Lesson plan

Getting to Know Your Watershed

Students will investigate the watershed in which they live and compare it to other watersheds across the United States in order to understand the importance of watersheds and how they can be maintained.

Grades 6–8Grades 9–12Water Quality & Watersheds
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Overview

Students investigate the watershed where they live and compare it with watersheds elsewhere in the United States. A crumpled-paper rain simulation and a think-pair-share introduce what a watershed is. Students review sample ArcGIS StoryMaps, plan their own with a worksheet, then research a chosen watershed using ArcGIS with a USGS overlay, Google Earth Timelapse, USGS StreamStats, and Model My Watershed. They interview someone about their experience with watersheds and photograph a local site with a caption. Students publish a StoryMap, check it against a checklist, and read about the mentor's groundwater research. Timed phases are 15 minutes for engagement, 45 minutes for exploration, about 4 hours for explanation, and 45 minutes for elaboration.

Lesson Objectives

  • Investigate the watershed in which they live and compare watersheds around the United States! So that they can better understand the importance of watersheds and what they can do to maintain them. Students will know that they got it when they complete the Planning Your Watershed Story Map Worksheet and make an ArcGIS StoryMap using the ArcGIS Personal Watershed Story Checklist.

Standards

NGSS · 2

  • MS-LS2-1MS-LS21 Analyze and interpret data to provide evidence for the effects of resource availability on organisms and populations of organisms in an ecosystem.
  • HS-ESS3-1Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, the occurrence of natural hazards, and climate changes have influenced human activity.

CCSS Math · 2

  • 7.RP.A.2Recognize and represent proportional relationships between quantities.
  • MP4Model with mathematics.

CCSS ELA · 3

  • SL.11-12.1.aCome to discussions prepared, having read and researched material under study; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence from texts and other research on the topic or issue to stimulate a thoughtful, well-reasoned exchange of ideas.
  • RST.6-8.8Distinguish among facts, reasoned judgment based on research findings, and speculation in a text.
  • 2-DA-09Collect data using computational tools and transform the data to make it more useful and reliable.