SHEDDING WATER
Lesson Seven
Lesson One
Overview
Watersheds are areas where surface
water flows toward a water body
including creeks, streams, rivers, or
bays. A ridge or other area of elevated
land, called a divide, separates one
watershed from another. Streams on
one side of the divide flow a different
direction than streams on the other
side.
Streams within a watershed forms from
rain water, runoff, snowmelt, and
springs. As this water flows over a
watershed, it recharges surface and
ground-water supplies by percolating
into aquifers.
At the conclusion of this lesson, your
students should explain orally how
water flows through a watershed and
explain the water’s flow path as it
moves throughout a watershed.
Objectives
TEKS objectives that will be addressed
in this section include: Science 2.A,E,
6.C, 8.C; Social Studies 2.7B
Completion Time
45 minutes
Materials
1. Thick butcher or craft paper (one
large sheet for each group)
2. Spray bottle filled with water (one for
each group)
3. Water based markers (at least five
markers for each group)
4. Bexar County Watershed Map (PP2)
Advanced Preparation:
A. Gather materials
Setting the stage:
A. Share background information on a watershed.
B. Have the students look at the Bexar County Watershed map
(PowerPoint 2) provided with this educator’s guide. Ask them to locate
which watershed they live in. Which watershed is the school in?
ACTIVITY
A. Construct a watershed model using the butcher or craft paper.
1. Divide your class into groups with five students in each.
2. Give each group a copy of the butcher or craft paper, at least five
water-based markers, and one spray bottle filled with water.
3. Using the markers, ask the students to draw on the paper. Have
them “scribble” on the paper with the markers.
4. After a few minutes of coloring, ask one member of each group to
wad up the paper into a loose ball.
5. Have them then unfold the paper and lay the sheet on the table.
(Note: Do not have them smooth out the paper. Have them leave ridges
and wrinkles throughout the paper).
6. Ask the students to make predictions as to where the marker will “run
off” when sprayed with the water.
7. Begin spraying the sheet of paper with the spray bottle and watch as
the marker “runs off” down the watersheds.
Follow-Up
1. Have the children discuss runoff and what effects it has on their
watershed model. How did their predictions turn out?
ENGAGEMENT
1.
SHEDDING WATER
Lesson Seven
Lesson One
PowerPoint 2 (PP2)
2.