Curated OER
Understanding Watersheds
Students should learn how their actions on land can affect the water quality of lakes and rivers.
Curated OER
Living Organisms as Indicators of Pollutants in Fresh Water Ecosystems
Students observe the effects of pollution on living organisms. In this pollution lesson plan, students observe fresh water Hydra and look at their structures and movement. They place samples of pond and lake water on the Hydra and...
Curated OER
Culmination of Mighty Waters
Third graders investigate the concept of bodies of water. The information is obtained from the internet while conducting research. Then students draw upon prior knowledge from a film to combine information for the purpose of creating a...
Rivanna Regional Stormwater Education Partnership
Invisible Passengers
How does water pollution affect the organisms living in the water? Use three science experiments to examine how erosion and other pollutants can affect water quality. Each experiment focuses on a different aspect of pollution and...
Michigan Sea Grant
Exploring Watersheds
Collaboratively, students partake in a hands-on activity in which they build models of a watershed. Each group member draws an elevation map—a bird's eye view—of their model and predicts how water will flow from the high to low points....
Curated OER
The Magic School Bus Goes Upstream
Students learn along with Ms. Frizzle's class. In this Magic School Bus lesson plan, students travel upstream to discover how, like salmon, a homey smell can lead them, too.
Curated OER
Stream Chemistry Monitoring
Learners become familiar with real-world gathering of chemical data. The experience how the science is done: the nature of analysis, data collection, interpretation, and presentation. They study a nearby body of water for their experiment.
Curated OER
Rivers for the Common Good
Students explore what effects improper waste disposal and water pollution have on the water cycle. They explore how philanthropic acts can help protect the water cycle and keep our water and planet clean.
Curated OER
Testing the Waters
Students use test kits to measure the level of chlorine, iron, sulfide, and dissolved oxygen in tap (drinking) water and stream water. They post and evaluate the results of these water quality tests.
Curated OER
Natural Features
Students identify natural features on a map. In this map skill lesson, students use a landscape picture map to identify mountains, hills, islands, lakes, and rivers. Students use post-it notes to demonstrate their location.
Curated OER
Playing in mud puddles
Students examine the effects of rainfall on different surfaces and discuss water pollution. They review the water cycle and the uses of water in daily lifestyles. Students discuss the effects of soil run off in streams and rivers.
Michigan Sea Grant
Fish Habitat and Humans
Strict habitat requirements are needed for the survival of fish populations and fish variety in the Great Lakes. Young scientists become experts in the basic needs of fish and understand how survival necessities can vary with different...
Curated OER
Asia Crossword
In this geography activity, students complete a crossword puzzle on the continent of Asia. They answer 21 questions related to the type of government systems found, capital cities, deepest lake, and lowest population density.
Curated OER
Wetland Adaptation
Fourth graders study the impact of the wetland environment on the migration of birds. They make a list of the important reasons on a large piece of paper to be posted in the classroom and point out the biggest wetland in the state (The...
Curated OER
Water Table
Young scholars study the meaning of a water table and how it contributes to the existence of streams, swamps, and lakes in Nebraska. They conduct an experiment and complete a diagram of the hydrologic cycle.
Curated OER
Aquatic Communities
Students watch a video about aquatic communities. They conduct an experiment that shows how movement of rivers change the landscape. They compare fresh and salt water communities and its wildlife.
Curated OER
Water Quality
Students are presented with a hypothetical situation to investigate the water quality of the James River. They are given data to analyze and put into the graphic organizer that is included to help solve the problem. The instructional...
Curated OER
Water Quality
In this unit of lessons, middle schoolers examine the quality of water. They create poems and make observations about the quality of water. They also examine hot spots and the quality of water in the Great Lakes.
Curated OER
Discovering the Oasis
Students focus on the types of vegetation and animal life living around local water sources. This lesson plan can be adapted to any local water source, whether it be a lake, a river, stream or ocean. It has a particular focus on the...
California Academy of Science
Pollution in Our Watershed
The concept of a how pesticides and other chemicals pass through a watershed can be difficult for younger learners to grasp without a concrete example. In the activity here, some blank paper, markers, and a spray bottle are all you need...
Calvin Crest Outdoor School
Survival
Equip young campers with important survival knowledge with a set of engaging lessons. Teammates work together to complete three outdoor activities, which include building a shelter, starting a campfire, and finding directions in the...
Cornell University
Bridge Building
Bridge the gaps in your knowledge of bridges. Individuals learn about bridge types by building models. The activity introduces beam bridges, arch bridges, truss bridges, and suspension bridges.
NOAA
It All Runs Downhill
Examine how pollution makes its way into an ocean with help from a model watershed. Scholars use household items to recreate a mini-watershed, equipped with pollutants, that when mixed with rain drain into a model's body of...
Curated OER
What's In A Name? British Surnames Derived from Places
Students study how British surnames were derived from locations. They observe that some of the more common names are still prevalent today.