What's the best way to learn how watersheds work? Build one! Combining engineering, the water cycle, and ecology concerns, the activity is the perfect fit for an interdisciplinary unit. Teams construct a model watershed with simple...

Can a sidewalk increase the amount of pollution in local streams? Scholars learn the answer to this question though research and experimentation in the fifth unit in the six-part series. Pupils study runoff, impervious surfaces, and the...

What better way to learn about the watershed than to have your kids act it out themselves? This activity gets them moving and thinking as they simulate the Atlantic Ocean (could be adjusted geographically), estuaries, creeks, and rivers....

Teachers demonstrate water runoff on a hill and its effect on soil erosion. Pupils observe as the instructor changes the steepness of the hill and see whether vegetation covers the soil. Learners then use their observations to make...

Rainwater doesn't stay where it falls. Learners use modeling to demonstrate how rainwater disperses once it hits the ground. The activity includes an investigation of the height of the water table in an aquifer and how it is affected by...

Water can travel from the highest mountain tops to the largest oceans. Using an interactive, young scientists trace the movement using an interactive online resource. They follow the water cycle by reading pop-up explanations on a...

Explore a day in the life of a water droplet. An interactive infographic helps scholars learn how water cycles work from precipitation all the way around to condensation. Learners hover over each step of the cycle to read more as they...

How prevalent is pollution in the water system? A hands-on activity focuses on one area that is prone to pollution. Learners use game chips to represent clean water and polluted water and complete an activity that demonstrates how...

Where did all the good topsoil go? Viewers use a visual presentation to learn how surface cover protects soil from water runoff. The video presenter shows the result of a rain shower by comparing freshly planted soil and another sample...

Soil infiltration has less to do with the soil than what is covering the soil. A quick video presentation demonstrates how different soil samples use water. The instructor takes note of both the infiltration demonstrated by each sample...

A sponge and soil have a lot in common. Using a sponge to model a soil sample, a video presentation demonstrates soil terminology. The instructor shows how water moves through soil to model infiltration and percolation.

What do water and wind do to open fields? An interesting video lesson demonstrates how ground cover protects the loss of soil from rain and wind. It shows four soil samples with varying degrees of ground cover and how people collect the...

Water might just be its own worst enemy! Water runoff often contributes to the pollution of waterways, and scholars work to design a solution to the problem. Tasked with designing a rain garden, they research different techniques and...

While well intentioned, human intervention sometimes has negative effects. Learners explore this and other environmental topics as they respond to four free response exam questions. Topics span from the implementation of bioelectric cars...

How has human activity affected Earth's watersheds? An action-packed lesson plan, part of the K20 series, examines water's ability to go with the flow regardless of what is in its path. Scholars build model watersheds, examine time-lapse...

One in every seven truckloads of perishable foods delivered to grocery stores gets thrown away. Is there anything that can be done with this waste? One solution is to recycle the old produce and turn it into fertilizer. The video, part...

Be water wise! Science scholars learn the water cycle on a global scale in part seven of a 13-installment series. The hands-on interactive allows them to explore Earth's water storage, types of precipitation, and the cycling of water...

Explore strategies for controlling stormwater runoff in large urban areas. Through a creative lesson, young scholars research and develop a strategy for a city-wide storm management plan. Their research includes strategies as simple as...

Super scientists tests the toxicity of water using radish seed bioassays. Over the course of five days, scholars observe the germination process of several radish seeds, looking closely at their roots to determine the level of toxins...

Explore the water cycle in all aspects with a resource packed full of activities and lessons. The 37-page packet comes with vocabulary, a game, writing prompts, printables, and opportunities to journey through the stages in the water...

Robert Hass's article "Rivers and Stories" underscores the importance of rivers in the development of civilization and the importance of reclaiming supposedly dead rivers and implementing policies that protect river health. Groups...