Water Lesson Plans (K-5)

Stream

Keywords: stream, wetland, acidity, alkaline, neutral, filter; Grade Levels: first and second grade; Time Required: 45 minutes; Setting: classroom

Water Conservation

Keywords: water Use, wasted water, water-wise ways; Lesson Plan Grade Level: second grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 60 minutes (two days, 30 minutes each day); Setting: classroom
Watershed Tourist

Keywords: watershed, stream, river, ocean, flow; Grade Level: Elementary—grade 2 through 5; Total Time Required: 1 and a half hours (1-2 class periods); Setting: classroom

Getting to Know Some of PA's Fishes

Keywords: coldwater, cool water, warmwater, brook trout, brown trout, rainbow trout, golden rainbow trout, bluegill, black crappie, rock bass, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, yellow perch; Lesson Plan Grade Level: third grade and higher; Total Time Required for Lesson: one hour; Setting: classroom

Something's Fishy

Keywords: pelvic fin, caudal fin, anal fin, dorsal fin, lateral line, gill cover, pectoral fin, adipose fin; Lesson Plan Grade Level: third grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 45 minutes as one continuous time block; Setting: classroom

Water Conservation

Keywords: water conservation, water use, data collection; Grade Level: third grade; Total Time for Lesson: 30 minutes each day on two separate days; Setting: classroom instruction with assignment to be done at home
What is Gyotaku

Keywords: gyotaku, fish printing, tempera paint, acrylic paint, permanent markers, dorsal fin, caudal fin, anal fin, lateral line, pectoral fin, pelvic fin, gill, eye, cheek, nostril, mandible; Lesson Plan Grade Level: third grade; Total Time Required for the Lesson: two one-hour class periods on different days; Setting: classroom
Your Own Freshwater Aquarium in the Classroom

Keywords: aquarium, tank, heater, floating thermometer, undergravel filter, plastic air tubing, air pump, gravel, plastic screen, plastic bucket, log book or chart, fish food, nitrate test kit, pH test kit, algae scraper, dissolved oxygen test kit, guppies, swordtails; Lesson Plan Grade Level: third grade and up; Total Time Required for the Lesson: three class periods over a month, plus daily feeding time, daily record keeping, and some time each week for maintenance; Setting: indoor classroom

Graphing Aquatic Insects

Keywords: biotic, abiotic, organisms, insects, graph, class, index; Grade Level of Lesson: 3-6 grade; Time Required: 2 hrs. (Can be done in two sessions); Setting: Local stream, classroom
Living in a Watershed

Keywords: ecosystem, watershed, basin, headwaters, source, tributary, mouth; Lesson Plan Grade Level: Grade 4; Total Time Required: Two classes of at least 40 minutes each; Setting: Indoor classroom

What's Dancing in the Water?

Keywords : watershed, wetland, water, lentic and lotic water, plants, insects, fish; Grade Levels : fourth grade; Total Time for Lesson: two sessions, about one hour each; Setting : session one in the classroom, sessions two at a pond or stream

Properties of Water with a Splash of Color

Keywords: dissolve, absorb, transparent, dense, polar, cohesive forces adhesion, watercolor, wash, medium, values; Lesson Plan Grade Level: fourth through sixth grade; Total Time Required for Lesson: 40 minutes as one continuous time block; Setting: art room classroom

To Protect Your Steams, Protect Your Mountains

Keywords: watershed, erosion, nonpoint, pollution; Grade Levels: fifth through seventh grade; Total Time: two hours plus field trip option; Setting: outdoors (w/ tables)

Water Quality

Key Words: Pollution, Water Quality, Visible, Invisible; Lesson Plan Level: Designed for Grades K-1; Time Required: 45 minutes; Setting: Inside the Classroom
Water Conservation

Keywords: Conservation, Consumption, Storm Water Management, Supply and Demand; Grade Level: Fifth Grade; Total Time Required: Three days, one thirty minute class session each day; Setting: Indoor
Watch What You Do to Your Storm Drain

Keywords: Nonpoint Source Pollution, Storm water, Storm Drain, Stream Quality; Grades: 4-5; Lesson/activity Time: Three 45 – 60 minute classes

Rain Gardens Part 1 - How Rain Gardens Preserve and Improve Our Water

Keywords: rain garden, storm water runoff, pollution, non-point source, conservation, paved areas, natural filter, absorption, downspout, ecosystem, native plants, pollinators; Grade Level: K-5 – activities and vocabulary can be adapted according to age level; Time Required: Two one-hour sessions; Setting: Outside the school and in the classroom
Rain Gardens Part 2 - Soil Comparisons in Preparation for Creating a Rain Garden

Keywords: rain garden, soil, clay, sand, silt, texture, absorption, drainage; Grade Level: K-5 – activities and vocabulary can be adapted according to age level; Time Required: Two one-hour sessions; Setting: Outside the school and in the classroom
The Importance of Maintaining Watersheds

Keywords: watershed, groundwater, runoff, water erosion; Grade Level: 3; Total Time Required: 45 minutes; Setting: classroom
Infiltrometer Investigation

Keywords: water absorption, infiltrometer; Grade Level: Second Grade; Total Time Required: One Hour; Setting: Three investigation sites: forest floor, lawn, and blacktop
How Clean is Our Water?

Keywords: aquatic, macroinvertebrates, streambed, clarity, and data; Grade Level: 2nd Grade (with the help of 5th Grade Science Buddies); Total Time Required: 4 days (approximately 1 hour each day); Setting: South Mountain Creek, classroom
Using Forests and Water for a Recreational Resource

Keywords: Recreation, Environment, Sustainabilty, Management; Grade Level: Fourth; Total Time Required: 43 minutes (1-2 classes); Setting: Classroom
What is the pH?

Keywords: acid, alkalinity, basic, predictor, acid rain; Lesson Grade Level: 3rd - 5th grade; Total Time Required: 2 - 45 minute periods; Setting: Classroom