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Wetland Design Challenge
Description: This activity is designed to accompany the Grade 8 GUSH Workshop. Students will be able to apply their previous knowledge on wetlands by building their own model of one and testing its natural filtration ability on some “polluted” water.
Grade Level: Grade 8
Setting: Classroom
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify the different layers and materials working within a wetland. 2. Collaborate with others to design, build and test a model wetland. 3. Determine the correct structure of a wetland and justify your reasoning.
Duration: 1 hour
Key Words: -‐Wetland -‐Filtration -‐Hydric soil -‐Bedrock -‐Topsoil -‐Alluvial material
Related Curriculum Links: Understanding Earth and Space Systems: Water Systems 2.5 use technological problem-‐solving skills to design, build, and test a water system device that performs a practical function or meets a need Oral Communication 2.4 use appropriate words, phrases, and terminology from the full range of their vocabulary, including inclusive and non-‐discriminatory language, and a range of stylistic devices, to communicate their meaning effectively and engage the interest of their intended audience Equipment: -‐ Water pitcher -‐ Small blocks -‐ Scissors -‐ Large spoon
Consumables: -‐ Copies of Tin Roof Global’s Wetland Design Challenge worksheet (attached) -‐ Cotton batting -‐ Potting soil -‐ Modelling clay -‐ Pea gravel -‐ Large pebbles -‐ Vegetable oil -‐ Aluminum foil roasting pan/large Tupperware container -‐ Plastic cups -‐ Water
Safety Considerations: Students should not drink any of the water before nor after it has gone through their wetland filtration system.
Lesson: Starter (5 minutes): Ask students to think of the different layers that make-‐up a wetland and write their suggestions on the board. Students should come up with: bedrock, plant/root system, topsoil and alluvial material (sand, rocks, gravel etc.). Explain to students that wetlands also have a type of soil called hydric soil, which is soil that is constantly wet. Activity (50 minutes): Explain to students that they are going to be designing, building and testing their own wetland model. Split students into groups of 3-‐4. Hand out a copy of the Wetland Design Challenge worksheet to each group and designate one student per group to be in charge of writing decisions/observations on it. Instruct each group to collect a container (to build the wetland filter in), a 12-‐inch x 12-‐inch square of cotton batting, a section of clay, 1 cup of large pebbles, 2 cups of topsoil and 4 cups of pea gravel. Tell students to follow instructions on the worksheet. First, students will have to determine which wetland layer each material will represent and write this down on the worksheet. They must then determine the order of each layer in a wetland and write this down as well. Now students can build their model wetland! The wetland must only take up one-‐half of their container. It should be in the middle of the container, with one-‐fourth on each end of it (this will be for the water filtering through). Once students have completed their wetland, they must prepare a short presentation. In their presentation they should explain which material they picked to represent each layer, the order of the layers, and why they picked that order. Once all groups are ready, have a member of each group fill a water pitcher with tap water and stir in a small amount of topsoil and 2 capfuls of vegetable oil. As the mixture is being prepared, each team must place a small block under one end of their container to create a slight slope (allowing water to flow). One-‐by-‐one, have each group present their wetland. Once a group has presented, they can then test their wetland by pouring the “polluted” water at the high end of the container, while the rest of the class observes and takes note of their observations on their worksheet. Conclusion (5 minutes): Once every group has presented and tested, ask the class as a whole which order of materials worked best. They should determine that the following order worked best: pea gravel, clay, cotton, potting soil, and large pebbles. Now have the class determine which material represented which part of a wetland. They should determine that the following is the correct order of wetland layers: bedrock, hydric soil, plant/root system, potting soil, and alluvial
material.
Accommodations/Modifications This could be done as a demonstration with students having different roles and responsibilities in order to participate. Extensions Students can present their understanding of the wetland structure in the format of a diagram/poster. Students can research different types of wetlands (ie: swamp, marsh, bog etc. and present their findings.
Wetland Design Challenge
Members:…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
1. Write down which material will represent each layer of your wetland. Bedrock – Topsoil – Hydric Soil – Alluvial Material – Plant/Root System –
2. Write down the order you will place your layers in your wetland. (1 = bottom, 5 = top) 1.
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3. Why did you decide on this order? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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4. What did your polluted water look like after pouring it through your wetland filter? ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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5. What order of layers filtered the polluted water best? (1 = bottom, 5 = top)
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