Curated OER
Restoring and Protecting Chesapeake Bay and River Water Quality
A professional and comprehensive presentation on Chesapeake Bay water quality is in store for your ecology class. If you live in the Chesapeake Bay region and want to get learners involved in conservation efforts, this slide show will do...
Curated OER
The East Fork Project
Students identify possible sources of health risks, types of exposures, routes of exposure, and populations that could be affected after discussing water pollution and environmental health hazards. After discussion, students conduct a...
National Wildlife Federation
Danger from Afar: Non-Point Source Pollution and the Lake Superior Basin
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...
Curated OER
Where's the Water? Stream Side Science
After a whole-class discussion of water reservoirs, ten liters of water are given to each lab group to represent Earth's total amount of water. They divide the water into smaller containers, each representing one of those reservoirs. The...
Curated OER
Three is a Toxic Number
Future public health advocates read a case study of a combination of water pollutants that may be linked to autism. The class is split into three groups, one to research each of the suspected chemicals. The look at how each one affects...
Curated OER
Water Pollution Lesson Plan: What's the Flow?
Students study urban runoff. They identify the urban runoff in a simulated area and determine peak flows using charted data. Finally, they discuss possible causes of the differences in flow rates.
Curated OER
What's in My Water, and How Did it Get There?
Young scholars analyze water samples to see the contaminants and then use the Internet to find the sources of the contamination. In this investigative water lesson students analyze water and work together to solve the mystery of...
Curated OER
The Water Cycle and Sources of Pollution
Learners make an island that has a construction site on it. They spill siulated pollution and trash on top of the island and then water it to simulate rain. They will observe how the rain washes dirt, sand, and pollution off the island...
Curated OER
Robo-Lobster
Introduce environmental science or engineering explorers to different forms of sampling. They read an article about "Robo-lobsters," lobsters being studied to help design robots that can used to sniff out pollution in ocean waters. The...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Protecting Your Drinking Water
Having a clean, reliable source of drinking water is essential for any community, but in many cases this is easier said than done. Engage young environmentalists in exploring the five factors affecting vulnerability of a groundwater...
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
Environmental Concerns (1) Analysis of Lead in Paint (2) Analysis of Water
A scenario and background information are provided for two different open-ended experiments that experienced chemistry classes can perform toward the end of the school year. In the first, they design a method for testing flakes of paint...
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...
Curated OER
Non-Point Source Pollution Program
Written as field trip preparation to Gateway National Recreation Area, this resource is also appropriate for any class that is studying the impact of human activity on the environment. During the first activity, learners identify...
SRI International
The Water Crisis
Water, water, everywhere, right? Wrong. Learners assess their own knowledge of water availability on Earth. Then, through a reading, a teacher-led presentation, and an activity, pupils learn about the importance of available clean...
Curated OER
Pollution Solutions: Earth Day
Eighth graders explore water pollution. In this stewardship lesson, 8th graders draw comparisons between potable and impaired waters. Students use the Learning Link website to examine ways people are fighting pollution and then design an...
San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
What is Drought? No Rain, No Water
How can climate change affect our water supply? Have kids read a passage about the water cycle and water conservation, which includes six questions that challenge them to use context clues.
US Environmental Protection Agency
Aquifer in a Cup
Young scientists create their very own aquifers in this science lesson on ground water. After learning about how some people get their drinking water from underground wells, young learners use sand, modeling clay, and aquarium rocks to...
Curated OER
Earth's Water Sources
General facts about Earth's water sources, human use, and the water cycle are outlined by this presentation. Slide three has a grammatical error and slide nine refers to the local watershed of the author, so you will need to make a few...
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
Excuse Me, Is This the Way to the Drainpipe?
Elementary kids read and color the story of Willy Wetsworth, a drop of water, as he describes the journey that he and his friends take to provide fresh water to houses. He tells his story to Martha Merriweather, a little girl, and...
Curated OER
Water Pollution Lesson Plan: All Messed Up
Students map and calculate the area of the school parking lot and then the volume of water falling on the school parking lot. They map the route surface runoff will take to the nearest water body and describe the roles that human...
Curated OER
What Is a Watershed?
Students explore the concept of water pollution. In this environmental stewardship lesson, students discover what watersheds are and consider how to protect them.
Kenan Fellows
Designing a Water Treatment Plant
How does dirty water get clean enough to drink? After viewing a PowerPoint that outlines the process water goes through at a water treatment plant, groups work together to design a chlorination chamber for a treatment plant.
Curated OER
Water Pollution
Students explore the causes of water pollution. In this environmental lesson, students conduct experiments with natural filtration systems.