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Lesson 1:
What we think of as simple system, water, is actually pretty complex. In fact it is so complex that science studies it as a system. Think about it for a minute. Water exists all around you as solid, liquid and gas and each water molecule moves between those states and several places where water is stored. Each molecule of water keeps making this trip through the system. So, the molecule of water you drank this morning may have been part of the water a dinosaur drank millions of years ago.
We will begin by finding out what you already know about this system. Go to the assessment section and take the assessment labeled Water Unit Pre Test.
Once you have take and submitted that assessment come back to this point in lesson 1 and continue....
[Insert Assessment Image]
Lets examine a system by looking at something familiar...television. Your TV signal comes to you through a system that creates content, uploads it to a provider and then delivers that signal to a system in your home that receives the signal, decodes it and shows it as a TV show. You may have an entertainment system in your home consisting of several different components (speakers, amplifier, etc), you have a heating system in your home and you probably have a phone system as well. Log onto the forum titled "1:01 Systems Brainstorm" and post a response to the starter question. You will be brainstorming types of systems with others in this class. We will use this list for our next activity so make sure you post all the systems you can think of.
When you finish posting return to this point in the lesson....
Now that we have a list in development of different types of systems lets look at systems and come up with a working definition. To do that we should begin by examining a system

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F1.01 Systems Brainstorm

This is the systems Brainstorm forum. Please post all your ideas for examples of systems and respond to other's post with more than a simple agreement statement. If you get stuck e-mail or ask your instructor for a few examples.

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A1.01 Systems Flow Chart/Graphic

You are to select one of the systems in the brainstorm forum and design a flow chart or a graphic to show how the parts of that system are connected (and what the parts of the system are). Some examples of flow charts can be found at the following web site:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flowchart
Of course you can create any graphic you want to illustrate the components of your system and how your system is connected.
When you are finished submit your flow chart or graphic here.

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F1.02 Systems Definition

Post to this forum your definition of a system. Use your own words and do not copy from the net. Then, look at posts from other students and offer suggestions for improving their definition or state what you will use from their definition to improve your own definition. at the end we should have a concise and good descriptive definition of a system. Post early and often! You must post more than 4 times to get credit for this discussion.

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L1.01 Making a system: The Water Cock

Follow these directions for making a water clock. You will have an assignment next where you reflect on the system you have created. For credit you must include a photo of your water clock or show the constructed clock to your teacher.
The Water Clock
Materials:
2 2 liter bottles
glass or clear plastic container to collect water;
small nail
matches and a candle
tweezers or pliers
masking tape;
marker
water
wristwatch or classroom clock for calibration
1. Poke a small hole in the center of the bottom of the 2 liter bottom using
the nail. You may need to gently heat the nail with a match or candle. If
so, be careful and hold the nail with a pair of pliers or tweezers so you do
not burn yourself. The heated nail should go through the plastic easily. You
only want a small hole.
2. Cut the narrow part of the top of the other 2 liter bottle so that it is just a
clear container with one large opening at the top.
3. Over a sink, put some water in the 2 liter bottle with the nail hole. Hold
your finger over the hole.
4. Place the 2 liter bottle on top of the cut 2 liter bottle. The 2 liter on top
must fit into the 2nd 2 liter container enough so that the top container does
not fall through its opening and it should sit level in the bottom container.
5. Place a strip of masking tape along the height of the clear container, on
which will be recording the time required for the water to reach a given
level.
6. Release your finger from the hole and see how much of the clear container
is filled in one minute. Mark the height of the water at convenient intervals
(e.g. minutes) on the masking tape.

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A 1.02 Water Clock Reflection

Answer these questions about your water clock system and then submit them as an assignment.

A1.02: Water Clock Reflections(sc)

To get credit for this assignment you will need to submit a photo of your water clock or show your completed clock to your teacher. Next, you will have to think about and write answers to the following reflection questions and submit them in the assignment section.

Review Questions

1. How could you make this clock faster or slower?

2. Will a water clock work everywhere? Why or why not?

3. Draw a diagram of the water clock system. What are its components? How do the

components interact?

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Lesson 2

Lesson 2 Introduction

You now know a bit more about systems. Each system has component parts and some of those parts interact. There are all sorts of systems that we study in science. It is interesting that we have always studied these interacting groups as systems. But, it is only recently that science has begun to study the whole earth as a system. There are actually several systems within systems on this planet. We used terms like open and closed, input and output, and sub systems. We will add those terms to the glossary as we move along.

To start lets look at the earth systems. Begin your work with a web walk on the spheres. That will guide you through the earth’s systems.

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W2.01: Earth Spheres

Begin your web walk by reading a quick introduction to the spheres. Make sure you learn the names for each sphere.

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/ESS/ESSspheres.html

Natural disasters like floods and fires have an impact on more than one sphere. This next site teaches you how scientists analyze these impacts. You will use this web site to help you with a short assignment next.

