Science 8: Earth and Space Science

Prescribed Learning Outcomes / Suggested Achievement Indicators / Classroom Assessment Model

Water Systems on Earth

• D1 Explain the significance of salinity and temperature in the world’s oceans

• D2 Describe how water and ice shape the landscape
  • Define weathering and erosion
  • Describe how gravity directs the movement of water and ice and transports weathered materials through slow processes (rivers and glaciers) and fast processes (landslides)
  • Identify and illustrate various alpine and continental glacial features (e.g., cirques, arêtes, horns, hanging valleys, crevasses, moraines, eskers, outwash, fjords, icebergs, striations, erratics)
  • Describe how waves and tides are generated (e.g., waves: wind action; tsunamis: tectonic processes; tides: gravitational pull)
  • Describe the impact of water movement (e.g., waves, tides, river flow) on surface features (e.g., weathering, erosion, deposition)

• Give students the following case study: You are a geologist assigned to study a BC town where waves, tides, and/or river flow are affecting surface features. The town council wants to know what they must do to limit the adverse impact of weathering and erosion.
  • Ask students to develop a presentation to the town council. Presentations should
    • Identify problem areas (e.g., erosion on cliffs, outside river banks, danger of tsunamis) and predict potential consequences

• D3 Describe factors that affect productivity and species distribution in aquatic environments

• Have students research a given aquatic species (e.g., mussels, salmon, kelp, duck). Ask students to answer questions such as:
  • Where does each species live?
  • How abundant are they?
  • What are their predators?
  • How do they obtain nutrients?
  • How would each species respond to changes in their aquatic environment?
  • How would this environment be affected if their species disappeared?
    • Have students share research on related organisms, and present their combined information on a poster, which includes a diagram of the aquatic environment (e.g., intertidal).

• Provide students with historical and current information on the use of aquatic resources by First Nations peoples in BC. Resources could include information on whales, salmon, eulachon, shellfish (clams, oysters and abalone), seals, otter, sea urchins, whitefish, white sturgeon.

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