| Grade Level: |
Subject Areas |
| High
School Senior Project |
- Current Events
- Science/Environmental Studies
- Technology
- Physical Geography
|
Description: Students
will investigate and learn about the profession of hydrology in environmental
science. Hydrology is defined as the science of properties of the earth’s
waters, especially of its movement in relation to land. This Senior Project
includes completion of a reserach paper, a physical product, a portfoio
and oral / visual presentations.
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| Skill
Areas |
- Library research
- Internet research
- Interview skills
- Time management
- Application of knowledge/skills acquired
|
| Vocabulary |
- Hydrological cycle
- Upstream/downstream issues
- Aquifers
- Hydrological model
|
| Class
Time |
|
Goals and objectives
As
a result of this project, students will understand the importance and need
for hydrologists, the impacts humans and climate have on our water supply,
and the potential for people to work out compromises for water usage. Students
will have the opportunity to:
- Work with university and local Environmental Scientists as well
as scientist from their own school
- Research water, the water cycle, and water management (locally,
nationally, and globally)
- Work with local hydrologists to compare water resources such as
their closest river basin to climate, upstream/downstream issues, and interbasin
transfer
- Investigate how hydrologists determine the outlook for this river
basin
- Investigate how hydrologists work helps create policies for the
river basin
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Teaching
Preparation
Water
is one of our most precious natural resources. Without it, there would be
no life on earth. The supply of water available for our use is limited by
nature. And, there is increasing evidence that chemical wastes improperly
discarded yesterday are showing up in our current water supplies.
Today, we face record consumption, uncertain supplies, and growing demands
for protection from flooding and pollution. The health and economic effects
of a shortage of clean water are matters of great concern.
Interesting and challenging careers are available to those who choose to study hydrology.
Hydrology has evolved as a science in response to the need to understand
the complex water system of the earth and help solve water problems. Hydrologists
play an important role in finding solutions to water problems. Hydrologists undertake a wide range of activities in order to monitor, manage
and protect the water environment. Many activities and studies would be
impossible without hydrometric data measurement, collection and archiving.
Hydrologists frequently develop and use mathematical models to mimic the
physical processes. A hydrologist's activities include:
- Hydrometric and water quality measurement:
River flow, rainfall, evaporation, soil moisture, ground water
- Process studies:
Rainfall and other forms of precipitation; ice, snow and glaciers; river
flow processes including water quality, sediment movements and channel shapes;
water in the biosphere at all scales, including soil and water interactions
- Applications:
The study of drought and floods, including statistical studies of drought
and flood risks
Modeling of complex water resource and water supply systems for planning
and operation
Water quality and other environmental management studies
Water use assessment (agriculture and forestry)
Assessing the consequences of changes in land use
Developing models of hydrological process and systems
Environmental impacts on water and of engineering works to manage water
Hydrologists work in a wide variety of organizations. The five main types
are:
- Government - developing policies, regulating and managing the environment
- International Organizations - technology transfer, international
cooperation
- Consulting - providing services in civil engineering, environmental
management and assessment
- Academic and research -undertaking teaching and research
- Utility companies and public authorities - mainly providing water
and sewage services
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Student Activity
Students will write a research paper, create a physical product, a portfolio,
and make both an oral and visual presentation.
- Students will need a mentor to help guide them through their project.
Suggestions are an environmental scientist at a university and a teacher
that is a Senior Project Counselor.
- Student’s research paper topic should be exploratory/perspective
on hydrologists and their impact on local water scarcity issues. The local
water scarcity issues affecting the student’s specific location will
determine the focus for the paper.
- Resources to be used for the project should be the library, Internet,
interviews, magazine articles, periodicals, and any other pertinent information.
After completion of the research paper, students should use the information
they gathered and the position they took to create their research-based
physical product. For the product students will create a brochure on hydrology
as a career and a video on their local river basin and issues. The video
and brochure should also focus on the importance of hydrologists. The video
should be geared towards a high school student audience. The creation of
these products should be documented with photographs at various stages to
show progress in the portfolio. Students must spend at least 15 hours or
more for development of the product. The brochure and video may be given
to the school library with approval of the Senior Project Board.
- Students must give an oral / PowerPoint presentation of their project
to their classmates for peer evaluation before senior project board
submittal. The speech should focus on the research, the product, and
self-evaluation. The PowerPoint will present visual information about
the topic, physical product, and the stages of the senior project journey
to the judges.
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Extension
“What
really drives our water issues is our hydrology and hydrogeology,
the amount of rain we receive, the pattern of our rivers and the kinds
of underground water sources we have.
”
John Morris
Director of Water Resources, NC Department of Environment
and Natural Resources |
None listed.
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Additional
Resources
None listed.
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|
