The hydrosphere is a large portion of the 8th-grade science curriculum. There is a limited amount of fresh water available on Earth compared to the world’s population. This lesson challenges students to explore how they can use social media to promote the protection of Earth’s water. Students will work in teams to create a branded social media campaign across X (Twitter), Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube on how and why people should protect Earth’s water. Students will use their understanding 8.E.1 science standards to create their social media posts/videos.
| Author | Grade Level | Content Area |
| Rachel Neckermann | 8 | Science |
- Duration
- Standards Taught
- Project Summary
- Driving Question
- Entry Event
- Public Product
- Resources/Materials Needed
- Formative and Summative Assessments
- Project Calendar
- About the Author
Duration
6 weeks, 55-60 minute classes in a full year course
Standards Taught
8.E.1 Understand the hydrosphere and the impact of humans on local systems and the effects of the hydrosphere on humans.
8.E.1.1 Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
- Water distribution on earth
- Local river basin and water availability
8.E.1.2 Summarize evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms:
- Estuaries
- Marine ecosystems
- Upwelling
- Behavior of gases in the marine environment
- Value and sustainability of marine resources
- Deep ocean technology and understandings gained
8.E.1.3 Predict the safety and potability of water supplies in North Carolina based on physical and biological factors, including:
- Temperature
- Dissolved oxygen
- pH
- Nitrates and phosphates
- Turbidity
- Bio-indicators
8.E.1.4 Conclude that the good health of humans requires:
- Monitoring of the hydrosphere
- Water quality standards
- Methods of water treatment
- Maintaining safe water quality
- Stewardship
Project Summary
The parts of the project include:
- Explaining water distribution & availability on Earth
- Predicting the safety and potability of water supplies in North Carolina based on physical and biological factors
- Summarizing the evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms
- Concluding that the good health of humans requires: Monitoring of the hydrosphere, Water quality standards, Methods of water treatment, Maintaining safe water quality, Stewardship
- Using all the information to create a branded social media campaign on how and why people should protect Earth’s water and a short documentary style video on Youtube
The completed social media campaigns will be presented to the school’s principals (could also have local water quality scientists as part of the judging panel) and voted on. The winning social media campaign will be published on all school social media platforms (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, and Youtube). If the timing of the unit works, students could also submit their work to the shortyawards.com (an awards program for best in digital and social media).
Driving Question
Why and how should we protect Earth’s water?
Entry Event
Complete Water Quality Lab (of local water sources) and/or go over the great Pacific garbage patch on National Geographic (break up the reading and then have students share out, go over fast facts, look at the image and video clips linked at the bottom). You could also look at examples of social media campaigns and creating engaging content. LINKED HERE is an activity that has linked examples.
Public Product
Protecting Earth’s Water social media posts and video for campaign posted on the school’s social media accounts or to shortyawards.com
Resources/Materials Needed
- Computers
- Internet
- Water samples
- Water quality test strips
- Worksheets
- Station activity materials
- Lab sheets
- Art supplies
- Construction paper
- Canva.com
- Quiz Questions (use to make assessment quizzes)
- Answer Key
- Project rubric
Formative and Summative Assessments
Assessment 1: Brand Proposal with arguments for protecting Earth’s water based on distribution and availability.
