Michigan Sea Grant
Water Quality
Learners observe water samples and measure the samples' water quality. Young scholars develop their own criteria for measuring water quality and test for temperature, acidity, oxygen levels, turbidity, conductance, sediment and hardness.
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Water Pollution Hot-Spots
Students complete internet research in small groups to identify types of water pollution, spotlight water pollution hot-spots, and design a plan for water prevention.
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Develop a Hypothesis
Students develop a hypothesis regarding the quality of a nearby body of water. They analyze locally collected data and compare it with data from different areas. They evaluate their original hypothesis as part of a larger unit.
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Types of Pollution
Students differentiate between various types of water pollution and complete a Venn diagram with the information. They consider why there are laws regulating the release of pollution in water and discuss solutions to pollution problems.
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Down By the River
Pupils examine how watersheds work and determine the difference between point and nonpoint source pollution. They research management practices to reduce pollution and investigate how everyone can participate in reducing water pollution.
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Water Quality and Dissolved Oxygen
Young scholars investigate the relationship between dissolved oxygen and organic materials and aquatic organisms. This is a 3-lesson series in which students explore dissolved oxygen and then design an experiment testing the effects of...
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The Water Detectives
Students collect water samples from designated sampling stations, and discuss water pollution. They analyze the water samples, record the data on a spreadsheet, and present the environmental water quality data to the class.
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BIOASSESSMENT OF STREAMS
Young scholars work as a team to gather organisms from a stream to evaluate if the water quality is excellent, good, or fair to poor.
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Hands On Biodiversity: Networking Students and Their Biomes
Students telecommunicate and use the US Mail to network students from five biomes in the United States in order to monitor water quality in each area. They have e-mail pals and exchange materials representative of themselves and their...
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World-Water Hero
Students explore why clean water is essential. In this environmental lesson, students identify the "powers" we need to improve the quality of water. Students share their descriptions of world-water superheroes.
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Assessing Water Quality in a Local Creek by Sampling Aquatic Macroinvertabrets
Students experiment collecting macroinvertebrates from a stream and identify the specimens collected and then log in the information into a data table. From the data, they make qualitative and quantitative interpretations of water quality.
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Water Quality Monitoring
Students comprehend the four parameters of water quality. They perform tests for salinity, dissolved oxygen, pH and clarity or turbidity. Students comprehend why scientists and environmental managers monitor water uality and aquatic...
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The Importance of Water
Learners explore the importance of water. They discuss why water is important and students design an experiment that evaluates the water quality and methods of improving water quality. Learners perform testing and report their findings.
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Underwater Picture of the Hudson River Estuary
Students identify important aspects of water quality such as slainity and turbidity. They test two of the water quality parameters and determine the quality of the water. In addition, they construct two sets of graphs based on data...
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Fish Kills!
Students investigate a fish kill occurrence, the Lake Iluka simulation. They examine what would happen if a fish kill happened today in their watershed area? what type of problems it might cause? They also discuss in groups any specific...
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Water Pollution Graphing Activity
Students describe and identify the link between land use activities within a watershed and water quality. They evaluate the quality of a "water sample" ( a bag of skittles), graph their results, and form a hypothesis about the land use...
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Water Quality Sampling
Students explore the water qualities in Texas. They evaluate the water quality of six different samples by observing and smelling them. They present a list of the cups that contained good water quality based on their observations. They...
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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 lesson includes...
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Investigating Earth's Materials
First graders compare and contrast water from different sources. After collecting water from various sources, 1st graders create a list of observable properties of the water. Students then pour the water into a filter and observe the...
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To Drink or not to Drink
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.
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How Clean is that Water?
Students conduct a water quality experiment on a local stream using benthic organisms as a water quality indicator. Based on the results from the experiment, students determine how engineers use this background information to make...
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Testing the Waters
Students study the quality of water by running chemical tests on the water. First, they measure pH, temperature, phospates, and nitrates in tap (drinking) water and an outdoor water sample. Then they post and evaluate the results of...
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Water Quality
Students examine the YSI and the water properties that it measures. They identify the different properties of water pH, DO, temperature, turbidity, and salinity and determine why it is important for them to test these parameters.
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Human Impact on Water Quality
Students identify at least three common repercussions of developing water front property on water quality. They describe three sources of water pollution. They research the organism striped bass and observe it if striped bass is available.