California State University, Sacramento Implementing the NGSS through Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) and Aquaponics Jenna Porter, PhD jmporter@csus.edu Deidre Sessoms, PhD sessoms@csus.edu California State University, Sacramento

Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Nonprofit water education program Promotes awareness, knowledge and stewardship of water resources through K- 12 interdisciplinary activities. http://www.projectwet.org/ Correlated to NGSS and Common Core Website has electronic access to all lessons

DROP IN THE BUCKET ACTIVITY PREDICT- How much water is on Earth? How much is potable (suitable for human consumption)? ACTIVITY- Record predictions, take notes, illustrate T chart- Amt. on Earth vs. Potable

What are the main factors affecting water distribution on Earth? Land forms Vegetation Proximity to large bodies of water Weather /climate Location Geology Geography Drought/ Flooding Contamination WET Activities about access to clean water; sharing water; riparian rights; water contamination

Water Sustainability Who uses this water and for what? USGS data- thermoelectric power accounts for largest percentage of US water withdrawals Paradox- there’s lots of water on Earth but most is unusable. For some people it’s plentiful; for others its scarce Project WET has strand on Water Resource Management Social Justice Connection

Debrief Drop in the Bucket Modifications Ocean water freezes at lower temps; lower freezing pt. 28 degrees F vs. freshwater at 32 degrees F; ice is crystal

The Green Box Identify all the materials in the box Use your senses to make observations, but do NOT taste the materials Which materials in the box are essential for life? 4 of them.

Do all plants need soil to grow? What is in the soil that plants absorb for growth?

How is matter cycled through this system?

How is matter cycled through this system? No soil

Propagation of fish and plants together in a closed system Aquaponics Propagation of fish and plants together in a closed system Sustainable method of agriculture; uses 90% less water than traditional agriculture Transfer of Energy; movement of matter Pass the Energy

Emphasize the movement of matter Fish waste (ammonia) is pumped with water through grow bed containing porous rocks (housing bacteria) which convert ammonia to nitrate, which serves as food for plants. Why? Reduces amount of water needed to grow plants. Some lost to evaporation…

Sustainable Technology Optimization Research Center (STORC) at Sacramento State http://www.csus.edu/storc/

What to feed the fish? Worms- used to decompose food waste from campus eateries, then fed to fish; they also make rich soil

Composting

5th Grade Standards Alignment

High School Related NGSS HS-LS1-5. Use a model to illustrate how photosynthesis transforms light energy into stored chemical energy HS-LS2-4. Use mathematical representations to support claims for the cycling of matter and flow of energy among organisms in an ecosystem HS-ESS2-5. Plan and conduct an investigation of the properties of water and its effects on Earth materials and surface processes. HS-ESS3-4. Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.* HS-PS3-1. Create a computational model to calculate the change in the energy of one component in a system when the change in energy of the other component(s) and energy flows in and out of the system are known. HS-ETS1-3. Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including cost, safety, reliability, and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural, and environmental impacts.

Burbank Urban Garden (BUG) Community Plant Sale

Leonardo da Vinci school- K-8- solar aquaponics system