I. Describing Our Water Study Site

Activity Index - Global Lab

Investigative Questions:

What type of body of water is our water site?

Is it typical of the region's waters?

What is our watershed? How does it connect to other bodies of water?

How does our water system differ from yours? (with partner class)

What are the biggest challenges to the quality of our water system?

Materials:

Describing your water study site - teachers guide

Water Check List - student activity page

Map Questions and More Water Maps and Questions (Your water site and watershed in different contexts)

Putting your study site in regional contex - teachers guide

RESOURCES

Global Lab background readings

River and Stream Aquatic Zones

Lake, Pond and Wetland Aquatic Zones

Ocean and Sea Aquatic Zones

Coastal Aquatic Zones

Groundwater

Related links:

Berkeley on freshwater (ponds and lakes, streams and rivers, and wetlands)

Berkeley on marine waters (oceans, coral reefs and estuaries)

PBS/EPA on watershed problems
A good resource for US students for analysing watershed problems, building on EPA data Some links have problems.

Sharing:

Present a report on the site with initial impressions and basic descriptors. Compare your water site with one Global Lab site that is similar and one that is very dissimilar.