Water Field Study Curriculum Outline
MESD Outdoor School > For Teachers > Water Field Study Curriculum Outline

See also: Outdoor School Curriculum
Field Study Curriculum Outline: Animals • Plants •  Soil • Water
​Field Study Tour: Animals • Plants • Soil • Water 
Next Generation Science Standards: Animals • Plants • Soil • Water

Theme: COMPLEXITY
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Course Concept: ​WATER CYCLE 
​There is a cycle of water movement through the atmosphere to the land and the oceans, back to the atmosphere.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will identify the parts of the water cycle.
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Course Concept: ​STREAM MORPHOLOGY 
​Water acts as a transporting agent, changing topographical characteristics through erosion.
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Standards: 
  • The student will describe the effects the movement of sediment in a stream has on the shape of the stream.
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Course Concept: ​BIODIVERSITY 
​Ecosystems containing a greater variety of species are less susceptible to change.
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Standards: 
  • The student will safely collect, examine, and identify a variety of aquatic animals. 
  • The student will use a microscope to examine and identify microscopic aquatic life.
  • The student will explain the life cycle of local anadromous fish and describe the factors that inhibit or enhance that life cycle.
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Theme: ECOSYSTEMS
Course Concept: ​WATERSHED 
​A watershed is an area of land from which water drains to a common point, supplying lakes, streams, and gravitational water.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will delineate a watershed on a map or model. 
  • ​The student will assess how human interactions affect watersheds. ​​
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Course Concept: ​HABITAT 
​Water is a habitat for both plant and animal life.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will explain the flow of energy and cycling of nutrients through the trophic levels of a habitat. 
  • The student will identify the location, behavior and niche of aquatic animals and plants. 
  • The student will identify the location, behavior and niche of microscopic aquatic animals and plants. 
  • The student will use water quality to determine the suitability of a given habitat for plants and animals.
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Course Concept: ​LIMITING FACTOR 
​The amount of water in an ecosystem limits the growth of an ecosystem.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will discuss reasons for measuring stream flow.
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Theme: IMPORTANCE
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Course Concept: ​NATURAL RESOURCES 
​Water has many uses other than sustaining life.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will list and describe three different ways that humans use water.
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Course Concept: ​ENERGY 
​Falling water has energy that can be used to produce electricity.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will explain the production of hydroelectric power.
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Course Concept: ​HUMAN DEPENDENCE 
​Humans are dependent on the quality and quantity of usable water.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will recognize their relationship with and dependence upon water and identify three ways they can conserve water.
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Course Concept: ​WATER QUALITY 
​Many factors affect the purity and condition of a body of water.
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Standards: 
  • The student will identify at least three factors that affect water quality. 
  • The student will identify aquatic animals and plants and use them as an indicator of water quality. 
  • The student will identify microscopic aquatic animals and plants and use them as an indicator of water quality.
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Course Concept: ​CAREERS 
​The study of water offers a wide range of career opportunities.​
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Standards: 
  • The student will perform tasks that fisheries biologists, stream ecologists, and hydrologists perform.
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Water Field Study Activities 
The following activities are typical of a day on Water Field Study at Outdoor School. Actual activities will vary by site and season. 

Dissolved Oxygen / Temperature: Students test the temperature and dissolved oxygen level of a body of water, make predictions about the presence of aquatic life, and discuss the relationship between human impact, environmental factors, dissolved oxygen, and aquatic life. 

Carbon Dioxide: Students test the CO2 level of an aquatic habitat and discuss the role of CO2 in water quality. 

Water pH: Students test the pH of an aquatic habitat and draw connections between human activity, environmental factors, water quality and aquatic life. 

Anadromous Fish: Students study the life cycle of anadromous fish such and discuss the challenges facing migrating salmon. 

Riparian Habitat Survey: Students examine the characteristics of a riparian zone and discuss the relationship between riparian habitat and aquatic life. 

Aquatic Life Survey (Critter Catch) / Fish Count: Students collect, count and identify aquatic life specimens and discuss adaptations and niche of the animals. 

Turbidity: Students test the turbidity of a stream or pond and discuss the relationship between sediment, water quality, and aquatic life. 

Watershed: Students build a model of a watershed, identify components of a watershed, and examine the relationship between watershed conditions, human activity and water quality. 

Stream Flow: Students calculate the volume of discharge of a stream and discuss issues surrounding water use and conservation. 

Microscope study / Aquatic Food Pyramid: Students collect and examine microscopic aquatic life and discuss the model of an aquatic food pyramid. 

Stream Morphology: Students build a model of a stream and examine the effect of erosion on stream shape. 

Water cycle: Students define and/or act out the water cycle and point out observable stages in the water cycle. Then students characterize water as either a renewable or non-renewable resource. 

Water Power: Students examine how energy is harnessed from moving water and discuss the impact of hydroelectric power generation on ecosystems and communities. 

Waste Water Treatment: Students simulate the process of municipal waste water treatment and discuss how human activities directly affect stream health. 

Water Conservation: Students examine typical human water use and discuss strategies for conservation of potable water. 

​Water Physics: Students conduct a variety of experiments to demonstrate unique physical qualities of water such as surface tension, capillary action and hydrogen bonding and discuss implications of these qualities for natural and human systems.