INQUIRY ADVENTURE:
H2OH!
Subject
Grade Level
DAY 1
Overview
Students learn about the water cycle through a demonstration of cloud formation and build rain
gauges to collect and accurately measure precipitation.
7-10
Materials Required
Teacher Guide
Objectives
Explain that our weather is part of the water cycle. Show that clouds are formed as water
vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses. Discuss ways we collect weather data and
build a rain gauge for home use.
Anticipatory Set
Ask students to consider a rainstorm. Trace the rainfall back to clouds, and the clouds to
water vapor in the atmosphere. Where does the water vapor come from? Water on Earth’s
surface – especially the oceans – evaporates. The energy that drives this evaporation is heat
from the sun. Energy from the sun drives all the weather on Earth.
Information
The water cycle is the movement of water on Earth’s surface and in the atmosphere. The
energy that drives the water cycle comes from the sun. Sunlight warms surface water in the
ocean, causing evaporation. Warm water vapor in the atmosphere (humidity) cools and
condenses on dust particles to form droplets. These droplets coalesce, forming clouds. The
droplets get larger until they fall as rain, sleet, or snow.
Precipitation in the form of rain is measured with a rain gauge. Rain gauges are usually clear,
cylindrical vessels with inch or millimeter markings. Many rain gauges employ a funnel at the
top to increase collection area and make it more likely to record small amounts of rainfall.
This also increases the height of water in the gauge, allowing for more accurate readings.
Accurate measurement of weather data, like rainfall, allows us to better predict how weather
patterns will change as our climate changes.
Tracking precipitation is crucial for studying Earth’s climate, but in Pittsburgh it also directly
relates to the health of our rivers. Pittsburgh uses a combined sewer system; storm water
from the streets drains into the sanitary sewer. When too much water enters the system, the
Cloud in a Bottle
- Clear plastic bottle with lid
- Warm water
- Matches
Rain Gauges
- Variety of straight-walled, flatbottomed, non-tapered containers
(beakers, coffee mugs, etc.)
- Variety of irregular containers
(beverage bottles, flasks, bowls,
glasses, etc.)
- Rulers
- Watering cans or garden sprinkler
- Graduated cylinders
Additional Resources
-
PA Standards
3.3.7.A5
3.3.10.A6
Teacher Guide
sewer overflows directly into the river. This occurs when Pittsburgh receives 0.1” of rain. As
rain runoff moves through the watershed to a stream, some of it is absorbed by soil. Areas
with many impervious surfaces (roads, parking lots, etc.) allow water to enter streams faster,
which can lead to flash flooding.
Activity
Cloud in a Bottle
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Pour a few teaspoons of warm water into the plastic bottle and replace the lid.
Squeeze the bottle several times with your hands and observe the air in the bottle.
Open the bottle. Light the match and let it burn for a moment, then drop the lit
match into the bottle.
Quickly close the bottle.
Squeeze the bottle several times with your hands and observe the air in the bottle.
A cloud should appear when the bottle is released and disappear when the bottle is
squeezed.
Rain Gauge
1.
2.
3.
4.
Divide students into small groups and provide each group with an array of
containers. Challenge students to think about which ones would make good rain
gauges.
Groups select 2-3 containers to test as rain gauges.
[Step 3 may be done outdoors]
Arrange potential rain gauges on the ground. Use watering can (or sprinkler) to
simulate a rain event over the rain gauges. You may also choose to take advantage
of a rainy day.
Use a ruler to measure the height of water in each of the rain gauges.
Rain gauges that have a uniform shape and flat bottom will be filled to the same level with
water. Containers with irregular shapes will have water at a higher or lower level.
Verification
Students calculate volume of water in a rain gauge – cylindrical and polygonal. Students
calculate the volume of rain that falls on a given area of land (Allegheny County, etc.).
Since rain gauges collect a volume of water, you may work backward by measuring the size of
the container’s opening and measuring the volume of water collected using a graduated
cylinder.
