Curated OER
Construct with Solids
Students discover which properties of solids lend themselves to building a tower through hands on trial and error and observation of others as they are building. They write down the steps it took them to build the tower and label an...
Center for Innovation in Engineering and Science Education, Stevens Institute of Technology
Ciese Collaborative Projects: The Global Water Sampling Project
By testing your local water quality, you will be able to compare your results with students around the world. Register your class, and follow the project instructions. Additional teacher resources, references, and Ask-an-Expert sources...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Test and Treat Before You Drink
Learners learn about water quality testing and basic water treatment processes and technology options. Biological, physical and chemical treatment processes are addressed, as well as physical and biological water quality testing,...
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Common Water Measurements
This site from the U.S. Geological Survey provides great definitions of seven measurements that can be taken on water. Includes pH, dissolved oxygen, and turbidity. Click Home to access the site in Spanish.
Other
Garden Club of America: Drinking Water Safety [Pdf]
An information page on understanding drinking water safety. It covers legislation, contaminants, private wells, water testing, water filters, and boiling water.
EL Education
El Education: Testing the Waters
Students tested water at several sites in a local creek and write a scientific paper showing their testing and results. Scientific papers include an abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion including recommendations...
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...
PBS
Pbs Learning Media: Simple Solutions
Amy Smith is an engineer who designs simple and inexpensive solutions to real-world problems. This video produced for Teachers' Domain features her innovative design for testing the safety of drinking water in the developing world.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Investigating the Water Quality of the Root River in Lanesboro, Mn
This field investigation will be in collaboration with Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center in Lanesboro, MN link to Eagle Bluff. It will include chemical, biological, and physical tests. The chemical tests will include kits where...
Other
Wet in the City: Read a Water Meter and Water Bill [Pdf]
In this instructional activity, learners will monitor the school's water meter to get an overview of the total water consumption and the cost of that water which will help them develop an idea of water consumption patterns and how much...
Other
Derm: Water Cycles and Catchments
Students develop an understanding of the water cycle and water catchments. This learning module is divided into introductory, developmental, and culminating activities, and also has several assessment strategies. Resource sheets...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: Basic Information About Lead in Drinking Water
Learn about the threat of lead in drinking water and what actions you can take to prevent or deal with exposure.
Alabama Learning Exchange
Alex: Surface Water Testing
In this environmental science lab you will chemically test a nearby creek or pond for dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, hardness and turbidity. This is a field test and will determine the water quality of standing body of water. The lab...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: Private Drinking Water Wells
Provides information on what to do after a flood to protect well water from contamination, the testing of private well water, and protecting private well water.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Water Quality
After observing the local aquatic environment and testing the water quality, students formulate a testable hypothesis. They next choose a second location, collect samples to bring to school, and test the water quality. Data is organized...
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...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Pathogenic Microorganisms in Water
Use this lesson plan to introduce students to testing water sources for pathogenic microorganisms. Students will learn methods for groundwater sampling to evaluate water quality. Lesson plan includes student worksheets.
Climate Literacy
Clean: Effects of Increased Co2 in the Air on Seawater and Distilled Water
Students perform an experiment comparing the impacts of CO2 on salt water and on fresh water. In a short demonstration, students examine how distilled water and seawater are affected differently by increasing carbon dioxide in the air.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Using a Secchi Disk or Transparency Tube
This EPA resource provides instructions for using Secchi disks and transparency tubes to measure water clarity.
Other
Valley City Junior High's Water Research: Water Issues
This site talks about the nitrate and nitrogen forms that can be found and how to test for it. Includes illustrative diagrams and graphs.
US Geological Survey
Usgs: Water Quality of San Francisco Bay
This resource from the United State Geological Survey provides data about San Francisco Bay's water quality. Data is displayed in time series plots, vertical profiles, longitudinal sections, space and time contours, and x-y scatter plots.
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mn Step: Who Wants to Live Here? Water Sampling at Local Pond and Stream
The water quality at a local pond or stream is tested, and examined for organisms. Students record their data and observations and analyze the information. A pH chart showing what aquatic organisms can live at different pH levels is...
Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College
Serc: Mixtures, Solutions and Saturation: Testing Household Materials
Choosing two different powders, students will evaluate the properties of the materials and if the materials, when mixed with 50 ml of water, make a mixture or solution. They will examine the difference between a mixture and a solution...
BioEd Online
Bio Ed Online: What Is One Part Per Million Solution?
Substances dissolved in water can be present in very tiny amounts that are not visible to the eye. in this lesson students make a solution of food coloring with a concentration of one part per million.