Water and the Navajo Nation

1. Water and the Navajo Nation What is water worth? Instructional Context: 100% students living in poverty 50% English Language 47 miles from the school district office

2. Essential Question: What is water worth? Unit Questions: How do we know how much water we have? How will we know if water is safe to use? How does water accessibility impact the life cycles in the Navajo Nation and the standard of living of its citizens? What are the key issues of sustainability and quality of water in the Navajo Nation? Content Questions: Do we need water? What will happen if we run out of water? Compare past and present. Where water is located in the Navajo Nation and how is/was it used? What organisms need water to survive? How do they get water? How does the water cycle work in my community? In other communities? How does water get into our homes?

3. Activate and Assess Prior Knowledge • show presentation of the water cycle represented around the Navajo Nation and listen to students comments and discussions of places they know about • write a sentence using the word water and create a consensogram using the sentences to understand language ability, misconceptions • BKWL: Create class chart titled “Water and the Navajo Nation” and fill in Background based on conversation heard during the slide show, fill in • Knowledge using the consensogram • Post this chart in the classroom to use as a record of group learning • Introduce ACE Rubric for Science

4. ACE Rubric for Science