Preparing Students for Gathering Data For Water Analysis
Part of Curriculum Unit:Preparing for Water Analysis - Biology
Abstract help
This lessons in this unit serve as an introduction for a biology water quality inves
tigation. This lesson allows students to collect some basic
information. Lessons two and three acquaint students with wa
ter testing procedures and correspondence with an expert.
Subcollection, analysis, and presentation of data. (To tie
this project in with the daily curriculum, use the water
analysis data in different lectures throughout the year.
For example,when discussing water pollution , bring up the
role of nitrates and fecal coliform in the water supply.)
tigation. This lesson allows students to collect some basic
information. Lessons two and three acquaint students with wa
ter testing procedures and correspondence with an expert.
Subcollection, analysis, and presentation of data. (To tie
this project in with the daily curriculum, use the water
analysis data in different lectures throughout the year.
For example,when discussing water pollution , bring up the
role of nitrates and fecal coliform in the water supply.)
National Standards help
UNDERSTANDINGS ABOUT SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY
Scientists usually inquire about how physical, living, or designed systems function.
Scientists conduct investigations for a wide variety of reasons. For example, they may wish to discover new aspects of
the natural world, explain recently observed phenomena, or test the conclusions of prior investigations or the
predictions of current theories.
Scientists usually inquire about how physical, living, or designed systems function.
Scientists conduct investigations for a wide variety of reasons. For example, they may wish to discover new aspects of
the natural world, explain recently observed phenomena, or test the conclusions of prior investigations or the
predictions of current theories.
Pre-requisite Skills help
Students should have basic Internet and computer skills.
Teacher Information help
Before this lesson, divide students into groups as necessary so that each group has access to a computer with an internet connection.
Also, provide each student with a copy of the student worksheet to complete the lesson.
Optional: To avoid having students type in the URLs, put all internet addresses on a disk beforehand and give each group a disk to complete this activity.
Also, provide each student with a copy of the student worksheet to complete the lesson.
Optional: To avoid having students type in the URLs, put all internet addresses on a disk beforehand and give each group a disk to complete this activity.
Student Activity help
Investigating Parameters for Water Quality
Visit the following sites and answer the questions indicated. Since our unit will include investigating the health of a
local stream, you will first need to know some basic information about water quality parameters.
The first site is the project that we will post data to after collection.
http://k12science.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/waterproj/
1. What are the three goals of this project?
Click on the Project Instructions, then Project Requirements.
2. What are the required tests to be performed?
3. What are the optional tests to be performed?
http://www.epa.gov/surf2/iwi/1999april/iii0_r4map.html
4. How would you classify the condition of our local watershed?
http://www.epa.gov/surf2/hucs/03130002/indicators/indindex.html
5. For the Middle Chattahoochee-Lake Harding area, what factors appear to be of the most concern?
http://www.hach.com/h2ou/h2wtrqual.htm
6. Give three variables that affect the temperature of a water source.
7. Why is temperature critical for living things? Give three specific examples.
8. Why is pH critical for living things? Give at least two examples.
9. What types of human activities affect the pH of a water source? Give at least two examples.
10. What are three sources of dissolved oxygen, DO?
11. How are temperature and dissolved oxygen related in a water source?
12. Can there ever be too much dissolved oxygen in a
water supply? Defend your answer.
13. How can having too many nitrates in a water sample be harmful to fish?
14. Why is it that nitrites are relatively short lived?
15. Give two examples of ways nitrites can be harmful.
16. What are considered to be safe levels of nitrites and nitrates in water?
17. the toxicity of ammonia can vary depending on what factors?
18. What is turbidity and how does it effect fish and acquatic life?
19. Whaere do phosphates originally come from?
20. HOw do phosphates get in to the waterways?
21. What effects do phosphates have on humans?
http://twri.tamu.edu/twripubs/WtrResrc/v12n1/text-4.html
22. What is the major source of nitrate pollution?
23. What are three secondary sources of nitrates?
24. Why is groundwater nitrate contamination dangerous to
humans?
http://www.state.ky.us/nreps/water/wcpfcol.htm
25. What is fecal coliform?
26. What effect does the presence of fecal coliform have on an aquatic environment?
27. Find a site that deals with biological Oxygen Demand. What is it? HOw does it affect living things in an aquatic environment?
Visit the following sites and answer the questions indicated. Since our unit will include investigating the health of a
local stream, you will first need to know some basic information about water quality parameters.
The first site is the project that we will post data to after collection.
http://k12science.stevens-tech.edu/curriculum/waterproj/
1. What are the three goals of this project?
Click on the Project Instructions, then Project Requirements.
2. What are the required tests to be performed?
3. What are the optional tests to be performed?
http://www.epa.gov/surf2/iwi/1999april/iii0_r4map.html
4. How would you classify the condition of our local watershed?
http://www.epa.gov/surf2/hucs/03130002/indicators/indindex.html
5. For the Middle Chattahoochee-Lake Harding area, what factors appear to be of the most concern?
http://www.hach.com/h2ou/h2wtrqual.htm
6. Give three variables that affect the temperature of a water source.
7. Why is temperature critical for living things? Give three specific examples.
8. Why is pH critical for living things? Give at least two examples.
9. What types of human activities affect the pH of a water source? Give at least two examples.
10. What are three sources of dissolved oxygen, DO?
11. How are temperature and dissolved oxygen related in a water source?
12. Can there ever be too much dissolved oxygen in a
water supply? Defend your answer.
13. How can having too many nitrates in a water sample be harmful to fish?
14. Why is it that nitrites are relatively short lived?
15. Give two examples of ways nitrites can be harmful.
16. What are considered to be safe levels of nitrites and nitrates in water?
17. the toxicity of ammonia can vary depending on what factors?
18. What is turbidity and how does it effect fish and acquatic life?
19. Whaere do phosphates originally come from?
20. HOw do phosphates get in to the waterways?
21. What effects do phosphates have on humans?
http://twri.tamu.edu/twripubs/WtrResrc/v12n1/text-4.html
22. What is the major source of nitrate pollution?
23. What are three secondary sources of nitrates?
24. Why is groundwater nitrate contamination dangerous to
humans?
http://www.state.ky.us/nreps/water/wcpfcol.htm
25. What is fecal coliform?
26. What effect does the presence of fecal coliform have on an aquatic environment?
27. Find a site that deals with biological Oxygen Demand. What is it? HOw does it affect living things in an aquatic environment?
Assessment help
Students should complete worksheets either individually or in small groups.
Enrichment / Alternative Activity help
Students could also investigate other water quality parameters such as biological oxygen demand and carbon dioxide
and well as several other chemistries.
Students could write nature essays or poems or submit drawings of the creek.
Selected students will work on creating our own project web site.
and well as several other chemistries.
Students could write nature essays or poems or submit drawings of the creek.
Selected students will work on creating our own project web site.
Technology Requirements/Integration help
Computer and Internet use