Importance

To the eye, water is abundant in Portage County.  Of the County's half-million acres, 19,000 acres are wetlands and 15,000 acres are covered by the surface water of 104 lakes, 110 trout streams, and the Wisconsin River.  But many people have not thought about how our actions and land use decisions can affect the water we can't see--groundwater.  Under our feet, the sand and gravel aquifer covering most of Portage County stores groundwater and releases it to our streams, lakes, rivers, and wetlands. Groundwater also supplies Portage County with 100% of its drinking and water needs for agricultural, residential, and industrial purposes. All living things in our area depend on groundwater in one way or another.  In fact, a family of four uses an average of 255 gallons of groundwater every day!

Because groundwater seeps from the soil surface to the water table and because well water comes from within a few miles of the well, activities on the land surface can affect groundwater quality and quantity. Fertilizers, pesticides, household cleaners, human and animal waste, underground storage tanks, as well as hazardous wastes can contaminate groundwater. Once contaminated, groundwater is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to clean up.  So prevention is the key.  Prevention starts with awareness and education that leads to action.

Evidence of Need

According to a survey conducted by The Central Wisconsin Groundwater Center in 1995, many private well owners are unaware of the connection between their everyday activities and area land practices on the quality and quantity of the groundwater.  Also, both individuals and communities are unaware of their responsibilities and opportunities in helping to protect and manage groundwater.  In addition, a survey of teachers conducted by the Wisconsin Center for Environmental Education in 1997 reported that teachers who do not currently teach about environmental issues would be more likely to do so, if there was better access to resources and information.  Lastly, the Portage County Groundwater Citizens Advisory Committee (PCGCAC) (1999) identified public education and involvement as a top priority to support long-term effective management of the County’s groundwater resource.

Curriculum Guide Design

The intent of the groundwater curriculum guide is to provide groundwater information, education, and lessons for students from 4^th grade on up in Portage County, Wisconsin.  The guide uses a constructivist theory approach, which guides students toward new discoveries and scientific understanding, while helping them to develop their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.  The guide consists of three units: Influencing Environmental Factors and Groundwater Basics, the Human Role in the Water Cycle and Groundwater, and Taking Action for Groundwater.  Each unit contains a series of lessons that explore a variety of topics and skills, and covers many subject areas.   Although this guide is sequentially designed, the lessons may be taught as stand alone activities.

Unit Overviews

Rationale for Unit Design

Groundwater is a vital resource to humans and the environment. Since humans and the environment are so dependent on groundwater for health, as well as livelihood, this topic of groundwater should be explored with the students.  Groundwater is a rather abstract concept, so a foundation of other knowledge and skills must first be built to prepare the students for learning about groundwater.  This foundation includes learning about water in general, the land formations that guide groundwater flow, and the characteristics of soil.   With this foundation, the students should better understand the resource of groundwater.

   Aim

1. Understand the environmental factors that influence or play a role in the groundwater resource, groundwater management, and groundwater issues.  

Goals

1.1 Understand water distribution on the earth, as well as the water cycle.

1.2 Understand how topography influences or affects watersheds.

1.3 Understand the relationship between soil types and groundwater.

1.4 Understand basic information about groundwater.

Objectives

1.1.1        Infer that usable fresh water represents a very small amount of all water on the earth and that amount can be further reduced by contamination.

1.1.2        Identify and define the parts of the water cycle.

1.2.1        Read and interpret a topographic map by recognizing multiple topographic map symbols.

1.2.2    Explain orally and in writing the relationship between water quality, and vegetation and land use practices in a watershed.

1.3.1        Distinguish among sand, silt, and clay by texture (feel).

1.3.2    Predict how groundwater will move in the Central Sands Area and the soils of the Northwest corner of Portage County.

1.4.1    Explain in writing how water moves from the surface to underground and back to the surface.

1.4.2        Interpret or explain the meaning of the shape/spread of a vertical plume through various soil layers.

Activities Chosen

As mentioned earlier the unit is based on a constructivist approach.  It also addresses the five goals of environmental education.  The first lesson, How Wet is Our Planet, is an awareness activity to get the students focused on and thinking about water.  The next seven activities (Water Wonders, Topo Map Reading, Watershed Boundaries, Watershed Area, Perimeter, & Land Uses, Building a Watershed, Soil Textures, and Soil Percolation & Permeability) provide a basic foundation of knowledge and skills to better understand and perform future groundwater activities, as well as many other topic activities over the school year. (E.g. habitat, animals, vegetation, etc.) 

The remaining two activities (Groundwater Flow Model-Go with the Flow and Plume of Contamination) focus specifically on groundwater.  These activities apply the knowledge and skills learned in the first seven activities.  After Lesson 10, summarize and review knowledge and skills, and apply them to groundwater in Portage County.  Conclude the unit by giving a test.

