Introduction:
 Zzzzzzaaaaaaapppppp!  Whoa! What happened?  One second you are testing a hypothesis in the Longview Science Lab and the next second you find yourself in a dark, frigid room.  As your eyes adjust to the dimness, a nonhuman form comes into view.  Being the adventurous scientist, you seize the opportunity to make first contact with the alien with a greeting.  Not understanding your language, the alien gives you a quizzical look.  With a tap of its universal language translator, the alien comprehends and returns your greeting.

“I am Belzar from the planet Retaw.  We are explorers seeking information about neighboring planets.  We have in our historical documents a reference to your planet as the ‘Water Planet.’  This does not compute.  We have selected you, master scientists, to clarify this.  You will not be allowed to return to your home until you have done so.”

The Task:
  Your task, as master scientists, is to collect as much information about why the Earth is called the “Water Planet.”  You and your team must report back to Belzar and the High Council with your findings.  As master scientists you and your partners must give an oral presentation to Belzar and the High Council supported by a physical model, PowerPoint presentation or a concept map.
 
 

The Process:
 Be sure to read through the following steps before beginning your quest.
 

• In your group of 3 or 4 students, select 3 of the 5 questions to research and answer.
• How much of the world is covered with water?
• Why is water one of the most important resources on Earth?
• How much water is available for use by living creatures?
• What is the water cycle?
• How much of Earth's water is freshwater?  Where is it found?

• Use the resources listed below to research the questions you have selected.

• Create an oral presentation for the High Council and support it with a model, PowerPoint slide show or concept map.

The Resources:
Websites:

FLOW: THE WATER CYCLE PAGE   Hydrologic Cycle   Kid's Stuff Drinking Water   NWF Everyone Needs Water   The Water Cycle- Zoom School   The Water Cycle   Follow a Drip   The Water Cycle Song   The Water Cycle-University of Michigan

Properties of Water   The Water and Rivers Commission   Environmental Issues-Water Cycle Video   The Water Cycle - Brain Pop Video   Water Science for Schools   The Importance of Water   Water Center Triva   Water: From River to You   Water, Water, Everywhere

 

Books:
    Butterfield, Moira.  1000 Facts About the Earth. Scholastic Inc., New York: 1992.

    Schmid, Eleonore. The Waters Journey. North-South Books, New York: 1989.

    *Any other library references available to use.

Network Software:

• Encarta Encyclopedia Deluxe 99

Assessment:
    To be released back to the Longview science lab, your group of scientists will have to prove your understanding about Earth: The Water Planet. Click here to go to the Earth: The Water Planet rubric.

Extensions:

For further opportunity to investigate our water planet, take the knowledge you have gained in this WebQuest and consider the implications of living in a desert environment.

Imagine you are an assistant working for an Arizona legislator.   A bill has been proposed that would drastically reduce the amount of water Phoenix receives from the Colorado River.  The people who voted your legislator into office have differing opinions about Arizona water usage and this proposed legislation.  These three groups are farmers, conservationists, and homeowners.  Your boss has assigned you the job of choosing one of these three groups to investigate and then report back to him so he can make an informed decision about this issue.

Your presentation can take one of the following forms:

• a debate with someone defending an opposing viewpoint
• a PowerPoint presentation
• a persuasive essay (oral or written)
• a videotape of a press conference announcing the legislator's position
• an editorial for the local newspaper

By completing this WebQuest you will be an expert about the distribution of water on earth, underground and in the atmosphere.  This knowledge will help you understand the importance of water to the inhabitants of earth.
 

 

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