National Teachers Enhancement Network: Lesson Plan

Lesson Plan: Measuring Stream Flow
Subject: Earth Science / Hydrology / Water Cycle
Classtime: Total: 1 period (50 min)
Grade Level: 4-10 (can be adjusted for lower grades)

Materials/Technology:
Suggested per group:

meter tape (50-100 meter length)
meter sticks
paper/pencil
calculator
timing device (stopwatch or watch with seconds delineated)
object to float down the stream

Safety, Handling, Disposal:
Safety near the water is essential. Review safety techniques prior to entering the field. It is suggested that a stout rope and/or personal flotation devices be readily at hand (particularly if the water source is near a larger river).

Work with partners--keep track of each other.
Use extreme caution in rapidly moving water areas.
Leave as little impact on the area as possible (pack it in--pack it out).

Learner Outcomes:
Students should be able to:

Use a meter stick to measure length.
Use a watch to record the time of an event.
Determine stream flow by using a formula.

Problem/Purpose:
Show students how to measure stream flow.

Background/Inquiry:
Streams are an essential part of all watershed systems. A stream's flow is an important ecological factor that has great bearing on the way a stream will affect the surrounding area. If a stream is flowing slowly it cannot carry as heavy a sediment load and has less power to cut new channels. If a stream is flowing rapidly it has an opposite effect. For example, streams affect erosion of agricultural land. This helps determine or shape the human practices that are used to control stream flow erosion such as reprap, jetties, channeling, etc. All organisms are affected by stream flow. The ability to measure the flow of the stream is a fundamental skill in water ecology.

Include preactivities that will allow students to explore stream flow. For example, throw a ball in the water and observe it. Use scientific inquiry/questioning to help the students form some sort of a hypothesis about what is going on in that turbulent or lazy stream.

Vocabulary List: Here.

Hypothesis:
Example: The stream flows faster than a person can walk.

Procedure:

Measure off a 50-meter stretch of stream.

Float an object (such as a stick) through the 50-meter stretch.

Time, in seconds, how long it takes for the stick to float 50 meters. Record the time. Repeat three times and find the average time.

Measure the width of the stream in at least five different locations along the 50-meter stretch. Measure the width in meters. Find the average.

Measure the depth of the stream along an imaginary line running perpendicular to the stream in at least five different locations. Measure the depth in meters. Find the average.

Calculate the stream flow using the following formula:

	(length of section X average depth X average width)
Stream flow =	-----------------------------------------------------------------
	time

The answer will be in cubic meters/second. Show calculations and record answers in the results area.

Results/Analysis:
Students' results.

Conclusions:
Compare data to hypothesis to see if it is supported.

Assessments: (if included)

Integration: (if included)

Reflections:
Share your thoughts on this lesson with the NTEN team.

Please send an e-mail to Patti Harrison.

Extensions: (if included)
Have several meter sticks handy and make a meter "cube" to illustrate how big 1 cubic meter is. Then say to students, "That´s how many cubic meters are going by us in this stream EVERY second."

By multiplying the cubic meter/second number by 264, the number of gallons per second can be determined. Continuing on, multiply this number by 60 to determine the number of gallons per minute. Multiply again by 1440 to determine the number of gallons of water the stream carries in one day.

Make note of the river bottom; does it seem to correlate with the flow of the stream?

References/Resources: (if included)

Credits
Contributing Teacher: John Graves
NTEN Course: Life in Streams and Ponds of the Northern Great Plains (and elsewhere)
Instructor: Duane Klarich
Assistant Instructor: Frank Miller
Developing Team:
T.L. Buck Buchanan, Cathy Hensel, Patti Harrison, John Usher, Don Wilson
HTML Programmers: Christy Cousineau, John Usher, Ching-Kwong Chia

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