Embedded Files
Class Discussion:
Where does the water from rain go during or after a storm?
Rainwater will flow off roads and buildings into a stream or it will soak into the ground
Water from springs, streams, wetlands, lakes, etc. will form into rivers. Where do rivers end?
Rivers may grow or change names-- but all of the water will eventually end up in an ocean
What is the river that runs through our wetlands?
The Oconee River
The Oconee River joins the Altamaha River in Southern Georgia before the water gets to the Atlantic Ocean. What would happen if we threw trash in the Oconee River?
It could end up in the Atlantic Ocean
The above image shows how a river and many streams all flow to the ocean
Class Activity: My Watershed
(could also be done as a Demonstration)
Materials: printer paper, markers, squirt bottle with water
- Hand each student or pair of students a blank piece of printer paper
- Explain that the paper will be a map of their state
- Students will use 1-2 different colors to draw lines or small houses to create cities or towns on their paper
- Without ripping the paper, students will need to crumple up their map into a loose or larger paper ball (avoid flattening/squeezing paper- trying to create ridges)
- Students will carefully un-crumple the paper balls just a bit, without smoothing out the paper-- the crumples will now be mountains in their state
- The Instructor will then spray each state with water from a spray bottle to represent rain in the state (be sure to aim for areas where the cities are)
- Water from the 'rain' will flow and pool in certain areas to show how a watershed gathers and moves water
- Activity Conclusion:
- The water in every state will look different! Some pages will be more flat, like the plains in the United States; other may be very hilly or mountainous
- Why did some marker color from the cities fade into the watershed?
- If people in towns and cities pollute (ex. throwing trash or dumping oil), it will leak into the watershed
- Smaller cities may cause less pollution than larger ones
Class Discussion:
Where does the water from rain go during or after a storm?
Rainwater will flow off roads and buildings into a stream or it will soak into the ground
Water from springs, streams, wetlands, lakes, etc. will form into rivers. Where do rivers end?
Rivers may grow or change names-- but all of the water will eventually end up in an ocean
What is the river that runs through our wetlands?
The Oconee River
The Oconee River joins the Altamaha River in Southern Georgia before the water gets to the Atlantic Ocean. What would happen if we threw trash in the Oconee River?
It could become caught in any of the streams, lakes, riverbanks, or wetlands where the Oconee River flows. It could also end up all the way in the Atlantic Ocean!
What are things that could cause water pollution?
There are many things that can cause water pollution:
- Throwing trash or littering
- Leaking chemicals such as oil, gasoline, or yard chemicals
- Leaking sewage or pet waste
- Too much dirt loosened from construction
- Too much fertilizer from farms
- Other chemicals or waste from factories or industry
The above image shows how a river and many streams all flow to the ocean
Class Activity: My Watershed
(could also be done as a Demonstration)
Materials: printer paper, markers, squirt bottle with water
- Hand each student or pair of students a blank piece of printer paper
- Explain that the paper will be a map of their state
- Students will use 1-2 different colors to draw lines or small houses to create cities or towns on their paper
- Without ripping the paper, students will need to crumple up their map into a loose or larger paper ball (avoid flattening/squeezing paper- trying to create ridges)
- Students will carefully un-crumple the paper balls just a bit, without smoothing out the paper-- the crumples will now be mountains in their state
- The Instructor will then spray each state with water from a spray bottle to represent rain in the state (be sure to aim for areas where the cities are)
- Water from the 'rain' will flow and pool in certain areas to show how a watershed gathers and moves water
- Activity Conclusion:
- The water in every state will look different! Some pages will be more flat, like the plains in the United States; other may be very hilly or mountainous
- Why did some marker color from the cities fade into the watershed?
- If people in towns and cities pollute (ex. throwing trash or dumping oil), it will leak into the watershed
- Smaller cities may cause less pollution than larger ones
- Have you ever noticed anything that may cause water pollution?
Class Discussion:
Where does stormwater flow after a rainstorm?
Stormwater will flow off roads and buildings into storm drains, which often lead directly to streams or rivers. Some stormwater will soak into the ground.
What term is used to describe water that runs along the ground towards a larger body of water?
