List some new factors in the Great Lakes system that you heard in our class discussion.
Overview
Students engage in discussion and develop an initial model for the Great Lakes system. If students are not familiar with models, use the intro modeling activity linked in the teacher notes to introduce models.
Use an in class discussion routine to help students provide ideas for the Great Lakes system. To have a digital discussion, use a tool like Google Jamboard to have students write ideas on stickies and have others respond by staring stickies they agree with.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards
- Earth and Space Sciences
- [MS-ESS2-4] Develop a model to describe the cycling of water through Earth’s systems driven by energy from the sun and the force of gravity.
- NGSS Crosscutting Concept
- Patterns
- Energy
- Stability and Change
- NGSS Practice
- Analyzing Data
- Constructing Explanations, Designing Solutions
- Using Models
- Conducting Investigations
Computational Thinking in STEM
- Data Practices
- Analyzing Data
- Collecting Data
- Visualizing Data
- Modeling and Simulation Practices
- Using Computational Models to Understand a Concept
- Constructing Computational Models
- Systems Thinking Practices
- Understanding the Relationships within a System
Credits
Modeling activity is based on Ambitious Science Teaching.
Activities
- 1. Discussion Ideas
- 2. Initial Model
- 3. What else do we need to know?
Student Directions and Resources
Use your list of factors in the system to make an initial model of the Great Lakes System and to try and explain the changes in temperature and precipitation. How do you think the factors in the system are interacting to change temperature and precipitation averages in the future?
Use what you have learned from the Modeling Intro activity and discussion to help you develop your initial model. Initial models are intended to show your current thinking, and you will revise your model multiple times as you learn new information throughout the unit.
Scientists are constantly revising their models based on new information they learn. So we work through the same process to try and explain what is happening in the phenomena we study.
1. Discussion Ideas
Using prior knowledge and what you heard others say in our class discussion, use the following questions to help think about the Great Lakes system.
Question 1.1
Question 1.2
How do some of these factors interact? Explain an interaction you are aware of and how you came to make that connection.
Example:
factors - water and land
"As water levels rise in the Great Lakes, water may flood beaches, riverbanks, homes, and streets."
I used my prior knowledge about the Chicago river levels near my house and the erosion of some of Chicago's beaches to make this connection.
2. Initial Model
Develop an initial model of the system, based on the list generated in the class discussion.
Question 2.1
Use the draw features to draw the components. Use the text feature to add labels or captions.
Note: Draw your sketch in the sketchpad below
3. What else do we need to know?
As you developed an initial model, you likely had questions about how different components interact. Capture these thoughts in the question below.
Question 3.1
What do we need to figure out about these components/variables?