2
Teacher Guide
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 𝑙𝑒𝑛𝑔𝑡ℎ × 𝑤𝑖𝑑𝑡ℎ × ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 OR
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 = 𝑟𝑎𝑑𝑖𝑢𝑠 2 × 𝜋 × ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
Can be simplified to:
𝐻𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 =
Summary
𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒
𝐶𝑜𝑙𝑙𝑒𝑐𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑟𝑒𝑎
Clouds form when water vapor in the atmosphere cools and condenses on dust particles to
form droplets. In this demonstration, the dust particles were provided by the smoke from the
burning match. By squeezing the bottle we increased the temperature slightly – this happens
when gasses, like air, are put under pressure. Releasing the pressure allowed the water vapor
to expand, which reduces its temperature.
Rain gauges collect water from a specific area. Larger rain gauges collect a larger volume of
water than small gauges, but the ratio of volume to the collection area provides a constant
height. Uniform containers make the best rain gauges because the height of water may be
read directly, but containers of any shape can be used – with a little bit of math.
Career Awareness
City planners, sanitation engineers, and the Army Corps of Engineers all need to know how
rainfall over land will impact rivers. This is critical for flood prevention, water quality, and
river navigation.
3
INQUIRY ADVENTURE:
H2OH!
Subject
Grade Level
DAY 2
Overview
Students will use topographic maps to identify the boundaries of a wetland watershed, employing
the New Hampshire Method.
7-10
Materials Required
Teacher Guide
Objectives
Students will interpret the contour lines on a topographic map. Students will identify land
features that bound watersheds.
Anticipatory Set
Ask students to imagine a rainstorm in their community (you don’t need to imagine if it’s a
rainy day!). What happens to the rainwater once it hits the ground? It doesn’t stay in one
place, or else our homes, schools, and roads would be flooded – it must go somewhere.
Which way does water flow? Point out any waterways near the school. Look at a map of the
community and the larger area, including nearby rivers. Where does the water in your nearby
stream end up? Show a map of the United States/North America. Where does the water in
the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio rivers end up?
- Topographic maps
Additional Resources
- Watershed delineation instructions
from USGA:
http://tinyurl.com/of9pbuv
- Images of wetlands, and characteristic
plants and animals
PA Standards
Lead a brief discussion on the characteristics of wetlands. Have students ever encountered
wetlands? Show students images of wetlands, and the typical plants and animals that live
there. What makes these areas unique? What is the benefit of preserving wetlands?
4.2.7.A
Information
Detailed information about watershed delineation provided by the US Department of
Agriculture:
http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/wps/portal/nrcs/detail/nh/technical/?cid=nrcs144p2_015680
4.2.10.A
Activity
Give students a copy of the instructions from http://tinyurl.com/of9pbuv and a topographic
map. You can download a map of your local area from
http://viewer.nationalmap.gov/viewer/, the USGS Map Locator
http://store.usgs.gov/b2c_usgs/usgs/maplocator/, or use a map of any areas of interest in
other classes.
4.2.7.B
4.2.8.B
4
Teacher Guide
1.
2.
3.
4.
Draw a circle at the outlet or downstream point of the stream or wetland in question.
Put small "X's" at the high points along both sides of the watercourse, working your way
upstream towards the headwaters of the watershed.
Starting at the circle that was made in step one, draw a line connecting the "X's" along
one side of the watercourse (Figure E-5, below left). This line should always cross the
contours at right angles (i.e. it should be perpendicular to each contour line it crosses).
Continue the line until it passes around the head of the watershed and down the
opposite side of the watercourse. Eventually it will connect with the circle from which
you started.
Summary
Wetlands are home to many unique species of plants and animals. In addition to providing
critical habitats, wetlands provide many useful ecosystem services. Wetlands tend to slow the
flow of runoff, helping to prevent flooding downstream. This slowing of runoff also allows
sediment and pollutants to settle out of the water before moving into streams, rivers, and
lakes.
Homework
Research the Clean Water Act of 1977. What conditions led to the passing of this legislation?
How has this law impacted the way humans utilize wetlands? Find examples of wetlands that
have been restored – what impact have they had on the biotic and abiotic components of
their surrounding ecosystems?
Career Awareness
Wetland delineation is a crucial skill for environmental impact assessors. Gas drilling, building
roadways, and other new construction projects require environmental impact assessments to
determine the extent the project will disturb the local environment. In addition to delineating
wetlands, impact assessors also account for any endangered species impacted and human
health risks associated with the project. Assessors are also involved in environmental
restoration projects.
Humanities Tie-In
Wetlands are a natural way through which water is cleaned. However, they are often located
in areas that are desirable for other types of development including waterfront homes and
industrial complexes. Write a response to the following question: Is it more important to
protect wetlands or to develop the land for use by humans? Explain your answer.
