Student Journal

Many of the materials and organisms for Unit 2 can be purchased online from the following companies:  http://www.kelvin.com/ or http://www.radioshack.com for batteries, alligator clips, wires and other small circuitry equipment; *Live plants and organisms should be ordered 2 - 3 weeks in advance from Carolina Biological (http://www.carolina.com), Science Kit & Boreal Labs (http://www.sciencekit.com) or Delta Education (http://www.deltaeducation.com/). Seeds can also be purchased from these companies or from a plant supply store such as Metropolitan Plant Exchange or Hanover Floral Supply. Pet supply retailers such as Petco will sell guppies and will occasionally have elodea in-store and online.  Drs. Foster and Smith (http://www.drsfostersmith.com) and other pet supply retailers will sell brine shrimp cysts, aquaria supplies, sand, etc. The Container Store, Dollar Stores, home improvement stores such as Ace, Home Depot or Lowes, and Target carry many of the other supplies needed for Unit 2 (shoe box containers, tongs, etc.)

Lesson One: Water Cycle For groups of three or four

Part 1
Glass jar with lid (mayonnaise jar or Petri dish), or Pyrex bowl and large plate to cover the bowl
Hot water
2 cups of ice
food coloring (dark red or dark blue)

Part 2
Can of aerosol spray
Lid

Investigation 2
Small plastic container
Clear lid to cover the container, plastic wrap or a large re-sealable storage bag
1 - 1½ cups potting soil
Lima beans or sunflower seeds
½ liter bottle of water
Ruler
Marker
Masking tape
Small to medium-sized box to secure projects
Thermometers (optional)

Lesson Two: What’s in the Water? For the entire group of students

Part One
Flipchart or chalkboard
4 - 5 pictures of an aquatic ecosystem (see facilitator guide appendix)

Part Two
Shoebox or plastic bag
30 index cards, nametags or 2 X 2 squares of paper, each labeled with an abiotic and a biotic element   from an aquatic ecosystem (see lesson chart on page 3 for suggestions)
Ball of yarn or string
Clock or watch with a minute hand

Lesson Three: Freshwater Ecosystems For groups of three or four
*Live plant and animal organisms should be ordered 2 - 3 weeks in advance from Carolina Biological (http://www.carolina.com) , Science Kit & Boreal Labs (http://www.sciencekit.com) or Delta Education (http://www.deltaeducation.com/)

Dip net
Dechlorinated or spring water
Large aquarium containing guppies, snails, Elodea and Duckweed 
Small containers for offspring
Hammer
Nail

Part 1, Setting the Stage
Colorless, rinsed 2-liter soda bottle (label removed)
Colorless, rinsed 2-liter soda bottle with air holes poked in the bottom (label removed)
Dechlorinated tap or spring water
Markers
Scissors
Masking tape
Sand (rinsed with plain water)
3 Elodea plants
A scoop of duckweed
Thermometers

Part 2, Adding Some Key Players
2 water snails in a 16 oz clear plastic cup of dechlorinated water
2 guppies in a 16 oz clear plastic cup of dechlorinated water
Fish food

Part 3, Watch What Happens
Magnifying lenses
Thermometers

Lesson Four: Marine Ecosystems For groups of three
*Live plant and animal organisms should be ordered 2 - 3 weeks in advance from Carolina Biological (http://www.carolina.com) , Science Kit & Boreal Labs (http://www.sciencekit.com) or Delta Education (http://www.deltaeducation.com/), Drs. Foster and Smith (http://www.drsfostersmith.com) for brine shrimp, aquarium sand, etc.

Part 1, Salty Shrimp
Brine shrimp eggs (cysts)
Paper
Magnifying lenses
3, 500 ml clear containers (beakers, jars, plastic cups, or measuring cups) rinsed
Dechlorinated or spring water
Graduated cylinders
Instant ocean sea salt or aquarium salt
Measuring spoons
Markers
Masking tape
Thermometer

Part 2, Brine Shrimp Life Cycle
Magnifying lenses
Baker’s yeast
Small dip net
Flashlight
Spoon
Petri dish
Microscope

Part 3, What If?
3, 500 ml clear containers (beakers, jars, plastic cups, or measuring cups),rinsed
Brine shrimp eggs (cysts)
Dechlorinated or spring water
Graduated cylinders
Rock salt
Measuring spoons
Markers
Masking tape
Thermometer
Magnifying lenses
Baker’s yeast
Small dip net
Spoon
Petri dish
Microscope

Lesson Five: Water Body Salinities I For groups of four

Preparation
3, 1000 ml graduated cylinders or 2-liter soda bottles
Distilled water
Kosher salt
Pan balance
Roll of insulated wire
Wire stripper

Part 1
Large map of the bodies of water in NJ (see appendix)
Individual outline maps of NJ (see appendix)
Colored pencils

