Home | Session 4 | Watersheds Pg 1, 2, 3

Watersheds

Presented by Ellen Metzger
San Jose State University and BAESI

Click to view the key to discussion questions

1. A Paper Model of a Watershed (adapted from the Project WET activity "Branching Out")

Materials
8.5 x 11 inch sheet of paper
Water-soluble markers
Spray bottle
Sponges/paper towels for clean up

Procedure

1. Crumple a sheet of paper into a ball.
2. Open the paper gently, but don't flatten it out.
3. Use a brown or black marker to trace the highest points on the paper (the "ridges").
4. Use a blue marker to mark where creeks, rivers, lakes, and bays might be.
5. Use another color of marker to show four or five places where buildings such as houses and schools might be located.
6. Predict where rain falling on several different spots on the map will go.
7. Now, test your predictions. Place your model on a table and hold the water bottle above it, lightly spraying to make it "rain". It will take several spurts of water before the streams begin to flow. Watch carefully.

 

Questions for Class Discussion

1. What happened to the water that fell on the ridge tops?
   
   
2. Where any of the buildings you drew in the path of the water?
   
   How does flow of water though a watershed affect the choice of building sites?
   
   
3. How might pollutants near the top of the watershed affect the quality of water in the lower parts of the watershed?

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updated March 4, 2002

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