Catastrophic Events Inquiry Lab - MS 6-8 Science TEKS

In this lab, students will recreate a flood and investigate the impact it has on the ecosystem. Students will take a plastic shoebox and create the river bank using the mud. Next, students will create the ecosystem by placing items such as houses, trees, and grass on the bank of the river. Students will describe the current ecosystem and predict what will happen to their ecosystem when the river rises. They will also measure water clarity and the movement of nutrients and pollution. If planning two days for this activity, students should make the models on the first day and record their information, then add water the second day.

This product contains three complete, TEKS-aligned labs that are differentiated for all of your students. All labs have comprehension questions, Claim-Evidence-Reasoning (C.E.R.) prompts, and a reflection section.

What's Included?

• Teacher resource pages, including prep time, standards/objectives, teacher directions, materials, and additional resources
• Answer keys - suggested answer keys for the labs
• CER conclusion and reflection questions - Claim, Evidence, and Reasoning statements along with 3 reflection questions per lab
• Fully editable files
• TEKS-aligned materials

3 Differentiated Labs:

• Dependent Student Lab - A complete lab. This level is written with a combination of procedural instructions and inquiry questions. They are moderately student-centered with guided inquiry questions throughout the lab. Suggested for on-level learners.
• Modified Student Lab - A complete lab. This level provides the most structured lab experience. The lessons may eliminate parts of the lab and change the questioning to include sentence stems or multiple choice questions. Suggested for learners who may benefit from modifications.
• Independent Student Lab - A complete lab. This level is the most student-centered experience. Suggestions are made for the students to get started, but most of the decisions will be student-generated. The students will be responsible for most aspects of the lab and will have the least guidance. Suggested for advanced learners.

Materials Needed Per Group:

• Plastic shoe box or deep aluminum pan to be used as a flood tray, at least 3.5 inches deep.
• Damp mud (mixture of clay and dirt firm enough to create landforms, similar to the consistency of playdough) 
• Watering can or 2 liter bottle with holes cut in the sides
• Two colors of glitter, about 1 teaspoon each
• Plastic ruler
• Small cup
• Pencil (will get wet/dirty)
• Small models to represent manmade structures (see pre-lab prep page)
• Small models to represent livestock, wildlife, and vegetation (see pre-lab prep page)
• Tap water (amount will vary based on the size of the flood tray)

Save Time and Buy Now!

Save precious prep time and get back to teaching. All of the hard work has been done for you. Go have some fun with those students!

This is a finished product; it will be updated with formatting or corrections as needed. Future improvements and new features will be sold as a separate product.