LaMotte AP Water Quality Assessment Package

An extensive curriculum that uses the exploration of the Water Quality Index to teach students STEM-based skills that they will apply through classroom and field activities to satisfy Section VI (Water Pollution) of the AP® Environmental Topics Outline. In 4 classroom activities, students use actual data from the Kansas River watershed to: perform independent research, analyze data, create spreadsheets, calculate the water quality index, generate graphs, collect data, perform statistical analysis, access real-time hydrological data, locate local watersheds, observe environmental systems, and communicate accurately. In a culminating field activity, students utilize appropriate techniques and instrumentation to identify their watershed and perform chemical and biological analyses to determine the water quality index of a local waterway. The following environmental concepts are covered: watersheds, Water Quality Index, physical, chemical and biological water quality parameters, nutrient loading, hydrological variables, watershed ecology, remediation measures, and point-non-point pollution sources. The Teacher Resource CD-ROM contains a teacher/student guide, Water Quality Test procedures, STEM Extension Activities, chemical reactions, data spreadsheets, glossary, graphics files and PowerPoint presentations and Quick Time iPad/iPod Videos. Also included is a Free LaMotte BioPaddle Colony Identification App which lets users capture the BioPaddle image to compare the ”unknown” microbe growth on the BioPaddle to a library of photos of ”known” microbe colonies.