Lesson Plan
Instructor:
Course:
Unit Topic:
Stormwater Detectives
Lesson Title: Water Quality Clues
Grade Level(s):
# of Students:
3rd-5th
25
Objectives
Learning Goals for the Unit (being met by this lesson):
Upon completion of this unit, students will demonstrate their understanding of science through
the application of engineering practices to stormwater management.
Specific/Enabling Objectives (to reach terminal objective):
Upon completion of this lesson, students will be able to:
1. Define the term water pollution, give examples of pollutants and their sources, and
identify the sources of water that can become polluted
2. Define the terms non-point source pollution and point source pollution and give
examples of each
3. Discover that clear water does not equal good water quality
4. Investigate how changing our behaviors can stop pollutants from entering streams
Assessment
Description of Assessment
Obj.
No.
Type
1
F
Classroom discussion as facilitated by instructor; Drawing of
pollutants
2
F
Classroom discussion as facilitated by instructor
3
F
Classroom discussion as facilitated by instructor
4
F
Classroom discussion as facilitated by instructor
(F/S)
(if test, give questions/items from test)
Connections to Standards
Objective 1
 5-ESS2-2 Describe and graph the amounts and percentages of water and fresh water in
various reservoirs to provide evidence about the distribution of water on Earth.
Objective 2
 5-ESS2-1 Develop a model using an example to describe ways the geosphere, biosphere,
hydrosphere, and/or atmosphere interact.
Objective 3
 5-PS1-1 Develop a model to describe that matter is made of particles too small to be
seen.
Objective 4
 5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use
science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
Resources and Materials
Handouts:
 What’s Wrong with this Picture? (Resource 4)
 Chapter 4 Brook and Rio
 Clues and decoder key
Materials:
 25 sheets of computer paper (or enough for each student)
 Crayons/markers for each student
 Container filled with 1L of water
 Graduated cylinder
 3 clear cups
 Post-It Notes
 2 mason jars 75% full of water and with blue food coloring and pieces of trash
 Blue food coloring
 3 Tbs bleach
 Chocolate sprinkles
 Vanilla
 Potting soil
 Blue food coloring
 Balled up bits of paper
 Spray bottle filled with water (could use more than one)
 Container of water (to fill stream in model)
Resources/References:
 HENV-203 Stormwater
(http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/HENV/HENV203/HENV203.pdf)
 AEN-106 Reducing Stormwater Pollution
(http://www2.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/aen/aen106/aen106.pdf)
 Sediment Pollution Brochure (http://cfpub.epa.gov/npstbx/files/ksmo_sediment.pdf)
 Nonpoint source Pollution Awareness: What’s Wrong with This Picture?
(http://water.epa.gov/polwaste/nps/kids/whatswrong/index.cfm)
INTRODUCTION (Preparation/Interest Approach/Learning Context)
In this lesson, students will look for Water Quality Clues to help solve The Mystery of
Stormwater.
Teacher will read the following to the students at the beginning of the lesson.
Brook and Rio now had a better understanding of how impervious surfaces affected stormwater,
how stormwater reached streams, and how stormwater volumes affected the size of streams.
Did stormwater also affect the color and temperature of the water? Were there other things in
the water too small for Brook and Rio to see with their magnifying glasses? Would this help
explain why the stream did not have fish?
Teacher will ask students the following questions to recall information from previous lessons:
1. What is stormwater?
2. What are impervious surfaces?
3. How do impervious surfaces affect stormwater?
4. Where does stormwater go?
5. Is stormwater cleaned or treated?
Stormwater: rainfall (precipitation) that flows over the ground and does not infiltrate the soil
Impervious surfaces: surfaces that do not allow water to infiltrate (e.g. parking lots, roofs, and
paved streets)
Impervious surfaces increase the volume or amount of stormwater because water cannot
infiltrate but instead becomes runoff. This stormwater runoff enters the stormwater system,
which is a series of pipes, which carries water to streams. Stormwater is not treated or cleaned
before it flows into streams.
Teacher will explain the terms quality and water quality.
Quality: the degree or grade of something
Think of a running race. The person who comes in first is the fastest or best. The person who
comes in second is the next fastest or second best. The person who comes in last is the slowest.
Water quality: a measure of the goodness of water based on its characteristics such as how it
looks and feels and what is in it
Teacher will ask the students the following question:
1. Why is the quality of water in streams important?
The quality of water in streams is important for what lives in streams, such as fish, as well as
people who use streams. Good water quality means fish have a good place to live while poor
water quality can hurt fish. People use the water in streams for drinking (once it is treated or
cleaned), swimming, and fishing. If the water quality is poor, people can get sick.
LESSON (Presentation, Methods & Application)
Objective 1: Define the term water pollution, give examples of water pollutants and their
sources, and identify the sources of water that can become polluted
Teacher will begin by asking students the following questions:
1. Have you ever heard of the term pollution? What do you know about it? Can you give
me examples?