5
INQUIRY ADVENTURE:
H2OH!
Subject
Grade Level
DAY 3
Overview
In this activity, students will build water filters out of common materials. After filtering dirty water
that you prepare, the students will devise ways to modify their filters to make them more effective
and record the results.
7-10
Materials Required
Teacher Guide
Objectives
Construct filters to clean water of pollutants like oil, food dye, and glitter. Employ the concept
of watersheds to learn about nonpoint-source pollution.
Anticipatory Set
Briefly discuss with the class what they think they know about water pollution. Where does it
come from? What is it? What effect does it have on plants, animals, and communities? Show
photographs of various landforms; if rain were to fall, where would it go? What might it
encounter on its way?
Information
A watershed is an area of land in which all the water that is under it, or that falls on it, drains
into the same place. A watershed can drain into a stream, river, lake, ocean, or other body of
water. For instance, Nine Mile Run is a stream in Pittsburgh; anywhere that rain falls and flows
into Nine Mile Run is part of the Nine Mile Run watershed. Since Nine Mile Run drains into
the Monongahela River, the Nine Mile Run watershed is also part of the Monongahela River
watershed. Similarly, it is part of the Ohio River, Mississippi River, and Gulf of Mexico
watersheds.
- Cotton balls
- Sand
- Gravel
- Paper napkins
- Empty, clear 2-liter bottles (1 per
group)
- Water
- Vegetable oil
- Dirt
- Glitter
- Food coloring
Additional Resources
- Photographs of polluted waterways
- Photographs of various landforms
PA Standards
As water travels through a watershed it can move other things with it, and all those things can
end up in the body of water at the heart of the watershed. Soil, fertilizer, spilled gasoline, and
road salt are all examples of pollution that may be picked up in a watershed and washed
downstream.
4.5.7.C
Water treatment usually uses three processes: sedimentation, filtration, and disinfection. In
sedimentation, water slowly flows through large tanks. This allows large particles (soil,
physical debris, etc.) to sink to the bottom, leaving mostly clear water behind. The water is
then filtered through layers of gravel, sand, and charcoal. This process removes many
4.5.8.D
4.5.7.D
4.2.8.A
6
Teacher Guide
chemical pollutants (oils, pesticides, etc.) through adsorption – the pollutants stick to the
charcoal or other media and the water passes through. The final step, disinfection, kills
disease-causing microbes in the water. Usually chlorine is added, but boiling may be required
in areas without municipal water treatment.
Activity
Prepare ahead of time:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Summary
Remove the top half of 2-liter bottles and invert to create a funnel that empties into
the bottom half of each bottle.

Prepare dirty water by combining water, vegetable oil, dirt, glitter, and food
coloring.
Divide students into groups and distribute materials.
Prepare filter by layering napkins, sand, gravel, and cotton balls.
Predict which component of the dirty water will be filtered by each layer.
Pour dirty water into the filter so that it drains into the bottom half of the bottle.
Observe the water as it falls into the bottle. How does it look compared to the dirty
water? How long does it take to filter the water?
Dismantle filters and observe each layer. What role did each material play in filtering the
water? Discard used filter media in trash.
Each group chooses one variable to change. It could be the order of the filter media,
omitting a filter medium, or replacing a filter medium with an alternative. How do you
expect this change will affect the appearance of the filtered water?
Repeat steps 1-5 and observe filtered water. Do observations support the hypothesis
generated in step 7?
Water filtration is essential in providing people with potable water. Humans have been
filtering water with sand and charcoal for thousands of years. Groundwater from wells can be
filtered through layers of sandstone, but contaminants like nitrates, lead, or arsenic can be
present. Well owners should have their water tested before use to ensure safety.
7
INQUIRY ADVENTURE:
H2OH!
Subject
Grade Level
DAY 4
Overview
In this activity students measure the height of water in a test tube before and after freezing.
Students will calculate the percent change in height (and therefore, volume). Activity can be done in
small groups or as individuals.
7-10
Materials Required
Teacher Guide
Objectives
Explain the concept of frost wedging in the context of how water shapes landforms. Calculate
the percent change in volume of water when it freezes. Explain how this causes rocks to crack
and crumble, as well as its impact on human infrastructure.