Runoff or Stormwater Runoff is the water that flows over the ground surface
The Oconee River joins the Altamaha River in Southern Georgia before the water gets to the Atlantic Ocean. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water flows toward one area.
We all live in a watershed. Which watershed do you think we live in?
Hint: Which river runs through the wetlands?
The Upper Oconee Watershed
What would happen if we threw trash in the Oconee River?
It could become caught in any of the streams, lakes, riverbanks, or wetlands where the Oconee River flows. It could also end up in the Atlantic Ocean!
What are things that could cause water pollution?
There are many things that can cause water pollution:
- Throwing trash or littering
- Leaking chemicals such as oil, gasoline, or yard chemicals
- Leaking sewage or pet waste
- Too much dirt loosened from construction
- Too much fertilizer from farms
- Other chemicals or waste from factories or industry
Class Activity: Water Words
Adapted from Project WILD: Aquatic WILD
Materials: writing materials, small whiteboard and marker, river copy pages (https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B0OI2sM2sfzjQ1hTNGVTWGd5Qms)
- Ask students to think about ways that they have used water today; ideas may include drinking water, showering, washing hands, flushing a toilet, etc.
- What are other ways that people use water that are not as obvious as using plumbing?
- To wash clothes, to water plants and animals that we eat, to water plants in our yard, for pets to drink, etc.
- What are other ways that people use water that are not as obvious as using plumbing?
- Ask students to think of as many words that have something to do with water as possible!
- Students can write their words on blank paper, or the instructor can record words on a small whiteboard
- Think of words that describe water or how it is important to people and wildlife
- Use the small whiteboard to create Word Trees using words they have written (see example below)
- After creating several word trees, have students look at them and create definitions of water in their own words, or poetic definitions
- Have students record their definitions of water on the river copy pages, which can be arranged by numerical order to form a river (two of same number stand face to face)
Class Discussion:
What term describes water that flows across the Earth's surface after a storm or other precipitation event (snow, ice storm, etc.)?
Stormwater is water that flows off roads and buildings into storm drains, which often lead directly to streams, rivers, lakes, etc. Some stormwater will soak into the ground.
When stormwater runs along the ground towards a larger body of water, it may pick up various pollutants and pull them into a body of water, creating stormwater runoff.
Stormwater runoff is the #1 cause of stream impairment in urban areas.
What are things that could contribute to water pollution as part of stormwater runoff?
There are many things that can cause water pollution:
- Throwing trash or litter
- Leaking chemicals such as oil, gasoline, or other common household chemicals (paint, car wash soap, cleaners, etc.)
- Leaking sewage pipes or septic tanks
- Pet waste-- not picking up after dogs
- Construction areas loosening dirt
- Farms or households using too much fertilizer or pesticides
- Other chemicals or waste from factories or industry
All of this pollution is pushed into our watershed due to stormwater runoff. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water flows in one direction, toward a larger body of water.
The direction that water travels in a watershed is based on the topography, or how the land is shaped in regards to features and elevation. The topography of the land shapes the watershed.
We all live in a watershed. Which watershed do you think we live in?
Hint: Which river runs through the wetlands?
The Upper Oconee Watershed
What would happen if we caused pollution in the Oconee River?
It could become caught in any of the streams, lakes, riverbanks, or wetlands where the Oconee River flows. It could also end up in the Atlantic Ocean!
The Oconee River joins the Altamaha River in Southern Georgia before the water moves to the Atlantic Ocean. Not all watersheds in Georgia lead to the Atlantic Ocean-- notice the direction of each watershed in the image below:
In this Georgia Watersheds map, the arrows show the general direction that water will flow in the state of Georgia. Watersheds in the eastern part of the state will flow towards Georgia's Barrier Islands and the Atlantic Ocean.
Towards which body of water will water on the western side of the state flow?
Water from these watersheds may flow into neighboring Alabama and Florida before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.
Class Activity: Watershed Post
Materials: writing utensils, colored pencils or markers, postcard printouts (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1fDYX5aF7caxBO2-qxiy_XxhZoX4EMkI84FisM6EzddI)
- For this activity, students will write a postcard to a watershed polluter explaining how watershed pollution can affect waterways in the entire state
- For example, a student could write to a farmer who may have used too much fertilizer or to a neighbor who cleans paint brushes with a hose outside
- Students could also write their postcard as a Public Service Announcement for a school, business, neighborhood, community group, etc.
