Fermilab LInC Online

CheSSie

Chesapeake Stream Savers

Unit Description Before LInC

Summary

Scenario

Student Pages

Index of Projects

This unit was originally used as a part of the JASON Project. In this context, students would begin by seeing the video, Twilight of the Chesapeake, which records the history of the Chesapeake Bay and the impact it has on the surrounding areas. A major part of the video addresses the use of the Bay as a source of income by the watermen of the islands along the eastern shore. After viewing this introduction, students would discuss how they can impact the Bay in their daily lives. This discussion would be led to a discussion that has students questioning the water quality of tributaries entering the bay.

Students would identify the nearest tributary and establish a pattern of water testing. The results of the testing would be posted online as a part of the JASON Project. With this procedure, students could compare results posted by other classes participating in the JASON Project. However, there were not many postings from schools within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.

Generally, students would test the water once a month for three months. The testing would include these tests:

current speed --invertebrate population--air and water temperature--dissolved oxygen--pH

density and salinity--turbidity--sediment analysis

With this data, data was compiled into tables, plotted into graphs, and posted in the classroom. Here, it was possible to compare any changes that occurred during the three months that the testing occurred. Students would work in teams; each team would be responsible for performing the tests once per month. Teams would compare data, discuss differences, and close the activity by writing a conclusion based upon the data collected. The conclusion was used as the major assessment of learning for the unit.