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Use this lab activity to teach students some of the procedures necessary to monitor local water quality. After gathering water samples from a local waterway, students test them for pH, nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total solids, turbidity, and change in temperature. Kit provides materials for 8 groups of students.

Product Details
Use this lab activity to teach students some of the procedures necessary to monitor local water quality. Students gather water samples from a local waterway and test them for pH, nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, total solids, turbidity, and change in temperature. After assigning a total value (T value) based on test results, students estimate each site's Water Quality Index (WQI) value and compare the results. Gathering and comparing data can lead to further investigations of the local aquatic environment's health. Kit provides materials for 8 groups of students.

Unit Connections
This laboratory investigation correlates to Unit 1: The Living World: Ecosystems, topic 1.3: Aquatic Biomes; Unit 4: Earth Systems and Resources, topic 4.6: Watersheds; and Unit 8: Aquatic and Terrestrial Pollution, topic 8.2: Human Impacts on Ecosystems in the AP® Environmental Science Course and Exam Description. However, depending on the area sampled, you may cover many other topics in the AP® Environmental Science Course Framework Unit Guide, such as 8.5 Eutrophication, 8.6 Thermal Pollution, and others.

Standards Connection
This kit addresses the following AP® Environmental Science concepts:
Big Idea 2: Interactions Between Earth Systems (ERT). Earth is one interconnected system. Natural systems change over time and space. Biogeochemical systems vary in ability to recover from disturbances.

• ERT-1 Ecosystems are the result of biotic and abiotic interactions.
• ERT-1.C Describe the global distribution and principal environmental aspects of aquatic biomes.
• ERT-1.C.1 Freshwater biomes include streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes. These freshwater biomes are a vital resource for drinking water.
• ERT-4 Earth's systems interact, resulting in a state of balance over time.
• ERT-4.F Describe the characteristics of a watershed.
• ERT-4.F.1 Characteristics of a given watershed include its area, length, slope, soil, vegetation types, and divides with adjoining watersheds.

Big Idea 4: Sustainability (STB). Human survival depends on developing practices that will achieve sustainable systems. A suitable combination of conservation and development is required. The management of resources is essential. Understanding the role of cultural, social, and economic factors is vital to the development of solutions.

• STB-3 Human activities, including the use of resources, have physical, chemical, and biological consequences for ecosystems.
• STB-3.B Describe the impacts of human activities on aquatic ecosystems.

However, depending on the area sampled, you may cover many other concepts in the AP® Environmental Science Course and Exam Description.

Time Requirements
Teacher Preparation (before class):

• Prelab: 60 minutes
• Investigation (in the field): 60 minutes
• Investigation (in the lab): 45 minutes

Class Time:

• Prelab: 45 minutes
• Investigation (in the field): 3–5 hours (plus any necessary travel time)
• Investigation (in the lab): 90 minutes
• Free-Response Questions: 60 minutes

Digital Resources
Includes 1-year access to digital resources that support instruction. Digital resources may include teacher manual and student guide, prelab activities and setup videos, simulations, and postlab analysis and assessments.

Prior Knowledge and Skills
Students should be familiar with the following skills or concepts:

• Describe the nitrogen, carbon, and phosphorus cycles
• Use graduated cylinders and other common laboratory measuring devices

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