Teaching Water Science Online Fall '95

Fall 1995

Teachers overflow with enthusiasm

Students gain real-life science experience

Hach helps mold a future scientist

Students earn college credits studying rivers and streams

What do you do when nature doesn't want to play?

Science project goes to nation's capitol

Daniel Moyer has memorized the LeadTrak® Lead Test. In fact, he could probably run the entire procedure in his sleep. That's no small feat, considering Daniel is not quite thirteen years old.

As a sixth grader at Our Lady of Mount Carmel School in Doylestown, Penn., Daniel decided to learn more about lead in drinking water for his school science fair project. Last spring, his experiment began a journey that ultimately led to Washington, D.C., where he received accolades for applying the scientific method. Along the way, he acquired valuable skills and knowledge about chemistry, water treatment, USEPA lead action levels, and even public relations.

"After taking samples from 30 sites, I found that older buildings are more likely to have high lead levels because of the old plumbing fixtures," Daniel explains. "Although I was glad to find out that the water in all the school buildings I tested was below 15 ug/L, I was really excited when I found a public building with lead levels exceeding the USEPA action level. They don't drink tap water there anymore," he states, "because my testing showed it wasn't safe."

Equipped with the LeadTrak Test Kit, Daniel visited schools, museums, the courthouse and residences where he collected first-draw samples according to kit instructions. "It was easy to figure out," he says. "Everything was labeled; everything made sense. And the kit was lightweight so I could take everything I needed along with me. I got so good at measuring, taking the water's temperature and even determining pH that I finished testing in about 10 minutes." Over the course of several weeks, he ran 60 tests to complete his study and provide data for his findings.

Daniel discovered other ways of measuring lead levels at Betz Laboratories. "My dad, a Betz chemist, showed me how ICP (inductively coupled plasma), AA (atomic absorption) and SEM (scanning electron microscopy) work," he relates. Samples from sites that tested as high lead levels (610 and 42 µg/L) were verified with AA and ICP procedures. Test kit results were extremely accurate when compared to those laboratory test results. "We reported my test results to the people living or working in all the buildings. They were pleased."

When Daniel completed his project in February, he was proud to win "Best of Fair" at his school. When the project was submitted in county, regional and

district science fairs, he began to accumulate more awards. Among the prizes bestowed was a personal computer, a $2500 savings bond for his college fund, and an all-expenses-paid trip to the capitol. According to Daniel, the highlight of the trip was meeting Senator Gaylord Nelson, an original sponsor of Earth Day.

What was the most difficult part about lead testing? "Getting up at six in the morning to take the first draw sample," he says. "I had to get there before anyone ran the water." Did all those early morning treks to the water taps dull his interest in chemistry? "Oh no," he says, "Science is still my favorite subject. I may even be a chemist when I grow up."

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Science project goes to nation's capitol

Students gain real-life science experience

Hach helps mold a future scientist

Students earn college credits studying rivers and streams

What do you do when nature doesn't want to play?

Teachers overflow with enthusiasm

For the third summer, educators trekked to Colorado to attend free three-day workshops at the Hach Technical Training Center. More than 100 teachers, some from as far away as Florida, Connecticut, and California, traveled to Colorado to add to their knowledge base of environmental education. The workshops offered an exhilarating mix of classroom, laboratory and field work, as teachers collected samples from rivers, lakes and ponds and analyzed them with a variety of Hach test kits, meters and instruments. According to Training Center staff, the teachers' enthusiasm and energy was exceeded only by their delight when mastering new skills -- several were overheard to say, "I can't wait to share this with my students next fall!" Others exclaimed, "This training will help me implement my grant and set up a new program with curriculum and equipment."

The Training Center isn't the only place learning and new levels of awareness are blossoming. From educators and volunteers all across the country, we're hearing about youngsters, young adults, mature adults, baby boomers and "generation Xers" united in similar common causes. We've heard from river watch groups throughout the Midwest; Environmental Protection Agency-sponsored schools collecting watershed baseline data in the Northeast; wastewater treatment plants in the deep South opening their doors for Career Day; and young people in the Northwest testifying to county commissioners about the impact of development on estuaries near their school. We've heard about the Great All American Secchi Dip-In, a nationally coordinated event to collect water clarity data. Students, volunteer groups, civic organizations, state environmental health agencies, and even the federal government are mobilizing to preserve and protect water quality. And Hach Company is proud to offer the test kits, reagents, and instruments that put the power of water quality monitoring within everyone's grasp.

To be relevant, this newsletter must reflect your activities and respond to your needs in a significant way. That's why we want to hear from you. Do you have an interesting story to share that includes a Hach product? Can other educators benefit from your experiences? Provide the answers to these and other questions and a future issue of Teaching Water Science may feature some aspect of your science curriculum.

Just check the box on the reply card identified as "Kids Learning with Real Science" questionnaire. We'll send you a brief questionnaire to complete and return to us. Then we'll send you a colorful Wherever There's Water computer mouse pad and our thanks for providing the input that keeps our newsletter timely, informative and useful.

Keep up the good work!

