Engaging the Student (Entry Task) 

Checking for Understanding (exit ticket)

Watershed 

Models:

~90 min

Tracing a

Watershed: 

~90-135 min

Exploring Runoff &

Surface Type:

~45 min

Color Me a 

Watershed:

~? No time frame given

Activity #1: Watershed Models

• Have students draw and label what they think a watershed is & explain the drawing in their own words, describing what is happening in the watershed and why.

Activity #2: Tracing a Watershed 

• Ask students: “Where does all the water come from that flows in [name of river or creek near school]? And, “If an oil tanker over turned and spilled oil into [river or creek near school], how far away would the effects be felt?” Ask students to write their ideas down in their science journals. After a few minutes, have students share their ideas with the class. 

Activity #3: Exploring Runoff and Surface Type

• Ask students to consider a rainstorm that drops 0.5 inches of rain. Will this cause a flood? It might in a desert or in a poorly designed urban area.
• Show students a video of a flash floodhttp://www.tucsonwebcam.com/
• Ask students why there might be flash floods in the desert.

Activity #4: Color Me a Watershed

• No Elicitation Question Provided 

Activity #1: Watershed Models

• All student handouts for this activity can be found in the full lesson plan, pages 31-37.

Activity #2: Tracing a Watershed

• All student handouts for this activity can be found in the full lesson plan, pages 41-44.

Activity #3: Exploring Runoff

• All student handouts for this activity can be found in the full lesson plan, page 47.

Activity #4: Color Me a Watershed

• All student handouts for this activity can be found in the full lesson plan, page 51 

View the full lesson plan here:

• Lesson Plan 2-4: A Focus on Surface Water and Watersheds

The Lesson above is a 52-page document with a wealth of teacher resources and information. However, there are four specific student activities that can be found on the following pages. You can look through them and use as few or as many that suites your needs.  

Lesson Activities:

1. Building 3-D Watershed Models (Page 21-37)
2. Tracing a Watershed (Page 38-44)
3. Exploring Run-off and Surface Type (Page 45-47)
4. Color Me a Watershed (Page 48-52)

THESE LESSONS WERE CREATED AND PROVIDED BY THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTANA'S "Reasoning Tools for Understanding Water Systems"PROJECT, SUPPORTED IN PART BY A GRANT FROM THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION. 

Building 3-D Watershed Models:

• Several tarps
• Various size plastic plant pots to create topography under tarp
• 3 watering cans and/or spray bottles
• Student handouts for each student
• Blue yarn to mark rivers and lakes
• Green yarn to mark watershed boundaries
• Laminated cards (found in lesson plan document)
• Towels for wiping up spills
• A compass for finding cardinal directions
• A blank Pathways Tool for each student 

Tracing a Watershed:

• Vis-à-Vis markers
• Large tracing paper
• Blank Pathways Tools for students to complete in groups
• Blank Drivers and Constraints Tools for students to complete in groups
• Exploring My Watershed handouts

Exploring Runoff and Surface Type: 

• Bucket or large container to collect water
• Rain cup – plastic cup with small holes in the bottom
• Graduated cylinder
• Sand
• Soil
• Sod  (you can model with a piece of old carpeting)
• Timer

Color Me a Watershed: 

• No materials list provided 

Exit ticket questions are at the discretion of the teacher.