Water,+Water+Everywhere

Water, Water Everywhere, But Never a Drop to Drink!


 * Read and think about this poem by Verne Rockcastle**:

Recycled  The glass of water you're about to drink deserves a second thought, I think. For Avogadro, oceans, and those you follow are all involved in every swallow. The molecules of water in a single glass in number, at least five times, outclass the glasses of water in stream and sea or wherever else that water can be. The water in you is between and betwixt and having traversed is thoroughly mixed. So someone quenching a future thirst Could easily drink what you drank first! The water you are about to taste no doubt represents a bit of the waste from prehistoric beast and bird..... a notion you may find absurd. A fountain spraying in the park could well spout bits of Joan of Arc, or Adam, Eve, and all their kin. You'd be surprised where your drink has been! Just think! The water you cannot retain will some day hence return as rain, or be beheld as the purest dew, though long ago it passed through you!

I think it's good to remember that all the water that ever existed on Earth is still here; no more has been created. Therefore, each drop of water you drink, play in, bathe in, swim or ski in, has been through countless plants and animals before you. Now, however, the water supplies in many countries have been compromised through pollution and over use. Many countries use far more than their fair share of the world's water supply and are guilty of draining the aquifer faster than it can recharge. As Americans, are we guilty of this as well?

**Background: The Nature of Water**  Water is one the most amazing and unique compounds found on this planet. To learn about some of the characteristics of water, access [|this site].
 * Write down three things that are unique to water.

Learn about the chemistry of water on this [|USGS site.]
 * 1) Water is a "polar" molecule, which means that it carries a charge on each end of the molecule. Describe water's polarity.
 * 2) How does this polarity help the water molecules to stick to each other?
 * 3) What is the shape of a drop of water?
 * 4) Why is water called the universal solvent?
 * 5) What is the pH of pure water? Is this acidic or basic?
 * 6) What physical property makes water unique?
 * 7) Explain how the physical properties of water determine the Celsius scale.
 * 8) Why does ice float in water?
 * 9) What is surface tension?


 * Many factors contribute to the diminishing water supplies on our planet, as we will learn from this article. When you have finished reading [|this article,] find the meaning of the following words: **

The Problem: Our Water Supply **Now that you understand a little more about water's uniqueness and about why we are dependent on water for life itself, let's find out what happens when we don't protect our precious water supply.**
 * aquifer
 * arid
 * desalination
 * desertification
 * drought
 * hydrologic cycle
 * irrigation
 * per capita
 * sinkhole
 * watershed
 * water stress

//"As the world's population grows, access to fresh water declines. This relationship is evident in both industrialized and developing countries and in both arid and wet climates." (Discovery Education)//  Many countries are on the cusp of having no drinkable water at all. Though, we are not at that point, the American water supply is in trouble as well. Read this article on [|California's water woes.]

View the UnitedStreaming video, "Unsafe Waters." Answer the following questions:
 * 1) What are the different types of and uses for water?
 * 2) How is water renewed in the water cycle?
 * 3) How are humans affecting some populations of sea creatures?
 * 4) How are the by-products of humans making their way into the waters of the Earth?
 * 5) What effect are they having?

The Task: The Fresh Water Webquest This webquest is based on one developed by Jerry Kousen of Hobart High School, South Carolina.

**Introduction** As a group, you are going to explore the topic of fresh water. Each member of your team will become an expert in one part of a Committee to Protect Our Water. Then you'll come back together to answer a question that gets to the heart of the Tennessee's water problem.

**The Question** You're HOT and THIRSTY. A tall, cool glass of water would be great right now. As you fill your glass under the faucet, you need to ask yourself the following questions: Is this water clean and safe to drink? How can I be certain? Use your assigned role to be responsible and do your part for clean water.

**Background Information** Before becoming an expert on one aspect of this topic, we'd better make sure that everyone on your WebQuest team knows the basics. Use the links below to answer the six general questions: who? what? where? when? why? and how? Make sure everyone on your team can answer all the questions before moving into your individual roles.

[|Fresh Water Ecology] [|Tennessee Government site] [|Water Encyclopedia] [|Wisegeek]

**Individual Roles** Now that you have some overall background knowledge, it is time to return to the main question for this WebQuest. Questions this big and important are better answered when a group of people are working on it at one time, each from his or her own perspective. This way team members can become experts on different aspects of the question and then come together to poll their learning. This is where teamwork pays off. Now.......are you ready to divide and conquer this question?

**1. Chemist at the Department of Water Works** Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions: 1. What is safe drinking water? Are there standards?


 * [|Contamination Chart] **


 * [|TVA Environmental Information]**


 * [|Water Science for Schools]**

**2. Chef in Major Restaurant**

Use the links below to learn more about your role in water/food safety. Specifically, is it your responsibility to make sure your water is safe? Could you be sued if it is not? Are there ways to insure water safety in the restaurant?

**[|Food Poisoning Lawsuits]**


 * [|Responsibility as Chef]**


 * [|Food and Water Safety]**


 * [|Food-borne Illnesses]**


 * [|Drinking Water Systems]**

**3. Concerned Citizen on Water Safety** Use the links to learn more about your role. Specifically, as a concerned citizen, you play a major role in water safety, so don't underestimate your power. You should know what your rights as a citizen are. You should understand that every citizen has the right to clean water. Are there //watchdog agencies// that protect your rights?

**[|Clean Water Fisheries Act Fails]**


 * [|Safe Drinking Water Act]**


 * [|Clean Water Act Action Plan]**

**4. Politician up for Re-election** To which lobby do you pay attention: to the big oil companies or the concerned citizen? Make your stand. Will you fight for big dollars or a healthier environment? What can you do to provide the public good clean drinking water?


 * [|Clean Water Act] **

**[|Clean Water Action Plan]**


 * [|Economy Depends on Clean Water]

[|Clean Water Action Plan Summary]

5. Outdoorsman ** Do you buy a license to hunt and fish? What can you do to make sure you can eat the fish you catch? Do you have any "pull" to influence laws or policy? What does the food chain in a waterway have to do with your fishing? What protections do fishermen have?

[|Endangered Rivers] [|Tennessee Fishing Guide] [|Coastal Alabama] [|TVA] [|World Wildlife] [|Outdoors in Tennessee] [|Rivers and Streams of Tennessee] [|Freshwater Mussels] [|Freshwater Snail Biodiversity]

** Group Synthesis **


 * Congratulations! Your team members have each become experts in their fields! Each of you has amassed a great deal of information on your topic, but it won't make much sense until your team puts the information together into a cohesive report. Your final task is to develop a PowerPoint presentation with pictures, movies, graphs, maps, and any other data you've collected. You will explain and defend your position with reference to the main question. Your team must, of course, present your PowerPoint to the class. The due date for this project is March 31, 2010.**

Check out the [|rubric] to make sure you are on track with your presentation.  