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/ESS/ESSmain.html

A2.01: Earth Systems Science Analysis

Go back to the web site on earth systems science:

http://www.cotf.edu/ete/ESS/ESSmain.html

There were two earth systems science analysis of the fires in Yellowstone. There are two green boxes.In the first they explain the sphere that was involved and then they give some information on the impact (event-sphere interactions). There are lots of impacts from these large events. For example, if I was studying the systems analysis of the floods in Iowa in 2011 I would have the following as one of my interactions:

Event←→ Biosphere: The increased water and humidity provided a perfect breeding ground for mosquitoes and these pests increased in number after the floods.

The second green box shows how they analyze interactions between the spheres (sphere-sphere interactions). An example from the floods might look like this:

Hydrosphere←→Biosphere: An increase in the moisture everywhere in the flood zone led to more mold and that has made people and some animals ill.

Your task is to think back through the floods of 2011 and do an event analysis. You should include at least 3 event-sphere interactions (with explanations) and at least 3 sphere-sphere interactions (with explanations). When you finish submit this to the assignment section (A2.01: Earth Systems Science Analysis).

Earth System Science Analysis of the Midwest Floods of 2011

Event-Sphere interactions:

1.

2.

3.

Sphere- Sphere Interactions

1.

2.

3.

Lesson 3:

Each morning when we turn on the tap we hardly give a thought to where that water came from. We count on the water being pure and drinkable. In the world most people do not have that luxury. Have you ever had the experience of not having good clean water flow from your tap? Maybe there was a water main break or a repair that shut off your water for a short time? If so, was it uncomfortable? Think about the water you use every day and how difficult it would be if you had to carry that water to your house each week. When you flush the toilet it take a gallon or more of water, when you brush your teeth, clean the dishes or get a drink it all takes water. In some parts of the world children spend their days hiking to a distant well and carrying water back each morning for their family. We simply turn on the faucet.

The interesting part is that the water we drink comes from the same hydrosphere as the water in 3rd world countries. In the United States and many other developed countries we have a complex system of water purification and delivery that walks to the well every second for us. In this unit you will break down that system and learn how each part works, purify some water in the lab and learn how to measure and understand measurements of things in the water in tiny amounts.

Begin with the web walk on your water system.

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W3.01 Water Systems Web Walk

First take in an overview of the steps.

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/wwvisit.html

Now watch a short slide show on how to do a lab that takes you through the steps of water purification.

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_filtration.html

When you finish watching this download the lab sheet (L3.01 Water Purification) from the assignment section and with your teacher’s permission you can start the lab. When you finish download, complete and submit the lab reflection questions (A3.01 Purification Lab Reflections) and submit them as an assignment.

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L3.01:Water Purification Lab

BACKGROUND:

Water in lakes, rivers, and swamps often contains impurities that make it look and smell bad. The water may

also contain bacteria and other microbiological organisms that can cause disease. Consequently, water from

most surface sources must be “cleaned” before it can be consumed by people. Water treatment plants typically

clean water by taking it through the following processes: (1) aeration; (2) coagulation; (3) sedimentation; (4)

filtration; and (5) disinfection. Demonstration projects for the first four processes are included below.

- OBJECTIVE:

To demonstrate the procedures that municipal water plants may use to purify water for drinking.

MATERIALS NEEDED:

4 5 Liters of “swamp water” (or add 2 1/2 cups of dirt or mud to 5 liters of water)

4 1 Two liter plastic soft drink bottle with its cap (or cork that fits tightly into the neck)

4 2 Two liter plastic soft drink bottles, one with its bottom cut off and one with the top cut off

4 1 large beaker (2 cups) or measuring bowl that will hold the inverted two liter bottle or you can use

another two liter plastic soft drink bottle with its top cut off so the other bottle will fit inside of it.

4 2 tablespoons of alum (potassium aluminum sulfate available in the spice isle at grocery stores)

4 1 1/2 cups fine sand (white play sand or beach sand)

4 1 1/2 cups coarse sand (multi-purpose sand)

4 1 cup small pebbles (washed, natural color aquarium rocks work best)

4 1 coffee filter

4 1 rubber band

4 1 tablespoon (for the alum)

4 1 large spoon (for stirring)

4 A clock with a second hand or a stopwatch

Office of Water (4606M) • EPA 816-F-04-021 • 06/2004 • www.epa.gov/safewater

PROCEDURE:

1. Pour your “Swamp Water” into the two liter bottle with a cap. Describe the

appearance and smell of the water to your lab partner.

2. Aeration the first step in the treatment process, adds air to water. It allows gases trapped in

the water to escape and adds oxygen to the water. Place the cap on the bottle and vigorously

shake the bottle for 30 seconds.

Continue the aeration process by pouring the water into another bottle or the beaker, then

pouring the

water back and forth between them about 10 times. Once aerated, gases have escaped

(bubbles should be gone). Pour your aerated water into your bottle with its top cut off.

3. Coagulation is the process by which dirt and other suspended solid particles to chemically “stick together”

into floc (clumps of alum and sediment) so they can easily be removed from water. Add two tablespoons of

alum to the aerated water. Slowly stir the mixture for 5 minutes. You will see particles in the water clinging

together to make larger clumps. This makes it harder for them to get through a filter at the plant.

4. Sedimentation is the process that occurs when gravity pulls the particles of floc to the bottom of the

cylinder.

Allow the water to stand undisturbed in the cylinder. Observe the water at 5 minute intervals for a total