3. To the Extremes: Water Habitability

Setup: Prep Time 30 min

• Cut out cards.
• Optional: Prepare to show videos.

*See Materials & Preparation in the Educator Guide linked above for full info.

21st Century Skills

• Critical Thinking

Science Practices

• Engaging in Argument from Evidence

Learners Will Do

• Identify features of water that affect its habitability.

Learners Will Know

• Scientists seek and study water because all living things need liquid water to survive.

Connecting Across Activities

• Activity 2: Water on Earth: Last time, learners explored the different reservoirs of water on Earth.
• Activity 3: Water Habitability: Today, learners explore how different living things need liquid water to survive.
• Activity 4: Exploring the Solar System: Next time, learners will explore the physical properties of planetary bodies in the solar system.

NASA Eyes on the Solar System app

Use the online interactive Eyes on the Solar System. As needed, use NISE’s Exploring the Solar System: Pocket Solar System or Solar System in Sound instead.

Level Up! (Optional)

In the Educator Guide, you will see “Level Up!” Sections. These include great tips and activities that build and extend STEM and 21st Century skills, and create stronger connections between educators, youth, and families. They typically take a little extra time, so please plan accordingly.

• For a larger set of living things, you can use the Science Activity 3 Additional Living Things Handout (PDF) and Science Activity 3 Additional Water Type Chart Handout (PDF) as well.
• As pairs receive their organisms, you can have them come up with ways to act their organisms out or have them practice the American Sign Language for their organisms (PPTX).
• You can use the website Map of Life to help learners visualize where specific living things are found.
• To share more information about temperature, show the video Tiny Extremophiles Living in Rocks! (until 1:48). If necessary, you can turn on captions, slow down the playback speed, and break the video into chunks: 0:00–1:21 (Cold Environments), 1:21–1:48 (Hot Environments). After each chunk, ask: How does what you just watched apply or not apply to your organism?
• To share more information about salinity, show the video Salinity (6:21). If necessary, you can turn on captions, slow down the playback speed, and break the video into chunks: 0:00–1:22 (Salinity), 1:22–3:34 (Osmosis), 3:34–5:40 (Fish Adaptations). After each chunk, ask: How does what you just watched apply or not apply to your organism?
• To share more information about extremophiles, show the video: Water and Habitability (1:01). If necessary, you can turn on captions, slow down the playback speed, and break the videos into chunks: 0:00–0:22 (Human Needs), 0:22–1:01 (Extremophiles). After each chunk, ask: Why might it be important to study life that looks very different from ours? (10 min.)
• Have learners discuss where other living things would go on the temperature-salinity grid. (5 min.)
• Ask this story prompt question: Can you tell a story about a specific thing that lives in water–something you’ve observed or learned about in some other way? (Possible responses include stories about pets, wild animals, plants, diseases, and mythical creatures.) Have learners share with a partner (note that the sharing can take forms other than speaking aloud). (20 min)
• Tell learners, if anyone asks them what they did today, they can tell them “We learned about what living things can live in different kinds of water.” (5 min.)