Water Systems

Water Systems

Curriculum Expectation

Overall Expectation

Demonstrate an understanding of the characteristics of the Earth’s water systems and the influence of water systems on a specific region.

Specific Expectation

Identify factors (e.g., annual precipitation, temperature, climate change) that affect the size of glaciers and polar ice-caps, and describe the effects of these changes on local and global water systems.

Ontario Curriculum

Learning Objectives/Big Idea

Learning Objective: Understanding factors that change the size of glaciers and ice caps and how it affects the water systems.

Big Idea: Understanding how human actions cause change in climate and consequently, in the ecosystem and our lives.

Binogi Related Resources

Climate change – the biology perspective
Books by Binogi - curriculum & Textbook Alignment
Logo of Binogi
Binogi Website

Additional Resources

Canada's high Arctic glaciers at risk
Trends in glacier mass balance

Vocabulary

Glacier, ice cap, global warming, climate change, glacier melting.

The Bilingual Glossary Sheets to the left include key terms from Binogi’s Climate Change-The Biology Perspective Video in English and other languages.

Activity: Action

The class watches the Binogi video on climate change, the teacher pauses the video and asks questions:

  1. Why do you think the temperature has increased drastically in the past 100 years? What is the term used to describe this phenomenon?

  2. Have you experienced or witnessed any consequences of global warming? Explain.

Extension Ideas:

  • Research the causes of global warming and its effects. Plan a campaign to stop global warming at a local level using multimedia.
  • Calculate carbon footprint.


Consolidation/Reflection - Gallery Walk


1. Students get into small groups and discuss the following questions: (write the responses on a chart paper)

  a) Check the images and graph from following websites: headline and photo, Location of High Arctic glaciers in Canada, and Cumulative net mass balance, High Arctic glaciers.

             – What are your initial thoughts and feelings? 

             – Who/what is going to be affected by glacier melt and how? 

  b) Have you witnessed or experienced effects of global warming? Explain.

  c) What can we do to stop global warming at a local, national, and global level?

2. Each group put up the chart paper on the wall. 

3. Do Gallery Walk. Each student leaves comments/feedback on other groups’ responses, using sticky notes.

Language Friendly Pedagogy

Click Here to Download to Print

The Glossary Sheet above includes terms from Binogi’s Climate Change – The Biology Perspective Video in English. and a column, where students can write or draw the concept in their own language

Ask students whether they can add new vocabulary to their Concept Detective document. You may print this or make a copy  for each student on programs like Google Classroom. Students will be encouraged to use this document each class to identify new words, consider writing meaning or finding meanings with the help of peers, teachers and/ or parents. 

Examples of concepts to add for this unit include: 

  • global warming

  • air pollution

  • greenhouse effect

  • ozone layer