Watershed Modeling

Introduction—Watershed Modeling

Summary: Students will create and explore small scale models of watersheds made from either paper or in a large group using a shower curtain. Students work to identify various living and nonliving features within their model and look at how they function within a watershed. Run-off, erosion, and sources of pollution are explored using water bottles and props.

Concepts to teach: Watershed features, watershed health, runoff & erosion, point & non-point source pollution.

Goals: Students will explore the features of a watershed and understand how various natural processes might be impacted by human activity.

Standards:
H.2L.2, H.2E.4

Specific Objectives:

  1. Identify nonliving and living features found in a watershed and describe how water interacts with those features.
  2. Understand how watersheds are connected.
  3. Understand and describe how human activities can affect watersheds.
  4. Name at least two actions they can take to keep a watershed healthy

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Students create diagrams and descriptions to predict what will happen when water is added to the model. After the experiment, students compare their predictions to what actually happened when the model was used and explain why the model performed the way it did.
  • Create a Venn diagram comparing the model watershed and natural watershed.
  • Journal reflections: Describe how the model demonstrates watershed processes. Describe two actions that they can take to keep a watershed healthy.
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Watershed Walk

Introduction—Watershed Walk

Summary: This topic guide focuses on introducing students to watersheds by experiencing the one right outside their door. Students begin by using mapping programs and brief activities to learn about the water cycle and how water moves through the watershed. Students will then engage in a guided watershed walk on local school grounds to identify features and observe the water cycle in action.

Concepts to teach: Reading maps, local geography, water cycle, watershed features and surfaces.

Goals: Students will learn about how water moves through their local watershed and its related features.

Standards:  ESS2.C – The roles of water in Earth’s surface processes

Specific Objectives:

  1. Students will be able to name their home and/or school watershed
  2. Students will be able to identify the main body of water closest to their home and/or school.
  3. Students will be able to define at least four features of a watershed (e.g., rivers, creeks, soils, vegetation, slope, etc.)
  4. Students will be able to describe how water cycles through the local watershed.
  5. Students will be able to describe at least three things people do which have a negative effect on watersheds.
  6. Students will be able to describe at least three things they can do that have a positive effect on the watershed.

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Watershed Walk was developed by OCEP Leadership team members and contains the activity description as well as a copy of the “Coastal Water Cycle Journey” (adapted from Project WET’s “Imagine!” activity) that takes students through the life of a water droplet.
  • Why Care for the Watershed PowerPoint—Use this OCEP-created presentation to introduce a watershed unit.
  • Quests are interpretive clue-directed hunts that get people outside exploring their communities.
    • Watershed Quest—This lesson plan from PBS KQED outlines activities essential to place-based understanding of your community’s watershed, and then students create a Quest to share their learning with others.
    • If you make your own Watershed Quest, share your creation with Oregon Coast Quests
  • Google Earth has many different features and layers that allows students to “fly” to any place around the world while exploring their local watershed and even look at historical imagery if available.
  • EPA Surf Your Watershed—find a myriad of information about your local watershed. Type in your zip code to discover stream flow data from USGS, watershed assessments, and even demographic information.

Assessment:

  • Use or develop formative assessment probes to gauge student understanding about the water cycle. The following probes from Uncovering Student Ideas in Science, vol. 3 could be applied or modified:
    • What are clouds made of
    • Rainfall
    • Where did the water come from
    • Wet jeans and vignette
  • To obtain Uncovering Student Ideas in Science publications or access sample chapters, visit the NSTA website
  • Evaluate completed student worksheets as a way to gauge understanding and address any misconceptions about watershed knowledge.
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Biodiversity

Coastal Ecology—Biodiversity

Summary: “In this lesson, students will explore the biodiversity of two National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) national marine sanctuaries. Following a discussion of the term “biodiversity” and why biodiversity is important, students will take virtual trips (via video footage) to Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary, located off the California coast, and the Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale National Marine Sanctuary. They will then work in groups to further explore one of the two ocean treasures, noting the types of wildlife the sanctuary supports, the importance of the ecosystem, and the threats it faces. Groups will also consider how each sanctuary’s location might affect its health and long-term outlook. To conclude, the class will come back together to share their findings, and compare and contrast the two national marine sanctuaries.”