Part 2
250 ml (1 cup) of water samples #1, #2 & #3
3, 16 oz plastic cups
9-volt battery
Small light bulb or buzzer with 2 insulated wires attached
Masking tape or alligator clips
1, 12-inch length of insulated wire (ends stripped)
2 popsicle or craft sticks
Aluminum foil

Part 3
60 ml (1/4 cup) of water samples #1, #2 & #3
3, 9 oz plastic cups
Permanent marker

Lesson Six: Water Body Salinities II For groups of four

Preparation
3, 1000 ml graduated cylinders or 2-liter soda bottles
Distilled water
Kosher salt
Balance

Part 1
Plasticine or clay
Drinking straw, clear
Ruler
Permanent marker
Tap water
4, 16 oz clear plastic cups
Small nails or steel shot to fit inside straw
375 ml (1 ½ cups) of water samples #1, #2 & #3
Paper towels
Optional, Hydrometer Lab Kit from sciencekit.com

Part 2
250 ml (1/2 cup) of water samples #1, #2 &#3
Plastic ice cube tray
Freezer
Thermometers
Real hydrometer, optional

Lesson Seven: Estuaries For groups of three

Part 1, Salt and Water
9 oz clear cup
Measuring spoons
Kosher salt or sea salt, 2 tablespoons
Magnifying lens or microscope
Microscope slide or clear plate
Plastic stirrer or spoon
½ liter bottle of water
Eyedropper, medicine dropper or straw cut in half

Part 2, Make a Salt Wedge Estuary
Large clear plastic tub or Pyrex baking dish, (9 x 13)
Ruler
Tap water, 1 liter (room temperature)
½ liter bottle of saltwater solution (½ liter of water & 6 tablespoons of salt)
Food coloring (blue, red or green)
Paper cup, 3 oz or 5 oz
Small marbles, stones or pebbles
Pencil or pen with a pointed tip or other object with a sharp point
Book or wooden block, at least 1-inch in width

Part 3, Plant Dehydration
Salt
5, Elodea or other freshwater plant or fresh celery (all cut the same length)
Magnifying lens
Ruler (cm)
4, 1000 mL graduated cylinders or 1-liter clear plastic bottles
4 test tubes or small jars
Permanent marker
Masking tape
Dechlorinated tap or spring water
Measuring spoons

Lesson Eight: Wetlands, For groups of two to four

Addendum

Part 1
Small aluminum foil pan or food storage container
1 lb. Plasticine or Crayola clay (enough to cover bottom of the pan)
Cellulose sponge with no scrub side (cut to fit the width of the pan if needed)
½ liter bottle of water or spray bottle of water
Ruler (cm)
Cup of potting soil
Toothpicks or small craft (popsicle) sticks
Permanent marker

Part 2
Photos or pictures of different wetland habitats (see facilitator guide appendix)
Photos or pictures of different wetland plants and animals (see facilitator guide appendix)

Lesson Nine: Water Quality, For groups of two or three

Part 1
4, 3 - 5 oz clear plastic cups or 50 mL test tubes
7 oz distilled water (approximately 13.5 tablespoons)
2 oz lemon juice (approximately 3.5 tablespoons)
Baking soda solution (1 teaspoon of baking soda / 3.5 tablespoons of water)
3.5 tablespoons vinegar
pH wide range test tablets*
pH color chart*
*LaMotte Tapwater Test Kit or Water Pollution Detection Kit can be ordered from http://www.sciencekit.com

Part 2
3 plastic-coated plates or Petri dishes
24 corn seeds, radish seeds or lima beans
Vinegar solution (1 cup vinegar / 1 cup water)
Baking soda solution (1 cup of baking soda / 1 cup of water)
1-liter water sample (rainwater, tap water or water from a local pond or lake)
Paper towel sheets (cut to fit the plates)
1-gallon clear plastic storage bags
Ruler (cm)
Permanent marker

Lesson Ten:  Water Treatment, For groups of three or four

Part 1
16 oz cup of dirty water sample (mix 1 ½ cups of potting soil with 2 liters of water in a clear 2-liter soda bottle or other container)
Measuring spoons and cups
1 coffee filter
1 rubber band
1 table
Cotton fabric or cheesecloth
Funnels
Paper towels
Screen remnants
Nylon stockings
Plastic containers of various sizes

Part 2
Materials from Part 1
2-liter dirty water sample
2-liter colorless plastic soda bottle with its cap (or cork that fits tightly into the neck)
2, 2-liter colorless plastic soda bottles, one with its bottom cut off and one with the top cut off
1 large container or measuring bowl to hold a 2-liter bottle
2 tablespoons of alum spice powder

Part 3
Materials from Parts 1 and 2
2-liter colorless plastic soda bottle with the bottom cut off
One unused coffee filter
One rubber band
One 2-liter colorless plastic soda bottle with the bottom cut off
1 ½ cups fine sand (white play sand or beach sand)
1 ½ cups coarse sand (multi-purpose sand)
1 cup small pebbles (washed, natural color aquarium rocks work best)
2 liters of clean tap water