ILLUSTRATIVE EXAMPLES  stream characteristics

SCIENCE 8  continental drainage systems

SPECIFIC OUTCOMES
The student will be able to:
C1 3.3 access and operate multimedia
applications and technologies from
stand-alone and online sources
3.4 access and retrieve information
through the electronic network
3.5 analyze and synthesize information to
create a product
C7 3.1 identify patterns in organized
information
3.2 make connections among related,
organized data, and assemble various
pieces into a unified message
RELATED CURRICULUM OUTCOMES
Science, Grade 8
Unit E: Freshwater and Saltwater Systems
Communication and Teamwork
Work collaboratively on problems; and use
appropriate language and formats to communicate
ideas, procedures and results
 communicate questions, ideas, intentions,
plans and results, using lists, notes in point
form, sentences, data tables, graphs,
drawings, oral language and other means
STUDENT TASK
 ocean basins
 climate
 glaciers and icecaps
 adaptations to aquatic ecosystems
 human impact
Scoring guide
The student :
4 - uses all of the required words plus
others to help make logical
connections
- Is formatted so it is easy to read and
follow
- Shows multiple connections to show
interdependence of facets of water
systems
3 - uses all of the required words in the
map
- is fairly easy to read and follow
- shows a couple of concepts that have
multiple connections
2 - misses some of the words in the list
- map is somewhat difficult to follow,
connections are not in a logical
sequence
1 - misses many of the words in the list
- map is difficult to follow due to
formatting
- most connections are not easy to
follow

Background
People often offer different perspectives on the
same material. In science, we learn the
interdependency of things by looking at obvious
connections that we can see, and by studying other
people’s observations within our scope of
knowledge.

Task
Students will work in groups of 2 or 3 to create a
representation of connections (mind map) using
technology that highlights at least the following
points.
 Fresh an salt water systems (as the centre
point)
 water quality
 water-borne materials
 erosion and deposition
 Activation Matrix for MindMeister
Salient Features Learning / Understanding
Allows students to make mind Allows students to construct
maps knowledge rather than
remember it
Allows synchronous Students learn how to work
collaboration. together toward a common goal,
it also helps them to see how
other people organize their
thoughts
Easy publication to web, or Students learn to evaluate their
export as a pdf. work to see if they want to
include it in an e-portfolio or
other showcase.
Why Technology?
This allows students the ability
to move objects after they have
been placed, which is not
possible with pen and paper
MindMeister allows people to
work together creating a
collective mind map. Each
person is on a different
computer, so they can be
anywhere in the world working
on the same mind map
Helps students to include their
work in an e-portfolio or other
electronic showcase, there is no
worries of scanning in a
document, especially one that is
non-letter size.

Rationale: This activity challenges students to construct their knowledge in some way that makes sense
to them. On top of that students are challenged to try and work in one or two other opinions as to how
the mind map should look. Ideally students will realize the interconnectivity of all aspects of the water
cycle, giving them a better appreciation of all the problems and solutions that surround it.