Watershed Investigations

Requiring more than one class period, this resource takes earth science learners on a journey through a watershed. Using ArcGIS Explorer, an online geographic information system, they view maps of watersheds and surrounding landscapes....

Maybe you've seen land that is covered in water, not deep enough for a lake or pond, but deep enough that the water stays throughout the year. This area is called a wetland, and during a five-day activity, learners investigate wetlands,...

Students 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, after observing the elements of a local watershed, explore the need to protect watersheds as water resources for the future. They examine the factors involved with a watershed: geology, ecology, and the effect of man's...

Students investigate the San Francisco Bay Estuarine Research Reserve and watershed. For this estuary and watershed lesson plan, students complete 4 activities to better understand estuarine systems. They include studying the San...

Students 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...

Students investigate nutrient concentrations in lake water. For this biological communities lesson, students experiment with nitrogen and phosphorus cycles using real life situations.  Students discuss watersheds, runoff, and both...

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...

High school students examine their own water-based environments, within the Mystic Watershed. As the learners engage in inquiry-based, hands-on projects, critical thinking skills and problem-solving, the project will lead them to cross...

Students investigate the importance and the location of their own watershed by visiting and EPA website and also work in groups to create an action plan on how to protect their local watershed.