Water Resources Research Act Program

Details for Project ID 2002PA1B

Development of 4-H Water Quality Curriculum Materials

Institute: Pennsylvania
Year Established: 2002 Start Date: 2002-03-01 End Date: 2003-02-28
Total Federal Funds: $35,635 Total Non-Federal Funds: $46,353

Principal Investigators: William Sharpe

Project Summary: The Pennsylvania 4-H Natural Resources Curriculum Committee and Cooperative Extension faculty have identified as a pressing need a guidebook on water quality tailored for Pennsylvania children in grades seven and eight. The material, including hands-on activities, will be appropriate for use with 4-H groups and with small groups in schools. Most citizens of the state rely on groundwater for their drinking water and other domestic uses, which, because of Pennsylvanias geology, is susceptible to pollution through sinkholes and rock fractures. Therefore, students need to understand that their actions can directly affect groundwater quality. The topics addressed in the student guide will be based upon the states academic standards for environment and ecology and for science and technology. Specific topics may include the definition of a watershed; factors affecting water quality and aquatic organisms, including vegetation, land use, topography, and geology; the importance of wetlands as pollution filters; the effects of humans and human influences on water quality; and how natural events, including droughts and floods, affect water quality. Participating students will be encouraged to become active in water quality management in their homes and in their communities. Draft materials will be reviewed by expert scientists and by the 4-H Natural Resources Curriculum Committee and revised as necessary. The publication will be designed by Agricultural Information Services at Penn State and printed by a commercial printer.