RIVER BASINS, ESTUARIES AND ECOSYSTEMS OF NORTH CAROLINA PROJECT - Accelerated

Adapted from Diane Jackson, 8th Grade Science Teacher

You will be working independently to complete a unit detailing river basins, estuaries, and ecosystems of North Carolina. The unit’s activities will count as a test grade. In other words, you will determine the next test grade you earn by completing the number of activities that equates to the grade you want to receive, so work efficiently, thoroughly and to the best of your ability.

Each activity will be completed in your notebook.Be sure to LABEL each assignment with the NUMBER in the RIGHT HAND CORNER.You will need supplies such as paper, glue, colored pencils/crayons etc. You are responsible for keeping all work in your notebook in numerical order!

Activities

_____ 1.Parent Signature on this project contract. (This will be turned in for your final grade)

_____ 2.Create a title page for this project on page 17. Design your title page with the following information:

  1. Title: RIVER BASINS, ESTUARIES AND ECOSYSTEMS OF NORTH CAROLINA
  2. To get credit for completing the title page, it must be decorated and colored.

**You will glue down this project activities sheet on page 16 to keep track of your progress.

Use the Discover North Carolina’s River Basins Booklet to complete the following activities:

_____ 3.Reading Analysis Questions: Complete the River Basin Scavenger Hunt through Google Docs as you read through the Discover North Carolina’s River Basins booklet. Mark complete in Google Classroom when you are finished. (p. 19)

_____ 4.Vocabulary: Define all of the key words in the booklet using one of the following methods – note card flip chart or two-column notes, then take the Quizlet test on the words. (They are in little green boxes as you read.)(p. 20)

_____ 5.Environmental Education: Create a cartoon that illustrates the reasons environmental education is important. Color the cartoon. (p. 21)

_____ 6.Government Intervention: A decline in water quality led to government involvement. Write at least 2 paragraphs in which you discuss some of the outcomes of this and what North Carolina did in response to the government action.(p. 22)

_____ 7.Buffers: Draw a vegetative/riparian buffer and a river with no vegetative buffer. Below each picture, explain how it affects the river and the plants and animals living in the river using YOUR OWN WORDS. (p. 23)

_____ 8.Flyer: What can you do to protect your water basins? Create a flyer on blank 8 ½” x 11”paperthat would encourage others to help protect these valuable areas.(p. 24)

Water Quality Issues

_____ 9.Water Quality Indicators: Complete the Indicators of Water Quality worksheet while watching the corresponding video. (p. 25)

_____ 10.Monitoring Water Quality Part 1: Complete “Simulation 1: Data from Two Days at Three Lakes Park” to analyze the effect of abiotic factors on a water system. (pp. 26-27)

_____ 11.Monitoring Water Quality Part 2: Complete “Simulation 2: Bio-indicators and Water Quality in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed” to analyze the effect of biotic factors on a water system. (p. 28)

_____ 12.License Plate: Using what you have learned throughout these activities, create a personalized license plate. You can use NO MORE THAN 8 characters – letters, numbers, symbols, spaces – and you can choose any state you’d like. It must be colored and decorated for the state you choose. (p. 29)

_____ 13.ScienceWorld:Read the “Water Woes” article from the Jan. 12, 2015 issue of ScienceWorld. Complete a 3-card summary of the article (p. 30) then complete the Skills Sheets that accompany the article (p. 31).

_____ 14.Pollution: Read the Loop Lake story and complete each part of the worksheet when prompted to do so. (pp. 32-33)

All about Estuaries:

_____ 15.Complete the “Just What Are Estuaries?” activity. (p. 34)

_____ 16.The Fish Kill Mystery: Read the case study about the fish kill on the coast of North Carolina then answer the discussion questions in complete sentences. (p. 35)

_____ 17.Come Study the Jubilee: Complete all parts of the activity about jubilees. The link for the video will be on Google Classroom. (pp. 36-37)

All about Wetlands:

_____ 18.Functions of Wetlands: Read the wetlands article and annotate the text using underlining, highlighting and main point strategies, then answer the questions that follow. Be sure to use complete sentences. (p. 38)

_____ 19.This Plant Key is all Wet: Read and learn how to use a dichotomous key, then use the key to identify the pictured wetland plants. (p. 39)

_____ 20.Wetland Habitats: Using the Wetland Habitats Flow Chart, correctly identify the ten habitat cards.(p. 40)

Extra Credit (10 pts)

_____ 21.NC River Basins: Using the NC River Basins packet, complete the River Basin Riddler activity.(p. 41 if completed)

THESE ACTIVITIES MUST BE COMPLETED INDIVIDUALLY. IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING PROBLEMS, COME AND ASK ME TO GIVE YOU CLARITY ON WHATEVER ISSUES YOU MAY BE HAVING.

Contract and Grading Rubric

I, ______, wish to earn a(n) _____on this project in Science. I understand that I MUST work on this project in class; although I can do some work at home, over the weekend. I also understand that I AM RESPONSIBLE for keeping ALL my work organized in my NOTEBOOK. I also understand that I am expected to do my OWN work. It is understood that I will only get full credit for each assignment that is completed accurately, thoroughly, and neatly.

Student Signature ______

Period ______Date ______

Last day to turn in activities: ______(letter grade reduction if late)

Grading Scale:

A+ (100) = 20 activities / A (95) = 19 activities / A- (90) = 18 activities
B (85) = 17 activities / B- (80) = 16 activities / C (75) = 15 activities
C- (70) = 14 activities / D (65) = 13 activities / D- (60) = 12 activities
F = 11 activities or less (each activity is worth 5 points)

Activities completed and turned in (to be initialed by teacher):

#1 / #2 / #3 / #4 / #5
#6 / #7 / #8 / #9 / #10
#11 / #12 / #13 / #14 / #15
#16 / #17 / #18 / #19 / #20

**ANYONE NOT WORKING ON THE ASSIGNMENT CONSISTENTLYEACH DAY IN CLASS WILL GET 5 POINTS DEDUCTED FROM HIS/HER FINAL GRADE FOR EACH DAY S/HE DOES NOT PARTICIPATE APPROPRIATELY. NO EXCEPTIONS!

Parent/Guardian signature ______