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Lesson 4: Analyze the Results

Overview
Students will use the information collected from both the water quality tests and the macroinvertebrates they found in the water sample to make a general determination about the quality of the water in the sampling area.

Objectives
Students will:

assess the water quality of a sample through chemical means

assess the environmental quality of a water sample based on the presence of certain organisms

understand that all living things are affected by the environment

Analyze data/information for meaning.

Distinguish between observations that support a hypothesis and those that do not.

Time
One or two 45 minute class periods.

Materials

Printable Student Worksheet

Water Sampling Tests Fieldbook

Downloadable version: fieldbook.pdf - fieldbook.doc

Teacher Preparation

It will be useful to review the acceptable ranges found the Water Sampling Tests Fieldbook.

Assessment Suggestions
Results will differ depending on the fresh water body you tested, however you can use the following extension questions for follow-up:

Are any of your results not what you expected them to be? Which ones? Explain your reasoning.
Is there a relationship between Dissolved Oxygen levels and the types of plants, animal, or other organisms you observed in the water? If so, describe the relationship.
Do you think that your water source is a good environment for organisms to survive based on pH levels? Why or why not?
Is there a relationship between Turbidity level and the type and variety of organisms observed in the water? If so, describe the relationship.
How did the Dissolved Oxygen level of your water sample compare to the temperature? Did you see any relationship between the two? If so, what was it?
Is the water used for drinking water? For recreation? Based on the results of your testing, would you use the water for swimming or recreating? Explain.

Procedure

NOTE: The following instructions also appear in the Project Instructions section of this web site.

Activity 4: Class Letter of Introduction

Instructions:
Using the results you found from the last activity, please complete the following sections in the order listed below. Note that you will need to reference the Water Sampling Fieldbook to determine whether or not the Test Kit results fall into the acceptable range for good quality.

Analyze the Test Kits' Results
1. Water Temperature
  1. What was the water temperature? ____ ºC
2. pH
  1. What was the pH level? ______
  2. What is the acceptable range for good water quality?
  3. Does your reading fall into that level?
3. Dissolved Oxygen:
  1. What was the DO level? ______ppm
  2. What is the acceptable range for good water quality?
  3. Does your reading fall into that level?
4. Based on the above tests, would you consider the water quality to be:
  
  GOOD FAIR POOR
  
  NOTE: Please circle your answer.

Analyze the Macroinvertebrate Results
1. How many types of macroinvertebrates did you find in the SENSITIVE to pollution range? _______
2. How many types of macroinvertebrates did you find in the SOMEWHAT pollution tolerant? _______
3. How many types of macroinvertebrates did you find in the TOLERANT to pollution? _________
4. Based on the type and amount of macroinvertebrates you found (i.e. if you found a lot of organisms SENSITIVE to pollution, SOMEWHAT pollution tolerant, or TOLERANT to pollution), would you consider the water quality to be:
  
  GOOD FAIR POOR
  
  NOTE: Please circle your answer.

Synthesize your Results
1. In order to survive, do you think a macroinvertebrate that is SENSITIVE to pollution prefers higher or lower levels of Oxygen in the water? Why?
2. How would this be different for macroinvertebrates that are SOMEWHAT pollution tolerant? and TOLERANT to pollution? Why?
3. Keeping these answers in mind, does the Dissolved Oxygen data you collected support the types and amount of macroinvertebrates you found?
4. Can you make a water quality determination based on the test kit data and the macroinvertebrates you found? Please explain your answer.

Make a General Water Quality Determination
Using both the test kit data results and the macroinvertebrate analysis, how would you rate the fresh water body that you tested?

GOOD GOOD to FAIR FAIR FAIR to POOR POOR

NOTE: Please circle your answer.

Submit your Results
Submit your water sampling data to the Project Data section of this web site.
NOTE: Please consult the Project Instructions if you have any questions or concerns regarding the deadline.