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Science project goes to nation's capitol

Teachers overflow with enthusiasm

Hach helps mold a future scientist

Students earn college credits studying rivers and streams

What do you do when nature doesn't want to play?

Students gain real-life science experience

W ould you be concerned if you found oil in your water? Students in Muskegon, Mich., were. Last fall, water in a well they were sampling had a distinct oily sheen and smell. After locating some nearby leaking tanks, students raised some serious questions about how safe their water really is.

Middle and high school students from the Hillsdale-Lenawee and Monroe Math/Science Center are participating in a yearlong watershed study. Studying local watersheds to identify current problems and propose some ingenious solutions, they are involved in an important real-world experiment while learning chemistry, biology, hydrology, geography, political issues, and the history of the watershed.

Middle and high school students from Michigan are using Hach water analysis equipment to test their local watershed. This experiment, coupled with traditional classroom learning, is creating a more complete science curriculum.

Tom Green, director for the center, created this curriculum using Hach products. The program grew out of his interest in the outdoors and his background in fisheries. He likes that Hach products are simple to use and said, "I have not found anything comparable to the DR/2000 Spectrophotometer." Green is always working to create new training ideas for teachers. This program is funded by the USDA Forest Service, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, W.K. Kellogg Foundation and the state of Michigan.

Students are testing ground and surface water for 14 parameters including phosphorus, alkalinity, suspended solids, total dissolved solids, BOD, total hardness, chloride, turbidity, sulfate, sulfide, total iron, and mid-range nitrates. Annually they test for heavy metals including chromium, lead and copper. E. coli and invertebrates are also studied.

Students are also running experiments on the impact of land use. Interviewing local residents to determine how the rivers have changed over the years, students are able to assess human influences on the watershed. Soil samples are taken from different areas and tested. Students then collect rain water from the corresponding area and test it. After the water is strained through the soil, the soil and water are both retested. Students are looking for changes and the causes of these changes.

Gaining problem-solving experience, students have been able to translate classroom learning into real-world situations. Mike Hornbrook, chemistry teacher, states his reasons for participating in the watershed project. "It gives students an idea of what chemistry is used for. The methods used correspond directly with what we are doing in class with single and double replacement reactions."

Test results are compiled and placed on an on-line computer network so Michigan students can coordinate and compare information with other schools. A year-end conference is held where students present their results and recommendations to the public.

Charles Vanderlan, former high school biology teacher, said, "I feel positive about the watershed study approach to teaching science. It gets students out into the environment, taking samples, learning to use scientific instruments, and making measurements. Students feel they are doing something important. The teachers are just as excited as the students, and students pick up on that. I am very supportive of it."

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Science project goes to nation's capitol

Teachers overflow with enthusiasm

Students gain real-life science experience

Students earn college credits studying rivers and streams

What do you do when nature doesn't want to play?

Hach helps mold a future scientist

Y ou don't have to be an experienced scientist to be interested in environmental issues. And you don't have to be an experienced scientist to run an experiment on a waterway. And you definitely don't have to be a scientist to use Hach products. Hach products are so simple to use that almost anyone can use them to test a local waterway.

Nine-year-old Amy Wibowo conducted a study of the pH levels of Boulder Creek last February. As a fourth grader at Sacred Heart of Jesus School in Boulder, Colorado, Amy tested the creek at three different locations to determine how the city's population influenced the creek's pH level. Using a Hach pH Pocket Pal Tester, she tested the creek in the morning, noon and evening. Calibrating the meter each time with Hach buffer solution to ensure that her readings were accurate, Amy found that the pH of each location changed several times each day. She concluded this was due to photosynthesis. According to her results, the water in Boulder Creek also became more basic as it went through the city. The pH levels were higher in the locations in and downstream from Boulder.

Amy Wibowo, like many kids today, is interested in science and the environment. But she took it one step further. For her school science project, Amy tested Boulder Creek to determine how the city of Boulder affects the pH levels of the creek.

How did a nine-year-old decide to run such an experiment? "I took a class on Boulder Creek pollution last year. So I decided to test the pH levels for my school science project. My teacher, Michelle Bicek, recommended Hach products." A Hach pH Pocket Pal Tester helped Amy complete her school science project. "The tester helped me to find out how the city environment affects the creek. The tester is accurate, handy and easy to use."

Amy recently moved to Mississippi, where she plans to investigate dissolved oxygen and its importance to water organisms in her local river. "I've seen a lot of dead fish and plants, and I think it is due to low dissolved oxygen." Amy is excited about science and water analysis and wants to be a water engineer or an environmental engineer when she grows up.

The pH Pocket Pal Tester helped Amy complete her experiment and gave her some real-life science experience. Hach products are economical, durable, safe, and easy to use for any water analysis application. They can be used by anyone and can be an important part of any science curriculum.

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Science project goes to nation's capitol

Teachers overflow with enthusiasm

Students gain real-life science experience

Hach helps mold a future scientist

What do you do when nature doesn't want to play?

Students earn college credits studying rivers and streams

A s part of the St. Charles River and Stream Research Project, 10 Stream Teams are hard at work analyzing the Missouri River and nearby creeks and streams. The project, which is U.S. Environmental Protection Agency funded, consists of 10 area high schools that have formed a partnership to pool information with the Missouri Department of Conservation. Gerry Boehm, director of the St. Charles River and Stream Research Project, hopes to add St. Louis schools to the program next fall.

