Jr. High Programs

7th Grade – Waterborne Illness

Castaic Lake Water Agency offers a FREE in-class science presentation for all seventh grade science classes. CLWA teachers will come to your classroom and do a 45 minute presentation that is interactive, and that reviews some seventh grade content standards.

The lesson includes a brief overview of drinking water in the US and worldwide and then focuses on waterborne illnesses and prevention. Students read scripts as doctors and patients and the class diagnoses the illness.

Within the lesson, terms such as prokaryotic, eukaryotic, cilia, flagella, nucleus, cytoplasm, and DNA are reviewed, as well as spherical, rod, and spiral cell shapes, differing sizes of micro-organisms, and a brief reminder of simple lenses (eyes, microscopes, etc.)

8th Grade – The Chemistry of Your Water

Castaic Lake Water Agency offers a FREE in-class science presentation for all eighth grade science classes. CLWA teachers will come to your classroom and do a 45 minute presentation that is interactive, and that reviews some eighth grade content standards.

The lesson “The Chemistry of Your Water” includes a brief overview of drinking water in the US and how marketing influences us to think that bottled water tastes better than tap water. Students do a blind taste test of tap water and bottled water and record the outcome.

The lesson ends with a litmus test for pHA relative scale of how acidicThe condition of water or soil which contains a sufficient amount of acidA substance that has the ability to react with bases to form salt. The pH of an acidic solution is less than 7. pH 7 is neutral (e.g., pure water). Acids are pH 0 to less than 7. Similarly, bases are greater than 7 to 14. The usual definition of an acid is any substance that can donate a hydrogen ion. substances to lower the pH below 7.0. or basic (alkalineThe quality of being bitter due to alkaline content (pH is greater than 7).) a material is; the scale goes from 0 to 14; 7 is neutral, acids have pH values less than 7 and bases have pH values higher than 7., alkalinity, and hardnessA characteristic of water determined by the levels of calcium and magnesium. The scaling or white deposits that accumulate on coffee pots, water heaters and plumbing fixtures resulting from such mineral salts dissolved in water. with a discussion about how those things affect taste, and a test to see how hardnessA characteristic of water determined by the levels of calcium and magnesium. The scaling or white deposits that accumulate on coffee pots, water heaters and plumbing fixtures resulting from such mineral salts dissolved in water. reacts with soap in water.