The purpose of this resource is to become familiar with the hydrology of your locale. Students will study and visit the Hydrology Study Site, conduct a visual survey to discover information about local land cover, water quality, and document their findings. They will use this initial investigation to raise questions about local land cover and/or water chemistry issues that may require further investigation. ... Full description.

The Stream Study provides a method to determine the water quality of a stream based on the collection and identification of stream-bottom macroinvertebrates. This is a multi-chapter activity designed for teachers, parents, and students. Specific sections of this site include the following: why it is important to study stream-bottom macroinvertebrates, identification of stream-bottom macroinvertebrates, ... Full description.

This is a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) sponsored website that includes a variety of resources for educators and students. Oil spills are defined by scientists and further explained using photographs and questions previously submitted by students and teachers. Experiments for students and teachers are categorized by grade level and information on how to obtain instructional kits ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to measure soil water content by mass. Students collect soil samples with a trowel or auger and weigh them, dry them, and then weigh them again. The soil water content is determined by calculating the difference between the wet sample mass and the dry sample mass. Full description.

This program is designed to allow students opportunities for classroom and field study, to gather real world scientific data and draw conclusions based on the data. There is also provision to enter data online and to retrieve and graph longitudinal trends. There are links to basic and advanced protocols, classroom activities, and k-12 curriculum ties. One link leads to an image index with photographs ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to investigate the annual cycle of plant growth and decline using visualizations and graphs. Students will analyze visualizations and graphs that show the annual cycle of plant growth and decline. Students will explore patterns of annual change for the globe and each hemisphere in several regions that have different land cover and will match graphs that show annual ... Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to measure the pH of a soil horizon. Students mix dried and sieved soil samples with distilled water. The mixture is allowed to settle until a relatively clear layer is formed. Students use a pH pen, pH meter, or pH paper to determine the pH of the sample. The procedure is done three times for each horizon. Full description.

The purpose of this resource is to measure near-surface soil temperatures. Students measure soil temperatures at 5 cm and 10 cm depths using a soil thermometer. Students will be able to perform a soil thermometer calibration, carry out soil temperature measurements accurately and precisely and record and report soil temperature data. Students will be able to relate soil temperature measurements to ... Full description.

This live, interactive electronic field trip to a North Carolina estuary is conducted on two dates each year. Previous field trips are stored for non-interactive access. Teachers can access resources on such topics as estuarine and coastal monitoring, management, cultural traditions, invasive species, and habitat restoration. The lesson plans include grade level and standards applicable for technology, ... Full description.

The site offers an interactive discussion of different vantage points associated with dam building. It describes some of the engineering and environmental issues that go into the process of selecting a site for building a dam and the conditions necessary for electrical generation. Links to classroom and family activities are organized by grade level. Full description.