Water quality analysis project
Time: Roughly 5 days total (depending on length of class period)
Standards: 8.E.1
Goals: Students will discover the significance of various water quality parameters by analyzing and researching a realistic water quality scenario. Students will understand natural sources of water pollution (sediment, nitrates, phosphates) and how they can impact aquatic life.
Limitations: Although extensive, this activity can be done as an initial exploration with no prior direct instruction. In this case, students should not be expected to know the meanings and significance of all terms. Students should be guided and encouraged, and some concepts may be directly explained as a group is working rather than expecting them to reach a specific conclusion on their own. If this activity is done as a summary activity, students should have a better understanding of the interdependence of each factor, and the final expectations should be modified as such.
Day 1: Background Research
Students use 8th grade textbook to answer “Background Research” questions covering a wide range of water quality topics. This activity is an introduction to concepts and terms, and will not cover each concept in depth.
This is done individually, with students keeping these questions + answers for reference.
>> Background Research Questions
>> Textbook: Pages NC11-15
Day 2: Site Inspection & Report
IMPORTANT: Not every scenario involves an actual fish kill. Students should know that the inspection report is for any event being documented. Additionally, because this form is used for actual on-site inspections and interviews, some sections will not be applicable and will not be used. This IS specified in the student directions.
>> Student Directions
>> Inspection Report
>> Landowner Concern Forms
Day 3: Collection and Analysis of Macroinvertebrates
Part 1- Establish an understanding of macroinvertebrates and their significance as bioindicators. Students will read the information from the University of Maryland Envirothon about macroinvertebrates and answer related questions. This is meant to provide a very basic and brief introduction.
>> Macroinvertebrate Article
>> Student Questions
Part 2- Analyze macroinvertebrate sample- students should receive a bag labeled with their site name or number with 48 macroinvertebrate cards inside.
Directions for determining the biotic index can be found on the student sheet.
To prepare the cards for each site:
Each groups will receive 1 plastic bag with the appropriate set of cards for their site. 2-3 bags for each site will be enough for each class and can be reused. If 1-2 cards happen to be lost over the course of the day, the activity should still be accurate.
Jones Road: Each sample should include 4 sets of POOR indicators.
Steve Smith Road: Each sample should include 4 sets of POOR indicators.
Hwy 86 S: Each sample should include 2 sets of POOR indicators and 2 sets of GOOD indicators.
High Rock School Road: Each sample should include 4 sets of GOOD indicators.
>> Good Bioindicators
>> Poor Bioindicators
>> Biotic Index Student Sheet
Standards: 8.E.1
Goals: Students will discover the significance of various water quality parameters by analyzing and researching a realistic water quality scenario. Students will understand natural sources of water pollution (sediment, nitrates, phosphates) and how they can impact aquatic life.
Limitations: Although extensive, this activity can be done as an initial exploration with no prior direct instruction. In this case, students should not be expected to know the meanings and significance of all terms. Students should be guided and encouraged, and some concepts may be directly explained as a group is working rather than expecting them to reach a specific conclusion on their own. If this activity is done as a summary activity, students should have a better understanding of the interdependence of each factor, and the final expectations should be modified as such.
Day 1: Background Research
Students use 8th grade textbook to answer “Background Research” questions covering a wide range of water quality topics. This activity is an introduction to concepts and terms, and will not cover each concept in depth.
This is done individually, with students keeping these questions + answers for reference.
>> Background Research Questions
>> Textbook: Pages NC11-15
Day 2: Site Inspection & Report
- Students should be placed into groups of 2 to 3. I have found 4 students to be too many, and 1 will not have time to complete everything by him- or herself.
- Acting as “Water Quality Inspectors”, students will use the inspection form from Purdue University Cooperative Extension to organize given information about a particular body of water. Each team will receive a “concern form” submitted by a landowner addressing a concern they have about a body of water on their property.
- Students will use this information and access county GIS data to see an actual map of the water body in question in order to diagram significant environmental features.
- The included directions address each section of the inspection report. The form used is an actual document (not designed specifically for a middle-school lesson), so some parts of the form will not be used and will be left blank.
- Each included site is located in Caswell County, North Carolina. Exact street numbers are not included and real landowner names have been changed for privacy (and thus cannot be searched within the GIS software.) Please note that this information is accessible on the county GIS records.
- Student maps should focus on the pond or lake itself and the features immediately surrounding the pond (or those referenced in the landowner’s concern.)
IMPORTANT: Not every scenario involves an actual fish kill. Students should know that the inspection report is for any event being documented. Additionally, because this form is used for actual on-site inspections and interviews, some sections will not be applicable and will not be used. This IS specified in the student directions.
>> Student Directions
>> Inspection Report
>> Landowner Concern Forms
Day 3: Collection and Analysis of Macroinvertebrates
Part 1- Establish an understanding of macroinvertebrates and their significance as bioindicators. Students will read the information from the University of Maryland Envirothon about macroinvertebrates and answer related questions. This is meant to provide a very basic and brief introduction.
>> Macroinvertebrate Article
>> Student Questions
Part 2- Analyze macroinvertebrate sample- students should receive a bag labeled with their site name or number with 48 macroinvertebrate cards inside.
Directions for determining the biotic index can be found on the student sheet.
To prepare the cards for each site:
Each groups will receive 1 plastic bag with the appropriate set of cards for their site. 2-3 bags for each site will be enough for each class and can be reused. If 1-2 cards happen to be lost over the course of the day, the activity should still be accurate.
Jones Road: Each sample should include 4 sets of POOR indicators.
Steve Smith Road: Each sample should include 4 sets of POOR indicators.
Hwy 86 S: Each sample should include 2 sets of POOR indicators and 2 sets of GOOD indicators.
High Rock School Road: Each sample should include 4 sets of GOOD indicators.
>> Good Bioindicators
>> Poor Bioindicators
>> Biotic Index Student Sheet