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What Is Your Role in Preserving Our Watershed?

Students investigate various professions to decide which actions promote a healthy watershed. Posters are created based on this information and shared with community members.

Time required: time varies Location: classroom Suggested group size: entire class Subject(s): ecology, language arts Concept(s) covered: watershed, pollution, stewardship Written by: Lynne Dominy and Christie Denzel Anastasia, National Park Service Last updated: 07/02/00

Student Outcomes
At the end of this activity, the students will be able to:

• Understand how humans impact watersheds.
  
• Design posters with suggested actions for specific professions/roles in our society.
  
• Devise a strategy for their households, promoting clean and plentiful water supplies.

California Science Standard Links (grades 6 – 8)
This activity is linked to the California Science Standards in the following areas:

6th grade:

2a- water running downhill is the dominant process in shaping the landscape;
2b - rivers and streams are dynamic systems;
5b - organisms and the physical environment.

7th grade:

7e - communicate steps and results from an investigation.

National Science Standard Links (grades 5 – 8)
This activity is linked to the National Science Standards in the following areas:

• Content Standard A - Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry, think critically and logically to make the relationships between evidence and explanations.



• Content Standard F - Personal health; populations, resources, and environments; risks and benefits.

Materials
To be provided by the teacher:

• In advance of this lesson, contact Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program to request free brochures. Refer to Resources section of this unit for contact information.
• Art supplies and poster paper.

Vocabulary
watershed

Procedures

1. Order materials from MCSTOPPP
   Free materials for students are available through the Marin County Stormwater Pollution Prevention Program (MCSTOPPP). Contact information is listed in the Resources section of this unit. Allow two to four weeks to receive information. Students may also be able to locate applicable information on the Internet.
   
   

   Free consumer publications to choose from • Less Toxic Home and Garden • Grow It! • Fact Sheets • Clean It! • Creek Care Guide • Yard Clippings and Your Creek Bank • Repairing Streambank Erosion • Erosion Control for the "Weekend Warrior" • We are Dying to Tell You • Boating Clean and Green • Animal Waste • Composting • Swimming Pools and Spas • Moving • Used Motor Oil Recycling • Horse Owner's Guide to Water Quality Protection • How You Can Help Improve Coho Salmon and Steelhead Habitat

2. Instructions for students
   Review concept of watershed and locate your watershed on a local map. Next, assign student teams and profession/role they will represent (see list below). Each team will review materials from MCSTOPPP to list five watershed conservation recommendations for their profession/role. Each recommendation should also include the specific action and the rationale for the action. These lists will become the information for their posters.
   
   

   Professions/Roles • Boat Owner (sewage disposal, painting, cleaning, gray water) • Landscaper (planting natives, using fertilizers) • Gardener (composting, mulching, lawn care, yard waste disposal) • Home Owner (recycling household batteries/computers, reducing water use) • Pest Controller (natural remedies for pests) • Automobile Repair Shop (washing vehicles, changing oil/antifreeze, recycling car batteries/unwanted cars/tires) • Horse Stable Owner (water quality next to pasture, erosion of streambanks) • House Painter (disposal of paints, washing brushes) • Pool/Spa Maintenance Person (chemical disposal, algae control) • Housecleaner (carpet cleaning, disposal of cleaning agents/dirty water)

3. Design poster
   Teams will design posters to present information they were able to gather. These posters can be displayed at an Open House event or around the community. They can also be placed in a publication that includes all posters.



4. Prioritize threats to watersheds
   Generate a class discussion on threats to watersheds based on students' ideas. Once the list is long enough, prioritize the top three threats for your local area.



5. Design a household clean-water strategy
   Based on the top three threats to your local area, each student will design a "Household Clean-Water Strategy". This strategy should be based on individual households and shared with family members.



6. Conclusion
   Relate clean, healthy watersheds back to coho salmon and steelhead trout population numbers. If everyone were to do their part in clean, plentiful water supplies, these fish and all life would have safer habitat to live in and utilize.

Extension ideas

1. Design a "School Clean-Water Strategy" based on information generated in this lesson.



2. Review the water cycle and how pollutants are introduced into this cycle. Compare and contrast an inland water cycle to one closer to the ocean.

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