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Community & Place-Based Education
K-12 Water Education Resources
Click here for PDF format
Curriculum/Activity
Guides
Acid
Rain Teacher's Guide by Lawrence
Hall Science (LHS) Gems
Covers acids, bases, pH, ecosystems, and the
effects of acid rain
Grades 6-10
Children's Groundwater Festival Outreach
Packet
A packet of teacher materials, lesson plans,
student worksheets and resources for
conducting water festivals
Grades 1-6
Classroom GEMS (Groundwater Education in
Michigan Schools) - Elementary
Activities and resources for groundwater
education
Grades K-6
Engineering is Elementary - Water Filtration
http://www.mos.org/eie/units.php
Grades 1-6
Field Manual
for Water Quality Monitoring by William
Stapp
Describes student data collection and
analysis of nine water quality parameters;
sources of water pollution; how to solve
water quality problems.
Grades 7-12
Groundwater Education in Michigan Schools
(GEMS)
23 activity lesson plans, teacher background
& student worksheets for water/groundwater
Grades K-6
Hands-On Nature by Jenepher
Lingelbach, Vermont Institute of Science
Information and activities for exploring the
ponds, streams, and other outdoor
environments with children
Grades K-6
Lake
Effects: The Lake Superior Guide by
the Lake Superior Center
Background information and activities about
Lake Superior
Grades K-12
Making
Waves
A detailed "how-to" & useful tips for
putting on a water festival
Grades K-12
Making
A Bigger Splash
A collection of Water Education and Festival
Activities
Grades K-6
Michigan Environmental Education Curriculum
Unit Support- Water Quality
9 lessons, video, CD, maps, posters, aerial
photos.
http://wupcenter.mtu.edu/education/ecosystem_curriculum_units/index.html
Grades 6-8
Michigan WISE (Waste Information Series for
Education)
Background information, and
activities/lessons in units organized
for grades K-3, 4-6, 7-9, and 10-12
Grades K-12
Pond
and Stream Safari: A Guide to the Ecology of
Aquatic Invertebrates
Excellent resource and activities for pond
and stream studies
Grades 6-12
Project
WET (Water Education for Teachers)
Activities to teach about all aspects of
water through science, math,
language arts, art, & music
Grades K-10
Project
WILD-Aquatic
Curriculum/activity guide that teaches about
wildlife & water
Grades K-12
River
Cutters Teacher's Guide by LHS GEMS
Information and activities on erosion,
geologic events, pollution, and human
effects on the environment
Grades 6-9
Rivers
Curriculum Guide: Biology by Rivers
Curriculum Project (RCP)
Explores the diversity of plant and animal
life along rivers; uses benthic
macroinvertebrates as the primary indicator
of a river's health)
Grades 9-12
Rivers
Curriculum Guide: Chemistry by RCP
Describes the nine water-quality tests used
to assess stream health; links
water-quality test procedures to basic
chemical principles students study in class
Grades 9-12
Rivers
Curriculum Guide: Earth Science by
RCP
Provides information and activities on how
to use the physical features of a river to
discern important clues about a river's
geological development)
Grades 9-12
Rivers
Curriculum Guide: Geography by RCP
Describes how the Earth's surface is
occupied and organized using the five themes
of geography: location, place, movement,
regions, and human-environment interactions
Grades 9-12
Science
Book of Water by Neil Ardley
Contains variety of water experiments
Grades K-3
Streamkeeper's Field Guide
Watershed inventory & stream monitoring
methods
Grades 7-12
Water
Precious Water by AIMS Activities
Collection of elementary water activities
Grades 2-6
Watershed Science for Educators by
Cornell Extension
"How to" for designing a stream
investigation including: selecting stations,
using aerial
photos and topographic maps to delineate the
watershed, collect and interpret data from
chemical, biological and physical stream
assessments.
Grades 7-12
WOW!
