Title of Lesson: Don't Water....Shed A Tear#145

Key Words for Cross Reference:tributarywatershed

National Standards: 14
How human actions modify the physical environment.
State Standards: 14

Teaching Level: E

Lesson Introduction:
Tributaries flow into other bodies of water. Watershed is the entire system of water flow and source.

Objectives/Purpose:
- to demonstrate a tributary and a watershed
- to demonstrate what happens when part of the watershed becomes polluted

Materials:
bucket of sand and dirt mixed3 or more gallons of water
A River Ran Wild

Procedure:
1. Create a watershed in the dirt by making indentations for a lake, brook, and river.
2. Demonstrate an idea of a watershed by pouring water into each of the features and watching the water flow from one elevation to another.
3. Develop a definition of tributary and watershed with the students.
4. Have the class work on a landscape to include mountain, river, lake, and as many other things as they would like.
6. Carefully pour clean water into their water system for them.
7. Add several drops bright food coloring to one of the water sources and watch it filter into other parts of the watershed.
8. Refer back to A River Ran Wild and discuss the problems with a polluted watershed.

Evaluation/Assessment:
- Can the students use the terms watershed and tributary correctly?
-The students should understand how important tributaries are to the Connecticut River region.

Enrichment/Extension:
Find community's sources of drinking water.
What happens if contaminated water flows into the river?
Canoe or raft a section of the river.
Clean a section of the watershed.

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Original file name: 145rtf - converted on Tuesday, 20 October 1998, 20:56