The program strives to spark a life-long interest in science and a foundation for a career in a STEM discipline by exposing students to how scientists think and by giving students direct career-related experiences.
Rocks, water, and bugs
Students look through trays and find macroinvertabrates
Modeling nature
Students see how the slope of a bank affects the way water enters a creek and why too much water moving too fast creates erosion
Measuring stream discharge
By putting a ball in the water and timing how long it takes to get from one point to another, students can measure a stream's velocity
StreamSide Lessons
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Collection
HRWC volunteers collect materials from the stream. Students collect and sort insect larvae and other small creatures. Download the lesson plan here.
Benthic Macroinvertebrates Identification Also appropriate for classroom visits
Conductivity Also appropriate for classroom visits
Dissolved Oxygen Best for secondary students
pH Also appropriate for classroom visits
Stream Discharge
Stream Erosions Also appropriate for classroom visits
Stream Speed
Streams as Homes
Temperature
Virtual Streamside Activities
Here are 9 videos covering different water quality testing parameters. Each has supporting educational materials and student question pages. Note that different parameters are better suited for different ages and class topics.
Benthic Macroinvertebrate Video
BMIs are indicators of water quality health. Plus they move around a lot! BMI are interesting for all grade levels.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
PDF Poster of Taxa 1 (high quality water) BMI
PDF Poster of Taxa 2 (medium quality water) BMI
PDF Poster of Taxa 3 (low quality water) BMI
Here is the BMI Student Question Page
Conductivity Video
Conductivity, or the amount of ions (aka salts) in the water, are a great parameter for all grades, including later elementary.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
Here is the Conductivity Student Page
Dissolved Oxygen Video
DO is a key parameter for life in the river. DO is a fabulous area of study for high school students.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
PDF Poster of Dissolved Oxygen
Here is the Dissolved Oxygen Student Page
pH Video
pH is a great parameter for middle and high school students.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
Here is the pH Student Page
Stream Discharge Video
Students measure stream speed across a transect, then calculate discharge. Some students enter the stream. Best for secondary students.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
Here is the Stream Discharge Student Page
Stream Erosion Video
Erosion creates sediment and nutrient loading in our river. This parameter is great for all ages, and can be used to connect human land use with all the other parameters.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
Here is the Stream Erosion Student Page
Stream Speed Video
Stream speed is a fun parameter and can be utilized for middle school math too.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
Here is the Stream Speed Student Page
Stream Temperature Video
Stream temperature is an indicator of many factors and impacts dissolved oxygen. This parameter is good for all ages.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
PDF Poster of Stream Temperature
Here is the Stream Temperature Student Page
Turbidity Video
Turbidity, or the amount of stuff in the water, is a great parameter for all ages and connects erosion and land use to dissolved oxygen.
View the video in Arabic and Spanish.
Here is the Turbidity Student Page
The worksheet translations have been funded through the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy’s Nonpoint Source Program.
Data Analyzation Lessons
Water Detectives: Testing Creek Health
In this lesson, students compare data from 2 creeks in the Huron River watershed, analyzing 3 water quality parameters, turbidity (sediment in the water), dissolved oxygen and conductivity. Using a graphic organizer, students make a claim, cite evidence, and explain their reasoning about each parameter and ultimately the parameter’s impact on the health of the creek as well as the bugs in the creek. You can download the student question page here. A key may be obtained for the student page by contacting Jason Frenzel. Thanks to Sr. Rebecca Mierendorf, St. Francis Academy and Ann Novak, Greenhills School for their contributions to this project.
Creekshed Check: Model, Measure, and Make Your Claim!
This is an on-line 90 minute lesson in which students analyze data to compare the relative health of 2 creeksheds in SE Michigan. Individual or small group based, this lesson can be taught with up to a full class in 8 virtual breakout rooms.
Students are introduced to characteristics of a healthy local Michigan watershed. Groups (or individuals) create virtual diagrams to represent biotic and non-biotic relationships within the watershed. Then they compare the relative health of 2 creeksheds, using descriptions, data and graphs related to 1 of 8 water quality parameters. Using this information, students then make a claim about the creeksheds, cite their evidence and explain their reasoning. They build a slide to represent their claim. Students do a virtual “gallery walk” to view other’s slides. Students then modify their watershed models to reflect new understandings.
Teacher How To Instructions:
BEFORE YOU START
1. Each teacher should make 1 copy of the HRWC Health of Watershed Teacher Guide Slide Deck for all their classes.
2. The teacher must make a copy of all the 8 Student Slide Decks, for each class:
- Turbidity
- Temperature
- Stream erosion/ stream bank strength
- Speed
- Dissolved Oxygen
- Discharge
- Conductivity
- Aquatic insects
3. The teacher should also make a copy of the spreadsheet Breakout Rooms – Assigned Variables and Links to Student Slides, in which they will organize their breakout groups. *This is a total of 9 slide decks and 1 spreadsheet per classroom.
4. These copies can then be put on the learning management tool/teacher’s platform (Schoology, Google Classroom, etc.)
5. Once all files are loaded onto the teacher’s platform, the hyperlinks in the Breakout Rooms spreadsheet need to be updated to the teacher’s copies of the Student Slide Decks. A separate copy for each class should be made.
6. Make sure to give all students editing access to their Student Slide Deck.
WHILE YOU ARE TEACHING
Students learn about and compare the health of 2 creeks in their watershed. They observe data collected locally, as well as brief videos to learn about variables that affect creek and river health. They design a model of watershed ecology and make a claim, supported by evidence and their reasoning, about the relative healths of the creeks.
