Our Water, Our Lives: The Chesapeake Bay Watershed

Lesson 1: Understanding the sources and importance of this vital natural resource 

Topic: Water Quality 

Overview: In this lesson, students will understand what the hydrologic features of the Chesapeake Bay watershed are and how they are connected. To understand the Chesapeake Bay watershed's importance, they must first understand its vastness. The Chesapeake Bay is our nation's largest estuary and provides over $100 billion in annual economic value. Photos, models, charts, graphs, and USGS sources will be utilized to assist students in understanding this focus. 

NGSS Alignment: 

• Earth and Human Activity (5-ESS3): Students who demonstrate understanding can: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment. (5-ESS3-1) 

• Science and Engineering Practices: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to evaluating the merit and accuracy of ideas and methods. Obtain and combine data from books and other reliable media to explain phenomena or solutions to a design problem. (5-ESS3-1) 

• Disciplinary Core Idea - Human Impacts on Earth Systems (5-ESS3.C): Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had significant effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth's resources and environments. 

• Crosscutting Concepts - Systems and System Models: A system can be described in terms of its components and their interaction 

Materials Needed: 

• Device to allow students to research (iPad, Chromebook, etc.) 

• Paper 

• Writing instruments 

• Construction or poster paper to use in student-designed presentations  

• Markers, crayons, or any available media to produce charts, posters, and other presentation aids  

• Water gallon bottle 

• Measure tape or device 

• Science presentation board (if available) 

By the Numbers: 

• The Chesapeake Bay is 200 miles long. 

• The bay and its tributaries have 11,684 miles of shoreline. 

• Much of the bay is relatively shallow; more than 24 percent is less than 6 feet (2 m) deep. The average depth is 21 feet (7 m). The deepest channel in the bay is 175 feet (53 m). 

• The Chesapeake Bay has the most significant land-to-water ratio of any coastal water body globally. More than 100,000 streams, creeks, and rivers go through the Chesapeake watershed before flowing into the bay. 

Vocabulary: 

• estuary – a semi-enclosed, tidal, coastal body of water open to the sea in which fresh and saltwater mix 

• groundwater - water that exists underground in saturated zones beneath the land surface 

• headwater - a tributary stream of a river close to or part of its source 

• salinity - the measurement of the number of dissolved salts in water, usually measured in parts per thousand; 35 ppt is average for seawater, 0 ppt for freshwater 

• tributaries - streams and rivers that supply a larger body of water 

• watershed - an area of land that is drained by a river or other body of water. 

Related Links: 

Chesapeake Bay: A Landsat 8 Surface Reflectance Mosaic 

     https://www.usgs.gov/media/images/chesapeake-bay-a-landsat-8-surface-reflectance-mosaic  

Chesapeake Watershed Maps 

     https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=chesapeake+watershed+maps&go=Search&qs=ds&form=QBIR&first=1&tsc=ImageHoverTitle  

Ecosystem Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Headwaters, Severn River Tributary, Anne Arundel County Maryland 

     https://www.usgs.gov/media/videos/ecosystem-restoration-chesapeake-bay-headwaters-severn-river-tributary-anne-arundel  

Updated 2020 Nutrient and Suspended-Sediment Trends for the Nine Major Rivers Entering the Chesapeake Bay 

     https://www.usgs.gov/centers/cba/science/updated-2020-nutrient-and-suspended-sediment-trends-nine-major-rivers-entering  

Informing Ecosystem Management of America's Largest Estuary 

     https://pubs.er.usgs.gov/publication/ofr20151162  

Water Use in the US, 2015 

     https://labs.waterdata.usgs.gov/visualizations/water-use-15/index.html#view=PA&category=total 

 

Lesson Plan (5-E) 

Engage 

Description: 

Driving Question: What makes the Chesapeake Bay watershed crucial to the survival of residents of the region? In this lesson, we will learn about the hydrologic features of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The "By the Numbers" component can be utilized to create excitement or initiate discussion regarding the lesson plan topic. 

