South Carolina Aquarium Online Curriculum, 6th

Pre-Visit Activities : Groundwater & Runoff : Assessment
Sixth - Eighth Grade Online Curriculum : Watersheds

Assessment

In their journals students will:

Explain what groundwater is
Explain zone of saturation, zone of aeration and water table.
Draw a diagram and correctly label zone of saturation, zone of aeration and water table.
Record their observations and measurements that show the effect particle size has on porosity and permeability.
Explain their inferences about how particle size affects porosity and permeability.

The students’ predictions about permeability and porosity in South Carolina’s Piedmont and Sandhills regions will be the main assessment of learning, by determining if the new knowledge can be applied to the natural world. In their predictions in writing and/or diagrams, students will:

Determine that the sandy soils of the Sandhills will have a higher porosity and permeability than the clay soils of the Piedmont.
Determine that the Sandhills will have a larger amount of water infiltrating the ground to become groundwater, than running off.
Determine that the Piedmont will have a larger amount of water running off than infiltrating the ground to become groundwater.

There will be two assessments for this activity.

Scoring Rubric for Assessment 1 (Out of 5 points):
In their journals:

Correctly explain what groundwater is: 2 points
Correctly label in a diagram and explain the term "zone of saturation": 1 point
Correctly label in a diagram and explain the term "zone of aeration": 1 point
Correctly label in a diagram and explain the term "water table": 1 point

Scoring Rubric for Assessment 2 (Out of 5 points)
In their journals:

Explain that the soil of the Sandhills has larger particle size than the soil of the Piedmont: 1 point
Predict the Sandhills will have a higher porosity than the Piedmont: 1 point
Predict the Sandhills will have a higher permeability than the Piedmont: 1 point
Predict that when it rains, the Sandhills will have a higher degree of groundwater infiltration than surface runoff: 1 point
Predict that when it rains, the Piedmont will have a higher degree of surface runoff than groundwater infiltration: 1 point

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Cross-Curricular Extensions
Science Extension
Students will create their own soil mixture. Students will measure various amounts of clay, sand, humus, etc. to fill a 100 ml container. Students will record the amounts of each sediment placed in the mixture. Students will conduct porosity and permeability experiments like the ones in the activity and compare the results of the different mixtures. Which is more like real soil, pure sand or the mixtures the students create?

Social Studies Extension
The students will research the regions of South Carolina to see how soil types in different regions have affected the way the land and water were used and impacted by human populations. Student groups will research different regions of the state to see what soil types were common and to determine how this influenced the development of agriculture. Student groups will come together to create a classroom map that shows the soil types and the crops of the different regions. The class will discuss the differences.

Science Extension
Students will take local soil and water samples to create an EcoColumn in a cutoff plastic soda bottle. Students will do quality tests on both the soil and water and then predict its ability to sustain life. Students will bring local plants and insects in their EcoColumn and see how they do.

Art Extension
While sculpting with clay, students will consider how the properties of clay and water make it effective for art.

Math Extension
Students will take a soil sample from the schoolyard and using four different sized strainers, sift through the soil to determine the particle sizes that make up the soil. Students will then measure the volume of each sediment size, compare to the volume of the soil sample it was taken from and then determine what percentage of each sediment size is found in the sample.