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Introduction / Invitation | ExplorationExplanation | Taking Action | Conclusion
Introduction:
Watershed are important for all areas and all people. Watersheds affect drinking water supplies, streams, lakes, and rivers. Watersheds also affect how water flows over the surface of the land and if an area will possibly flood.
In order to understand our water supply, we need to know where our water comes from, how water moves through our watershed, and where the water goes when it leaves our watershed.
Invitation:
Objective: To map the watershed in your area and then learn where the water enters the watershed and where the water goes when it leaves the watershed.
Materials:
Computer with Internet access
Topographic map of your watershed area
Mylar sheets - tracing paper - clean plastic (such as a over
head sheet)
Dry erase markers and permanent markers
Go to the web sites listed below and find the maps and information for the watershed in your area. Take a moment to look at watersheds in other areas to compare them to your watershed.
For watershed
areas in Russia:
1. Baltic area
watersheds and maps
2. Examine different
aspects of environmental factors for watersheds in the
Baltic region
For watershed
areas in the United States:
1. US Environmental
Protection Agency water maps
2. United
States Geologic Survey state watershed maps
Discuss the information in your groups, your class, or with your friends and teachers. Click here to use the Group e-mail.
Post the information from your survey on the Watershed
Bulletin Board. Be creative and be sure to tell us what
you learned from mapping your watershed.
Use the maps you have found and clear overlay sheets to map the watershed in your area.
Use the worksheet handout titled, "Mapping your watershed" from page 6 of the book, "Give water a hand".
Describe the water sources in your watershed and post your findings on the Watershed Bulletin Board.
Explanation:
Watersheds are important to everyone all around the world. The maps you have made show the watersheds in your area and probable areas of other watersheds which surround your watershed.
As you look at the map you have made can you explain how
your watershed works?
1. How does the water move through your watershed?
2. What are the names of the streams and rivers that carry
the water through your watershed?
3. What is the land area like in your watershed? Where will
the water flow?
4. Does this land have plants growing? What types of plants
and how do they help the watershed?
5. What types of human structures are on the land in your
watershed? How might they affect the water and its
movement of the water in your
watershed?
Post your ideas, presentations, pictures, or other
information on the Watershed
Bulletin Board!
Click here to
use the Group e-mail.
Further investigate the possible areas of pollution and harm for the areas in your watershed.
Note these areas on your maps. Explain what the problems
are and how they will affect the water and the
watershed.
Click here use
the Group e-mail?
Conclusion:
You have seen the sources and flow of water through your watershed. You have also learned how watersheds function and how humans affect these watersheds. Do you feel your watershed needs to be studied further? If so why?
What can you do to monitor these areas to learn how they affect the watershed?
Post the ideas you believe are important about your watershed and post these on the Watershed Bulletin Board!