Understand what a watershed is and how our local actions can affect both living and non-living
elements of our landscape.
3–6
45 minutes
We live in a remarkable landscape called the Lake Champlain Basin. The
properties of water and the influences of topography and human impact can dramatically change
the water quality. The health of all communities depends on our knowledge and stewardship of the
life sustaining properties of water.
Vermont
Standard
7.1
Grade
Expectations
S.2 & 4
7.12
S.9, 12 & 14
7.15
S.48
Inquiry Skills and Content
Make predictions and conduct experiments that simulate
environmental conditions related to the properties of water.
Explore the properties of water through demonstrations of
states of matter, density, flow, suspensions, dissolving, solutions
and temperature change and its affect our lake
Explain the processes in the water cycle.
Observe the states of water (solid, liquid and gas) through a model of the lake and the water cycle.
Consider how the properties of water influence life in the lake.
Consider how the density of lake water changes as temperature fluctuates through the seasons.
Observe how different forms of matter can be dissolved into a solution or suspended in water.
Observe the concept of sedimentation from suspended material.
Gather around a model of a watershed and watch the properties of water at work.
Consider how non-point source pollution can influence the health of Lake Champlain.
Students will gain an understanding of certain vocabulary words through active participation and
explanation.
Solution
Matter
Suspension
Dissolve
Solid
Liquid
Gas
Cycle
Water Vapor
Point Source Pollution
Non-point Source Pollution
Density
Lake Turnover
Sedimentation
Topography
Water Quality
What are some the important properties of water? How do these properties
affect the Lake Champlain watershed?
Density box
2 Large Beakers
Catch basin
Platter
6 Erlenmeyer flasks
12 small beakers (sand and rocks)
6 medium beakers (water)
6 pollution beakers
Coffee (dog poop)
Baking powder (fertilizer)
Lemonade mix (cow urine)
Soap (detergents)
Salt (salt brine)
Cocoa (sewage)
Sand
Gravel
Stones
Water Cycle Demo – glass ashtray, ring stand, Clamps, hotpot, ice,
paper towel
Food Coloring
Spoons and stirrers (popsicle sticks)
Hot Pot
Pitcher of water
Newspaper
Drop cloth
Spray bottles of water
Three demonstrations are presented in the front of the group to illustrate the first three properties
of matter:
Water Flows downhill demonstration using a pitcher of water, a tray and a catch basin
Water Cycle Simulation – point out that water exists in three phases and convey the concept of
water vapor – the gaseous form of water and review the water cycle as a 3D system and contrast
water vapor to steam and/or fog. Use a ring stand, small glass bowl of ice, hotpot with steam and a
paper towel to set up the ongoing water cycle.
Density Box – the comparison of cold vs. warm lake water and the concept of the “lake turnover” as
seasonal changes raise and lower the water temperature allowing the lake to never completely
freeze to the bottom. Have students predict what will happen when cold and hot water are
combined in the density box.
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Content adapted by ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center © 2014 from Project Wet
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Students will be broken into 6 teams of 3-4 students each. The students will be given a flask
of water and a small beaker of sand. Pour the sand into the flask and swirl. Swirling
simulates moving water as in a stream or river. While swirling, make a prediction of what
the contents of the flask will look like if motion stops. Stopped motion would be similar to
the way a river slows down as it empties into a lake, pond or wetland. Ask for an
explanation of their scientific thinking about their prediction. Set the flask down and watch
what happens to the water and sand. Introduce the terms suspension and precipitate.
Students will then take the beaker of rock and gravel, make a prediction of what will happen
when they add them to the flask, during swirling and when motion is stopped. After they
test their predictions talk about how water is powerful and discuss local examples if
possible of how moving water can change the topography.
Students will have a third beaker on their table that has water in it. Distribute a small
beaker of material to each table group to represent six types of non-point source pollution.
Describe how human impacts (pollution) that enter our water system both from point
sources (like a factory spewing toxic gas that bonds to water drops and falls as rain) OR
non-point sources (like from farmlands and gutter run off). The six pollutant materials are
detergents (liquid soap), dog poop (instant coffee), fertilizer (baking soda), sewage (cocoa),
salt brine (salt) and cow urine (lemonade mix). They will add this pollution to their beakers
of water. Ask students to stir with a popsicle stick and observe what happens to the water.
Discuss the terms dissolve and solution again and talk about how water is a universal
solvent.
Gather students around a watershed model. You can create a model by crumpling 8-10
sheets of newspaper into balls, arrange them in an oval and drape a drop cloth over to form
the mountains and a lake in the center.
Have students use spray bottles to “rain” on top of the mountains. Comment about the
beautiful clean water that is flowing down the mountains towards the lake. Now have them
add their pollution to different areas in the watershed. Where does the pollution go? What
happens to the pollution when you make it rain again?
Discuss how these human impacts are about human behavior that is changeable. Why should
humans care? (drinking supply, diversity of species that rely on the environment, the food chain,
the aesthetic benefits, economic, etc.) Would it be easy to get the pollutants out of the water once
they are in the lake? What would be the best way to prevent the accumulation of pollutants in the
lake?
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Content adapted by ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center © 2014 from Project Wet