Activity Ideas: 

Fun, engaging research opportunities: Have students research, discuss, and record the answers to the following questions with a partner. 

• Question One: Which states and district use the Chesapeake Bay watershed as a water source? (Washington, D.C., Delaware - DE, Maryland - MD, New York - NY, Pennsylvania - PA, Virginia - VA, West Virginia – WV) 

• Question Two: How many people live in the Chesapeake Bay watershed? (18 million) 

• Question Three: How many gallons of water does the Chesapeake Bay watershed hold? (18 trillion) Have a gallon bottle as a reference. Measure the classroom beforehand (or, time permitting, with the students present for a more dramatic response) to develop a relevant estimation of how many of these gallon bottles would fit in the classroom and do the math as to how many rooms will be filled by the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As a fun challenge, students can choose and make their comparison at home or school and share with the class the following day. 

Explore 

Description: 

Conduct a teacher-facilitated discussion about the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Using the Chesapeake Watershed Maps, divide the class into groups of four and have each group discuss a map presented in the link. The teacher can choose the map to ensure greater coverage of the examples given, or it can be open-ended, allowing students the freedom to make that decision. 

Share the USGS Chesapeake Bay: A Landsat 8 Surface Reflectance Mosaic to understand how this region looks from this point of view. 

Activity Ideas: 

In this cooperative learning task, students will study their map and interpret what their map is trying to clarify. Students should be allowed to describe their findings and comprehension in their own way. Allowing this process will afford the teacher an informal initial assessment of student understanding regarding this topic. 

Student Task:

Students, you are a team of USGS scientists and are tasked with identifying the most important information to provide to citizens about the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Using this map, what would be the three most essential pieces of knowledge they should know? Discuss as a group and write down your reasons. Be ready to present to the rest of the class. 

 

Explain 

Description: 

Formal introduction of essential vocabulary regarding this topic.  

Use the seven words provided and have students search for definitions and discuss them in their small groups. Please provide an appropriate amount of time to allow students to search, define, and complete this portion of their worksheet. Having students explore different words and sharing definitions offers efficient use of time and an opening for oral communication. 

Activity Ideas: 

Students will be given appropriate time to search for and define essential vocabulary.  

To provide additional background knowledge, students can watch the video: Ecosystem Restoration in the Chesapeake Bay Headwaters, Severn River Tributary, Anne Arundel County Maryland (related link). This video will help students better understand key vocabulary words and how they are used in a real-world situation. 

Elaborate 

Description: 

Students will use what has been introduced and apply this foundational knowledge to extend their learning. Students are required to use all vocabulary terms in their presentations correctly.  

Students will research and present information regarding the components of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in the state assigned to their group.  

Activity Ideas: 

In groups, students will take on the role of USGS scientist and discuss the components of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and its importance in Washington, D.C., Delaware - DE, Maryland - MD, New York - NY, Pennsylvania - PA, Virginia - VA, and West Virginia – WV.  

Each group will need to research what headwaters, tributaries, and groundwater comprises the water within the Chesapeake Bay watershed in their chosen state. Students will develop presentations and produce charts, maps, or use photos to provide the audience with an avenue for a greater understanding of gained knowledge. 

Evaluate 

Description: 

Students will be evaluated by their understanding of the components of the Chesapeake Bay watershed in their chosen state.  

Student knowledge will be assessed on the completeness of the obtainment of the requested information, the quality, and effort of their presentation, including posters, charts, and other material, and their ability to exhibit that they know the information.   

Activity Ideas: 

Students must incorporate an understanding of the bodies of water that feed the watershed in their chosen state, research a minimum of three unique facts per student in the group that they will present to the class, and provide the top five uses (agricultural irrigation, drinking, industrial, etc.) of water their state.

 

Lesson 2: How do human actions affect this natural resource? 