Concepts to teach: Habitats, Ecology, Biodiversity, Conservation

Goals: Students will be able to define biodiversity and virtually explore national marine sanctuaries while assessing future health of the sanctuaries.

Standards:
6.2L.2; 7.2E.3

Specific Objectives:

  1. Define biodiversity and ecosystem.
  2. Understand the importance of biodiversity to an ecosystem.
  3. Explore the threats to the Cordell Bank and Hawaiian Islands Humpback Whale national marine sanctuaries.
  4. Consider the relationship between the location of each sanctuary and the long-term outlook for its health.

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Have students write reports that provide information about one of the two sanctuaries focusing specifically on the challenges faced by the sanctuary and the outlook for the future health of the ecosystem. Within the lesson plan, there is a suggested rubric to use to grade these reports.
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Web of Life

Coastal Ecology—Web of Life

Summary: This activity will give students a look at how all animals and plants in a system are interconnected and what can happen when just one organism is removed. Some of the discussion focuses on the sea otter- a species that is now extinct from the Oregon coast.

Concepts to teach: Food chains, Food webs, Interdependence, Endangered Species

Goals:

  • Define interconnectedness and explain its ecological implications.
  • Use vocabulary related to food webs and ecology.
  • Discuss the plight of the sea otter and how that has affected systems off of Oregon’s coast.

Standards:
6.2L.2, 7.2L.2, 8.2L.1

Specific Objectives:

  1. Explain why threatened or endangered species are important to the ocean.
  2. Demonstrate an understanding of food web interactions.

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Assessments included in the OCEP Web of Life
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Recipe for an Ocean

Coastal Ecology—Recipe for an Ocean

Summary: This activity will inspire students to brainstorm the components that make up an ocean community and introduce them to the concepts of food chains, energy transfer and food webs. The second part of the activity, designed for older students, challenges them to create a food web in relation to the habitat each animal lives in to further the lesson between interconnectedness of the living community and habitats in the system. This activity is most effective when used after a field experience or at the end of an ocean unit.

Concepts to teach: Food chains and webs, community interactions, interconnectedness

Goals: Students will understand the relationships among living things and between living things and their marine environment.

Standards:
6.2L.2, 7.2L.2, 8.2P.2

Specific Objectives:

  1. Students will be able to define the parts of and create a food chain from a list of organisms.
  2. Students will be able to define the parts of and create a food web from a list of organisms and food chains.
  3. Students will be able to describe the interdependence of a marine community in relationship to the organisms themselves and those living in different ecosystems.

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Summary of Recipe for an Ocean from the Oregon Coast Aquarium
  • The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport has a variety of onsite lab classes, outreach programs, and lesson plans for Grades 6-8, including:
    • Go with the Flow —Explore biotic and abiotic factors that affect the physical distribution of organisms in tidepool communities.

Assessment:

  • Included in the Recipe for an Ocean lesson.
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Ocean Animal Adaptations

Coastal Habitats & Species—Ocean Animal Adaptations

Summary: The ocean is home to a variety of animal species, and each has structural and behavioral adaptations that allow for survival in marine ecosystems.

Concepts to teach: Adaptation, marine ecosystems, evolution

Goals: The ocean supports a great diversity of life.
Animal species are adapted to environments.

Standards:
6.2L.2, 8.2L.1

Specific Objectives:

  1. Students identify the major natural history characteristics of a marine animal.
  2. Students describe four body structures and 2 behavioral characteristics of a the organism which help it survive in a marine habitat.
  3. Students share their finding with others through an oral or written presentation.

Activity Links and Resources:

  • Jean-Michel Cousteau Ocean Adventures lessons from PBS KQED – This website offers a variety of lesson plans focused on adaptations of marine animals such as sharks, dolphins, orcas, seabirds and invertebrates including:
    • Inside-out Adaptations—Students learn about the unique adaptations of sea stars and then research and develop a presentation on the adaptations of two other organisms
  • The Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport offers on-site lab classes, outreach programs, and classroom lesson plans for Grades 6-8 including:
    • Ocean Commotion (6-8)—Students investigate marine invertebrates from four phyla and how they’ve adapted to this rough-and-tumble environment.
    • Supporting materials for Ocean Commotion
  • Hatfield Marine Science Center in Newport has a variety of on-site lab and field classes for grades 6-8, including:
    • Animal Adaptations—Adaptations of invertebrates living in tidepools, sandy beaches and estuaries
    • Squid Dissection—Anatomical and behavioral adaptations of cephalopods.

