How Healthy (or not) is Viele Lake?
Who: 11th & 12th Global Science What: Investigate the biodiversity, chemistry, & physical characteristics of the school’s lake. When: seasonally Where: Lake north of school Why: • To teach identification techniques & use ID key • To teach chemical data collection • To teach physical data collection • To show relationships and draw conclusions Potential Barriers/Constraints: • Need chemistry/water testing kit • Need bug ID keys Materials: Hach kit, ID keys, journals Methods: Warm-Up • Have kids make a dichotomous key for their shoes • Have known samples & let students ID w/ key to order • Go to pond together – get bugs & ID in classroom • Go to pond together & run through chem./phys tests Project • Give groups a part of lake • Take samples & record data • Develop chart & try to make/draw conclusions • Repeat each season (or more, if they like it) Connections: ~soil type, geology, trees, site impacts → geese, etc.
