Fresh Water Lesson Plans
Grades K – 12
Grades K – 2
Grades 2 – 8
Grades 4 – 8
Grades 5 – 6
Grades 5 – 8
Grades 5 – 12
Grades 6 – 8
Grades 9 – 12
GRADES K-12
Alliance for the Great Lakes
http://greatlakes.org/Education
The Alliance for the Great Lakes is dedicated to fostering an ethic of learning, appreciation and care for the Great Lakes. We offer two educational programs: Great Lakes in My World, an educator resource for kindergarten through 12th-grade that addresses Next Generation Science, Common Core and Great Lakes state learning standards, and Adopt-a-Beach™, a service learning and citizen science program tailored to all ages.
Aquatic WILD
From Project WILD and Council for Environmental Education
http://www.projectwild.org/projectwildwebsite/aquatic/
Water in all its forms is one of the most dramatic of today's arenas in which informed, responsible, and constructive actions are needed. Aquatic WILD activities and professional training workshops emphasize aquatic wildlife and aquatic ecology. The Aquatic WILD program and curriculum guide is available to formal and nonformal educators who attend an Aquatic WILD training through Project WILD state partners. For more information, go to the web site and click on “Get Training.”
Bay Backpack
From the Chesapeake Bay Program
http://baybackpack.com/teaching_resources/
This web site has a wealth Chesapeake Bay related books, multimedia, curriculum guides, individual lesson plans and online data sources. It was developed to help educators provide meaningful watershed educational experiences or MWEEs to their students. MWEEs enable students to participate in hands-on environmental learning about the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Throughout the MWEE process, students develop a sense of environmental ethics and stewardship that are essential to the long-term sustainability of the Chesapeake Bay.Teachers can search by subject, level, types, alignments and/or keywords.
Community Collaborative Rain, Hail & Snow Network (CoCoRaHS)
From the Colorado Climate Center and other partners
http://www.cocorahs.org/
http://www.cocorahs.org/Content.aspx?page=CoCoRaHS-Schools-Teachers
CoCoRaHS is an acronym for the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail and Snow Network. CoCoRaHS is a unique, non-profit, community-based network of volunteers of all ages and backgrounds working together to measure and map precipitation (rain, hail and snow). By using low-cost measurement tools, stressing training and education, and utilizing an interactive Web-site, our aim is to provide the highest quality data for natural resource, education and research applications. We are now in all fifty states.
Drinking Water & Ground Water Kids’ Stuff
From the US Environmental Protection Agency
http://water.epa.gov/learn/kids/drinkingwater/index.cfm
Check out this web site for a collection of activities and lessons for students and teachers.
EcoEd Digital Library
From the Ecological Society of America
http://ecoed.esa.org/index.php?P=Home
http://ecoed.esa.org/index.php?P=FullRecord&ID=558
The Ecological Society of America's EcoEd Digital Library (EcoEdDL) is a forum for scientists and educators to locate and contribute peer reviewed resources for 21st century undergraduate ecology education. Check out the lesson plan about fish schooling to teach tradeoffs in animal behavior.
Fish On!
From Wildlife Forever
http://www.statefishart.info/
In this lesson plan, students learn to: label the parts of a fish and describe their function; outline a simple aquatic food chain; explain several characteristics associated with fish adaptation including gills, fins and scales; describe specific examples of fish behavior including feeding and spawning; and identify their state-fish, its physical appearance, and its habitat requirements.
Freshwater Lesson Plans
From Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis
http://www.iupui.edu/~geni/FreshWaterLessonPlans.htm
This web site has multiple lesson plans relating to freshwater.
Freshwater Availability Classroom Activity
From NASA, Global Precipitation Measurement
http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/lesson-plans/freshwater-availability-classroom-activity
This classroom activity is designed to introduce participants to the concept that although about 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by water, only a small fraction of that water is available to humans as an essential resource.
From Water.org
http://water.org/news/lesson-plans/
Classroom activities cover everything from poetry seminars and vocabulary-building worksheets to science and math lessons about potable water availability.
The GLOBE Program
From NASA, National Science Foundation and multiple partners
https://www.globe.gov/do-globe/globe-teachers-guide/hydrosphere
GLOBE's vision is of worldwide community of students, teachers, scientists and citizens working together to better understand, sustain and improve Earth's environment at local, regional and global scales. Through the GLOBE Hydrosphere Investigation, you can help address these questions by monitoring the waters near your school. Our knowledge of global trends in water measurements is based on sampling at very few sites. This sampling has generally been done only a few times. For example, our information on many lakes is based on sampling done only once or twice more than ten years ago. In order to evaluate water changes, we need access to reliable information on current and past conditions. If changes are already taking place, comparing multiple sites at different areas can help us understand what is happening. Students and scientists investigate hydrology through the collection of data using measurement protocols and using instruments which meet certain specifications in order to ensure that data are comparable. Learning activities aid in the understanding of important scientific concepts, the understanding of data and data collection methodologies. The Investigation appendix contains data sheets for all hydrology protocols, a hydrology site map template and a glossary of terms.
Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience
From the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
https://www.deq.virginia.gov/ConnectWithDEQ/EnvironmentalInformation/MeaningfulWatershedEducationalExperiences.aspx
Here are a collection of lesson plans for a Meaningful Watershed Educational Experience (MWEE). As defined by the Chesapeake Bay Program, a “MWEE is an investigative or experimental project that engages students in thinking critically about the Bay watershed. MWEEs are not intended to be quick, one-day activities; rather, they are extensive projects that allow students to gain a deep understanding of the issue or topic being presented. Students participate in background research, hands-on activities and reflection periods that are appropriate for their ages and grade levels.”
Project Learning Tree
http://www.plt.org
Project Learning Tree (PLT) is an environmental education program designed for teachers and other educators, parents, and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12. PLT offers curriculum materials, many focusing on water education, and professional development for educators as well as service-learning opportunities for students through the PLT GreenSchools program.
Project WET
http://www.projectwet.org/
Project WET’s mission is to reach children, parents, teachers and community members of the world with water education that promotes awareness of water and empowers community action to solve complex water issues. Project WET achieves its mission by:
- Publishing water resource education materials that are appropriate for many different age groups and cultures and offer comprehensive coverage of the broad topic of water.
- Providing training workshops to educators at all levels, formal and non-formal, on diverse water topics so that those educators can reach children with objective, experiential, science-based water education.
- Organizing and inspiring community water events, including water festivals and ActionEducation™ projects.
RainCheck: A Guide for Stormwater Action and Urbanized Water Cycle Lesson Plan
From EarthEcho International
http://earthecho.org/educator-resources
Register for free access to resources about stormwater, the water cycle and more. Only a fraction of our global water resource is accessible for supporting life. Yet each day throughout the world, water resources are polluted as rainwater travels over roofs, pavement, roads, and bare earth often becoming contaminated before entering our waterways. Use the tools in this Action Guide to explore what happens to the water resources in your community when it rains and develop a plan to protect your local waterways from polluted stormwater.
Teacher Resources for Water Science
From the U.S. Geological Survey
http://water.usgs.gov/edu/teachers-water.html
Find resources about the water cycle, water properties, the Story of Dryville and more.
Trout in the Classroom
From Trout Unlimited
http://www.troutintheclassroom.org/teachers/lesson-plans
Trout in the Classroom (TIC) is an environmental education program for students in grades K-12. Trout can be the focus of a lesson, an illustration of a concept, or just inspiration. Having trout in your classroom inspires students to think more broadly about everyday topics and skills. While there are some comprehensive trout lesson guides written, most teachers find it helpful to tailor lessons to their specific curricular requirements and tie in trout as appropriate for their classrooms.
Urbanized Water Cycle Lesson Plan
From EarthEcho International
http://earthecho.org/educator-resources/urbanized-water-cycle-lesson-plan
As a result of these activities in this guide, students will be able to:
- Describe the natural movement of water in the hydrologic cycle
- Identify the state of water as it moves through this cycle and the energy inputs that drive that movement
- Understand how increased urbanization impacts the hydrosphere and adjoining biosphere
Virginia’s Water Resources – A Tool for Teachers
From Clean Virginia Waterways
http://www.longwood.edu/cleanva/teachersvawatercurriculum.htm
The information and activities for Virginia teachers are appropriate for all. They support interdisciplinary and problem-based teaching about watershed, water quality, stewardship, and management issues.
Water: Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans
From the US Environmental Protection Agency
http://www.epa.gov/students/teachers.html#epawater
Find an array of environmental and science-based lesson plans, activities and ideas below.
Water Cycle
From NASA, Global Precipitation Measurement
http://pmm.nasa.gov/education/water-cycle
Find multiple lesson plans and videos on the water cycle. Precipitation is a vital component of how water moves through Earth’s water cycle, connecting the ocean, land, and atmosphere. Knowing where it rains, how much it rains and the character of the falling rain, snow or hail allows scientists to better understand precipitation’s impact on streams, rivers, surface runoff and groundwater. Frequent and detailed measurements help scientists make models of and determine changes in Earth’s water cycle. The water cycle describes how water evaporates from the surface of the earth, rises into the atmosphere, cools and condenses into rain or snow in clouds, and falls again to the surface as precipitation. The water falling on land collects in rivers and lakes, soil, and porous layers of rock, and much of it flows back into the oceans, where it will once more evaporate. The cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere is a significant aspect of the weather patterns on Earth.
GRADES K – 2
Meet Dr. Sun!
From the USDA Forest Service
http://www.naturalinquirer.org/Meet-Dr.-Sun!-i-45.html
This is a story with lots of pictures about Dr. Sun, a Forest Service scientist who studies the water cycle and changes in the environment.
Meet Ms. Laseter!
From the USDA Forest Service
http://www.naturalinquirer.org/Meet-Ms.-Laseter!-i-47.html
This simple story with pictures introduces students to Ms. Laseter, a Forest Service scientist who studies how water moves on Earth.
