How can you find out what is the water quality of this stream?
Project River Watch is an environmental science action project engaging students in monitoring a local river, stream or other body of water.
Goal: Students visit a river or another body of water and learn a variety of methods for investigating the river.They collect data on the physical and chemical characteristics of the river, discuss their results, and share them over the Web by using a post data form on the Project website.
Overview: Project River Watch is an environmental science action project engaging students in monitoring a local river, stream or other body of water. In this activity students visit a river and describe its quality using quantitative and qualitative methods, with an emphasis on using their senses.Students develop a quality profile of their river and share their results at the Project River Watch website: http://science-as-inquiry.org/water/
Materials: Dissolved oxygen test kits (from Chemetrics), pH paper, meter stick, stop watch, thermometer, rubber boots, gloves, safety goggles, collection devices (jars, pails), pencil, paper, crayons, smart phone (for digital images and movies).
Note: Visit the site ahead of time to determine the best way to access the stream and if it can handle all of your students.Go to the project website, and download the forms that you will find there for students to collect data.
