Field Trip Summary:
The revised “Keepers” program, originated by Colorado Springs Utilities, is designed to help students learn about the planet’s most valuable resource. This interactive and highly rewarding 2 hour field trip promotes an enriched understanding of water’s importance, cycles and properties. Students are guided through a series of fun and dynamic rotations that will focus on the following:
- Hands-on investigations that calculate vital characteristics which measure the stream’s health;
- How water pollution can negatively affect the system and what we can do to make a positive difference;
- Water purification and filtration;
- Clarification about Colorado’s water situation and how important it is to encourage stewardship and conservation of our limited water resources.
In the end we will synthesize all the information and have the students pinpoint specific ways they can be active keepers and stewards of the water!
Teacher Guide Information:
The revised “Keepers” Teacher’s guide is designed to offer teachers pre and post activities and information to support the learning outcomes of the Keepers field trip program. The guide is designed to be a springboard resource and not meant to be comprehensive in any or all topic areas. We want to acknowledge all the programs and lesson plans we used to synthesize the guide.
Learning Objectives and Outcomes:
- Understand the importance and relationship of water for all living things.
- Trace the Colorado Springs water source.
- Identify sources of point and non-point water pollution and learn ways to protect water.
- Participate in hands-on investigations that calculate pH and current speed.
- Interpret the stream measurements and correlate how they measure the stream’s health.
- Develop simple actions that reduce and conserve water consumption.
- Spend two hours learning about the objectives and outcomes listed above during hands-on and interactive lessons that teach by doing.
Core Beliefs:
- Humans and other organisms need clean water to survive.
- People, plants and animals use water for many things.
- There is a limited amount of fresh water on our planet that everyone has to share.
- It is important to understand where your water comes from.
- Almost all the water that was or will be on Earth exits right now.
- There are environmental issues that affect our water supply.
- There are simple actions we can do to protect and conserve our water supply.
- Colorado Springs has a limited number of local natural water sources and is dependent on water sources from the western slope. These sources have other primary dependents that have first priority on where the water flows.
Questions/Reflections:
- What would you do if we needed to reduce our water consumption by half?
- Who is responsible for making sure we have enough water to share with everyone?
- In what ways do humans use water? Why is water important to you?
- What is a watershed? What are the boundaries of your watershed?
- What are the components and terms that clarify the water cycle?
- Where are and what are the names of the reservoirs, lakes, rivers and streams that supply your local water? What about underground water supplies?
- Trace the path of water to and from your home, school, and community.
- What are the percentages of water consumption at home, school and the community?
- How much “clean” water do we have to use? Who else depends on this water supply?
- What are the environmental issues that affect this water supply?
- What contributes to water pollution? Do you help contribute to these sources of pollution?
- What simple actions can we do to help conserve and protect our water?
- What are the community resources that affect and control our water supply?
- What affects the pH, current speed, temperature of water? Can you use these findings to identify the levels of health for the various inhabitants of the riparian area?
- Why is the level of dissolved oxygen important to calculate?
- Why is it important to spend time in natural riparian areas? To protect them?
- What is the annual rainfall in your area? Have you tested it to see if it is healthy?
Ideas for service learning projects:
- Investigate and calculate a local water sources heath. Help clean-up if necessary.
- Create a xeriscape garden.
- Calculate how much water your use at home and in school.
- Promote ways in school or in local community that reduce water pollution and consumption.
- Map out your watershed and help promote ways to act locally.
Sign up your class for a Keepers of the Water fieldtrip by emailing Laura Tuel at
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DATES STILL AVAILABLE FOR FALL 2008:
September 4th 9 a.m.
September 11th 9 a.m.
September 18th 9 a.m.
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