Environmental Education Standards Addressed

·        Questioning and Analysis (A.8.1-A.8.6)

·        Knowledge of Environmental Process and Systems (B.8.5, B.8.10, B.8.15-19, B.8.21)

Rationale for Unit Design

As citizens and consumers, we should be aware of the cycle of natural resources and the flow of energy throughout the environment, so we can make more responsible decisions.  More often than not, people take many things for granted or do not think about how things came to be.  Earlier, the class studied the water cycle and some issues that can impact groundwater quality.  In the water cycle activity, one important part of the cycle was left out--humans.  This field trip unit focuses on the human role and impact on the water cycle, as well as groundwater.  How do humans use water?  Where does the water come from?  How does the water get to our house and city buildings?  Where does the waste water go?  How do humans contaminate water?  The field trip provides a real world experience supporting the lessons.  By answering these questions, the students should be more aware of the human role in the water cycle and groundwater.

Aim

2. Understand the human role in the water cycle and impacts of human activities on groundwater quality and quantity.

Goals

2.1 Understand the many uses of water.

2.2 Be aware of potential groundwater contaminating products and human activities.

Objectives

2.1.1        Identify the water source of their family's drinking water.

2.1.2        Document all the ways their family uses water.

2.1.3        Explain one effect a well can have on groundwater quality and one effect a well can have on groundwater quantity.

2.2.1        Evaluate the impact contaminants could have on the health of groundwater, the environment, and humans.

2.2.2        Describe the general steps in a municipal wastewater treatment process.

2.2.3        Help students realize that all septic systems release nitrate into the soil, which can contaminate groundwater.

Field Trip: Observe how a well, municipal wastewater treatment plant, and water tower function and observe how a well (or septic system) is installed/constructed.  

Activities Chosen

The Pre-Visit Activities will provide background information, knowledge, and skills on wells, septic systems, sewage/wastewater treatment, water uses, contaminants, and where the water in our house comes from and where it goes after leaving the house.  These activities will prepare the students for the field trip, which involves visiting a municipal water site, sewage treatment plant, and a well drilling or septic installation site.  The post activities provide a creative way for the students to share what they have learned and evaluate the unit with regards to value or worth.

Environmental Education Standards Addressed

·        Questioning and Analysis (A.8.3-A.8.6)

·        Knowledge of Environmental Process and Systems (B.8.5, B.8.14-18, B.8.20)

Unit 3: Taking Action for Groundwater

Rationale

The previous two units focused on building awareness, knowledge, and skills.  The final step in developing an environmentally literate person is taking action. This unit takes students to a higher level of thinking by challenging them to engage in problem-solving and critical thinking activities, to investigate issues, and to develop action plans.  These are necessary, life-long skills that come into play in real world situations. 

Aim

3. Appreciate and understand the value of groundwater to human life and the environment and the importance of achieving balance between human activities and the groundwater resource.

Goals

3.1    Develop and use problem-solving and critical thinking skills to resolve groundwater problems.

3.2    Learn the process involved in issue investigation.

3.3    Understand the components involved in decision making.

Objectives

3.1.1        Locate the source of groundwater contamination by collecting and analyzing data. (reactive problem-solving)

3.1.2        Choose a new location for a landfill based on groundwater flow information.  (proactive problem-solving)

3.2.1        Share their values, opinions, feelings, and ideas about an issue with others.

3.2.2        Identify the components of an issue, which include the problem, issue, players, positions, values, beliefs, and possible solutions for an environmental topic.

3.3.1        Work in a group to evaluate the effects of different kinds of land use on groundwater and make decisions.

3.3.2        Evaluate their own personal and family impacts to the groundwater resource and write a plan for taking action toward reducing their impact.  

Activities Chosen

All the activities in this unit focus on critical thinking and problem-solving skills.  The first two activities (Grave Mistake or Pucker Effect, It'll Go with the Flow) focus specifically on groundwater problems and require the application of skills and knowledge learned in previous lessons.   The next two activities (Values on the Line and Tough Choices) explore the human dimensions involved in issue investigations.  Now the problem-solving and issue investigation skills will be used along with decision-making skills in a Dragonfly Pond and in developing a Personal Groundwater Action Plan.  The last activity (Groundwater Issue Investigation and Action Plan) is a culminating project that requires the application of a variety of knowledge and skills previously gained.  In addition, the students are empowered to choose their own local issue to investigate and develop their own action plan to resolve the issue.

Environmental Education Standards Addressed:

·        Environmental Issue Investigation Skills (C.8.1-4)

·        Decision and Action Skills (D.8.1-8.8)

·        Personal and Civic Responsibility (E.8.1)

How Wet is Our Planet 

References

·        Aquatic Project Wild, Western Regional Environmental Education council, Inc, 1987.

·        Conserving America Rivers Resources Guide, WQEDI Pittsburgh and NW Federation, 1998.

·        Denise Kilkenny-Tittle, original lesson plans, 2000.

·        Groundwater Study Guide, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, 1990.

·        Hands-On Environmental Science Activities, Eugene Kutsheer, 1991.

·        Math 338 Class Notes, UWSP, 2000.

·        Middle School Poster, How Do We Treat our Wastewater?, USGS, 1996.

·        Project Learning Tree Environmental Education Activity Guide: Pre K-8, American Forest Foundation, 1994.

·        Project Learning Tree Secondary Environmental Education Program: Exploring Environmental Issues Focus on Forests, American Forest Foundation, 1996.

·        Project WET Curriculum & Activity Guide: K-12, The Watercourse and Council for Environmental Education, 1995.

·        Streamkeeper's Field Guide, Adopt-a-Stream Foundation.