The project forms educational partnerships among the area schools. "Students from other schools get together during sporting events; we wanted to bring them together for educational purposes," says Boehm. "We are trying to give students a multi-discipline education. Students are not only learning water quality management but English and social studies too. Critical writing and how to present data in a scientific report are just as important as chemistry and biology."

Missouri students are joining together to form educational partnerships and share water analysis data. Students participating in the St. Charles River and Stream Research Project are gaining real life science experience, three college credits and a multi-discipline education.

As part of the project, Francis Howell High School enrolls 120 students in a yearlong course titled Environmental Studies. Students earn three college credits from the University of Missouri, St. Louis for participating. One of these students, Lauren Hartig, got her interest in the environment from her parents. "I grew up on the water, swimming and fishing with my family. The best part of the project is knowing I am doing something for my community. Many people are concerned about water quality but don't know what to do. We do the monitoring for them. The worst part is finding pollution in the water," Hartig says.

Once a month students take samples from seven different test sites. Tests include dissolved oxygen, pH, alkalinity, nitrate, nitrite, total phosphate, and fecal coliforms. Students use the DR/700 Colorimeter and the DR/2000 Spectrophotometer for their analyses. To maintain the project's goal of having long-range data from the test sites, seven students have volunteered to continue the tests over the summer. They would like to expand their analyses to include soil, lead and air pollution.

"Students have found fluctuations in fecal coliforms," states Boehm. "They found more when it rained and more when it was warmer." High levels were found near a new golf course and a dump site. High levels of fecal coliforms indicate contamination by human or animal waste.

Students have learned to relate pollution levels to the number of macro-invertebrates. Near a concrete plant, the sample had a pH of 10 and no

macroinvertebrates were found. "From this students have learned the importance of preserving natural habitats," states Boehm. Next fall the students will submit their findings to the St. Charles City Council in hopes that regulations will be passed based on their findings.

The project has received extensive local media coverage. As a result, a local merchant loaned the participants a boat to conduct a study on nearby Bullshoals Lake. The merchant was curious about the water quality of the lake and wanted to use the results in his advertising. The students eagerly added the lake to their list of sample sites.

Boehm is happy to credit Hach products with a share of the program's success. "I have used many analytical products, but I like Hach best," says Boehm. He thinks Hach is very professional compared to other suppliers because the materials are neat and organized. Hach's fast distribution and cooperative phone assistance make it easy for him to get the products and information he needs. Hach's teaching package, Water, Water Everywhere, supports his curriculum. Boehm attended two training courses in Loveland, Colorado, and found them to be excellent. "Hach products allow hands-on experimentation and data that you can use. They maintain student interest and give the project meaning."

Return to top

Science project goes to nation's capitol

Teachers overflow with enthusiasm

Students gain real-life science experience

Hach helps mold a future scientist

Students earn college credits studying rivers and streams

What do you do when nature doesn't want to play?

By Jim Schuth

Weather and environmental changes can wreak havoc on your water analysis data. Florida hurricanes, Midwestern flooding and Northeastern droughts are causing fluctuations in readings all over the country.

Colorado experienced unusual precipitation this year. The heavy spring snows and cool temperatures caused above-average snowpack in the mountains. During the spring and early summer warm-up, the snow melted quickly and caused high runoff. We also had above-normal rainfall. The end result was flooding. As you can imagine, this created problems in terms of comparability of past data collected during our Science Educators Workshops. Dissolved oxygen levels were out of whack, some metals were elevated to levels not seen before, and macro-nutrient levels fluctuated widely across the board. Our data for this year looks to be a mess.

You may have experienced some of these same problems if you are carrying on routine data collection as part of your water analysis program. So what do we do? Well, to use an old cliché, if life hands you a lemon, make lemonade. Situations like these provide an opportunity to discuss sources of error.

Take a hard look at trends in your data. Are the unusual readings truly fluctuating or are they still in relative proportion to readings you have seen all along? Look for specific changes in the data. Are they the result of a change in the environment or a problem with the sampling caused by a physical change at the sample site?

True environmental shifts may require library research to track down the source of the changes. For example, in Colorado, we have lots of exposed mine tailings. From these mine tailings comes water with low pH, referred to as acid mine drainage. The natural buffering capabilities of the soil and water can be overcome during heavy precipitation. When low pH water comes in contact with various metal salt-bearing strata, metals leach from the soil and into water courses or underground flows. These contaminants eventually end up in surface waters downstream. You may have to research the geology of your region for some insight as to the effects you see reflected in your data.

What are some alternatives to doing environmental testing at your favorite river or lake sites if they have been totally flushed clean of any testable levels of analytes? Try the local potable water supplies. Frequently there are problems during flood events at the local water treatment facilities. Also try the effluent mains of the local wastewater facilities or the storm drain effluent pipes. When all else fails, you can always make up your own samples using the methods I have discussed in prior columns.

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This page was last updated 08/16/06