This lesson is intended to review 6th-grade content on watersheds, estuaries, and wetlands.  It also introduces abiotic and biotic factors of ecosystems found in VA's Watershed.  Students investigate the Chesapeake Bay using several resources with a pre-assessment, video clips, current article links, post-assessment, final evaluation, and rubric. A student sheet, teacher key, and google slide were created to use for face-to-face teaching or virtual learning. Click on the attached to access the folder.

Students will create an informational poster, collage, slide show, cartoon, or video clip of a specific ecosystem in our watershed. Requirements are as follows:pick a specific tributary, estuary, or wetland. show at least 4 abiotic and 4 biotic factors plus the location that you choseinclude 4 or more pictures to help show the parts of the ecosystem.  cite the sources with the website, title of the site, author, and publishing dateA rubric is included

This lesson is designed to allow students to collect information about the role that oysters play in their ecosystem and the watershed that they live in.

This lesson is designed to introduce students to several water quality indicators by using standard water testing equipment to test and record precise measurements of water quality for samples from local natural sites. Through analysis of the data, they will relate water quality parameters' relevance to aquatic ecosystem health.

This lesson is designed to introduce students to several water quality indicators by using standard water testing equipment to test and record precise measurements of water quality for samples from local natural sites. Through analysis of the data, they will relate water quality parameters' relevance to aquatic ecosystem health.

This lesson is designed to introduce students to impacts of human activity on the health of watersheds. Both point source and non-point source pollution will be investigated and used to evaluate the health of the Chesapeake Bay and the James River. Finally, students will be asked to consider ways the human impact can be modified to improve water quality and bivalve habitat.

Video Description:  Our Earth is a dynamic system with diverse subsystems that interact in complex ways.What are those subsystems and how do they interact?How are these subsystems and the global Earth system changing?What causes these changes?How does NASA monitor these changes?How can Earth system science provide societal benefit?Jessica Taylor, an atmospheric scientist at NASA Langley Research Center, and Dr. Steven Pawson, an Earth scientist from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, help answer these questions and demonstrate how mathematical modeling helps scientists in their predictions of climate, weather, and natural hazards.  Video Length:  5:02.NASA eClips Real World segments (grades 6-8) connect classroom mathematics to 21st Century careers and innovations.  They are designed for students to develop an appreciation for mathematics through real-world problem solving.

 Water is the great architect of Earth and a defining factor for the location and movement of life on this planet. Without water, our world would look very different; without the watersheds which capture, coalesce, move, and recycle water throughout a natural system, human and wildlife habitats would not be the same. Freshwater rivers, streams, and lakes are some of the most heavily utilized and pressured natural systems on the planet; these critical habitats have taken the brunt of negative human actions for years. Now, more than ever, we must learn to safeguard our watersheds for the protection of all life that depends on them.For more information and classroom activities, please visit The Wildlife Center of Virginia and VPM UNTAMED websites. 

This lesson is designed to allow students to explore local issues to the Chesapeake Bay and its watershed.Potential topics that may arise include pollution, stormwater runoff, overharvesting of fisheries, sea levelrise, habitat destruction, or development/construction. The associated video will highlight issues relatedto sediment, storms and flooding, and sea level rise, but students can investigate any environmentalissue that is relevant to them. While issues may not all be caused specifically by climate change, theissues are exacerbated by climate change, therefore climate change is a thread throughout thewatershed investigation.