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Bodies of Water

Bodies of Water

TEKS Objective

The student is expected to identify and describe a variety of natural sources of water, including streams, lakes, and oceans.


Essential Understanding

The student knows that the natural world includes rocks, soil, and water that can be observed in cycles, patterns, and systems.

Science Background

Water Resources: US Geological Survey (website) - Interactive information about the nation's water resources, including water data, publications and maps.

Water Resources
US Geological Survey, www.usgs.gov

Water Basics: US Geological Survey (website) - Information about water, including sources such as rivers, lakes and groundwater.

Water Basics
US Geological Survey, Water Resources of Georgia, water.usgs.gov/edu

Earth’s Ocean: Windows to the Universe (website) – Earth’s ocean covers more than 70% of its surface. Find out more about ocean water here.

Earth’s Ocean
Windows to the Universe, www.windows2universe.org

Signature Lesson

River Ecology: BioEd Online (Website) - Students identify and describe natural water sources, and simulate human activities that can affect a water source, such as a river flowing through a community.

River Ecology
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Supporting Lessons

Discoveries at Willow Creek: The Globe Program (website) - Follow Simon, Anita and Dennis as they join Hannah, a local scientist, in making new water-related discoveries at Willow Creek. This module contains a storybook and learning activities.

Discoveries at Willow Creek
The Globe Program, globe.gov

Splish, Splash: Water’s Journey to My Glass: National Geographic (website) – Students learn to identify and describe natural sources of water, and use a map to trace the sources of water in their community.

Splish, Splash: Water’s Journey to My Glass
National Geographic, www.nationalgeographic.com

Use information from USGS to find a map of your local watershed to use with this lesson.

Science in Your Watershed
US Geological Survey, usgs.gov

Elaboration Lessons and Extensions

Under the Deep Blue Sea: National Endowment for the Humanities (website) - After locating Earth's major oceans on a world map, students “dive underwater” to explore oceans and the plants and animals that live in the sea.

Under the Deep Blue Sea
National Endowment for the Humanities, ed2.neh.gov

Rivers and Streams: Missouri Botanical Gardens (website) - Information about the vast web of rivers and streams channeling water across the planet.

Rivers and Streams
Missouri Botanical Gardens, www.mbgnet.net

Assessment Ideas

Assess students’ understanding of natural water sources by collecting pictures of streams, lakes, oceans, water wells, rivers, ponds, etc. Have each student work with a partner to identify and describe the various sources of water.

Literature Connections

Sources of Water. Olien, Rebecca (ISBN: 0736851801)

Lakes. Berne, Emma Carlson (ISBN: 1404242082)

Learning about the Earth: Ponds. Sexton, Colleen (ISBN: 1600142303)

Related Science TEKS

(1.1A) Science Safety
The student is expected to recognize and demonstrate safe practices as described in the Texas Safety Standards during classroom and outdoor investigations, including wearing safety goggles, washing hands, and using materials appropriately.

(1.1B) Importance of Safe Practices
The student is expected to recognize the importance of safe practices to keep self and others safe and healthy.

(1.1C) Recycling/Disposal of Science Materials
The student is expected to identify and learn how to use natural resources and materials, including conservation and reuse or recycling of paper, plastic, and metals.

(1.2A) Ask Questions
The student is expected to ask questions about organisms, objects, and events observed in the natural world.

(1.2B) Plan and Conduct Descriptive Investigations
The student is expected to plan and conduct simple descriptive investigations such as ways objects move.

(1.2D) Record and Organize Data & Observations
The student is expected to record and organize data and observations using pictures, numbers, and words.

(1.2E) Communicate Observations
The student is expected to communicate observations with others about simple descriptive investigations.

(1.3C) Explore Scientists
The student is expected to describe what scientists do.

(1.4A) Tools for Collecting Information
The student is expected to collect information using tools, including computers, hand lenses, primary balances, cups, bowls, magnets, collecting nets, and notebooks; timing devices, including clocks and timers; non-standard measuring items such as paper clips and clothespins; weather instruments such as demonstration thermometers and wind socks; and materials to support observations of habitats of organisms such as terrariums and aquariums.

Related Math TEKS

1.9A    The student is expected to collect and sort data.

1.9B     The student is expected to use organized data to construct real object graphs, picture graphs, and bar-type graphs.

1.11B   The student is expected to solve problems with guidance that incorporates the processes of understanding the problem, making a plan, carrying out the plan, and evaluating the solution for reasonableness.

1.11C   The student is expected to select or develop an appropriate problem-solving plan or strategy including drawing a picture, looking for a pattern, systematic guessing and checking, or acting it out in order to solve a problem.

1.12A  The student is expected to explain and record observations using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

1.13A  The student is expected to justify his or her thinking using objects, words, pictures, numbers, and technology.

Additional Resources

Three States of Water: K8 Science (video) - In the water cycle, individual water molecules travel as liquid water in the ocean, water vapor in the atmosphere, and liquid water and ice on land and underground. Learn more about the properties of water as you watch this video.

Three States of Water
K8 Science, www.k8science.org

Create a Lasting Water Cycle: BioEd Online (Website) - Students learn that water can be found naturally as a solid, a liquid or a gas, and that it circulates among these three states in the water cycle.

Create a Lasting Water Cycle
BioEd Online, www.bioedonline.org

Earth: More Land or More Water? Education.com (website) - Blend science and math to explore a very important first grade social studies question: Does our planet contain more land or more water?

Earth: More Land or More Water?
by Julie Williams, www.education.com

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