Groundwater

groundwater_large

Contents List

Activities:

Only a Drop to Drink On Earth
Water distribution on earth
Students demonstrate water distribution on Earth – the relative volumes of salt water and freshwater (surface vs. groundwater included) – and learn how very little is available for human use.

Porosity and Permeability of Soils
Porosity, permeability, water retention
Students learn about water movement through various soil and rock materials. Click here for the Worksheet.    Click here for Key.

Porous Pots
Porosity, permeability, capillary action
Students observe how water can be absorbed through a clay pot through capillary action, learning the characteristics of clay material that allows water to seep through.

Infiltrating the Soil
Infiltration, percolation
Students learn how different soil characteristics play important roles on how fast water can be absorbed  Click here for worksheet.  Click here for key.

Cemetery Consequences
Arsenic in groundwater, groundwater movement, land use interaction.
Students plot data to determine a source of arsenic contamination and determine possible actions for solving the problem

Discover the Source
Plume, groundwater contamination, groundwater movement
Students determine the origin of a toxic contaminant polluting the drinking water or a community by learning about groundwater movement.

Finding the Water Table and Hydraulic Gradient (Simulator activity)
Understand the concept of the groundwater table. Find the groundwater table on the simulator. Calculate the hydraulic gradient (slope of the groundwater table).

Where’s the Flow Going to Go? (Simulator activity)
Predict and observe the direction and path of groundwater flow from various locations on the simulator.

Where’s the Deeper Flow Going to Go? (Simulator activity)
Predict and observe the direction and path of groundwater flow from deeper locations on the simulator

Determining Groundwater Flow Velocity (Simulator activity)
Determine the groundwater flow velocity as groundwater moves through confined and unconfined aquifers. See if recharge affects groundwater flow velocity.

Demonstrating Drawdown (Simulator activity)
Demonstrate drawdown and understand the consequences of this action.

My Drinking Water Well Isn’t So Well (Simulator activity)
Determine the impact groundwater contamination will have on a drinking water well.

Protect the Stream with a Groundwater Remediation Plan (Simulator activity)
A summary activity in which a plan for groundwater remediation (clean-up) is determined in order to protect a local stream.

Groundwater Creek Geek Knowledgy
Students play a Creek Connections version of Jeopardy to review the main concepts/facts presented in the Groundwater Module. Click here to go to the on-line game.

Groundwater Presentation
Online presentation about groundwater

Water Cycle: Video Quiz
Students will watch a DVD explaining the basic principles of the water cycle, then answer questions from the video quiz. They will then complete a worksheet with key vocabulary words from the DVD, review the quiz answers with the class and engage in a class discussion on the importance of the water cycle.

TO USE THIS EQUIPMENT:
Step 1: Check Module Availability – Northwest PA

             Check Module Availability – Southwest PA

Step 2: Complete Our On-line Request Form