? ||= 4 ||= 40 ||= SEA/SA Worksheet ||
 * 6 || Who regulates and protects our water supplies? ||= 2 ||= 20 ||= SEA/SA Worksheet ||
 * 7 || What issues should we be concerned about? What else would you like to learn? ||= __4__ ||= __120__ ||= Student's choice of format for capstone presentation ||
 * || Unit Total ||= 20 ||= 300 ||=  ||
 * __Background__**. Each of the 7 activities is a "mini lesson" and can be pulled out independently for other projects or other courses. These activities are likely best used in an environmental science course, grade 11 or 12. Some students will be in grade 10. If the activities can be kept together as a 4-week unit, assessments will be as listed in the table. The initial 2 KWL discussions will hint at all of the subsequent activities; the word wall will be the glue that holds the entire topic together over the project period. Depending on how the project flows, the worksheets will likely be modified as necessary.

The forms needed for this topic include a chart, a  worksheet, and a  worksheet. Each is slightly modified from ones that we have used in OROL.

__Course__: Environmental Science, 10th grade __Unit__: Renewable resources __Sub-unit__: Water resources

__**Introduction**__. We will be thinking about our drinking water over the next several weeks. Where does it come from? How do we know that it is drinkable? How can it be contaminated? Who protects the resource? What issues do each of us need to be concerned with? Each of the activities builds on the prior one. For the last week of this topic, you will be summarizing what you have learned and researching other topics of interest to you. We will complete the topic with your presentations, which could be a video, an audio (comcast), poster, wiki, blog, or any other format (pre-approved, of course). You will see a variety of options in the first topics, so we can talk about which you prefer to use prior to starting topic 7. As we begin each topic, you will be provided a rubric to guide your work during that work. [Rubrics are not included in this copy.]


 * Topic 1. Review of the scientific process**. 2 days. 20 points. KWL chart. Word wall. SEA worksheet.

We start by reviewing our thinking process. We are used to talking about the scientific method or even scientific processes. The logic and thinking we use in science is no different from the logic and thinking we use in anything we do. Keep that in mind during this review. Let’s start with a song and some sheet music PDF1 for a second song. In your small group, use the SA worksheet to record your observations about the two songs. We'll also start a word wall today that we'll keep adding to all the way throughout the topic.

With our understanding of our process, go to this list of water topics. Use the SEA worksheet and brainstorm about one of the links, summarizing the information learned. As we continue during this topic, your group will focus on your selected topic for more in-depth analysis during our discussions.


 * Topic 2. Where does our water come from?** 4 days. 40 points. KWL chart.

What is the story of drinking water? As you read this short story about where our water comes from, add your thoughts to a KWL chart. Some of us get our drinking water from wells (ground water), and some of us get our drinking water from rivers (like the Ohio River). If you live in Hamilton County, most likely your water is surface water; in Butler County, you likely get your water from a well. You might even get a mix of the two. Be sure to summarize some interesting facts about water, focusing on the topic that you selected earlier. Add your thoughts about this cartoon to your KWL chart: Does tap water need a warning label? What do you think?

Continue your investigation by skimming over the 2011 pamphlet from the Greater Cincinnati Water Works, adding to your KWL chart. Now let’s get a little more specific and look at some of our local sources of water. The biggest source is pretty obvious—the Ohio River. What are some Ohio River Facts? Record your observations about the Ohio River on a SA worksheet. As always, be sure to focus on your specific topic in addition to your general observations.


 * Topic 3. How do we know our water is usable? Drinkable? Contaminated?** 2 days. 30 points. SEA/SA worksheets.

Now that we know about water quantity, let’s switch gears and start a discussion about the quality of water; in other words, the what chemicals are in our drinking water? Is it true that all water is recycled? Can you ignite your tap water with a match? Use an SEA worksheet to record your observations about this cartoon and video.

After completing your analysis, now look at two videos, both from the 1937 flood of the Ohio River. The first is a home video; the second is at the P&G Ivorydale Plant near downtown Cincinnati. The Ivorydale scenes are along the Mill Creek, which has been described as “the most endangered urban river in North America, both because of its history of hazardous industrial waster and raw sewage overflow, and its increasing population.” As you watch these videos, complete a SA worksheet and document what you observe and how you might conduct more research to investigate issues about our water resources.


 * Topic 4. History of water use in Southwest Ohio, back to the last glaciers in town!** 2 days. 30 points. SEA/SA worksheets.

We now understand that we need to be concerned about both the amount and the quality of our drinking water supplies. Let’s back up in time and look at the history of water use in southwest Ohio over the past few hundred years. In fact, let’s start by going back in time even further, before people settled the area, when sheets of glacial ice covered it.

Read over this portion of the Historical Atlas of Cincinnati to obtain a perspective on how the recent glacial periods formed the scenic hills and valleys of our region. Quickly skipping ahead to the 1800s, look over some of these historical maps of Cincinnati. Combine your observations on a SA worksheet to begin this activity. On the latter maps, be sure to look at the oldest (1853) up to the most recent (1921) when comparing the water supply needs of our great-great grandparents to those of the present day.

