Lesson 04 – What Are the Threats to Water Quality in Agricultural Areas
This is Lesson 4, “What are the threats to water quality in agricultural areas?” from the Drinking Water: Protecting the Source curriculum (USDA/NRCS, EPA, National FFA Organization). It teaches students about point and nonpoint source water pollution and the most common threats to local drinking water sources, having students identify potential contaminants in their own watersheds and create a public service announcement about a local drinking water threat. The lesson includes a small-group content activity, a source water assessment exercise, a PSA scripting task, and an extension “Pollution and Pollywogs” watershed-model activity.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- 4.1 Define different sources of water pollution, both human and natural: Point vs. Nonpoint Source Pollution (broadly)
- 4.2 Define the most common threats to local sources of drinking water
- 4.3 Communicate to others about drinking water contamination
- Time required
- 90 minutes
- Grade level
- 9-12
- Materials
-
- Copies of SW.4.1.AS – Source Water Contamination worksheet
- PowerPoint slide SW.4.2.TM – Point vs. nonpoint source pollution
- Access to Internet for accessing natural resources agencies, organizations and/or professionals
- Computer
- LCD projector
- Screen
- 9 x 13 aluminum foil pans (or plastic)
- Material for making the landscape in the pan (e.g., scrap paper, bubble wrap, styrofoam)
- Aluminum foil (as "ground")
- Different colors of Kool-Aid to represent different types of pollution
- Spray water bottles (1 per every 2-3 students)
- Worksheet (Part 1)
- Plastic tablecloth and garbage bags
- Paper strips (game pieces)
- Pens
- Four plastic containers (old cottage cheese/yogurt containers)
- Dry beans
- Worksheet (Part 2)
- Key Terms
- Disinfectant; Disinfection byproduct; Insecticides; Microbes; Nonpoint source pollution; Nutrients; Pathogen; Point source pollution; Public service announcement; Runoff; Toxin; Water contamination
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Science Education Standards for Grades 9 – 12
- 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 EScience and Technology: Technology, by its nature, has a more direct effect on society than science because its purpose is to solve human problems, help humans adapt and fulfill human aspirations.
- 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.