RIVER TO BAY A STUDY OF WATERSHEDS 7TH GRADE SCIENCE 2008

River Unit Essential Questions 1. What are the major water basins of Pennsylvania? 2. How have geologic processes influenced the water systems of Pennsylvania? 3. How are different organisms adapted for life in aquatic environments? 4. How do humans depend on Earth’s water systems? 5. How have human activities impacted water systems? 6. What can we learn by studying a river’s physical and chemical features? 7. What can aquatic macroinvertebrates tell us about a river?

River Unit Standards 3.5.7A – Describe Earth features and processes D – Explain the behavior and impact of the Earth’s water systems C – Explain the effects of water on the life of organisms in a watershed D – Explain and describe the characteristics of a wetland E and 3.5.7B – Describe the impact of watersheds and wetlands (water resources) on people and everyday life B – Describe how human actions affect the health of the environment.

Watershed = the land drained by a river and its tributaries.

BASIN = The entire watershed of a large river or body of water. Basins are made of MANY watersheds.

WATERSHED DIVIDE = An imaginary line that separates watersheds. Precipitation on either side of the line runs into different watersheds.

The land in Pennsylvania includes parts of 6 different basins.

WATERSHED ADDDRESS = The first named stream or lake that water flowing from your property runs into. Jersey Shore Middle School’s Watershed Address Lawshe Run

Watershed Address continued… Of course, often that watershed is part of a larger watershed, and that may be part of a larger basin and so on... Jersey Shore Middle School’s Watershed Address Lawshe Run Lawshe Run, West Branch Susquehanna Lawshe Run, West Branch Susquehanna, Susquehanna, Chesapeake Bay, Atlantic Ocean