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Contents

• Introduction
• Kit Topics
• Objectives
• Themes and Concepts
• District Standards
• Assessment

Introduction

Water unit is a Full Option Science System (FOSS) kit created by the Lawrence Hall of Science at the University of California, Berkeley. It is published by Delta.

Next to the air we breathe, water is probably the most important thing in our lives. Without water, all life would cease. The Water Module consists of four activities in which students explore properties of water, water changes, and interactions between water and other earth materials.

Kit Topics

Activity 1: The Water Works

Part 1: Looking at Water

Part 2: Surface Tension

Part 3: Water on a Slope

Activity 2: Hot Water, Cold Water

Part 1: Build a Thermometer

Part 2: Sinking and Floating Water

Part 3: Water as Ice

Activity 3: Water Vapor

Part 1: Evaporation

Part 2: Evaporation Locations

Part 3: Surface Area

Activity 4: Testing the Water

Part 1: Mystery Waters

Part 2: Water over Earth Materials

Part 3: Water from Home and Community 

Objectives

Students are expected to:

• observe and explore properties of water in liquid and solid states.
• observe the expansion and contraction of water as it gains and loses heat.
• investigate factors that influence the cycle of evaporation and condensation of water.
• compare water quality using indicators.
• observe changes that occur in water that has flowed over limestone.
• acquire the vocabulary associated with water.
• record observations in writing and pictures.
• exercise language, social studies, and math skills in the context of science.
• become aware of the importance of water in their lives.
• gain experiences that contribute to their understanding of several pervasive themes that point out connections among scientific ideas and processes--pattern, structure, interaction, change, and system.  

Themes and Concepts

Activity 1: The Water Works

Themes:

• Pattern
• Structure

Concepts:

• Water forms drops when placed on a surface that does not absorb.
• Drops of water form domes because of the property of surface tension.
• Soap changes the surface tension of water.
• Larger amounts of water flow downhill faster than smaller amounts of water.

Activity 2: Hot Water, Cold Water

Themes:

• Pattern
• Interaction
• Change

Concepts:

• Warm water expands when it is heated and contracts when cooled.
• Warmer water floats on top of cooler water.
• Water expands when it freezes into ice, a solid.
• A solid has a definite volume and shape, while a liquid has a definite volume.

Activity 3: Water Vapor

Themes:

• Pattern
• Interaction
• Change
• System

Concepts:

• When liquid water dries up, it goes into the air as vapor.
• Vapor is the gas state of water.
• Temperature is a factor that affects evaporation.
• Water vapor in the air will condense on a colder surface.
• Evaporation and condensation are part of the water cycle.

Activity 4: Testing the Water

Themes:

• Pattern
• Structure
• Interaction
• Change

Concepts:

• Some properties of water cannot be observed directly but can be tested indirectly.
• Hardness results from dissolved calcium or magnesium.
• Water changes when it flows over earth materials.
• Water quality can vary depending on the use required of the water.

District Standards

The Water kit meets the following State/District Standards:

Standard 1: Students understand the processes of scientific investigation and design, conduct, communicate about, and evaluate such investigations. (1.a, 1.b, 1.c, 1.d)

Standard 2: Physical Science: Students know and understand common properties, forms, and changes in matter and energy. (2.1.a, 2.1.b, 2.1.c, 2.2.a, 2.2.b, 2.3.a, 2.3.b, 2.3.c)

Standard 4: Earth and Space Science: Students know and understand the processes and interactions of earth's systems and the structure and dynamics of earth and other objects in space. (4.3.a, 4.3.b, 4.3.c)

Standard 5: Students know and understand interrelationships among science, technology, and human activity and how they can affect the world. (5.a, 5.c, 5.d)

Standard 6: Students understand that science involves a particular way of knowing and understand common connections among scientific disciplines. (6.a, 6.b, 6.c, 6.d)

Assessment

There are three different types of assessments in the Water kit. These assessments include: Hands-on, Pictorial, and Reflective Questions. There are Teacher's Charts for each of these assessments. These charts allow teachers to determine if students understand the concepts that are being tested. The assessments and charts are located in the assessment section in the teacher's guide. 

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