Students are introduced to the on-farm nutrient cycle, which explains feed to manure, to soil, and back to the feed. They are introduced to the generation of runoff during rainstorms, and the contents of runoff water are more than water...

Students compare roofing materials to determine which ones reduce rain runoff. In this rain runoff lesson plan, students use a milk carton, stickers, soil, and more to create this activity.

Students examine the causes and effects of soil runoff. In this environment lesson, students look at ways in which soil runoff is controlled. Students then play a game  and discuss how the Peace Corps deals with soil runoff in...

Students are taught that a watershed is, what types of basic land cover are impermeable and permeable to water. They trace the flow of water around their school and around their home. Students determine what watershed their school is a...

Students are introduced to Delaware's waterways as precious resources used for drinking water, water for agricultural and industrial uses, recreational areas, and as habitats for wildlife. They are introduced to wastewater discharges,...

Written as field trip preparation to Gateway National Recreation Area, this resource is also appropriate for any class that is studying the impact of human activity on the environment. During the first activity, learners identify...

Collaborative earth science groups create a working model of a watershed. Once it has been developed, you come along and introduce a change in land use, impacting the quality of water throughout their watershed. Model making is an...

Fourth graders examine best management practices for water quality.  In this water quality instructional activity, 4th graders explore unused land to identify areas of runoff, erosion, and effects of water flow.  Students...

Learners explore the components of a watershed and the factors that affect it. They read a topographical map and use geometry to determine the area of a watershed. Students estimate the volume of a body of water and perform runoff...

Students investigate some of the factors that determine the amount of runoff. They are reminded that infiltration and runoff tend to work oppositely. When conditions are bad for infiltration they usually lead to runoff.

High schoolers propose and perform an experiment using the scientific method. The purpose of the experiment is to discern some earth materials or combinations of earth materials that best increases the pH of "acid rain". From the results...

Students write out sources of pollution and identify contaminants are most likely found in urban runoff.  For this pollution lesson students compare toxicity tests and chemical analysis of potential contaminants. 

Learners map and calculate the area of the school parking lot and then the volume of water falling on the school parking lot. They map the route surface runoff will take to the nearest water body and describe the roles that human...

Learners evaluate the relationship between rainfall and runoff of a small island for one year. In this rainfall vs. runoff lesson, students analyze the relationship between the rainfall and the runoff on Barro Colorado Island over a...

Learners address the idea that human beings live within the world' ecosystems. They discuss how humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, technology, and consumption. Students discuss how the human destruction of...

Students experiment with how rain affects topsoil using dirt and red tempera paint. At the end of the activity, students find red water in their collection jar, representing nutrients in the soil.

Students describe a watershed. They identify factors that effect the flow of water within a watershed. They explain how water can flow from inland waterways to the ocean.

Students investigate the impacts of major rainfall and subsequent runoff on turbidity in lakes. They, in groups, develop a presentation of their research and/or write a paper summarizing their investigation.

Students examine how a sanitary landfill is constructed, how it functions, and how waste and leachate affects the areas around the landfill. After a discussion about landfills and leachates, students construct a Sanitary Landfill Model...

Students conduct an experiment to show how water gets contaminated through neighborhood runoffs.

Investigate the migration of the nanoparticle from land to water! A lab investigation asks budding scientists to simulate runoff. Testing water samples before and after the simulation leads individuals to make conclusions about pollution...

Middle schoolers are able to describe the importance of wetland vegetation. They describe the impacts human activities have on water systems. Students compare and contrast the effect of different soil types on water filtration.

Students elicit data on the water cycle, ocean topography, and island formation in this six lesson unit. The ocean floor and the properties of water are examined through a variety of discussions and hands-on experiments.

Pupils examine the major paths of water on the Earth's surface, and to investigate the many factors that contribute to those paths. Students demonstrate their understanding of a watershed by identifying the defining features of a...