Independent Site Visits 10th Grade:

 

POCONO ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER

STREAM STUDIES

GRADE LEVEL:   10TH GRADE

LEARNING STANDARD:

Students will understand and apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of ideas in science.

TIME REQUIREMENTS: This lesson will approximately take 40 minutes preparation time and  about forty minutes class time.

TOPICS COVERED BY THIS LESSON:  Stream studies 

PRE-VISIT LESSON:

            Purpose:  The purpose of this trip is to collect data from upper stream, middle stream, and lower stream.

            Objectives: 

1.    The week before the trip students should practice using kits and other equipment to make sure they can collect data properly.

2.    The teacher at this point should break down the class into groups and assign different tests for each member of each group.  This is to ensure that all the tests are done and comparisons could be done with data to ensure consistency of results.

3.     Students will collect the following data at three different  points on the stream for:

1. dissolved  oxygen

2.    CO2

3.    pH

4.    Nitrates

5.    Phosphates

6.     Total Hardness

7.    silica

8.    measuring the transect

9.    making topographical map

10.  plankton count

11. invertebrate study

12. slope of stream

13. velocity of the stream

14. temperature of water

15. temperature of air

Materials:

1.    Pencil and pen

2.    Notebook for data collection

3.    Chemical tests (LaMotte water test kits)

4.    Plankton net

5.    Rope

6.    Meter sticks

VISIT:

1.    Up to this point students should have a command of equipment needed for this trip

2.    The instructor should establish the places along the stream where groups will stop for data collection.

POST VISIT:

1.    The next day all the data will be collected on charts and comparisons will be made.

2.    The raw data will then be graphed to show relationships between abiotic and biotic factors.

3.    Students will be required to complete a formal typed laboratory report.

QUESTIONS:

1.    What similarities and variations are found among the upstream, midstream, and downstream abiotic factors?

2.    What effects do the biotic factors have upon the biotic inhabitants?

3.    What does the topography of this area have to do with the physical character of the stream and surrounding area?

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