Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dissolved Oxygen and Temperature

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Young scholars are shown how temperature affects dissolved oxygen and they create a graph showing this relationship. They think about the adaptations of animals to live in different water temperatures. Students test four different water...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dissolved Oxygen Introduction

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are shown how dissolved oxygen enters the water. They are taught the difference between a water sample that has been exposed to the air and one that has not. Students brainstorm what organisms need to survive. They use dissolved...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Dissolved Oxygen and Respiration

For Teachers 9th - 10th
Students are presented with the question, "Do plants that grow underwater use oxygen?" They create an experiment to test the presence of dissolved oxygen in the water using provided materials. Student experiments include a control jar as...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What If There's No Light?

For Teachers 3rd - 8th
students discuss the importance of light and the consequences of living without it. Using a plant as a demonstration, students predict and observe what happens to a plant when it does not receive enough light. In groups, they experiment...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Reading the River

For Teachers 5th - 8th
In collaborative groups, young ecologists measure the temperature, pH, and dissolved oxygen for three different freshwater samples. They examine each sample with a microscope and record observations on the microorganisms in the pond...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Teaching about the Effect of pH on Aquatic Organisms

For Teachers 8th - 12th
Students perform experiments to determine the PH, acidity, and buffering qualities of a lake that make them sensitive to acid deposition.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Diurnal Cycling Experiments

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students carry out an experiment to monitor diurnal fluctuations in dissolved oxygen, carbon dioxide, pH, and water temperature. They determine the CO2 and pH of the samples (and optionally, dissolved oxygen). Students complete their...
Lesson Plan
Alabama Learning Exchange

Is My Water Safe?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Learners discuss what makes their drinking water safe and unsafe. They locate and visit a local tributary and test the water's pH, hardness, dissolved oxygen, and total alkalinity. They compose a summary paragraph about the tests and...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

How about a Little Give and Take?

For Teachers 6th - 8th
Students design a closed system to test the relationships between plants and animals. They monitor abiotic fluctuations within this living system by using a chemical test kit. They observe how living organisms respond to fluctuations in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Freshwater Fish Water Quality

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders work together to complete an experiment about the quality of freshwater. In groups, they collect fresh water samples from a variety of sources and test the pH levels. After completing a KWL chart, they test the amout of...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Testing the Waters

For Teachers 11th
Eleventh graders examine a local body of water.  In this science lesson, 11th graders collect water samples to test.  Students analyze the data and make conclusions.  Students create tables and graphs of the data.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Quality in the Greenhills Stream

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders conduct year long study of water quality over different seasons using variety of probes, including D.O., pH, conductivity and temperature, that are attached to portable technology. Students select three data points in...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Great Lakes Ecology

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students are able to use a secchi disk to measure the turbidity of water by determining the depth at which the sechi disk is no longer visible and using the data in a formula to quantify the results. They are able to use Vernier probes...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What's in the Water?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students make a water sampler and use proper techniques to collect water.They write a essay explaining the inter-relationship of factors such as temperature, pH, dissolved oxygen, nitrates, and phosphates in a lake that might cause a...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Aquatic Field Data

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Learners use laptops and sensors to measure water quality and graph their results.  In this aquatics instructional activity students post their results to a website or email. 
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Does the Introduction of Pesticides and Fertilizers Alter an Aquatic Ecosystem?

For Teachers 6th - 9th
Students conduct an experiment using a small sample from a local water source. They introduce fertilizers and pesticides, separately, and carefully examine the results in their simulated aquatic ecosystem.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Shoreline Seining and Sampling

For Teachers 8th - 10th
Students investigate ecological systems and the cause and effect relationship between humans and the environment by using the prey items of Ospreys.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

To Drink or not to Drink

For Teachers 7th
Seventh graders discuss water quality, water availability and water resources and how water is used in the world around them. They view a video on water quality then test for pH, temperature and dissolved oxygen to indicate water quality.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Creek Monitoring

For Teachers 6th
Sixth graders conduct a variety of assessments at a local stream to determine if it is a suitable habitat for salmon. They measure temperature, tubidity, dissolved oxygen, pH levels, bacteria and nutrients. In this unit, 6th graders work...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Stream Chemistry Monitoring

For Teachers 7th - 12th
Students 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.
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

What Is In The Water?

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Learners investigate the biotic and abiotic factors that are found in an aquatic ecosystem. The emphasis is upon the investigation of present an projections of future water quality. Then students visit a local body of water to gather...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Science Investigation Using Water Quality

For Teachers 8th
Eighth graders conduct an experiment that analyzes the physical and chemical characteristics of various water samples. They discuss the procedures and safety concerns for the water test, and test their water samples to determine if they...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Quality Survey: Monitoring the Sustainability of Pigeon Creek

For Teachers 9th - 12th
Students research the History of Pigeon Creek (or any watershed in your area). In this environmental science instructional activity, students conduct field tests such as pH and nitrates. They collect data and compare what they collected...
Lesson Plan
Curated OER

Water Quality Testing

For Teachers 6th - 12th
Student explore factors affecting ecosystems. They test local water samples for pH level. After creating a methodology for data collection, they collect data, compare results, and draw conclusions based upon results.