Activity (Hands-On)Grades 5 - 7
Your River's Health
Students perform a macroinvertebrate survey to gauge the health of a local river. They collect water samples and count macroinvertebrates to learn how the health of a river's ecosystem can be determined by its river insect population.
A student examines a river insect.Copyright US Department of Natural Resources http://www.dnr.wa.gov/htdocs/adm/comm/DNRNews/fall02/studentswshed.html
Engineers consider environmental impact when designing dams as well as other structures or systems. Engineers and scientists conduct tests and take measurements to quantify and verify the condition of test subjects.
After this activity, students should be able to:
- Identify more than one species of macroinvertebrate.
- Understand that species diversity reflects healthy ecosystems.
- Calculate a diversity index.
- Recognize that engineers must consider environmental impacts when designing dams