Topic: Water Quality 

Overview: Students will develop an understanding of the many actions detrimental to the health of the Chesapeake Bay watershed, how these actions affect the ecosystem, and what can be done to mitigate the problem. 

NGSS Alignment: 

• Earth and Human Activity (5-ESS3): Students who demonstrate understanding can: Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth's resources and environment. (5-ESS3-1) 

• Science and Engineering Practices: Obtaining, Evaluating, and Communicating Information: Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to evaluating the merit and accuracy of ideas and methods. Obtain and combine data from books and other reliable media to explain phenomena or solutions to a design problem. (5-ESS3-1) 

• Disciplinary Core Idea - Human Impacts on Earth Systems (5-ESS3.C):  Human activities in agriculture, industry, and everyday life have had significant effects on the land, vegetation, streams, ocean, air, and even outer space. But individuals and communities are doing things to help protect Earth's resources and environments. 

• Crosscutting Concepts - Systems and System Models: A system can be described in terms of its components and their interaction 

Materials Needed: 

• Device to allow students to research (iPad, Chromebook, etc.) 

• Paper (construction or printer) 

• Writing instruments 

• Construction or poster paper to use in student-designed presentations  

• Markers, crayons, or any available media to produce charts, posters, and other presentation aids  

• Science presentation board (if available) 

By the Numbers: 

• Pesticides, pharmaceuticals, metals, and other toxic contaminants harm the health of humans and affect the survival, growth, and reproduction of fish and wildlife. According to data submitted to the US Environmental Protection Agency in 2016, 82 percent of the Chesapeake Bay's tidal segments are partially or fully impaired by toxic contaminants. www.chesapeakebay.net/ 

• According to the US Geological Survey (USGS) most recent water quality monitoring data, about 423 million pounds of nitrogen reached the Bay between October 2017 and September 2018, a 66 percent increase from the previous year. www.chesapeakebay.net/  

• Even pollution emitted thousands of miles away can end up in our waterways. The area of land over which airborne pollutants can travel to reach the bay is known as the airshed. The bay's airshed is large: approximately 570,000 square miles, nine times as large as the watershed. www.chesapeakebay.net/ 

• In the annual Dead Zone Report Card, the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS) announced that the 2020 Chesapeake Bay dead zone covered an average of 1.0 cubic miles during the summer and reached a maximum size of 2.7 cubic miles, smaller than most recorded in the past 35 years (80%). Overall, the 2020 dead zone lasted 95 days—41 days shorter than 2019. 

Vocabulary: 

• contaminants - substances that make the water or land impure, unclean, or polluted 

• dead zone - a place where little or no oxygen is present in the water; the decomposition of algae blooms often causes dead zones 

• ecosystem - an interactive system of a biological communities and its non-living environment 

• nitrogen - an inorganic nutrient essential for plant growth and reproduction; excess can cause eutrophication 

• non-point source pollution - pollutants entering waterways from a general area, such as runoff from farmland or suburban communities 

• point source pollution - pollutants entering waterways from a single discharge location, such as a pipe or ditch 

• phosphorus - an inorganic nutrient essential for plant growth and reproduction; excess can cause eutrophication 

Related Links: 

Contaminants 

     https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/chemical_contaminants  

Streamflow and the Water Cycle 

     https://www.usgs.gov/special-topic/water-science-school/science/streamflow-and-water-cycle  

 

Lesson Plan (5-E) 

Engage 

Description: 

Driving Question: How do everyday actions by humans affect the quality of water in the Chesapeake Bay watershed? In this lesson, we will learn how our actions directly impact water quality in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As humans, we have a vested interest in making sure that the Chesapeake Bay watershed is maintained. The "By the Numbers" component can be utilized to create excitement or initiate discussion regarding the lesson plan topic. 

Activity Ideas: 

Fun, engaging research opportunities: 

• Question One: With a partner, have students research, discuss, and record different human actions that affect the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay watershed. (Sewage, chemical pollution, contaminated drains, agricultural runoff, etc.) 