Follow the Water
From PBS Learning Media
http://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/plum14.sci.life.followwater/follow-the-water/
Ella and her dad, Mike, track the path of melting snow on a warm winter day, in this video from PLUM LANDING. They follow it out of their driveway, to a small brook, through a tunnel, and eventually all the way to the ocean. On their journey, they discover how water carries trash and pollution with it.
GRADES 2 – 8
Wyland National “Water Is Life”
From the Wyland Foundation
http://www.wylandfoundation.org/artchallenge/
Check out the art lesson plans that support the Wyland mural contest. Students are introduced to the concept of cooperative art, work together toward a common artistic goal, and create a mixed media, group mural.
GRADES 4 – 8
Teachers Guide for Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk
From the Wyland Foundation
http://www.grandcanyonadventurefilm.com/PDFs/GCA-Teachers_Guide.pdf
This guide is most useful when accompanying the film, “Grand Canyon Adventure: River at Risk,” but is a valuable resource on its own. The activities include: water cycle art, every drop counts, water’s extreme journey, legendary layers, rock art, rollin’ down the river, and Trash to Treasure.
GRADES 5 – 6
From the Mountains to the Estuary: From the Schoolyard to the Bay
https://www.cacaponinstitute.org/teach/schoolyard-phlow/plow-lesson-plans/
These lesson plans:
- Teach future stewards what they can do to reduce non-point source water pollution
- Design and install rain gardens, micro-nurseries, and plant trees at schools
- Increase watershed awareness in the broader community
- Demonstrate that students can make a difference in their school and community
- Foster the importance of clean rivers for future generations
The Nature of Teaching: Discovering the Watershed
From the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service
https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-476-W%20Discovering%20the%20Watershed%2013.pdf
This activity will teach students how human impacts to the environment affect water quality and indicator species.
GRADES 5 – 8
Natural Inquirer
From the USDA Forest Service
http://www.naturalinquirer.org/Water-Articles-v-103.html
This web site includes a list of articles relating to water that have been published in Natural Inquirer journals. Please click on the title of the article to download a PDF file of the article. Each article includes educational activities.
GRADES 5 – 12
Connecting Classrooms and Communities through Watersheds
From Geography: Teaching with the Stars
http://www.geoteach.org/teacher_resources/lessons/Connecting%20through%20Watersheds.pdf
This unit includes four 50-minute classes and a service-learning project all focusing on watersheds. The purpose of this unit is to help students understand watersheds, human impact on watersheds, and ways watersheds can be protected and conserved. For background readings on watersheds, go the Geography: teaching with the stars web site at http://geoteach.org and click on the Teacher Resources page.
Score Four: Students, Schools, Streams, and the Bay
From the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin
https://www.potomacriver.org/resources/educator-resources/score-four/
Score Four lessons culminate with student-led stormwater-reduction projects—but before students turn one shovel of dirt, they are engaged in hands-on investigations of their school’s watershed and campus. Students assess permeability, stormwater dynamics, pollution sources, soils, and possible project sites. Using these findings, they pick a site for their stormwater-reduction project, create a project design, and plan maintenance. Projects can be native gardens, conservation landscapes, rain barrels, tree plantings, rain gardens, and more.
Water Water Anywhere
From The Water Project
http://thewaterproject.org/resources/lesson-plans/water-water-anywhere
Water scarcity is often a concept that students have difficulty truly visualizing. In this activity, students will go through three different stations for approximately five minutes each in order to experience the effects of water scarcity. The stations include: water abundance; physical scarcity; and economic scarcity.
GRADES 6 – 8
Are You a River Keeper?
From Learning to Give
http://learningtogive.org/lessons/unit5/
Learners will utilize fundamental techniques to determine the health of a local river. They will collect, compile, display and interpret their data. The students will focus on how water speed affects rates of erosion and deposition. They will focus on the history of, reasons for, and possible solutions to excessive deposition in the southern branch of the Muskegon River or waterway in their community. Through the writing and performing of a short theatrical activity, learners will summarize articles they have read to increase environmental awareness. Learners will become aware of global issues of clean water scarcity. Learners will investigate the many causes of river water pollution and relate them to their sources. Students will then identify four sectors of society and how each can be an agent for change. They will locate and write letters to public service, nonprofit organizations in support of water clarity. After presenting their findings to peers, students will distribute a self-designed pledge, requesting households to commit to positive change.
GRADES 9 – 12
How Clean is YOUR Watershed?
From the US Forest Service
CLICK HERE for .pdf of lesson plan
Students will explore ArcGIS Online and map watershed data from a U.S. Forest Service GIS analysis titled “Forests, Water and People: Drinking water supply and forest lands in the Northeast and Midwest United States.” The dataset students will explore, the“Ability to Produce Clean Water” or APCW, is an index that predicts how clean the water is in each watershed. APCW was created by an overlay or “sandwich” of six data layers: percent Forest Land, percent Agricultural Land, percent Riparian Forest Cover, Soil Erodibility, Road Density, and Housing Density. Students will identify high, medium, and low APCW; discover how a watershed scored high or low; and make a map of their watershed.
