Modeling and Investigating Watersheds Lab Activity

Real Life Environmental Science Applications

• Demonstrates basic concepts of hydrology
• Linked to real world scenarios
• Includes 3D topographic models

Provide students with hands-on experience on watersheds and a knowledge base for real-life applications of the water cycle. The exclusive watershed models included with this kit are used to explore the dynamics of watersheds. Students apply “rain” over a topographic model and observe the water runoff. From their observations, they identify the location of major bodies of water such as lakes, rivers, and streams. Using appropriate tools to analyze and interpret data, students learn how water falls to the surface where it collects in rivers, lakes, and oceans. This experience is then applied to a discussion of current issues, such as how an abandoned mine may influence water quality far from the mine site or how farming practices in Nebraska may influence the health of organisms in the Gulf of Mexico.