• Question Two: You have had time to research human actions that affect the Chesapeake Bay watershed’s water quality. In your group, make a list of the three pollutants that you found most concerning and explain why these were the top three. (Answers will vary) 

• Question Three: Engineering Moment – You have researched some of the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed. As a group, choose one of the issues and discuss possible solutions to the selected problem. (Answers will vary) 

Explore 

Description: 

Conduct a teacher-facilitated discussion regarding what students were most surprised by in terms of what is currently polluting the Chesapeake Bay watershed. This is a student-centered discussion with the teacher as the facilitator to continue student thought and discussion.   

Streamflow and the Water Cycle will provide a foundational understanding of the water cycle and how different situations can ultimately affect our water quality. Divide the class into groups of four and have each group discuss the information presented in the link. You can choose the topic to ensure greater coverage of the examples given, or it can be open-ended, allowing students the freedom to make that decision.  

Share the Contaminants to provide information about contaminants affecting the Chesapeake Bay watershed. 

Activity Ideas: 

In this cooperative learning task, students will study the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed. They will learn about the sources of pollution and become aware of how they can be part of the solution. 

Students should be allowed to describe their findings and comprehension in their own way. Allowing this process will afford the teacher an informal initial assessment of student understanding regarding this topic. 

Student Task:

Students, you are a team of USGS scientists and were given the task of creating a presentation regarding a pollution problem to a group of citizens. Using the Contaminants, what would be the most critical pieces of knowledge that they should know? As a group, develop a possible solution. 

 

Explain 

Description: 

Formal introduction of essential vocabulary regarding this topic.  

Use the seven words provided and have students search and discuss them in their small groups. Provide an appropriate amount of time to allow students to search for definitions and complete this portion of their worksheet. Having students explore different words and sharing definitions provides efficient use of time and an opening for oral communication. 

Activity Ideas: 

Students will be given appropriate time to search for and define essential vocabulary.  

To assist students in understanding some of the pollution issues, students can watch the following videos to deepen their understanding and relate them to a real-world situation. Students will be tasked with creating a public service announcement (PSA) poster to help educate the public. 

• Stormwater Runoff https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/stormwater_runoff 

• Chemical Contaminants https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/chemical_contaminants 

• Agriculture https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/agriculture 

• Air Pollution https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/air_pollution 

• Wastewater https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/wastewater 

Elaborate 

Description: 

Students will use what has been introduced and apply this foundational knowledge to extend their learning. Students are required to use all vocabulary terms in their presentations correctly.  

Students will research and present information regarding a real-world pollution issue or concept faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Activity Ideas: 

In groups, students will take on the role of USGS scientist and discuss the effects and causes of pollution on the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  

Each group will need to research one of the topics illustrated in the videos (stormwater runoff, chemical contaminants, agriculture, air pollution, or wastewater) regarding how these human-created issues are harming the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Students will develop presentations and produce charts, maps, or use photos to provide the audience with an avenue for a greater understanding of knowledge. 

Evaluate 

Description: 

Students will be evaluated by their understanding of the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed and by their presentations. 

Student knowledge will be assessed on the completeness of the obtainment of the requested information, the quality, and effort of their presentation, including posters, charts, and other material, and their ability to exhibit that they know the information. 

Activity Ideas: 

Students must incorporate an understanding of the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed, research a minimum of three unique facts per student in the group that they will present to the class and develop a possible solution to the issue they are investigating. The focus of this exercise is to create an opportunity to empower students to see themselves as part of a solution to these issues created by humans.

 

Lesson 3: Oysters - Nature’s Cleaners

Topic: Water Quality 

Overview: Oyster reefs provide valuable ecosystem services that contribute to coastal resilience. Unfortunately, many reefs have been degraded or eradicated, but there are increased efforts to restore oysters in many coastal areas. Recently, there has been significant attention to restoring shellfish reefs along eroding shorelines to reduce erosion. Students will develop an understanding of how oysters are able to clean water and generate their own water filtration system. 