Assessment:

  • Students prepare a report on their findings of a particular marine animal, in which basic natural history characteristics are described and structural and behavioral adaptations identified.
  • Compare and contrast a marine organism with a terrestrial organism using a Venn diagram.
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Squid Dissection

Coastal Habitats & Species—Squid Dissection

Summary: Students will dissect a squid, learn about squid anatomy and adaptations, and then compare their dissected specimen to an octopus.

Concepts to teach: Squid anatomy and adaptations, Compare and Contrast

Goals: Students will investigate and discuss internal and external squid anatomy. Some features of the squid will be compared to similar features on an octopus.

Standards:
6.2L.2

Specific Objectives:

  1. Observe the external and internal anatomy of a cephalopod
  2. Identify adaptations that allow this organisms to survive in a marine ecosystem
  3. Identify organs and structures associated with major body systems

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Student worksheets included the COSEE and LaRosa guides.
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Rocky Shore Survivors

Coastal Habitats & Species—Rocky Shore Survivors

Summary: Students become intertidal organisms and role-play various tidal situations to understand how they adaptations for survival are necessary and effective.

Concepts to teach: Adaptations and Survival; Rocky Shores Habitat

Goals: Students will learn about the challenges and benefits of living in the rocky shores and the adaptations inhabitants use to survive such a dynamic environment.

Standards:
6.2L.2, 8.1L.1

Specific Objectives:

  1. Identify with intertidal organisms and role play various adaptations for survival
  2. Become familiar with invertebrates of the Oregon Coast
  3. Introduce various tidepool creatures to peers
  4. Demonstrate an understanding of the pros and cons of rocky shore living

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Assessments are included in the OCEP Summary.
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Ocean Observation

Introduction—Ocean Observation

Summary: This activity will help familiarize students with methods scientists use to study the coastal ocean in the Pacific Northwest, and will encourage them to pose and investigate their own questions about the ocean.

Concepts to teach: Physical and Earth Science, Inquiry

Goals: To show students how technology enables scientists to study local and global ocean characteristics.

Standards:
6.3S.1, 6.4D.2, 7.3S.1, 7.4D.2, 7.4D.3, 8.3S.1, 8.3S.3, 8.4D.1

Specific Objectives:

  1. Students will be able to describe the various methods used by NANOOS researchers to study ocean characteristics, events, and ecology
  2. Students apply information found on the NANOOS Web Portal to answer questions.

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Assessments included in the NANOOS lesson plan and OCEP summary.
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Tidepool Inquiry

Introduction—Tidepool Inquiry

Summary: These field activities introduce students of all ages to the intertidal habitats of rocky shores while safely exploring tidepools. Using guided inquiry and structured group investigation, students will observe species living in this diverse habitat to make and test hypotheses about adaptations and interactions that are occurring in the community.

Concepts to teach: Rocky shores, interactions and change, adaptations and survival, tidal cycles, community interactions, ecosystem balance.

Goals: Students will better understand the inhabitants of Oregon’s Rocky shores, by way of observation and guided exploration.

Standards:
6.2L.2, 6.3S.1, 7.3S.1, 8.3S.1

Specific Objectives: By the end of this activity, students will be able to:

  1. Explore tidepools in a way that is safe for themselves and the habitat.
  2. Identify the dominant organisms in the tidepool ecosystem.
  3. Explain specific adaptations of species living in the rocky intertidal by making scientific hypothesis based on field observations.

Activity Links and Resources:

Assessment:

  • Students create a personal meaning map for tidepools, where they draw and label what they know about tidepools prior to the field visit. After the field visit, students add to their personal meaning maps new information that they learned from the trip. The post-trip contributions can be drawn on the same page as the pre-trip map in a different color pen, or the students may make an entirely new map from scratch. Evaluate pre- and post-trip contributions for detail and accuracy.
  • Create a food web using the animals discovered during the field experience.
  • Data sheets and pre- and post-assessment ideas available in the “How Wealthy is Your Tide Pool?” lesson from Yaquina Head
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