Lesson 02 – Water On and Under the Farm – Where Does It Come From and How Is It Used
This is Lesson 2, “Sources of Drinking Water,” from the FFA/USDA-NRCS unit “Water On and Under the Farm: Where does it come from and how is it used?” Students explore the characteristics of surface water and groundwater, learn how local water sources are part of a watershed, and broadly identify who uses water in their agricultural community and for what purposes. The lesson uses a vocabulary sort, an animation review, a groundwater model activity, USGS internet explorations, a brainstorming activity, and a household drinking water inventory homework assignment.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- 2.1 Define surface water and groundwater characteristics.
- 2.2 Illustrate how local water sources are part of a watershed.
- 2.3 Broadly define who uses water in their agricultural community and for what purposes.
- Time required
- 75 minutes if no remedial activity is used (additional 90 minutes)
- Grade level
- 9-12
- Materials
-
- Copies of SW.2.1.A.AS sort packet (enough for groups of 4-5)
- Internet connection
- Computer
- LCD projector screen or light colored wall
- The Story of Groundwater animation (http://www.groundwater.org/kc/groundwater_animation.html)
- Groundwater Model handout (http://www.epa.gov/region07/education_resources/teachers/activities/wateractivity1.htm)
- One 20 ounce clear plastic tumbler
- 12 inches of clear plastic tubing
- A small piece of nylon fabric to cover the end of the tubing
- Masking tape
- Small pebbles
- Clean sand
- Filter paper (e.g. a section of a coffee filter)
- Pump-type sprayer (e.g. from window cleaner)
- A disposable syringe
- Red food coloring
- A clear glass container
- Students' watershed maps from activity 1.2.a or watershed models from activity 1.2.b
- Slide SW.2.3.TM.A – How do we use water in the United States?
- Copies of the Drinking Water Inventory Homework Activity (SW.2.HW.AS)
- Key Terms
- Aquifer, Brackish, Evaporation, Groundwater, Impervious surface, Infiltration, Low point, Polluted runoff, Pollution, Surface water, Tributaries, Water cycle, Watershed, Watershed divide
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Science Education Standards for Grades 9 – 12
- Content Standard CLife Science: The Interdependence of Organisms – Human beings live within the world's ecosystems. Increasingly, humans modify ecosystems as a result of population growth, technology and consumption.
- Content Standard DEarth and Space Science: Geochemical Cycles – Each element on earth moves among reservoirs in the solid earth, oceans, atmosphere and organisms as part of geochemical cycles.
- Content Standard FScience in Personal and Social Perspectives: Natural Resources – Human populations use resources in the environment in order to maintain and improve their existence. Natural resources have been and will continue to be used to maintain human populations.