Harvard LTER Schoolyard Program
Water in the Landscape: Streams (SY004)
What seasonal changes take place in streams?
What do these changes tell us?
Lesson Plans
Data Analysis
Presentations
Suggested Reading
Grade Levels: 3-12
Minimum Field Time: 4 times during schoolyear
Related Research at Harvard Forest:
Aquatic Ecologist, Betsy Colburn, is studying headwater stream environments that provide a unique home to specific kinds of plants and animals. As these environments have been understudied and underprotected in the past, research in streams will provide information to better protect these resources in the future. (see Aquatic Studies).
Schoolyard Research Methods:
Students can contribute to this study by measuring and tracking water levels of streams near their schools. Teachers may also choose to coordinate information on stream hydrology and climate with water quality monitoring, biological sampling, and/or wildlife surveys.
- Project coach works with teacher in schoolyard or local conservation area to map and flag a nearby stream for research.
- HF Coordinator provides information packet, data sheets, and field supplies to teacher.
- Coach works with teacher and students to practice measurement and data collecting techniques to begin the project.
- Teacher and students (can be a volunteer and a small research group) continue data collection at least 4 designated times throughout the school year.
- Teacher and students provide data to Schoolyard Coordinator.
- Data is posted on Harvard Forest Website for ecologist and public access.
- Teacher and students may choose to analyze data, and compare it to other schoolyard sites nationally. They may also want to compare their findings with ecological data from local or national LTER sites to understand how their findings relate to global patterns.
- Teacher and students are encouraged to come meet the scientist at Harvard Forest, and tour our research site to see how long term ecological study is done at the university level.