In 1877, the Cincinnati area was growing rapidly enough that the German immigrants got together and started the first municipal water system, Die Cincinnati Wasserwerse. One of the first water storage tanks, built in 1917, is no longer around. Can you find out what happened to them? What do modern storage tanks look like? Are there any in your neighborhoods? Fill out a second SA worksheet for these two photographs, detailing your observations and thinking about what other questions they lead you to ask.


 * Topic 5. Who supplies our drinking water? How do they treat it?** 4 days. 40 points. SEA/SA worksheets.

We’re halfway through our investigations into water, with a good appreciation of where our water comes from, what might contaminate it, and how our supplies have come to be what they are today. Now let’s look at the process for how water is made usable. The Greater Cincinnati Water Works has a diagram/schematic of its treatment process. In completing your SA worksheet, select a portion of the treatment process that fits into your primary focus for this topic. As part of your SA worksheet, incorporate the idea of “Good bacteria” in your growing knowledge and understanding of the water treatment process.


 * Topic 6. Who regulates and protects our water supplies?** 2 days. 20 points. SEA/SA worksheets.

Ok, so we understand where our water comes from and how it is “cleaned up” so that we can drink it and use it for many other purposes. Who makes sure that we have clean water? Who regulates and protects the supplies? There are many groups involved; we’ll look at only a couple of them.

The Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission helps to minimize pollution entering and staying in the Ohio River and other water bodies in our watershed. [You might have to review what exactly a “watershed” is!}. At the national level, you have probably heard of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers; it provides oversight on many civil works projects, including flood and storm damage reduction and ecosystem restoration, water supply, and regulatory permits. For these two agencies, complete SA worksheets as we have done previously. Think about your capstone project as you fill in these worksheets. We’re almost ready to work on our research projects!


 * Topic 7. What issues should we be concerned about? What else would you like to learn?** 4 days. 120 points. SEA/SA worksheets.

We’re winding down on the topic of water resources. To demonstrate what we have learned, it’s now time to put it all together. First, let’s look at some of the possible issues to consider, ranging from protecting against terrorism to looking at innovative water technologies and even to the possibility of privatizing our water resources.

Did you know that Cincinnati, along with New York City, is part of a pilot program to detect possible terrorist poisoning of the water supply? Or that how we use water is sometimes a major factor in development of a region, as described in this audio file from Cleveland State University? What do you think about the possibility of selling our water supply to a private company? Can the City of Cincinnati, or Butler County, decide that clean water is a commodity, or is it the right of each citizen to have clean water at a reasonable price? A local radio station has discussed this topic in detail, including on Explore Cincinnati #12 (check out air time from 6:30 to 10:30).

Review these three files on both a SEA and an SA worksheet. In addition to thinking about what they describe as issues, decide on the format of your summary presentation and the specific issue you selected with your group way back at the start of this topic. We will compare the different options in class; each group will have the opportunity to review the other choices and to make a final decision on their own selection. Presentations will be on the last two days of the project schedule.

__**Conclusion**__. When we started this topic four weeks ago, we all thought we knew a lot about water. Since then, we have each had the opportunity to investigate all sorts of water-related issues. How does water get to our taps? How is it kept clean? How much does it cost? Where does it come from? Is it really renewable? Will we always be able to afford clean water?

After the presentations are completed, it will be interesting to look at our Word Wall and see what has changed. Is our vocabulary much larger? Have any of our opinions changed? What will we want to investigate next?

@http://faculty.washington.edu/crowther/Misc/Songs/MP3/SSoM_final.mp3 (song about the scientific state of mind) @http://faculty.washington.edu/crowther/Misc/Songs/music.shtml( Show me the data!, Greg Crowther (sheet music pdf) @http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/ (web page on water science)  http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/water/pages/-3301-/#http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/water/pages/-3301-/ (2011 pamphlet) http://www.kamenlee.com/blog/2008/03/13/tap-water-needs-warning-label/ (Cartoon with water faucets) @http://www.ohioriverfdn.org/education/ohio_river_facts/index.html (Ohio River Foundation)  @http://www.inkcinct.com.au/web-pages/cartoons/past/2008/2008-609--might-be-recycled-water.gif (dogs at a toilet bowl)  @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LBjSXWQRV8&feature=fvwrel (lighting tap watere)  @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZYCdIKQp4E (home video of 1937 flood)  @http://news.pg.com/video/video-general/ivorydale-flood-1937 (Ivorydale Plant) @http://vimeo.com/17820196 (Mill Creek) http://www.nku.edu/~hisgeo/AtlasProject/ (glacial history of the region) @http://alabamamaps.ua.edu/historicalmaps/us_states/ohio/cincinnati.html @http://www.nausa.uni-oldenburg.de/pionier/j09/h01/004.html (1877 est. of the Water Works) image of storage tanks c. 1917. Original source unavailable @http://www.cincinnati-oh.gov/water/pages/-3283-/ (schematic of treatment process) @http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/09f3fc5ac64ef935d440a732afb18804e5e5ece7 (Good bacteria) @http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2008/05/31/z-apoh_watersecurity_0524.ART_ART_05-31-08_B2_9PAC4UQ.html (terrorism?) @http://csudigitalhumanities.org/exhibits/items/show/964 (audio file) @http://explorecincinnati.com/2009/04/16/now-available-season-2-episode-2-for-april-15-2009/ (privatizing water supplies)
 * __Sources__** (in order of appearance)