The Wonders of Wetlands
Activities to teach about all aspects of
wetlands
Grades K-10
Children's Trade Books
Come
Back, Salmon by Molly Cone
How a group of dedicated kids adopted
Pidgeon Creek and brought it back to life
Grades 1-6
A Drop
of Water by Walter Wick
Spectacular photos, simple text about
evaporation, condensation, capillary
attraction and surface tension
Grades 6-12
Flush:
Treating Wastewater by Karen Mueller
Coombs
A history of waste Disposal, water treatment
operations, lots of pictures, good examples
Grades 6-9
Follow
the Water from Brook to Ocean by
Author Dorros
Explores water's journey, how it shapes the
earth, and why
it is important to keep it clean
Grades K-4
Henry
Goes Underground by Patricia
Chilton-Stringham
Understanding groundwater
Grades K-3
Lake
Superior by Ann Armbruster
History of Lake Superior
Grades 2-5
Letting
Swift River Go by Jane Yolen
Discusses the destruction of homes to create
a reservoir for a large city
Grades K-4
The
Magic School Bus: At the Waterworks : Water
treatment by Joanna Cole
Grades K -4
The
Magic School Bus: Wet All Over by
Joanna Cole
Grades K-4
Marshes
& Swamps by Gail Gibbons
Information on marshes swamps and their
importance to nature
Grades K-4
McElligot's Pool by Dr. Seuss
A child patiently waits to catch a fish
despite all of the
reasons why fish might not be there...
Grades K-3
A New
True Book: Water Pollution by
Darlene R. Stille
How we use water and how pollution affects
lakes and oceans
Grades 4-6
A New
True Book: Wetlands by Emilie U.
Lepthien and Joan Kalbacken
Defines different types of wetlands, where
they're found, wildlife uses, pollution, and
laws
Grades 4-6
Oil
Spill! by Melvin Berger
Discusses how oil spills occur, how they are
cleaned up, and how they can be prevented;
specifically the Exxon-Valdez spill
Grades K-4
One
Small Square: Pond by Donald M.
Silver
Visiting a pond from a child's perspective
Grades K-4
Paddle-To-The-Sea by Holling C.
Holling
A toy wooden canoe's journey from Lake
Superior to the Atlantic Ocean
Grades K-4
Peter's
Place by Sally Grindley
Peter tries to help animals in an oil spill
Grades K-3
The
Rainstick: A Fable by Sandra
Chisholm Robinson
A fable about a West African boy's quest for
rain; includes instructions
for making rain sticks
Grades 2-6
The
Salamander Room by Anne Mazer
Describes a salamander's habitat in a fun
way
A fun, colorful beginning book about water
Grades Pre-4
Water
by Francois Michel
An amazing pop-up, pull-tab, lift-the-flap
guide to all aspects Water--groundwater,
streams, floods, drinking water, and more
Grades K-6
Water
Dance by Thomas Locker
Poems and Pictures about water
Grades K-4
Where
the River Begins by Thomas Locker
Two boys follow a river to its beginning
Grades K-4
Science Supplies & Equipment
Sampling Kit for Streams, Ponds and Wetlands
Contains nets, magnifiers, tubs and other
items for collecting
and identifying aquatic organisms
Grades K-10
Dripial
Pursuit
Patterned after "Trivial Pursuit" using
water-related words
Grades 6-12
Stencils for Storm Drain Stenciling
Grades 6-12
Enviroscape
2 x 2 ft tabletop model that demonstrates
non-point sources of pollution:
sediment, fertilizers, road salt, used motor
oil, etc.
All ages
Groundwater Flow Model
Tabletop model of where groundwater is
found; shows how groundwater can be
polluted by landfills, underground storage
tanks, and other sources using dye;
illustrates connection between surface and
groundwater
All ages
"Investigating Groundwater: The Fruitvale
Experience"
A hands-on classroom activity that
demonstrates the effects of groundwater
contamination; students test 40 samples of
"well water" & map a groundwater
contamination plume
Grades 7-10
Puddle
Pictures
Patterned after "Pictionary" using
water-related words
Grades 1-5
Stream
Ecology Leaf Pack Experiment Kit by
lame Company
Contains materials to conduct a variety of
experiments on the role of leaves in
streams, and how to assess habitat and water
quality for stream macroinvertebrates
Grades 6-12
Stream
Macroinvertebrate Flashcards
Set of 18 laminated color illustrations of
major stream/pond macroinvertebrates
Grades 6-12
Waste
Hierarchy: Where Is Away?"
Hands-on classroom activities address the
four levels of waste treatment practices:
landfills, incineration, reuse/recycle, and
source reduction
Grades 7-12
LaMotte
Water Chemistry Test Kits : DO, pH,
P, N, turbidity, iron, copper
Grades 7-12
CDs (Audio)
Excuse
Me Sir, That's My Aquifer 30 min.
Songs about groundwater
Grades K-6
Frogs &
Toads of Michigan 13 min.
Contains songs/calls of Michigan's 13
species of frogs & toads
Grades 3-12
Nature
Nuts 58 min.
Science & ecology songs including "Romp in
the Swamp", "Garbage Man",
"Recycle Blues", "Don't Throw It Away."
