Web Quest for
Pond Unit
This lesson would help teach about human
impacts on the environment as well as reinforce
ecosystems. It also demonstrates indicator
species.
Human Impacts
&
Virtual Stream Study
For this Web Quest, you will be a scientist exploring the health of a stream.
Have humans impacted it?
To begin, you need to get some background on how bodies of water are
impacted, and how you can measure the health of a stream. At the end you
will be given data from a local stream. You will need to identify the creatures
and determine if the stream is impacted or not, and what might have
impacted it.
Instructions:
1. Use the links below to answer the questions on your sheet.
2. When you are done answering the questions, show the teacher and get
the information on a local stream.
3. When you get the data on the stream, use your knowledge and the
links to macroinvertebrates to identify the macros found in your
stream, and then determine the health of your stream.
Basics:
http://dnr.metrokc.gov/wlr/waterres/Bugs/indicator.htm
http://www.cwmb.sa.gov.au/kwc/programs/a_bugs_life/1.htm
http://www.bgsd.k12.wa.us/hml/jr_cam/macros/macro_id-htm/slide_02.htm
http://www.epa.gov/OWOW/NPS/kids/BUGTHTR.HTM
Why study Macroinvertebrates?
http://www.bgsd.k12.wa.us/hml/jr_cam/macros/macro_id-htm/slide_03.htm
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module05/BiologicalCharacteristics.htm
Stream health:
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module05/ImportanceofHealthyStreams.ht
m
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module05/LetsTakeaStreamTour.htm
Tolerance to pollution in macros
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module05/WhatDoWeExpecttoSee.htm
Identification:
http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/pondexplorer/key.html
http://www.microscopy-uk.org.uk/index.html?http://www.microscopyuk.org.uk/pond/insects.html
Virtual pond dip
http://www.naturegrid.org.uk/pondexplorer/pond3.html
Macros to ID:
http://www.bgsd.k12.wa.us/hml/jr_cam/macros/macros_set_a/macros_set_
a.html
http://www.bgsd.k12.wa.us/hml/jr_cam/macros/macros_set_b/macros_set_
b.html
Non-point source pollution:
http://www.epa.gov/owow/nps/qa.html
Non-point and impacted stream quiz
http://www.watersheds.org/kids/WaterQuiz.htm
Questions:
1. What is nonpoint source pollution? Give 5 examples of how humans can
impact a stream or river through nonpoint source pollution.
2. Why do we care if our streams are healthy?
3. What are 3 different things to consider when looking at the health of
a stream?
(http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module05/LetsTakeaSt
reamTour.htm)
4. What is a macroinvertebrate? Give 5 examples.
5. What does “macro” mean?
6. What is an invertebrate?
7. How do macroinvertebrates tell you about the health of a stream?
How is diversity important?
8. Why do we use macroinvertebrates?
9. What are the 3 categories of pollution tolerance that we put
macroinvertebrates into?
10. Which macros cannot tolerate any pollution? (They are pollution
sensitive and indicate that a stream is healthy). Name 6.
11. Name 6 macros that are somewhat pollution sensitive.
12. Name 4 macros that are tolerant to pollution.
13. Identify the macro below. Click on it to bring you to a website to
identify it.
EVALUATION:
14. Go to the following link and read the first page. Go to the next page
using the arrows at the top and follow the directions. You will need to
identify each macroinvertebrate.
http://techalive.mtu.edu/meec/module05/BiologicalInstructions.htm
15. What was the exact stream quality score that you got for each
stream. List it below.
Moose Creek: ________
Deer Creek: ________
Bear Creek: ________
16. What was the healthiest stream? Why?
17. Which stream has been impacted the most?
17. On the back of this sheet, come up with a scenario (what is going on
around the creek) that could contribute to the poor water quality of the
creek that you determined was the most impacted. What is impacting it?
(It doesn’t tell you in the website- you will need to make something up
based on your knowledge of non-point source pollution and what might
affect the water quality.)
Conclusion
Humans constantly have an impact on their surroundings. Water is one
of the things we can’t live without, so it is important that we know what
affects our drinking water, so we can protect it. Macroinvertebrates are
one way we can check to see if our waters are impacted, like you did in
the above activity.