- Team
- Formative
8.E.1.1 Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
- Water distribution on earth
- Local river basin and water availability
Outline of plan for branding of campaign (colors, logos, theme)
Assessment 2: Outline of posts for Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and video timeline for Youtube on how to determine water potability and why people should care
- Team
- Formative
8.E.1.3 Predict the safety and potability of water supplies in North Carolina based on physical and biological factors
Outline of beginning posts for each platform
Assessment 3: Quiz on 8.E.1.1 & 1.3
- Individual
- Summative
8.E.1.1 Explain the structure of the hydrosphere including:
- Water distribution on earth
- Local river basin and water availability
8.E.1.3 Predict the safety and potability of water supplies in North Carolina based on physical and biological factors
Assessment 4: Outline of posts for Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and video timeline for Youtube on how Earth’s Oceans are reservoirs of all the things & why/how people should protect them
- Team
- Formative
8.E.1.2 Summarize evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms
Outline for additional posts on each platform
Assessment 5: YouTube documentary video storyboard
- Team
- Formative
8.E.1.4 Conclude that the good health of humans requires:
- Monitoring of the hydrosphere
- Water quality standards
- Methods of water treatment
- Maintaining safe water quality
- Stewardship
Storyboard includes: recapping previous information & explaining how the good health of humans requires protecting water sources on Earth & ways to protect them, skits/pictures, backgrounds, audio, intro and outro to be used
Assessment 6: Quiz on 8.E.1.2 & 1.4
- Individual
- Summative
8.E.1.2 Summarize evidence that Earth’s oceans are a reservoir of nutrients, minerals, dissolved gases, and life forms
8.E.1.4 Conclude that the good health of humans requires:
- Monitoring of the hydrosphere
- Water quality standards
- Methods of water treatment
- Maintaining safe water quality
- Stewardship
Project Calendar
| Day 1: | Water Quality Lab | |||||
| Day 2: | Water Distribution Simulation | |||||
| Day 3: | Water Planet Math activity | |||||
| Day 4: | Advanced Water Cycle Analysis | |||||
| Day 5: | Work on Brand Proposal and beginning arguments on why protect Earth’s water | |||||
| Day 6: | Brand Proposal Due | |||||
| Day 7: | Water Quality Stations, Student Record Sheet, Water Quality One Pager | |||||
| Day 8: | Continue Stations, work on outline for beginning social media posts based on standard 8.E.1.1 & 1.3 | |||||
| Day 9: | NC River Basins scavenger hunt, Student Record Sheet, Answer Key | |||||
| Day 10: | Work on outline of social media posts based on 8.E.1.1 & 1.3 (DUE today) – Quiz (8.E.1.1&3) | |||||
| Day 11: | Watershed and Estuary Simulation | |||||
| Day 12: | Ocean Stations | |||||
| Day 13 | Continue Stations, work on outline for new social media posts based on standard 8.E.1.2 | |||||
| Day 14 | Upwelling activity | |||||
| Day 15 | Work on outline for new social media posted based on standard 8.E.1.2 (DUE TODAY) | |||||
| Day 16 | Solutions Workshop – edit checkpoint 2 & 3 proposals | |||||
| Day 17 | Prepare for student showcase – student work time | |||||
| Day 18 | Water treatment investigation | |||||
| Day 19 | Stewardship activity option1, Activity option2, Option3 | |||||
| Day 20 | Tracking Pollution Activity, work on video storyboard | |||||
| Day 21 | Work on video storyboard (DUE today) – Quiz on 8.E.1.2&4 | |||||
| Day 22 | Prepare for student showcase – student work time | |||||
| Day 23 | Prepare for student showcase – student work time | |||||
| Day 24 | Dress rehearsal for social media campaign publishing – peer feedback through critical friend protocol | |||||
| Day 25 | Prepare for Social Media Campaign publishing – student work time (make adjustments based on peer feedback | |||||
| Day 26 | Present final products to the principals (and local water quality scientists) for pitch to publish their campaign on the school’s social media sites (or submit to shortyawards.com) | |||||
Notes:
If students are pitching to principals, be sure to share the winning campaign and show it to the class after they are posted to social media. Can have students share with parents to share out so the campaign can continue to be shared and reach further to have a greater impact.
Alternative or additional activities to use during unit: Water Property Stations, Additional resource on importance of oceans to humans (can be used for additional activity on importance of protecting oceans)
About the Author
Rachel Neckermann is a 2022-23 STEMwork Scholar. She has focused on science and STEM education at all levels K-12. She has taught 3-5 grade at the elementary level, 6-8 grade at the middle school level with a focus on Science and Social Studies, and high school Earth/Environmental Science as well as Biology.