Lesson 12 – From Field to Faucet – Introduction to Farm Conservation Practices
This is Lesson 12, “Sources of Drinking Water,” from the “From Field to Faucet: Introduction to Farm Conservation Practices” curriculum (Drinking Water: Protecting the Source). It introduces students to common Best Conservation Practices (BCPs) farmers adopt to protect surface and ground water from pollution, and teaches how farmers determine which BCPs to implement. Students work in small groups to create photo-based PowerPoint slides illustrating local conservation problems and the practices used to address them.
At a glance
- Learning objectives
-
- 12.1 Identify common conservation practices that farmers adopt to protect water sources from pollution.
- 12.2 Describe how farmers determine which Best Conservation Practices (BCP) to incorporate to protect sources of drinking water from pollution.
- Time required
- 45 minutes, over two class sessions if students take their own photos
- Grade level
- 9-12
- Materials
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- Handout SW.12.1.AS.B, Best Conservation Practices Handouts – one for each group, as needed for locale
- Slide SW.12.1.TM.A, What are Best Conservation Practices for Water Quality Protection?
- Slide SW.12.1.TM.B, Examples of Agricultural Best conservation practices for Water Quality Protection
- Worksheet SW.12.1.AS.A, Best Conservation Practices Worksheet – one for each group
- Slide SW.12.2.TM.C, Examples of Tools Used to Create BCPs
- Access to PowerPoint to create slides
- Cameras (optional)
- Access to the Internet
- Key Terms
- Best conservation practices; Berms; Conservation buffers; Conservation tillage; Crop nutrient management; Integrated pest management; Irrigation and drainage water management; Rain barrels; Photodegradation; Phytomass; Soil testing; Stream fencing; Tailwater; Turnrows
Downloads & Links
Aligned Standards
National Science Education Standards for Grades 9 – 12
- Content Standard AAbilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry: Design and conduct scientific investigations.
- Content Standard AAbilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry: Design and conduct scientific investigations.
- 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.