understand the natural processes and students will human interactions that affect comprehend and apply basic terminology watershed systems. Key concepts related to watersheds. include use topographic maps to determine the the health of ecosystems and the location and size of Virginia’s regional abiotic factors of a watershed; watershed systems. the location and structure of locate their own local watershed and the watershed Virginia’s regional rivers and streams associated with it. systems; design an investigation to model the effects of divides, tributaries, river systems, stream flow on various slopes. and river and stream processes; analyze and explain the functioning of wetlands; wetlands and appraise the value of wetlands estuaries; to humans. major conservation, health, and safety issues associated with explain what an estuary is and why it is watersheds; and important to people. water monitoring and analysis using propose ways to maintain water quality within field equipment including hand-held a watershed. technology. explain the factors that affect water quality in a watershed and how those factors can affect an ecosystem. forecast potential water-related issues that may become important in the future. locate and critique a media article or editorial (print or electronic) concerning water use or water quality. Analyze and evaluate the science concepts involved. argue for and against commercially developing a parcel of land containing a large wetland area. Design and defend a land-use model that minimizes negative impact. measure, record, and analyze a variety of water quality indicators and describe what they mean to the health of an ecosystem.
understand the natural processes and human interactions that affect watershed systems. Key concepts include the health of ecosystems and the abiotic factors of a watershed; the location and structure of Virginia’s regional watershed systems; divides, tributaries, river systems, and river and stream processes; wetlands; estuaries; major conservation, health, and safety issues associated with watersheds; and water monitoring and analysis using field equipment including hand-held technology. students will comprehend and apply basic terminology related to watersheds. use topographic maps to determine the location and size of Virginia’s regional watershed systems. locate their own local watershed and the rivers and streams associated with it. design an investigation to model the effects of stream flow on various slopes. analyze and explain the functioning of wetlands and appraise the value of wetlands to humans. explain what an estuary is and why it is important to people. propose ways to maintain water quality within a watershed. explain the factors that affect water quality in a watershed and how those factors can affect an ecosystem. forecast potential water-related issues that may become important in the future. locate and critique a media article or editorial (print or electronic) concerning water use or water quality. Analyze and evaluate the science concepts involved. argue for and against commercially developing a parcel of land containing a large wetland area. Design and defend a land-use model that minimizes negative impact. measure, record, and analyze a variety of water quality indicators and describe what they mean to the health of an ecosystem.
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