8th Grade Science Guide

8.4 Natural Resources 3 Dimensions & Progressions

Unit 4

● I can explain the

● Students look at 5

● Lesson Plan ● Save the strategic action planning portion of this lesson for later use.

difference between direct and virtual water use. ● I can explain how water is used in several different industries. ● I can explain why it is important to conserve water.

categories of water use (indoor, outdoor, diet, electricity, and buying habits) and create infographic posters to share what they learn. Then they audit the school’s indoor and outdoor direct water use as well as several categories of virtual water use: food, energy, and electronics. ● Students read an article on Newsela about sustainability and apply it to the Colorado River Basin. ● After students have read, help them determine who benefts from the Colorado river and why it’s so important to sustain it.

Activity: Sustainability

Objective

Overview

Materials

● I can explain sustainability and what it means. ● I can explain why we need to sustain the Colorado River Basin for the different communities that use it.

● Sustainability ● Colorado River Video Clip

Activity: Colorado River Basin Mitigation

Objective

Overview

Materials

● I can explain efforts to mitigate overuse of the Colorado River ● I can review 5 different strategies used to mitigate the Colorado River.

● Students read about several different

● Teacher Background Information ● Mitigating the Colorado River Slide Presentation

mitigation efforts to save the Colorado River Basin.

● Students brainstorm if there are way that they can support any of the mitigation efforts as a class.