Teacher Guide—Earth Science Module - Estuaries NOAA

Teacher Guide—Earth Science ModuleActivity 3: Estuary and WatershedFeatured NERRS Estuary:San Francisco BayNational Estuarine Research Reservehttp://nerrs.noaa.gov/Reserve.aspx?ResID=SFBActivity SummaryIn this activity, students investigate the nature of watershedsand their relationship to the dynamic changes thatoccur in estuaries due to drainage and runoff. Studentsbegin by examining the San Francisco Bay EstuarineResearch Reserve and tracing the extent of thewatershed using Google Earth. Then they identifypossible sources of pollution and contamination alongthe major rivers that feed into the bay. Students alsoexamine water quality data in the San Pablo region ofthe estuary and identify changes that occur due to astorm event.Learning ObjectivesStudents will be able to:1. Identify the processes in the watershed that affectconditions in the estuary and explain some specificexamples.2. Apply their understanding of changes in thewatershed and the resulting effects on the estuary toexplain real-life situations regarding land use andweather in watersheds.3. Understand how water quality factors are affected bynatural and man-made sources of pollution andcontamination.Grade Levels9-12Teaching Time4 (55 minute) class sessions + homeworkOrganization of the ActivityThis activity consists of 4 parts which help deepenunderstanding of estuarine systems:Exploring the San Francisco WatershedWhat’s Upstream Comes DownstreamWater Quality at the Mouth of the WatershedOptional: Mapping Your Local WatershedBackgroundSan Francisco Bay is an extensive andshallow estuary that drainsapproximately 40% of California.Ninety percent of the water flowinginto the bay comes from theSacramento and San Joaquin rivers,whose headwaters are in the SierraEarth Science Module—Activity 3