Here’s an overview of the key questions and vocabulary students will tackle in the High School lessons. Search by keyword to find the perfect lesson for your class, then click on the lesson name to access the PDF!
| Lesson Name | Key Questions | Key Vocab |
|---|---|---|
| Week 1: Water, Its Uses, and Importance | ||
| 1: Water Values | How much water is available for human consumption? What is the connection between surface and groundwater? In what ways can drinking water be conserved? | aquifer, finite, groundwater, hydrologic cycle, hypothesize, percolate, recharging, recycle, resource, surface water, stratified drifts |
| 2: Water Observations | What observations can be made about the stream and its habitat? What does “reading” the landscape mean? How is the presence of animals recognized if they are not visually seen? | conserve, observation, protect, reflection |
| 3: Recycled Water | How is water recycled? How does a terrarium demonstrate the water cycle? How does vinegar simulate acid rain? | acid rain, hydrogen, hydrologic cycle, hypothesis, recycle |
| 4: Water Power | What are the positive and negative impacts of dams on a community? What are names and locations of dams in Farmington River Watershed? Why are dams built? | anadromous, dam, electricity, generator, hydroelectric, generator |
| 5: Water Underground | How do surface water and ground water interact? What happens if a pollutant enters the surface water? From where does drinking water come? | aquifer, effluent, impermeable, penetrate, permeable, percolate, run-off, water table |
| Week 2: The Farmington River Watershed | ||
| 6: Water Lines | How is a river formed? How do the hills of land direct the flow of water? Where does the Farmington River flow? Where does the Farmington meet the Connecticut River? | border, confluence, dam, flow, man-made, map, model, ridge lines, topography |
| 7: Carrying Capacities | What is a reservoir and how is it used? What is the name of the largest reservoir in Farmington River Watershed? What are carrying capacities? | carrying capacity, reservoir |
| 8: Water Absorption | What is the difference between a pervious and an impervious surface? How does the type of surface in a watershed impact water quality? | buffer zones, impervious, infiltration, orient, pervious, run-off, storm drain |
| 9: Land Use | How is run-off affected when land is developed? How can run-off be calculated? What is the impact of land development on the watershed? | curve numbers, hydrologist |
| 10: Water Models | How is the land impacted by its use? What impact does the population have on land use and water quality? How is water quality impacted by land use? | abutments, alluvial, bedrock, flatwater, floodplain, gorge, oxbow, Precambrian rock, Triassic |
| Week 3: Watershed Ecosystems | ||
| 11: Water Ecotones | What is an ecotone? Why is it important? What can negatively affect an ecotone? What can positively affect an ecotone? | diversity, ecosystem, ecotone, hypothesis, hypothesize |
| 12: Plant Concerns | What is an endangered plant species in Connecticut? Why is it endangered? What can be done to protect it? | biodiversity, endangered, extirpated, quadrant, threatened |
| 13: Endangered Wildlife | How does endangered wildlife impact food chains and food webs in an ecosystem? What are examples of endangered wildlife in Connecticut? Why are wildlife endangered and what can be done to protect them? | food chain, food web, habitat destruction |
| 14: Water Finds | Why do we examine aquatic insects? Why are they important to determining the health of the stream? What other observations about the stream indicate health? | biotic index, identify, macroinvertebrate, magnify, observation |
| 15: Microscopic Organisms | How are microscopic organisms beneficial to a food chain and/or food web? What are special adaptations that allow organisms to survive in a stream? | carnivore, consumer, food chain, food web, herbivore, microscopic, primary consumer, producer, secondary consumer, tertiary consumer |
| Week 4: Going Back to the Past | ||
| 16: Clues to the Past | What clues do land formations provide to the past? What are indicators of pre-glacial activity in the Farmington River Watershed? What are indicators of glacial activity in the Farmington River Watershed? | basalt, boulder, fault, glacial, lave, precambrian rock, ridge, talus slide |
| 17: Drawing from the Past | How did the watershed appear in different time periods? What are indicators of glacial activity in the Farmington River Watershed? How can watershed alterations be depicted? | glacial |
| 18: Drawing on the Present | How does the land appear in different areas of the watershed? What are geological phenomenon’s in the watershed? How can watershed alterations be depicted? | basalt, boulder, fault, glacial, lave, precambrian rock, ridge, talus slide |
| 19: Farmington Canal | Why was the Farmington Canal important? What was its path? How long did it take to build? | canal, locks |
| 20: Colonial Times | What did the settlers think of America when they arrived? How did settlers alter the landscape? How has the land changed in modern times? | colonist |
| Week 5: Pollution and Monitoring | ||
| 21: Water Studies | How can streams and rivers be monitored? How do water characteristics, riparian banks and watershed habitats indicate stream health? | pool, riffle, run, velocity |
| 22: Water Checks | What abiotic tests will indicate the health of a stream? What factors contribute to higher levels of dissolved oxygen in a stream? Why is it important to monitor the stream? | abiotic, acidic, alkaline, dissolved oxygen, pH level |
| 23: Development Debate | How does planning and zoning decide land development use? How does analyzing a problem from different perspectives help? | bordering, planning and zoning, protection, vernal pool |
| 24: Unidentified Sources | What is the difference between point source pollution and non-point source pollution? How can non-point source pollution be prevented from flowing into the waterways? | acid deposition, hazardous, improper disposal, leakage, nonpoint source pollution, point source pollution, pollution, sediment |
| 25: Build Out Dilemma | How are towns planned regarding development? How is build - out determined? What is being done to protect open space areas? | calculator, paper, pencils |
| Week 6: Water Protection and Conservation | ||
| 26: Water Watchers | How can water be conserved? How can daily usage be reduced? | calculate, measurement |
| 27: Water Survey | How much water do I use? How much does my family use? | water usage |
| 28:Drought Dilemma | How can water be conserved in the event of shortages? | water tips |
| 29: The Value of Water | How much water is available for human consumption? How much is used during the day? Are there ways that water can be conserved? | conservation, consumption, finite |
| 30: Water Actions | What are ways to help protect your watershed? | involvement, organizations |