Name: _______________________
Hour: _____
Part 1: Exploring Water in Your Schoolyard
1. Do you know of any conservation practices on your schoolyard? If so, what?
Find our watershed on the ‘Model My Watershed’ tool:

Type the street address of your school in the "Search" function.

In the "Layers" controls change the "Basemap" to "Satellite".
2. How can buildings and grounds be “green” (sustainably designed and used)?
3. Identify one of the conservation practices that were used in the Visitor Center at the
Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest, KY?
4. How does it decrease the amount of water runoff and improve water quality?
5. Identify one of the conservation practices that were used in the Greenwood Elementary
School in Philadelphia, PA?
6. How does it decrease the amount of water runoff and improve water quality?
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Video – pervious and impervious ground
Schoolyard Tour
Now it’s time go outside to take a closer look at our own schoolyard. Your teacher has
previously created a map of 1 square Km around your school that you will use to label features
of your schoolyard. Obtain a copy of the schoolyard map from your teacher.
Outside Task 1. Working individually identify and label features on your map as your
teacher leads you on a short walking tour of your schoolyard:
A. Outline the borders of your school property.
B. Mark pervious areas that are dry after heavy rain, where the water soaks
(infiltrates) into the ground like a sponge. Mark them “P” for pervious areas.
C. Mark impervious areas where there are puddles, it is muddy after a
rainstorm, or there are hard surfaces like pavement and roofs that create runoff.
Use the letter “I” for impervious.
Optional: You can also label streams, ponds, wetlands, and other parts of the
property affected by water.
Keep you map to turn in with your assignment and you will want to refer to this for
a future assignment also. Don’t throw it away!
7. Discuss with your group any "green" building or conservation practices that are part of
your school site. List them here.
8. Which land areas or buildings on your school property are pervious?
9. Why is infiltration important for the health of your watershed?
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10.Identify locations in your schoolyard that are impervious.
11.What new conservation practices could be added to your schoolyard to
increase infiltration at these sites?
12.What effect do you believe new sustainable building and conservation practices will have
on your watershed?
13.What is an example of a watershed emergency that water distribution technician might
need to address?
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