2. What do you think the term water pollution means?
3. What types of water can become polluted? Can you give me examples?
Pollution: introduction of a harmful substances into the environment
A substance is something that has a mass and occupies a space. Anything can be a substance, no
matter how small. Examples can include atoms, pencils, oil, etc. Environment is the area in
which something exists. Examples of environments can include forests, streams, oceans, homes,
etc.
Water pollution: introduction of harmful substances into water
Water Pollution Drawing
Teacher will give each student one sheet of paper and crayons or markers. Teacher will ask
each student to draw pictures of water pollutants. Teacher will ask each student to tell the class
what they drew.
It is likely that students will list more commonly thought of pollutants such as trash, fertilizers,
oil, and animal wastes (pets, wildlife, livestock). Two other pollutants include sediment and
temperature.
Teacher will ask students to re-read story of Brook and Rio. Based on this story, teacher will
ask students to deduce which pollutants are most likely in the stream. Teacher will write this list
on the board.
About 97% of the earth’s water is in the form of salt water, which we cannot drink. This
saltwater is in the oceans. Only 3% is in the form of fresh water, which we can drink. This
freshwater is located in glaciers and icecaps (ice), under the ground (groundwater), and in lakes,
swamps, streams and rivers.
Earth’s Water Supply Demonstration
Teacher will demonstrate the amount of water on the earth’s surface that is fresh water. Teacher
will place food coloring in 1 L of water. The 1L of water represents the Earth’s water supply.
Using a graduate cylinder, teacher will measure 30 mL of water and place this in a clear cup.
The water remaining in the 1 L container (970 mL) represents the water in the oceans. The 30
mL of water represents the freshwater.
Divide the 30 mL of water into 3 clear cups. Place 20 mL in one cup; this represents the water
stored as ice in glaciers and icecaps. Place 9 mL of water in a second clear cup. This represents
the water stored as groundwater. Place 1 mL in a third cup; this represents the water stored in
lakes, swamps and rivers. Of this 1 mL, 1 drop represents the amount of water in streams and
rivers.
Objective 2: Define the terms non-point source pollution and point source pollution and
give examples of each
Teacher will ask students the following questions:
1. Where do pollutants come from?
2. What type of pollutant comes from each place?
Water Quality – Potential Sources of Pollution Poster
Teacher will display the water quality-potential sources of pollution poster (or image). Teacher
will write on the board the following words: point source (PS) and non-point source (NPS).
Teacher will ask the students to find these words on the poster. Use Post-It notes to mark
locations. After students have found these words, as them to identify the things around them.
After the discussion, write the definitions on the board.
Point source: pollution that can be traced back to its source; most commonly something
coming from a pipe
In the poster, point sources are the wastewater treatment plant, the factory treatment plant, and
the hazardous waste storage. Point source pollution was a big concern in the past, but tougher
laws and regulations have greatly lessened the problem.
Common point source pollutants of concern include chemicals (factory and wastewater
treatment plant), temperature (factory), and harmful bacteria (wastewater treatment plant).
Non-point source: pollution that cannot be traced back to one source, but instead comes from
many sources in the environment; because it comes from many places, it is difficult to trace.
In the poster, non-point sources of pollution include parking lots, construction sites, lawns,
logging, agricultural fields, and landfills. Non-point sources of pollution are much harder to
control and treat because they come from many places.
Common non-point sources of pollution include sediment (construction site, agricultural fields,
and logging), chemicals (lawns, agricultural fields, and landfills), oils (parking lots), harmful
bacteria (pets, leach fields, and landfills), and trash (parking lots and landfills).
Temperature is another important type of pollution. When waters get warm, they hold less
oxygen. Fish need to breathe oxygen to live.
Teacher will ask students the following questions:
1. What affects the temperature of water in streams (causes it to get warmer or stay cool)?
Teacher will ask students to look at the water quality-potential sources of pollution poster and
think about where they would be hot or cool during the summer.
Students should identify places with trees as cool and places without trees, those with grass
only, as warm/hot. Trees provide shade that keeps the water cool. Grass does not provide shade.
Students should identify parking lots, roads, roofs, and other impervious surfaces as hot. When
rain falls on a hot parking lot, for example, the heat from the parking lot is transferred to the
stormwater. This heat is carried to streams.
Model Activity
Set up model A. Have students indicate the impervious surfaces on the model. These surfaces
include the roof of the house, street, and driveway. Ask the students how many trees they see.
Do they think that’s enough trees? Why or why not? The stream bank has no trees, so there is
little shade and no tree roots to secure sediment. Return to the list of pollutants and ask students
which ones they might find around their or their neighbor’s homes, and where they might be.
Included pollutant examples:
1. Pet waste (chocolate sprinkles): if you have a dog or a cat, there is likely pet waste in
your yard. This waste can also carry harmful bacteria. Pet wastes can be found in the
front and back yard.
