PART A: LOCAL ISSUES

Activity Objective: Students will learn that the data they  have gathered is limited, but may indicate potential problems. They will learn that they need assistance from the community in order to begin to address this  problem.

Estuary-Net Outcome Connections:

High schools will form a partnership with their local officials, state Coastal Zone Management programs, and National Estuarine Research Reserves  to work collaboratively in problems with problems in estuaries and watersheds.

Students will learn how to play a meaningful role in solving local water quality problems.

Students will be able to use the scientific process to test a  hypothesis and will understand how science and the process of science contributes to decision-making.

Assessment: This entire activity is an assessment of all of the information learned through the previous activities. Students are assessed in a number of ways: they brainstorm; they work collaboratively to report about  an upland influence on the estuary; telecommunicate their findings; and they create a presentation of their findings for an audience of local officials and  other invited guests. Judgements about the reports and presentations should be  made using the criteria set at the beginning of the project and any adjustments  that have been made to that criteria since that time.

Time Needed: 1-2 class periods.

Materials: Data and reports from previous  activities.

Procedure:

1. Students will be divided into teams of three or four to create a report on the influences that affect the abiotic factors that in turn are influencing the  fish identified in Activity 2B.
2. Ask each team to select a different abiotic factor (ex. pH, DO, salinity,  turbidity, temperature, depth) on which to report.
3. Each team report should include:
1. how the abiotic factor affects the fish;
2. how upland influences affect the abiotic factor and in turn the fish;
3. what further information is needed to determine what influences exist in the watershed;
4. what potential watershed problem they would like to study;
5. what parameters must be monitored to find a potential solution to this problem.
4. Reports from each team should be merged into one report and posted to the  listserve.
5. Review other reports when they become available. Discuss and compare reports.Students should then come to a regional consensus on the potential watershed problem to be studied and the parameters to be monitored.
6. Not all communities or regions may have a water quality problem present. Identify reasons for monitoring the watershed anyway. Discuss who would benefit  from the data collected in this effort. (Data collection contributes to understanding the ecosystem and data collection contributes to the analysis of long term trends.)

PART B: CONCLUSIONS AND QUESTIONS

Activity Objective: Students will learn that through a  carefully thought out educational activity they can receive the community  support needed to continue working on their watershed problem.

Estuary-Net Outcome Connections:

High schools will form a partnership with their local officials, state Coastal Zone Management programs and National Estuarine Research Reserves to work collaboratively in solving non-point source pollution problems in  estuaries and watersheds.

Students will understand their connection to and the importance of estuaries and the impact upland activities have on these systems.

Assessment: Students' understanding of water quality  variables, their impact on estuaries and the importance they place on building  partnerships can be assessed by observing the presentation they create for the community.

Time Needed: 1 class period, plus homework and presentation.

Materials: All unit materials.

Procedure:

1. Students and teacher will discuss ways that they might share what they have  learned with the community and/or a team teacher's classroom. Discuss which community organizations and/or individuals should be contracted.
• Suggestions:
• Display
• Presentation- poster, video or slide show
• Skit
• Song
• Report
2. Students may work in groups or as a class. More than one method of sharing  information may be used.
3. Each creation should include an analysis of the data collected, procedures used, and research done. Data from the "Hello" activity may be used and any  other data collected in Activity Two or Three. Include, if possible, the  research reports completed and any demonstrations the students developed. There should be an emphasis on conclusions reached and questions raised.
4. If continuing on to Level II, it will be very important to form a close  relationship with a community organization for support in your efforts. Discuss  this with your students prior to their presentation so they can strategize a way to work with the community.

Continue on to the sample of LEVEL II Activity 1  - Understand Your Watershed

Return to Level 1