Curated OER
Heat from Light
Second graders explore solar energy. In this science lesson, 2nd graders use hand lenses to see that light energy can be converted to heat energy.
Utah Education Network
Uen: Water Pollution Graphing: Bugs Don't Bug Me
Activity shows the link between land use activities within a watershed and water quality.
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Water
The Science of Water Teacher's Guide provides a number of inquiry-based activities for grades 3-5 (although it can be expanded for other grades). The guide contains science lessons that enable students to explore water, behavior of...
University of Missouri
Microbes in Action: Classroom Activities: Water Quality Testing [Pdf]
In this experiment, students will test the quality of a water sample by observing the number of coliform bacteria. Coliform bacteria are found in human intestines and a large amount can indicate water contamination. Lesson plan gives a...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Water Remediation Lab
Students measure the effectiveness of water filters in purifying contaminated water. They prepare test water by creating different concentrations of bleach (chlorine-contaminated) water. After passing the contaminated water through...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Dirty Water Project
In this activity, students investigate different methods (aeration and filtering) for removing pollutants from water. They will design and build their own water filters.
Encyclopedia of Earth
Encyclopedia of Earth: Water Pollution: Groundwater
Explains what groundwater is, how and where it occurs, how the quality of our groundwater is being affected by human activities, and the detrimental impact this has on plants and animals. (Updated: February 22, 2012)
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: Why Is Water So Important?
In this post assessment activity students review points covered in the attached unit and reach conclusions regarding the importance of water to human health. Student sheets are provided in English and in Spanish.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Pathogenic Microorganisms in Water
Use this lesson plan to introduce learners to testing water sources for pathogenic microorganisms. Students will learn methods for groundwater sampling to evaluate water quality. Lesson plan includes student worksheets.
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: River Rewilding: Advanced Water Quality
In this unit, students will try to improve stream quality and reduce human impacts by taking action.This Advanced Water Quality unit is packaged into three smaller parts: Part 1: Stream Habitat Assessment; Part 2: Macroinvertebrate...
National Institutes of Health
Niehs: Kids' Pages: Water, the Never Ending Story
Online children's story that teaches about the importance of keeping water clean. Click on "next" at the bottom of the story to discover why having pure water affects the way we live and learn.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: How Clean Is That Water?
This lesson plan helps students understand the factors that affect water quality and the conditions that allow for different animals and plants to survive. Students will look at the effects of water quality on various water-related...
Other
Safe Water Science: Lesson Downloads
A collection of downloadable, ready-to-use lessons and student worksheets aimed to raise awareness of the need for safe drinking water. Lessons are investigative in nature and utilize inexpensive materials that can be purchased at most...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: Polluted Groundwater Simulation
Directions for doing a simple simulation that shows how pollution spreads through groundwater sources.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What's Gotten Into You?
In this activity, students use models to investigate the process and consequences of water contamination on the land, groundwater, and plants. This is a good introduction to building water filters found in the associated activity, The...
Utah Education Network
Uen: Macroinvertebrate Graphing Activity
Young scholars will learn about water quality indicators.
![Epa: The Water Sourcebooks [Pdf] Lesson Plan](https://content.lessonplanet.com/knovation/original/438669-a5df3fb4e6ba6a238d3d8ad01b4a02a3.jpg?1661258064 "Epa: The Water Sourcebooks [Pdf] Lesson Plan")
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: The Water Sourcebooks [Pdf]
This is online resource is for teachers of all grades. The Water Sourcebook contains activities grouped according to grade level. Detailed lesson plans are provided along with glossary and fact sheets.
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Effects of Human Activities
This site reviews the effects of agricultural development, urban and industrial development, drainage of the land surface, modifications to river valleys, and modifications to the atmosphere have on ground water and surface water.
Other
North Carolina Department of Energy and Natural Resources: Pollution Solutions
Try to find at least eight things in the picture that could cause litter, waste, or other pollutants to end up in the storm drain and eventually flow into nearby lakes and streams. Includes a link to an interactive page of this activity....
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Snow vs. Water
Engineers work in many fields associated with precipitation. Engineers study glaciers to better understand their dates of formation and current demise. They deal with issues of pollution transport and water yield, and they monitor...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Splish, Splash, I Was Takin' a Bath!
In this lesson, students will explore the causes of water pollution and its effects on the environment through the use of models and scientific investigation. In the accompanying activities, they will investigate filtration and aeration...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What Happened to the Water? Designing Ways to Get and Clean
In this scenario-based activity, students design ways to either clean a water source or find a new water source, depending on given hypothetical family scenarios. They act as engineers to draw and write about what they could do to...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: How Does Water Get Polluted?
Given a water table model, students will observe and record as pollution infiltrates the ground and surface water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Disasters to Nature: Sensitivity of Ground Water Systems to Pollution
Students visit three sites to investigate the areas where there is very high sensitivity for ground-water pollution. They also test the quality of water, measuring the dissolved oxygen, pH, total phosphate, nitrates, turbidity, and...