2. Car oil (vanilla): leaky cars or oil changes can leak oil onto driveways and roads. Oils
can be found on roads and driveways.
3. Pesticides & fertilizer (blue food coloring): many people apply these chemicals to their
lawns to keep them looking green and healthy. Fertilizer is applied all over the lawn.
4. Trash (balled up bits of paper): trash can fall out of your trash can or be dropped from a
car or blown away by the wind. It can be placed anywhere on the model.
5. Sediment (potting soil): while it may be most common from construction sites and
agricultural land, it can be found in a home, too. Maybe someone is digging a garden, or
perhaps there isn’t enough grass to cover all the earth. Sediment can be placed over the
yard, but especially heavily along the streambank, due to the lack of trees.
Have a student come and place each pollutant in the indicated place.
Ask the students what will happen to all the pollutants when it rains? The rain will carry the
pollutants into the storm sewer, which drains directly to the stream, or runoff will carry the
pollutants across the land surface into the stream. The pollutants will get into the water and
make it dirty.
Have a student use the spray bottle to “rain” on the model, Try to cover the whole surface to
move all pollutants. Stream water will change color and become dirty.
Teacher will ask students to deduce which are the most likely sources of the previously listed
pollutants for Brook and Rio’s stream.
Objective 3: Discover that clear water does not equal good water quality
Teacher will hold up a mason jar of “clean” water and a mason jar “dirty” water and will ask
students to the following question:
1. How do you know if the quality of the water is good or bad?
Students use their powers of observation to note the color of the water and the presence of
pieces of trash in the “dirty” water. However, stormwater carries many different types of nonpoint source pollution to streams. Some pollutants, such as sediment and trash, are easy to see.
These pollutants are big in number or size. However, others, such as nutrients and harmful
bacteria, are not. These pollutants are small is size, and it only takes a small amount of these
pollutants to be harmful.
Water and Bleach Demo
Teacher will add two drops of blue food coloring to a mason jar 75% full of water. Teacher will
swirl the water to ensure the food coloring is well mixed. Teacher will tell the students the blue
food coloring represents a pollutant such as pet waste or fertilizers (something that you cannot
see easily once it is dissolved in water). Teacher will add bleach to the mason jar and seal it.
(You only need to add a small amount of bleach, such as a few tablespoons.) The blue food
coloring will begin to “fade” until the water is once again clear.
Teacher will ask the students the following questions:
1. What did I put in the water?
2. What happened to the pollutant?
3. Is the water safe because it is clear?
A pollutant (blue food coloring) and bleach were added to the water. The pollutant did not go
away; it is still in the water. The bleach removed the color, or how the pollutant looks, but it did
not remove the pollutant.
Be sure to label the mason jar so others know that it contains bleach.
Teacher will ask students if they want to add any pollutants and sources to the list for Brook and
Rio’s stream.
Objective 4: Investigate how changing our behaviors can stop pollutants from entering
streams.
There are two main ways to stop pollutants from entering streams. The first is to change our
behavior. The second is to use a best management practice (BMP). The next (5th) lesson will
focus on BMPs.
Non-model Activity
Teacher will give each student a copy of What’s Wrong with This Picture? Teacher will ask
students to use their powers of observation to identify the behaviors that may be harming water
quality.
Students should identify the following behaviors:
1. Sprinkler is watering the sidewalk as well as the lawn.
2. Gardner using fertilizers and pesticides; spilled on lawn.
3. Littering.
4. Pouring oil down the storm drain.
5. Car leaking oil and other fluids on street; these will flow into storm drain.
6. Bagging grass clippings and leaves in trash bags.
7. Keeping streambanks clear of trees.
Fertilizers: compound containing nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus for plant growth;
problematic in streams because these extra nutrients cause aquatic plants to grow too much thus
using up too much oxygen in water
Pesticides: substance that kills bugs and weeds; contain toxic materials harmful to people, pets
and fish
Teacher will ask the students the following questions:
1. What is a better behavior?
Anticipated student responses:
1. Sprinklers should only water the lawn. Any water that falls on the sidewalk will become
runoff.
2. Use fertilizers and pesticides carefully. Avoid use if possible.
3. Recycle trash, if possible, or put it in a trash can.
4. Put used oil in a container and take it to a local service station.
5. Fix the leaks. Don’t park a leaky car on the street.
6. Leave grass clippings on the lawn and compost yard waste.
7. Plant trees along streambanks.
Wrap Up: Closure, Review for the Days Lesson
To review the lesson objectives, teacher will ask:
1. What is pollution?
2. What are the different types of pollution?
3. What does pollution do to the water in streams?
4. Why is having good water quality important?
The teacher will give the students a sheet of paper with the following clues to decode:
1. Pollution
2. Water quality
3. Behavior