NGSS Alignment: 

• Engineering Design (3-5-ETS1): Students who demonstrate understanding can:  

  • Define a simple design problem reflecting a need or a want that includes specified criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-ETS1-1) 

  • Generate and compare multiple possible solutions to a problem based on how well each is likely to meet the criteria and constraints of the problem. (3-5-ETS1-2) 

  • Plan and carry out fair tests in which variables are controlled, and failure points are considered to identify aspects of a model or prototype that can be improved. (3-5-ETS1-3)  

• Science and Engineering Practices 

  • Asking Questions and Defining Problems: Asking questions and defining problems in 3–5 builds on grades K–2 experiences and progresses to specifying qualitative relationships. 

    • Define a simple design problem that can be solved through the development of an object, tool, process, or system and includes several criteria for success and constraints on materials, time, or cost. (3-5-ETS1-1) 

  • Planning and Carrying Out Investigations: Planning and carrying out investigations to answer questions or test solutions to problems in 3–5 builds on K–2 experiences and progresses to include investigations that control variables and provide evidence to support explanations or design solutions.  

    • Plan and conduct an investigation collaboratively to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence, using fair tests in which variables are controlled and the number of trials considered. (3-5-ETS1-3)  

  • Constructing Explanations and Designing Solutions: Constructing explanations and designing solutions in 3–5 builds on K-2 experiences and progresses to the use of evidence in constructing explanations that specify variables that describe and predict phenomena and in designing multiple solutions to design problems.  

    • Generate and compare multiple solutions to a problem based on how well they meet the criteria and constraints of the design problem. (3-5-ETS1-2)  

• Disciplinary Core Ideas  

  • Defining and Delimiting Engineering Problems (ETS1.A): Possible solutions to a problem are limited by available materials and resources (constraints). The success of a designed solution is determined by considering the desired features of a solution (criteria). Different proposals for solutions can be compared based on how well each one meets the specified criteria for success or how well each takes the constraints into account. (3-5-ETS1-1) 

  • Developing Possible Solutions (ETS1.B): 

    • Research on a problem should be carried out before beginning to design a solution. Testing a solution involves investigating how well it performs under a range of likely conditions. (3-5-ETS1-2) 

    • At whatever stage, communicating with peers about proposed solutions is an important part of the design process, and shared ideas can lead to improved designs. (3-5-ETS1-2) 

    • Tests are often designed to identify failure points or difficulties, which suggest the elements of the design that need to be improved. (3-5-ETS1-3) 

  • Optimizing the Design Solution (ETS1.C): Different solutions need to be tested to determine which of them best solves the problem, given the criteria and the constraints. (3-5-ETS1-3) 

• Crosscutting Concepts - Influence of Engineering, Technology, and Science on Society and the Natural World: 

  • People's needs and wants change over time, as do their demands for new and improved technologies. (3-5-ETS1-1) 

  • Engineers improve existing technologies or develop new ones to increase their benefits, decrease known risks, and meet societal demands. (3-5-ETS1-2) 

Materials Needed: 

• Device to allow students to research (iPad, Chromebook, etc.) 

• Paper (construction or printer) 

• Writing instruments 

• Construction or poster paper to use in student-designed presentations 

• Markers, crayons, or any available media to produce charts, posters, and other presentation aids  

• Science presentation board (if available) 

By the Numbers: 

• An oyster can filter 1.3 gallons of water in an hour. 

• One oyster can filter up to 50 gallons of water in one day! 

• Each female oyster can produce over 100 million eggs during a spawning event. 

• An oyster can live to be up to 20 years old. 

Vocabulary: 

• aquaculture - the farming of plants and animals that live in water, such as fish or shellfish  

• biodiversity - the variety of life forms, the ecological roles they perform, and the genetic diversity they contain 

• bivalve - an aquatic mollusk whose compressed body is enclosed within a hinged shell (for example, clams, oysters, and mussels are bivalves) 

• ecosystem - an interactive system of a biological community and its non-living environment 

• environment - the place in which an organism lives and the circumstances under which it lives. An environment includes measures like moisture and temperature as much as it refers to the actual physical place where an organism is found. 