Grades K-6
Videos/DVDs
After
the Rain by U.S. EPA & Weather
Channel . 29 min.
Explores importance of water, the pressures
our cities are placing on this precious
resource, and ways to protect local drinking
water supplies.
Grades 6-12
Aquatic
Invertebrates and Water Quality 7
min.
Role of stream macroinvertebrates in the
aquatic ecosystem and how they are used
as water quality indicators
Grades 6-12
Down
the Drain 30 min., 3,2,1 Contact
Series
Good lesson on the water properties and the
water cycle-- also talks about water
usage, pollution, and treatment
Grades 4-8
Headwaters: The Lifeline of a River
(28 min) Sponsored by Rouge River Watershed
Council and SE Michigan Water Quality Board.
Introduces issues of headwater protection.
Grades 6-12
It's
Found Underground 31 min.
Describes the water cycle, water table,
permeability, and groundwater contamination
Grades 3-5
Life of
the <Great> Lakes 58 min.
Story of the world's greatest freshwater
fishery
Grades 5-12
Michigan's Drinking Water--- Safe, Reliable,
and Abundant 10 min.
Municipal treatment and delivery
Grades 3-9
Michigan's Great Lakes Coastal Zone - Part
1: Threatened and Endangered Species
22 min. Discusses the peregrine falcon,
eagle, trumpeter swan, and osprey
Grades 4-9
Michigan's Great Lakes Coastal Zone- Part 2:
Agriculture, Recreation, Fishing
17 min. Discusses the unique coastal zones
of the Great Lakes and how they are used for
agriculture, recreation, and fishing
Grades 4-9
Michigan's Great Lakes Coastal Zone - Part
3: Commercial Shipping, Industrial
Development, Habitat Restoration 20
min.
Discusses how industry in Michigan has
impacted natural habitats and how the damage
is being corrected now; shows the
restoration of a wetland
Grades 4-9
Our
Valuable Wetlands Resource by Tip of
the Mitt Watershed Council 27 min. Focuses
on how to identify the basic types of
wetlands in the Great Lakes Basin,
and the values of wetlands
Grades 7-12
Rise
and Fall of the Great Lakes 12 min.
Produced by Canadian Film Board.
Satire on the origins and current fate of
the Great Lakes.
Grades 6-12
SOS for
American Streams by Izaak Walton
League 28 min.
Water quality monitoring techniques
Grades 5-12
Thousand Friends of Frogs 10 min.
Minnesota news reports about the students
who found the deformed frogs and brought the
frog deformity issue to national attention.
Students express their concerns and
Minnesota Water Pollution Control scientists
explain their research efforts to understand
the problem.
Grades 4-12
Torch
Lake: An Area of Concern 18 min.
Explanation of Torch Lake as a superfund
site, good area history lesson
Grades 7-12
We All
Live Downstream
Identifies point and non-point sources of
water pollution in a watershed, with special
emphasis on the Tualatin River in Oregon
Grades 7-12
The
Wealth of Wetlands 23 min.
Value of wetlands from different property
owners' perspectives; restoration methods
Grades 9-12
Reference Books
Aquatic
Entomology by W. Patrick McCafferty
Illustrated guide to aquatic insects and
their relatives.
Grades 6-12
How to
Know the Aquatic Insects by Dennis
Lehmkuhl
Provides a key to Aquatic Insect Orders and
Families, morphology of insects, and
use of aquatic insects as pollution
indicators.
Grades 6-12
Great
Lakes: An Environmental Atlas and Resource
Book by U.S. EPA
Outstanding compilation of information and
maps about the Great Lakes
Grades 5-12
Water
Quality Indicators Guide: Surface Water USDA
Examines agricultural related nonpoint
source pollution, how to identify
pollutants,
and recommends best management practices (BMPs)
to reduce or eliminate pollution
Grades 7-12
Classroom
Posters
Eat Or
Be Eaten At The Wetland Cafe
Perfect for laminating as a placemat, for a
daily reminder of food chains; EPA & TVA
Grades K-2
The
Water Cycle: Nature's Recycling System
USDA & Water Environment Federation
Grades 4-9
Where
Land Meets Water: Soil Erosion and
Sedimentation
Great Lakes Commission
http://www.glc.org/basin/pubs/wlmw.html
Grades 4-9
Great
Lakes Basin Map (and maps of each Great
Lake)
Michigan Sea Grant
http://www.miseagrant.umich.edu/store
Grades
6-12
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