High School Biology II Project

Driving Question: How does water quality impact macroinvertebrates?  How can we improve the diversity of Clarke County macroinvertebrates?

Project Elements

Issue Investigation Students identified macro-invertebrates.  They then classified them according to the water quality they can tolerate.  Students viewed a collection of macro-invertebrates through a virtual lab.

Field Investigation

Students visited Cool Springs where they took samples from the water.  They then analyzed what macro-invertebrates were found in the water.

Action Project

Students researched riparian buffers and evaluated which one would work best for Cool Springs.  They then submitted the type of plants to the Agriculture class so that they could grow them in the greenhouse.  The plan is that next year, those plants will be planted in Cool Springs.

Synthesis and Conclusions

Students researched riparian buffers and evaluated which one would work best for Cool Springs.  They then submitted the type of plants to the Agriculture class so that they could grow them in the greenhouse.  The plan is that next year, those plants will be planted in Cool Springs.

Resources

Meaningful Watershed Educational Activities - MWEE

Participate in identifying macro-invertebrates - Chesapeake Monitoring Coop

Planting a Riparian Buffer - Penn State University

This project was funded by NOAA B-WET grant # NA18NMF4570315

Developing MWEE capacity through systemic, vertically aligned, integrated curricula, grades K-12