Curriculum Activity

 

Activity Title:  Water Sampling in the Arroyo Seco

 

Subject Area/Concept:  Chemistry, Physical Science, Environmental Science    

 

Grade Level:  Jr or Sr High School

 

 

 

Tool:          o  Image Processing                X  GIS          o  Mol. Visualization                o  Stella

 

 

 

Objective(s):  Students use technology to effectively communicate the results of a water testing project.

 

 

 

Data Source: Various forms:  field testing, tiger, geologic survey

 

 

 

Procedure:  After gathering field data for chemical pollutants in the LA river, students begin to select appropriate ways to visually show the results.  Make maps of California, the location of the LA watershed in relationship to California.  Students also use gps date to generate a field map to show results.

 

 

 

Student Inquiry Questions:  What are sources of pollutants that effect the river.\?  Where does storm runoff go?  How can specific sites be located and placed on a map?  In what ways can maps be used to effectively communicate ideas?

 

 

 

 

 

Notes to Instructor:  Lots of different learning here.  Chemical analysis and environmental issues on one hand.  Then the technical learning of Arcview.  Photographic tif files must be reprojected to show with tiger data using UTM 1983, zone 11.

 

 

 

Creator:  Steve Zimmerman, La Canada High School, LCUSD,  Calzim@aol.com.