- Students may design the front of the postcard to relate to the pollution topic they are addressing in their postcard
Class Discussion:
What term describes water that flows across the Earth's surface after a storm or other precipitation event (snow, ice storm, etc.)?
Stormwater is water that flows off impermeable surfaces, which are surfaces such as roads and buildings that can not absorb water. The water flows quickly into storm drains, which often lead directly to streams, rivers, lakes, etc. When the storm drain system is overwhelmed, flooding occurs. Some stormwater will soak into the ground.
What phrase describes the ability of stormwater to pick up and carry pollutants as it travels or runs along the ground?
Stormwater runoff describes the process where stormwater picks up various pollutants after a rain event and pushes/pulls the pollutants into a body of water.
Stormwater runoff is the #1 cause of stream impairment in urban areas.
What are things that could contribute to water pollution as part of stormwater runoff?
- Throwing trash or litter
- Leaking chemicals such as oil, gasoline, or other common household chemicals (paint, car wash soap, cleaners, etc.)
- Leaking sewage pipes or septic tanks
- Pet waste-- not picking up after dogs
- Construction areas loosening dirt
- Farms or households using too much fertilizer or pesticides
- Other chemicals or waste from factories or industry
All of this pollution is pushed into our watershed due to stormwater runoff. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water flows in one direction, toward a larger body of water.
The direction that water travels in a watershed is based on the topography, or how the land is shaped in regards to features and elevation. The topography of the land shapes the watershed.
We all live in a watershed. Which watershed do you think we live in?
Hint: Which river runs through the wetlands?
The Upper Oconee Watershed
The Oconee River joins the Altamaha River in Southern Georgia before the water moves to the Atlantic Ocean. Not all watersheds in Georgia lead to the Atlantic Ocean-- notice the direction of each watershed in the image below:
In this Georgia Watersheds map, the arrows show the general direction that water will flow in the state of Georgia based on topography. Watersheds in the eastern part of the state will flow towards Georgia's Barrier Islands and the Atlantic Ocean.
Water on the western side of the state flow towards which body of water?
Water from these watersheds may flow into neighboring Alabama and Florida before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.
How does stormwater control in the watershed relate to climate change?
Increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns such as drought conditions, and extreme weather events all affect our watershed. Stormwater management decisions can directly address these changes to counteract effects of climate change.
A recent example-- flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston may be partly attributed to urban sprawl (increasing the amount of impermeable surfaces in the city), and out-of-date stormwater control. See the following 3-minute video for more information:
Class Activity: Impacts of Stormwater Pollution
Materials: Water chemistry testing kits, group instruction sheets (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T3210wCe2pO-2uD4qrVNRxvRd_t-gqIIXgmdRv-Rthg) , class data sheet (https://drive.google.com/openid=1pOq9zybZ2kDnwBquZxDY7Sv4VnmDOSm5oIxwa33c3t8)
- For this activity, students will test water quality at the wetlands by collecting physical and chemical information with Water Quality Monitoring Kits
- Split students into groups of 2-3 and assign one water quality parameter to each group-- parameters include:
- 1. coliform bacteria
- 2. temperature
- 3. turbidity
- 4. dissolved oxygen
- 5. biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
- 6. nitrate
- 7. pH
- 8. phosphate
- Each group will receive the pieces of the test kit and instructions relating to completing their specific test/task
- Optional: Back at the classroom, groups will research the normal ranges and toxic levels to better understand the results
- Students will also record observations about weather, recent rain events, etc. on the Class Data Sheet
- Data from each group will be recorded into the Class Data Sheet to display a snapshot of the wetlands water quality
- Optional: Borrow the Water Quality test kit to test a different source of water for comparison-- possibly rainwater from a puddle, water from a nearby lake or pond, etc.
- Wrap-up
- What conclusions can be made about the overall water quality at the wetlands?
- Each group should share information about their specific test:
- What information does this test give us?
- Did the water sample meet the 'healthy' range?
