water quality
water resources
class activities
educational activities

Ganga Classroom Activities

The Activites described below can be used in a variety of classroom settings, including field studies (WQ2), laboratory work (WQ3), research projects (WR3, WR2, EA1), and on the computer (WQ1, WR1). All cab be easily modified depending on the resurouces available and the conditions that occur in the area, although most can be used as presented. It is unlikely that any class would be able to carry out all of the activities, although several can be abbreviated to present the key ideas without performing all the steps.

_______________

Water Quality

WQ1 Predicting water quality using land use and point source pollution (computer-based).

In this activity students are asked to collect information about probably sources of pollution in the watershed of a river located in their region. This will provide students with an understanding of the multiple sources of different pollutants which makes the development of a strategy to improve water quality. Students will gain familiarity with the terms "point" and "non-point" pollution and will consider factors that may reduce the effect these have on water quality.

WQ2 Using bioassessment and indicator pollutants to examine water quality (field based).

This activity provides an outline of a multiday laboratory (one day in the field, one or two days in the lab depending on the length of the lab period) which will allow them to assess water quality either relative to water quality standards or relative to a site above a pollutant source.

WQ3 Assessing the effectiveness of water treatment technologies (laboratory based).

This activity allows a student to compare the effectiveness of settling (primary treatment) and allowing the water to flow through an artificial wetland system. Different procedures are presented, providing a range of activities based on the availability of testing equipment in different classroom settings.

_______________

 

Water Resource Management

WR1 Modeling Sustainable Water Use (computer based).

Spreadsheet programs allow for an assessment of maximum sustainable yield for ground and surface water resources under varying scenarios. This activity will allow students to either build their own model of MSY, providing a basis for understanding the multiple effects of weather, withdrawal, evaporation and the gradual loss of capacity behind a dam. A full spreadsheet created in Microsoft ExCel is provided for teachers wishing to bypass the model development.

WR2 Increasing Water Supplies

WR3 The politics of water: international conflict and agreements (research project).

In his book Ultimate Security, Norman Myers describes the tremendous importance of water resource management on the political stability of many different regions of the world. In this activity, specific examples of these situations are provided for students to explore more fully.

______________

 

Ecology and Adaptation

EA1 Adaptations of Dolphins (research project).

Evolutionary specialization creates an increased risk of extinction. Highly adapted to the murky waters of Ganga, the Gangetic dolphin depends on a large area of good quality riverine habitat. In this activity students will look at the radiation of the dolphin and gain an understanding of the group in response to different habitat conditions.

Useful links for activities

Enviro-literacy
Lamotte
Topozone