Science Unit 1: Go With The Flow

Let's play a detective game. Can you figure out the pattern in the number of zebra mussels present in the United States from 1990 to 1996?

• The number of zebra mussels stays the same.

• The number of zebra mussels increases.

• The number of zebra mussels decreases.

Can you help solve this mystery? Which piece of evidence below could support your detective claim about the zebra mussels?

• The number of zebra mussels per square meter in their habitat went from 3,000 to just 4.

• The number of zebra mussels per square meter in their habitat skyrocketed from 4 to 3,000.

• There was no change in the number of zebra mussels in their habitat.

Imagine you're investigating a mysterious pattern observed in the spread of zebra mussels. Which TWO of the following clues might explain this pattern?

• Boat owners are not cleaning zebra mussels off their boats before entering new bodies of water.

• The zebra mussel has no natural predator that eats it.

• Zebra mussels can be microscopic so humans cannot see them.

• All of the above

Oh no! Scientists have discovered zebra mussels in the Hudson River, right here in New York. These little creatures have caused a whirlwind of changes in the ecosystem, both living and nonliving. One of the most fascinating changes is that they filter and clean the water. Now, can you guess some possible effects of this cleaner water due to our zebra mussel friends? Remember, you need to select two possible answers.

• Could it lead to an increase in water plants like algae blooms?

• Maybe it results in increased nutrients and food for fish?

• Or does it cause warmer water temperatures?

Emma, Brayden, and Nate-with-a-Hat were having a heated debate about the amount of saltwater and freshwater on Earth, based on a graphic they saw. They each made a claim. Can you figure out who was correct about saltwater and freshwater?

• Emma claimed: 'There is a lot of freshwater on Earth, and it’s easily accessible for everyone.'

• Brayden argued: 'Saltwater is usable and not accessible for everyday use.'

• Nate-with-a-Hat stated: 'Usable freshwater is limited and hard to access.'

Hey Swifties! Can you guys help me out? From the list below, can you select a piece of evidence that supports our last discussion about saltwater vs. freshwater?

• 97% of Earth’s water is saltwater.

• 1% of Earth’s water is freshwater that is accessible for daily use.

• 2% of Earth’s water is freshwater, but it is difficult to access.

Imagine this! You're on a thrilling adventure, exploring a lakeshore property surrounded by a seawall. What do you think could be some of the possible effects of having this seawall? Remember, you need to select TWO possible answers.

• It acts like a superhero, saving your property from the villainous erosion.

• Seawalls are like Mrs. Baas' invisible friend, having little to no effect on the property.

• Like a plot twist in a movie, erosion speeds up around the seawall.

• It's like finding a treasure chest, it doesn't cost a lot of money to install.

A massive tsunami has just hit your community, washing away the soil and land where your favorite vegetable and fruit garden was located. Now, you no longer have access to the delicious food it provided. Can you figure out the chain of events from one sphere of Earth to another that this tsunami triggered? Let's see who gets it right!

• Hydrosphere - geosphere - atmosphere

• Geosphere - hydrosphere - atmosphere

• Hydrosphere - biosphere - hydrosphere

• Hydrosphere - geosphere - biosphere

Which sequence of events shows the hydrosphere effecting the biosphere, then the biosphere effecting another part of the biosphere?

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Choose the correct order of spheres that are affected in the following scenario: Rain falls to the ground. Plants use the rain to grow bigger. Plants give off oxygen to the air.

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