- If specific parameters were not met (water was at unhealthy levels), what could be potential causes? **Students can refer back to original instruction sheets
Class Discussion:
What term describes water that flows across the Earth's surface after a storm or other precipitation event (snow, ice storm, etc.)?
Stormwater is water that flows off impermeable surfaces, which are surfaces such as roads and buildings that can not absorb water. The water flows quickly into storm drains, which often lead directly to streams, rivers, lakes, etc. When the storm drain system is overwhelmed, flooding occurs. Some stormwater will soak into the ground.
What phrase describes the ability of stormwater to pick up and carry pollutants as it travels or runs along the ground?
Stormwater runoff describes the process where stormwater picks up various pollutants after a rain event and pushes/pulls the pollutants into a body of water.
Stormwater runoff is the #1 cause of stream impairment in urban areas.
What are things that could contribute to water pollution as part of stormwater runoff?
- Throwing trash or litter
- Leaking chemicals such as oil, gasoline, or other common household chemicals (paint, car wash soap, cleaners, etc.)
- Leaking sewage pipes or septic tanks
- Pet waste-- not picking up after dogs
- Construction areas loosening dirt
- Farms or households using too much fertilizer or pesticides
- Other chemicals or waste from factories or industry
All of this pollution is pushed into our watershed due to stormwater runoff. A watershed is an area of land where all of the water flows in one direction, toward a larger body of water.
The direction that water travels in a watershed is based on the topography, or how the land is shaped in regards to features and elevation. The topography of the land shapes the watershed.
We all live in a watershed. Which watershed do you think we live in?
Hint: Which river runs through the wetlands?
The Upper Oconee Watershed
The Oconee River joins the Altamaha River in Southern Georgia before the water moves to the Atlantic Ocean. Not all watersheds in Georgia lead to the Atlantic Ocean-- notice the direction of each watershed in the image below:
In this Georgia Watersheds map, the arrows show the general direction that water will flow in the state of Georgia based on topography. Watersheds in the eastern part of the state will flow towards Georgia's Barrier Islands and the Atlantic Ocean.
Water on the western side of the state flow towards which body of water?
Water from these watersheds may flow into neighboring Alabama and Florida before reaching the Gulf of Mexico.
How does stormwater control in the watershed relate to climate change?
Increasing temperatures, changing precipitation patterns such as drought conditions, and extreme weather events all affect our watershed. Stormwater management decisions can directly address these changes to counteract effects of climate change.
A recent example-- flooding due to Hurricane Harvey in Houston may be partly attributed to urban sprawl (increasing the amount of impermeable surfaces in the city), and out-of-date stormwater control. See the following 3-minute video for more information:
Class Activity: Impacts of Stormwater Pollution
Materials: Water chemistry testing kits, group instruction sheets (https://drive.google.com/open?id=1T3210wCe2pO-2uD4qrVNRxvRd_t-gqIIXgmdRv-Rthg) , class data sheet (https://drive.google.com/openid=1pOq9zybZ2kDnwBquZxDY7Sv4VnmDOSm5oIxwa33c3t8)
- For this activity, students will test water quality at the wetlands by collecting physical and chemical information with Water Quality Monitoring Kits
- Split students into groups of 2-3 and assign one water quality parameter to each group-- parameters include:
- 1. coliform bacteria
- 2. temperature
- 3. turbidity
- 4. dissolved oxygen
- 5. biochemical oxygen demand (BOD)
- 6. nitrate
- 7. pH
- 8. phosphate
- Each group will receive the pieces of the test kit and instructions relating to completing their specific test/task
- Optional: Back at the classroom, groups will research the normal ranges and toxic levels to better understand the results
- Students will also record observations about weather, recent rain events, etc. on the Class Data Sheet
- Data from each group will be recorded into the Class Data Sheet to display a snapshot of the wetlands water quality
- Optional: Borrow the Water Quality test kit to test a different source of water for comparison-- possibly rainwater from a puddle, water from a nearby lake or pond, etc.
- Wrap-up
- What conclusions can be made about the overall water quality at the wetlands?
- Each group should share information about their specific test:
- What information does this test give us?
- Did the water sample meet the 'healthy' range?
- If specific parameters were not met (water was at unhealthy levels), what could be potential causes? **Students can refer back to original instruction sheets
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