In this lesson, students will identify rivers in their local area and compile information about aquatic life in or near these habitats. Through research in various books or other sources, the students will learn more about the various animal and plant species living in riparian areas. The compiled information can be assembled into a class book, combining both text and drawings related to aquatic life. ... Full description.

This community education initiative supports the efforts of Native American tribal leaders, educators, and students to develop contemporary, scientifically accurate, and culturally sensitive water education resources, programs, and networking opportunities. A traveling exhibit provides a Native American point of view on protection and conservation of water resources. A teachers' guide is provided ... Full description.

As part of this lesson plan, students will be asked to read a news article and to construct and explain theories for the decline of the water level of the Great Lakes. They should be able to locate the Great Lakes on a map, compare them to lakes in other parts of the world, hypothesize what might happen in the short term if global temperatures continue to rise, and to consider these seemingly contradictory ... Full description.

This activity examines many of the reasons why it is important to construct large dams, specifically, the three major dams across the Gunnison River leading into Black Canyon (Colorado). The importance of the dams for irrigation, electrical supply and recreation throughout history is explored. Students will learn about the different types of dam constructions, with pros and cons for each. There is ... Full description.

This resource covers components of the hydrologic (water) cycle. Although it is geared to high school level, middle school students could grasp the content with assistance from an instructor. Specific topics include the distribution and movement of water in the Earth system, such as evaporation, transpiration, condensation, precipitation, runoff, and ground water. Full description.

Water rights are used to allocate water in an organized and systematic manner. In this activity, students will learn the categories of water rights, understand their historical aspects, and understand why water rights are needed. Extension activities are also provided. Full description.

This site offers information and hands-on activities to demonstrate how our rivers become polluted. Different types of pollutants and the mechanisms by which they can reach our rivers are documented. Ideas for classroom discussions about identifying and removing pollutants are also presented. Full description.

This site contains information about snow, glaciers, permafrost, sea ice and cryospheric trends. The cryosphere is the portion of the Earth's surface where water is in a solid form, usually snow or ice. Seasonal snow cover, the largest component of the cryosphere, covers up to 33 percent of the Earth's total land surface. Glaciers and ice sheets cover about 10 percent of the Earth's land area. Nearly ... Full description.

This August 2003 news report describes the low water levels on Lakes Michigan, Huron, and Superior and their possible causes. It includes a brief interview with a NOAA hydrologist who points out the rain isn't the only factor affecting lake levels; temperatures and evaporation also figure in. Both audio and text versions of the report are available. The audio clip runs 50 seconds. Full description.

Until very recently, planetary scientists had thought that Mars is a cold, dry planet. Then in the summer of 2000, NASA released images from the Mars Global Surveyor showing evidence of very recent seepage of ground water from crater and valley slopes in the planet's southern hemisphere. It seems that substantial reservoirs of the water that once may have run so copiously on the surface may still ... Full description.