Testing the
Waters
In this web-based module, American and Russian students will use the resources of the Internet and projects completed locally to find out about the quality of the water in a stream, pond or lake. In the module you will monitor water by performing several chemical tests and collect invertebrate animals to determine the quality of the water. You will also visit interesting sites on the Web, and use the project bulletin board and chat room to discuss your findings with each other.
Note: Lesson 5 of this module is designed is help students summarize and make conclusions about what they learned in the module. In the lesson they will work in teams to study the results of each of the previous four lessons. They will create posters summarizing their work. They also should begin thinking about what social responsible action they might take to help preserve the rivers, ponds and lakes in their region.
March 20 -May 16, 2000
Dates Activities Web Reminders Weeks 1 & 2: March 20 -
March 31 Particpate in the Web activities
in lesson 1 as an introduction to water quality and
stream monitoring. Students should post ideas about
water pollution based on questions posed in the
activity. Weeks 3 & 4: April 3 - April 14 In Lesson 2 students begin the
monitoring process of the body of water they will
study, as well as the water from the tap. In this
lesson they will monitor the water using four
chemical tests: chlorine, iron, sulfide, and
dissolved oxygen. Post your finding on the project
Bulletin
Board. Chat
# 1 on April 11 (9:00
A.M. Walker County Time) Week 5 April 17 - April 21 In lesson 3, students continue
the monitoring process and test the water for: pH,
temperature, phosphates, and nitrates. Post your finding on the project
Bulletin
Board. Weeks 6 & 7 April 24 - May 5 In lesson 4, students are
involved in biomonitoring---collecting and
categorizing macroinvertebrates from the water
source they are studying. You will need to build
either a kicknet, a small seine, or a
kicknet. Post your results from your
biomonitoring on the project Bulletin
Board. Chat
# 2 on April 25 (9:00
A.M. Walker County Time) Weeks 8 May 8 -16 In lesson 5, students will
summarize, draw conclusions, and take a socially
responsible action based on their
research. Try and arrange a chat with some
other schools in the project based on your posters
and conclusions. Chat
# 3 on May 9 (9:00 A.M.
Walker County Time) Video Conference at 9:00
A.M.