This can be used for block or traditional scheduling. Times are suggested. The organizing presentation slides “HRWC Health of the Watershed” contain slides to share with students as well as a teacher script in the “Notes” section. Additional slide decks support breakout sessions for student groups. 8 groups are supported, but fewer groups will also work.
The total instructional time for this unit is predicted to be about 90 minutes. This may vary with your classes.
Slide 1 – HRWC Health of the Watershed
Timing: 90 seconds to observe, 3 minutes to debrief
Students observe and compare photos of 2 creeks, Millers and Fleming.
Have students view pictures of Fleming Creek and Mallets Creek.
In the Zoom Chat students write at least one thing that they wonder or notice. They should not post = push return until the time finishes. This will allow students enough time to think through their understanding and not read other students’ work.
Share a few initial student thoughts about the apparent difference between the two creeks.
Ask: What information would you need to know in order to determine if the creek is healthy or not?
Slide 2 – What is a Healthy Watershed?
Timing: 5-8 minutes
Students read information on “What Makes a Healthy Watershed?”
Slide 3 – Map of the Watershed
Timing: 1 minute
Students use two white triangles to locate the creeks within the watershed.
The teacher can point out that the white triangles indicate where the two creeks are located in the watershed. The teacher can point out counties on the first map, and locate points of interest such as the hospital, school location, etc. on the creek maps.
Slide 4 – Maps of 2 creeks
Timing: 1 minute
Students observe the slide with Miller and Fleming creeks highlighted. Teacher might point out how the creeks feed into the river.
Slide 5 – Huron River Ecosystem
Timing: 3 minutes
Students read a brief summary of the Huron River ecosystem.
Slide 6 – Initial Model
Timing: 20 minutes
Students are assigned to Breakout groups. Use the Spreadsheet to assign variables.
This spreadsheet has your own groups and the new links you made to the resources for each variable.
Spreadsheet: Breakout Rooms – Assigned Variables and Links to Student Slides
Each group will have a unique link in the spreadsheet that will take them to a different slide to edit.
Variables: Turbidity, Temperature, Stream Erosion and Stream Bank Strength, Stream Speed, Dissolved Oxygen, Discharge, Conductivity, Aquatic Insects
In this portion of the lesson, students will only complete their model on slide 2 of their group’s Slide Deck.
The teacher may want to review the tools to build their models. Students can color code, add or subtract graphics to denote relationships.
(Back to initial/teacher’s slide deck)
Slide 7 – Photos of 2 creeks
Timing: 1 minute
Teacher explains that the breakout groups will be using data from these 2 creeks.
Photo is provided as a resource for group work.
Slide 8 – Model Revision
Timing: 30 minutes
Students will revise their initial models based on the new information.
Students will create a graphic organizer to show their claim, evidence and reasoning.
Group task is outlined:
1. Read information in slides, watch videos, and analyze the data.
2. Revise the initial model to reflect the new information.
3. Complete the graphic organizer ( Claim, Evidence, Reasoning)
4. Identify someone to report out to the whole group.
The teacher may want to model for the class how to use the resources for one variable.
Students complete their tasks as assigned in Slide 8 of the HRWC Health of Watershed Teacher Guide Deck.
Students work in their own group’s Slide Deck.
(Back to initial/teacher’s slide deck)
Slide 9 – Virtual Gallery Walk
Timing: 7 minutes
Groups will use the links on the Spreadsheet to view at least two other group’s Initial Model and Graphic Organizer slides.
Students are not to change another group’s slides, but should make comments in the presenter notes sections. Each group makes at least 1 comment in the presenter notes section.
Slide 10 – Model Revision
Timing: 5 minutes
Groups use comments to revise their Models on their own slide deck
Slide 11 – Creek Photos
Timing: 8 minutes
Groups share out how healthy they thought each creek was, in terms of the variable they examined.
Slide 12 – Watershed Service Opportunities
Timing: 1 minute
Teacher shares to point out ways students can give back to their communities. One example is the HRWC Fall and Spring River Round Up & Winter StoneFly Search.
Slide 13 – Individual Reflections
Timing 5 minutes
Individual Reflections. Use a Google form to collect students’ impressions of lessons.
This mini-unit was designed for high school students and can be used for remote teaching/learning. Jenni Wilkening, a teacher at Pioneer High School, Ann Arbor, MI designed it for use in her AP Biology and AP Environmental Science classes. She based it on the work of Ann Brokaw, Cleveland, Ohio. Additional resources and support came from the Huron River Watershed Council staff Jason Frenzel and HRWC volunteer Janet Kahan.
Standards
NGSS
HS-LS2-2. Use mathematical representations to support and revise explanations based on evidence about factors affecting biodiversity and populations in ecosystems of different scales.
HS-LS2-7. Design, evaluate, and refine a solution for reducing the impacts of human activities on the environment and biodiversity.*
AP Biology
Topic 8.7 Disruptions to Ecosystems: Describe human activities that lead to changes in ecosystem structure and or dynamics.
Use data to evaluate a hypothesis (or prediction) including rejecting or failing to reject the alternative hypothesis.
MORE INFO
For more information contact Jason Frenzel
School and Educator Water Quality Data Got data? Please share it!
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Full Database: Water Chemistry, Macroinvertebrates, Habitat
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