Anticipatory Set
Present the students with images of large boulders, potholes, and a broken water main.
Question the students about what these images have in common. Have they ever left a
beverage in the freezer and found that the container had broken?
- Beakers or plastic cups
- Thermometers
- Test tubes
- Distilled water
- Crushed ice
- Rulers
- Rock salt or Morton’s ice cream salt
Additional Resources
Information
Water is one of the rare chemicals that expands as it freezes; most materials shrink as they
freeze. This happens because of the shape of water molecules – one large oxygen atom and
two small hydrogen atoms form a “Mickey Mouse” shape that results in one end (oxygen end)
being negatively charged and the other end (hydrogen end) being positively charged. As ice
forms, the molecules align with the negative end of one molecule attracted to the positive end
of another. It just so happens that these crystals take up more space than liquid water.
- Images of large boulders, potholes,
and broken water main pipes
Activity
1.
3.3.7.A1
2.
3.
4.
Fill a beaker or plastic mug with crushed ice. Insert thermometer and record the
temperature.
Add salt to the ice at a ratio of about 1 part salt to 8 parts ice. Add water to create a
slurry with the consistency of an Icee-style frozen beverage. (Experiment with this before
the class. Different types of salt will require more or less added to the ice.)
Have students fill test tubes about halfway with an arbitrary amount of distilled water
(tap water also works) and measure the height of water in the test tube in centimeters.
Students insert test tube into slurry and wait at least 10 minutes for water to supercool.
Record the temperature of the ice every 60 seconds. Some samples may freeze – this is
OK.
PA Standards
3.3.8.A1
8
Teacher Guide
5.
Verification
Add a tiny amount of ice to any unfrozen student test tubes. This will seed ice crystals in
the tube and cause rapid freezing. Students measure and record the height of frozen
water in the test tube.
Have students calculate the percent change in height using the following formula:
𝑃𝑒𝑟𝑐𝑒𝑛𝑡 𝑐ℎ𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑒 =
(𝐼𝑐𝑒 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 − 𝐿𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡)
× 100
𝐿𝑖𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑑 ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
Collect percent change values from each student/group. Examine data for outliers. Calculate
average percent change for the class.
Produce a graph of the temperature of the salt-ice mixture. Hypothesize why the temperature
of the mixture decreased.
Summary
Ice cream makers use salt to decrease the freezing point of water. Salt allows the ice to melt
and absorb more heat from the environment and remain a liquid. The temperature of the
distilled water in the test tube is lowered below 32oF, allowing rapid freezing. This is the
reason we use salt on our sidewalks and roadways in the winter. By decreasing the freezing
point of water, we allow the ice to melt and flow away from roads.
Career Awareness
Civil engineers understand that all materials – not just water – change size as the temperature
changes. Engineers must compensate for this fact when designing a bridge, so they use
expansion joints. Expansion joints look like zippers going across the bridge. They allow the
materials in the bridge to expand and contract as the temperature changes without causing
the bridge to break. You can see these expansion joints in other places, too – from railroads to
air ducts.
Humanities Tie-In
Write a description of how water is unique in the way that its volume changes when it freezes
and how this can affect the shape of landforms.
9
INQUIRY ADVENTURE:
H2OH!
Subject
Grade Level
Overview
For this inquiry activity, the class will first generate their own questions about erosion. Then,
working in groups of 2-3, they will choose 1 question that they wish to answer and set about the
process of doing so. This method will take them through the entire scientific method.
7-10
Materials Required
Teacher Guide
Activity
DAY 5
See activity guide.
- 5-gallon buckets
- Stream table pans (or large, low-sided
baking tray) with drain hole at one end
- Catch basins/dishpans
- Sand (fine and course)
- Pea stone
- Water
- Pitcher & Measuring Cup
- Plastic Solo cups with assorted hole
sizes drilled in the bottoms (1/8”, 3/16”,
¼”. 3/8”)
- Protractor
- Wooden blocks
- Plastic sheeting
- Paper towels
- Ruler/meter stick
- Triple beam or digital balance
- Post-It notes
Additional Resources
PA Standards
10
EROSION ACTIVITY
Name
The Erosion Question
Class Period
State the question that you will be trying to answer.
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
Experiment Planning
Write a brief description (3 sentence minimum) of how you will test your above hypothesis.
