Episcopal Knightly News

  EPISCOPAL
  • Home
  • Blog and news
  • About us
    • Who We Are
    • Episcopal Identity
    • Leadership and Governance
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Our Program
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Arts
    • Spirituality
    • College Counseling
    • Student Support Services
  • Admission
    • Welcome to Admission
    • Affording Episcopal
    • Dates & Deadlines
    • Visit Episcopal
  • Reopening Plans
  • Giving
    • Spirit Mind Body Campaign
    • Quest Center
    • The eFund >
      • 2019-20 Donor List
    • Tributes and Memorials
    • Give Online
    • Development Team
  • e-Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Parent Resources
    • Teacher Resources
    • Library Resources
  • School Store
  • Alumni
  • Parents' Guild
  • Squires
  • Lunch Menu
  • Contact

Why Can't We Just Send Them Water? Science Lesson Elicits Thoughtful Response

3/14/2018

0 Comments

 
Picture
Condensation. Precipitation. Evaporation.

Over the past three weeks, Episcopal sixth graders have learned all about water, the water cycle and the science behind this precious natural resource.  Science teacher Stacy Hill covered water in the atmosphere, in the ocean and on the surface of planet earth. But this lesson went well beyond science, even including a message of empathy.
Picture
Empathy in a science lesson?  Hill raised the bar for a simple lesson on water when she read the story “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park aloud to each class.  The story follows the experiences of Middle School aged children Nya and Salva. Nya treks for hours every day simply to gather water for her family. This means there is no time left in her day for school or other activities. Salva is impacted by the Sudanese civil war and ultimately leads approximately 1,500 lost boys to safety.  Along the way he must deal with the 
challenges created from the lack of water. The stories of these children introduce readers to the fact that not everyone has fresh water at the ready. Each chapter closes with a cliffhanger, whether it’s a character becoming sick as a result of drinking dirty water or a character grappling with dangerous wildlife or armed soldiers. Hill says her students are captivated by the book. Each class period they want her to read more and they want to know what happens to Nya and Salva. They also want to help, and ask questions such as:
​
  • Why can’t we just send them some water?  
  • What if we could boil ocean water for them?​
    ​
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
The book also helps students connect and relate to today’s events. Hill says after students heard about the recent water shortage in South Africa she received several questions about rationing.  Closer to home, students discussed the state of Baton Rouge’s water and the Southern Hills Aquifer it depends upon. In addition, Hill makes use of technology as students use Google Maps to measure the distance from the aquifer to their own home or even Woodland Ridge, and then map the distance to the nearest bottled water supplier.  Students were then asked to think about the distance a bottle of water travels and the price tag associated with it, versus simply turning on their Baton Rouge tap. The classes also discussed the importance of water conservation and the saltwater intrusion that is occurring within the Baton Rouge aquifer as the result of the 150 million gallons of water used each day.  All of this in a simple lesson on water.
Picture
Picture
At the end of the lesson, students had the opportunity to take action.  Classes constructed water filters using a water bottle and materials such as sand, gravel and coffee filters.  They formed a hypothesis as to which material would be best at filtering the water. They wrote lab reports. They measured and learned about turbidity.  

Ultimately, students gained new scientific understanding.  However, that won’t be all they take away from the experience.  Likely, they will remember the importance of having clean water and what it’s like for those who do not. They may also remember that even their own water could one day be at risk.

Taking a lesson a step further and showing real life applications of a topic characterize an Episcopal education.  A lesson such as this truly is so much more than H-2-O.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.


    Follow @EpiscopalBR

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Admission
    Athletics
    College Bound 2017
    College Bound 2018
    College Bound 2019
    College Bound 2020
    College Bound 2021
    Counselors Corner
    Diversity
    Episcopal Alumni
    From The Library
    Giving
    Head Of School Messages
    Lower School
    Middle School
    Project Based Education
    Science
    Spirituality And Service
    Sports
    Student Work
    Technology
    The Teachers' Lounge
    Upper School
    Visual And Performing Art

    Tour our Campus

    Subscribe to our mailing list

    * indicates required
    Email Format

    Archives

    February 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    October 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    February 2020
    January 2020
    December 2019
    November 2019
    October 2019
    September 2019
    August 2019
    July 2019
    June 2019
    May 2019
    April 2019
    March 2019
    February 2019
    January 2019
    December 2018
    November 2018
    October 2018
    September 2018
    August 2018
    July 2018
    June 2018
    May 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    January 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    August 2017
    July 2017
    June 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    August 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    January 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    August 2015
    July 2015
    June 2015

About Episcopal

Head of School Corner
Who We Are
​
Episcopal Identity

Our Program

Academics
Lower School
​
Middle School
​
Upper School
​
College Counseling 
Athletics
Visual & Performing Arts

Admission

Admission Team
​Dates and Deadlines
​Affording Episcopal
​
Visit Episcopal
​Online Payment Portal

Resources
Employment Opportunities
​​
Employee Portal 

Giving Opportunities 

Giving
The Capital Campaign
The e Fund
Legacy Giving
Tributes and Memorials
Give Online 
Development Team

Explore
Blogs and News
Alumni Affairs
Parents Guild

Contact

Episcopal School of Baton Rouge
3200 Woodland Ridge Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA 70816
Phone: 225.753.3180
​
communications@ehsbr.org

Subscribe to our mailing list

* indicates required
Email Format
Photos used under Creative Commons from Ben Taylor55, EpicTop10.com, EpicTop10.com
  • Home
  • Blog and news
  • About us
    • Who We Are
    • Episcopal Identity
    • Leadership and Governance
    • Employment Opportunities
  • Our Program
    • Academics
    • Athletics
    • Arts
    • Spirituality
    • College Counseling
    • Student Support Services
  • Admission
    • Welcome to Admission
    • Affording Episcopal
    • Dates & Deadlines
    • Visit Episcopal
  • Reopening Plans
  • Giving
    • Spirit Mind Body Campaign
    • Quest Center
    • The eFund >
      • 2019-20 Donor List
    • Tributes and Memorials
    • Give Online
    • Development Team
  • e-Resources
    • Student Resources
    • Parent Resources
    • Teacher Resources
    • Library Resources
  • School Store
  • Alumni
  • Parents' Guild
  • Squires
  • Lunch Menu
  • Contact