• epifauna - animals that live either attached to a hard surface (for example, on rocks or pilings) or move on the surface of bottom sediments. Epifauna include oysters, mussels, barnacles, snails, starfish, sponges, and sea squirts. 

• habitat - the place where a plant or animal lives 

Related Links: 

Oyster Aquaculture Could Significantly Improve Potomac River Estuary Water Quality (Essay) 

     https://www.noaa.gov/oyster-aquaculture-could-significantly-improve-potomac-river-estuary-water-quality 

Get Your Feet Wet: Oysters (PBS Kids video) 

     https://youtu.be/Hc_NhB9-cg8 

Oyster Filtration Demonstration (University of Maryland video) 

     https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WIW2WBOUFU 

The Chesapeake Bay: Air Pollution 

     https://www.chesapeakebay.net/issues/air_pollution 

 

Lesson Plan (5-E) 

Engage 

Description: 

Watch Get Your Feet Wet: Oysters (PBS Kids Video) and Oyster Filtration Demonstration (University of Maryland video) to gain an understanding of how oysters clean contaminated water. The "By the Numbers" component can be utilized to create excitement or initiate discussion regarding the lesson plan topic. 

Activity Ideas: 

Fun, engaging research opportunities: Have students research, discuss, and record the answers to the following questions with a partner. 

• Question One: After watching the two videos, what are the most interesting fact that you learned about oysters? (Answers will vary) 

• Question Two: Which "By the Numbers" fact did you find most interesting? Why? (Answers will vary) 

Explore 

Description: 

Conduct a teacher-facilitated discussion regarding the pollution issues in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Divide the class into groups of four and have each group discuss the information presented in Oyster Aquaculture Could Significantly Improve Potomac River Estuary Water Quality and The Chesapeake Bay: Air Pollution. The teacher can choose how students will present, or it can be open-ended, allowing students to make that decision. 

Activity Ideas: 

In this cooperative learning task, students will learn and understand foundational knowledge regarding the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Students should be allowed to describe their findings and comprehension in their own way. Allowing this process will afford the teacher an informal initial assessment of student understanding regarding this topic. 

Student Task: Students, you are a team of USGS scientists and given the task of creating a solution for the pollution problems faced by the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. With your group, research and decide an approach that your group will use to create a solution to a pollution issue faced. 

Explain 

Description: 

Formal introduction of essential vocabulary regarding this topic.  

Use the seven words provided and have students search and discuss them in their small groups. Provide an appropriate amount of time to allow students to search for definitions and complete this portion of their worksheet. Having students explore different words and sharing definitions provides efficient use of time and an opening for oral communication. 

Activity Ideas: 

Students will be given appropriate time to search for and define essential vocabulary.  

Elaborate 

Description: 

Students will use what has been introduced and apply this foundational knowledge to extend their learning. Students are required to use all vocabulary terms in their presentations correctly.  

Students will research and present their findings, a diagram, and a model of their filtration system.  

Activity Ideas: 

In groups, students will take on the role of USGS scientists and create a filtration system for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Students will create a diagram of their design and a model of the filtration system to share during the group presentation. 

Presentations will include charts, maps, or photos to provide the audience with an avenue to understand their gained knowledge better. 

Evaluate 

Description: 

Students will be evaluated by their understanding of the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the filtration system created. The teacher will decide what is required. 

Student knowledge will be assessed on the completeness, obtainment of the requested information, and the quality and effort of their presentation, including posters, charts, diagrams, models, and other material, and their ability to exhibit that they understand the information. 

Activity Ideas: 

Students must incorporate an understanding of the pollution issues faced by the Chesapeake Bay watershed and the development of a plausible solution to a pollution issue.