Contents List
ACTIVITIES
(in the order that they appear in the folder)
- My Stream’s Temperatures
– temperature is tested at a variety of places within a field site - Temperature: Air vs. Water vs. More Water
– air vs. water temperature and how the volume of water affects temperature - pH People
– activity illustrating pH concept with people as atoms
- pH Test #1 – Scaling Common Liquids
– make a pH scale by testing the pH of some common substances - pH Test #2 – Manipulating the pH of a Liquid
– use household substances to create an acidic solution and then change it back to its
original pH - pH Test #3 – Rain vs. Surface Water
– measure the pH of the rain in your area to determine if it is acidic; compare the rain
pH to that of a local body of water - pH Test #4 – Acidic Snow Melt
– use ice cubes to simulate acid snow and determine what happens when it melts - pH Test #5 – pH Affects Living Things
– grow seeds and water some with acidic water to determine its effects on life
File – How pH affects living things. - Acid Buffering Capacity
– an experiment illustrating acid buffering - Plants, Fish and pH
– illustrates how pH is affected by respiration and photosynthesis - Parts Per Million
– ppm (parts per million) concept illustrated
Click here for sheet of 1,000
Click here for sheet of 50,000 - Nutrients: Nutrition or Nuisance
– a game of musical chairs that shows how phosphorus and nitrogen move through a system - Nitrates in Our Water
– measure nitrate levels from different places - A Soily N and P
– activity that covers soil erosion and how it clouds water and adds nutrients - Turbid Vision
– an activity illustrating what it is like to be in turbid surroundings
Make your very own set of glasses by printing out this file on card stock and adding yellow cellophane! - Measuring Turbidity with Filters
– measure turbidity - Hardness Comparisons
– test water for differences in hardness to better understand regional geology - Water Chemistry Bingo
– review basic water chemical parameters. Click here for Bingo Answer Key. Click her for example Bingo Board. Click here for Bingo Cards.
Module Resource Guide Information Sections
- General Sampling Information – Instructions on how to collect water samples, what equipment is needed, how to distribute jobs to various students, what tests can be done in the field, which in a laboratory, safety information, and scientific protocols.
- Data Sheets – Easy to use data sheets specific for the chemical kits in the modules.
- Instruction Sheets – Clear instructions are enclosed for each piece of equipment found in the watershed activity module (from the bailer to the test kits). If used, testing results have a better chance of being accurate.
- Information Sheets – For each chemical parameter that can be tested using module equipment, a background information sheet can be found about it. Great to use as student preparation or for research background.
- Fact Sheets – In outline form and more visual than the information sheets, these highlight key concepts for each of the chemical parameters. Great to use with the test kits – have students read them over during breaks in the test kit procedures. Great for handouts in the classroom or visual aids.
- Articles of Interest – About water parameters or chemical testing of waterways in general.
- Data Analysis Information – For teachers that want their students to graph, interpret, analyze data, this section is helpful. It outlines parameter relationships and the effects on water quality that can be investigated.
- General Activity Information – A list of module activities and an explanation of the activity format (layout).
- Activities – Specific to the water chemistry theme, these are activities that can be used in the classroom and/or field. Some address specific water parameters, some are more general.
- Bibliography – Sources from which module information was obtained. Resources that you can find for further investigations.
Water Chemistry Websites
To Use This Equipment
Step 1
- Check Module Availability – Northwest PA
- Check Module Availability – Southwest PA