Listing of exercises, games and puzzles that promote concepts about groundwater.
Exercises Games Puzzles
_EXERCISES_____________________________________________
Ecology Center of Ann Arbor
Contact:
Ecology Center of Ann Arbor, Michigan
117 N. Division St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
313-995-5888
I’m a Raindrop: The Water Cycle through Visual Imagery
Description: Song, visual imagery and dramatic presentation enable students
to learn about the water cycle.
Objective: To follow a raindrop through the water cycle.
Grade Level: K – 3
Subject Areas: Science, Art, Music
Ground What? Groundwater!: How water fits underground
Description: Students, working in groups, build a simulated aquifer, identify
the water table and learn how water is stored underground.
Objectives: To explain that groundwater fills the spaces between particles and
to learn about the water table.
Grade Level: 1 – 6
Subject Areas: Science
Soil Solutions: How does groundwater get contaminated?
An Experiment in Dissolving
Description: Each small group of students has some mixture of soil, salt and/or
Kool-Aid in a funnel. Groups make a prediction about what will happen when water
is poured through the funnel, then observe what occurs and describe the results.
Objectives: To demonstrate how things dissolve and to explain that water
can dissolve things as it moves underground.
Grade Level: 2 – 3
Subject Areas: Science and Social Studies
Water’s Journey in a Jar: An experiment showing how water moves
Description: This activity illustrates that the ground is made up of layers of
different sediment types. Students observe water movement through the layers.
Objectives: To describe and define groundwater, show that different types of
layers occur underground and describe how water fits underground and moves
through these layers due to gravity.
Grade Level: K – 6
Subject Areas: Science
____________________________________________________________
Keep it Clean!
Groundwater Education in Michigan’s Schools (Classroom Gems)
Contact:
Institute of Water Research
Michigan State University
115 Manly Miles Building
1405 S. Harrison Road
East Lansing, MI 48823-5243
517-353-3742
Description: Students add various substances to their groundwater models,
add “rain” and observe the results. During a class demonstration, discussion
focuses on real contaminants that affect groundwater and where polluted
groundwater might go.
Objectives: Students will understand that pollutants can enter surface water
from groundwater, name several sources of contamination, understand that the
Earth’s ability to filter pollutants from water is limited and become aware of their
own responsibility for protecting groundwater.
Grade Level: 4 – 6
Subject Areas: Science and Health
_____________________________________________________________
Illinois Department of Energy and Natural Resources
Nature's Water Wheel
Description: Fact sheet illustrates the water cycle. Reverse
side contains chart, The Residence Time of Water Molecules
in the Hydrologic Cycle.
This fact sheet accompanies A Toast to Water!
Grade Level: 4 – 12
A Toast to Water!
Description: Students imagine where their drinking water may have originated
and drink a toast to water and the water cycle.
Objectives: Students will be able to describe the water cycle.
Grade Level: 2 – 12
Subject Areas: Science, Social Studies, Art
_____________________________________________________________
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: Sinkholes and Watersheds / Sinkhole —
Coffee Maker Exercise
Kentucky Division of Waste Management
Description: Approximately half of Kentucky has karst topography (presence of
sinkholes, caves and streams that disappear underground). Groundwater is very
sensitive to pollution in karst areas. The sinkholes are a direct connection to the
karst aquifer. Pollution from trash and garbage dumped into sinkholes enters
underground streams that may provide someone else’s drinking water farther
downstream. In nonkarst areas of Kentucky, open dumping of waste results in
the same problem: pollution of water that is used by others downstream. These
exercises produce visible evidence of water pollution that results from improper
disposal of waste. Students will investigate differences in contamination of
groundwater by waste disposal.
Objectives: Students will compare and rank order observed results of the
demonstration, analyze the cause of groundwater pollution and evaluate
the practice of dumping waste into sinkholes or on the land.
Grade Level: 4 – 12
_GAMES__________________________________________________
For Kids Only Activity Sheets
Ecology Center of Ann Arbor
Contact:
Ecology Center of Ann Arbor Michigan
117 North Division St.
Ann Arbor, MI 48104
313-995-5888
Description: Two different sheets, each contains word searches, brief questions
or short writing exercise about groundwater pollution and prevention.
Grade Level: 4 – 6
_____________________________________________________________
Nebraska Children’s Groundwater Festival Outreach Packet
Contact:
The Groundwater Foundation
P.O. Box 22558
Lincoln, NE 68542-2558
800-858-4844
Make Some Words
Description: See how many words can be made with the word “groundwater.”
For extra credit, students must look up 10 of their words in the dictionary and
write down a definition, antonym or synonym.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
Puddle Pictures
Description: A game that may be played by two or more individuals or as teams.
Teams alternate drawing and guessing the word on a card. Words are from the
water cycle, water activities, types of water bodies, sources of contamination,
groundwater, etc. A word list, equipment needed and directions for playing the
game are included.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
Water Math
Description: Eight word problems dealing with water usage.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
_____________________________________________________________
Water Wisdom
Groundwater Education in Michigan’s Schools (Classroom Gems)
Contact:
Institute of Water Research
Michigan State University
115 Manly Miles Building
1405 S. Harrison Rd
East Lansing, MI 48823-5243
517-353-3742
Description: A series of one-page games covering such topics as groundwater
protection, water conservation and household hazardous waste.
Grade Level: 4 – 12; general public
_PUZZLES__________________________________________________
Nebraska Children’s Groundwater Festival Outreach Packet
Contact:
The Groundwater Foundation
P.O. Box 22558
Lincoln, NE 68542-2558
800-858-4844
Find the Water Words
Description: Find the 50 water words in the word search puzzle.
A word list is provided.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
Water Puzzle
Description: Crossword puzzle dealing primarily with water life.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
Water Quality Puzzle
Description: Find the 54 words dealing with water and pollution. The words can
be found forward, backward, up, down or diagonally. A word list is provided.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
Water Words Puzzle
Description: The 33 terms listed in the word list are hidden in the word search puzzle.
Grade Level: 4 – 8
_______________________________________________________________
For More Information Contact:
Pat Keefe
200 Fair Oaks Lane
Frankfort, KY 40601
Phone: 502-564-3410
Fax: 502-564-9636
E-mail: pat.keefe@ky.gov
