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An Introduction to Water Quality and Pollution
In this section, students are introduced to the concept of water quality and what it means for humans. They will think about water that they draw from a tap and what constitutes water pollution. Not all pollutants have taste, smell or odor. Many of the Hudson's most pervasive pollutants such as PCB's are impossible to detect without sophisticated instruments, yet they can cause serious problems for humans.
Lesson 1- Water Quality Introduction
In this lesson students will be introduced to the different meanings of the term 'Water Quality'. Students will understand that different aspects of water quality are important depending on whether one wants to drink water, swim in it, or consume organisms living in it. Start this lesson with the Power Point presentation, which will introduce students to the different measurements scientists use to determine the quality of a water sample. Then, students use chemical test kits to become familiar with water testing procedures.
Lesson 2- Is Our Water Healthy?
Over the course of several weeks (or months, depending on your schedule), students will test water quality parameters at their local stream, pond, lake, or the Hudson River. An interesting version of this is to test the water in various parts of the watershed, or to measure changes during the seasons. You can have students compare data with other schools by using our website or the Snapshot Day data website.
Lesson 3- Importance of Soils
By designing a water filter made from soils and researching water filter types in different parts of the world, students learn about the importance of soil for water quality.
Lesson 4- Permeability of Soils
Students experiment with different substrates to learn how permeability changes with soil type, and the impact of permeability on groundwater recharge and water quality.
Lesson 5: School Water Budget
Students experiment with different types of soil to investigate how soils can act as a water filter. Students then conduct a schoolyard water survey, examining how much of the schoolyard is permeable vs. impermeable. Finally, students conduct a water use survey of their school, and discuss ways of making their school more 'green.'
Lesson 6- Land Use & Water Quality
This lesson requires at least one field trip to two different aquatic ecosystems which drain watersheds comprised of different land use types. Students prepare in the classroom, determining which variables to study, and then compile and share results with their classmates. Students also use data from a study done in Baltimore to examine the way nitrogen retention changes based on land use.
Lesson 7- Bottled vs. Tap Water
In this lesson, students perform a blind 'taste test' of bottled and tap water to increase awareness about their own water source. For example, New York City water comes from the Catskill and Croton reservoirs, while other cities use the Hudson River, and still others use aquifers or well water. Students will have an opportunity to think about water, where it comes from and what it goes through to get to people. Students will also be asked to compare the quality of their municipal water with bottled water. Water quality reports are provided for Kingston, Poughkeepsie, and New York City.
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