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
What materials will you need to complete your experiment?
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Materials Available
- 5-gallon buckets
- Stream table pans (or large, low-sided
baking tray) with drain hole at one end
- Catch basins/dishpans
- Sand (fine and course)
- Pea stone
- Water
- Pitcher & Measuring Cup
- Plastic Solo cups with assorted hole
sizes drilled in the bottoms (1/8”, 3/16”,
¼”. 3/8”)
- Protractor
- Wooden blocks
- Plastic sheeting
- Paper towels
- Ruler/meter stick
- Triple beam or digital balance
- Post-It notes
First list your variables and the units of measurement.
Independent Variable: _________________________
Dependent Variable: _________________________
Unit of measurement: _________
Unit of measurement: _________
Data Analysis
11
Data Table
In order to organize your data, you will need to create a data table. Do that in the space below, being certain to create enough rows for at least five
trials and enough columns to include all of your variables.
Graph of Data
In the space provided, create a graph of your data. Choose the type of graph that you believe is most appropriate.
Conclusion
Finally, based on the evidence that you collected during your experiment, write a concluding statement that answers your question.
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
12
EROSION – TEACHER GUIDE
Teacher Guide
For this inquiry activity, the class will first generate their own questions about erosion. Then, working in groups of two-three, they will choose
one question that they wish to answer and set about the process of doing so. This method will take them through the entire scientific method.
Here’s how:
1. When introducing the activity, the teacher should have a stream table set up at the
front of the room. Invite the class to gather around so that everyone can see. In
addition to the stream table setup, the other materials available for students to use
should also be prominently displayed and visible on the table.
2. Discuss the concept of erosion with students and inform them that they will be
generating questions about erosion as you show them a few examples.
You will have 5 minutes after the demonstration to write your questions and
observations on Post-It notes, but you should also write them as you watch the
demonstrations. Later, we’ll post them to make public all the things the group is
curious about. Once all the questions have been generated and posted, you’ll be
able to choose questions you want to investigate in a more focused way for a
longer period of time. Write all the questions and observations that come up as you
watch, not just ones that interest you most, because others might become
interested in one of your questions. Don’t worry over the wording. It’s better to
write a range of questions than to have only one that is perfectly worded.
3. Demonstrate the stream table activity as described below:
To start, place a ruler across the back of the stream table about 2 inches from the back wall, and place the drip container in the center so the hole is over the sand.
Fill the drip container with water from the pitcher and watch what happens. You can fill the container as many times as you like. Then, when you’re ready to vary
either the size of the hole or the number of blocks, use the scraper to push back and smooth the sand so you can start over.
You’ll find when you start over that the sand will be saturated with water and will stay saturated while you work. Because any excess water runs off, once it’s wet, it
won’t get any wetter, even if you add more water.
Run the demonstration a few times while being sure to alter some of the variables (angle, hole size, etc.).
4. Be sure to discuss cleanup procedures with the students also:
13
Notice that there are catch basins (dishpans) under each stream table setup. Please adjust your stream table so the water flows into the basin. As the basin starts to
fill up, use one of your pitchers or measuring cups to scoop the water back into the 5-gallon bucket at your station. The water will become a bit cloudy, but that
won’t make a difference in your experiments.
Note also that there are paper towels at each table for spills, and rubber gloves available for those who want them. During the final cleanup, we have some large
garbage cans that are for sand disposal only—no trash.
5. After demonstrating the experiment a couple of times, students should place all of their questions (each on its own Post-It note) on the board. Once all notes are on
the board, the class works collaboratively, with the teacher facilitating, to group them into like categories. For example, erosion based on slope, flow rate, soil material
(sand, gravel, etc.), or other headings. One of the categories should be titled “Questions we will address at another time” which acts as a catch-all for questions that
the class lacks the resources to test at this time. After grouping the questions, the student groups review them and choose the question that they would like to answer.
6. The students design the activity and determine the dependent and independent variables and how to test them. Be sure to introduce additional materials that they
can use during their experiment. Depending on the strengths of each group, some may require more support than others in designing their experiment, identifying
variables, and completing the testing. Be sure that students understand that they need teacher approval of their experiment design before beginning their testing.
7. Age and skill level will also determine the required scaffolding for creating the data table and graph. The ultimate goals is for each group to communicate an evidencebased conclusion to their stated question.
14