Environmental Research Study On Our Local Chollas Creek Zamaria Rocio Teacher: Zamaria Rocio Grades: 6th-8th San Diego, California

Question? How will the weather affect the creek in a ten-month period?

California Standards Covered: Investigation and Experimentation 7.Scientific progress is made by asking meaningful questions and conducting careful investigations. As a basis for understanding this concept and addressing the content in the other three strands, students should develop their own questions and perform investigations. Students will: a.Develop a hypothesis. b.Select and use appropriate tools and technology (including calculators, computers, balances, spring scales, microscopes, and binoculars) to perform tests, collect data, and display data. c.Construct appropriate graphs from data and develop qualitative statements about the relationships between variables. d.Communicate the steps and results from an investigation in written reports and oral presentations. e.Recognize whether evidence is consistent with a proposed explanation. f.Read a topographic map and a geologic map for evidence provided on the maps and construct and interpret a simple scale map. g.Interpret events by sequence and time from natural phenomena (e.g., the relative ages of rocks and intrusions). h.Identify changes in natural phenomena over time without manipulating the phenomena (e.g., a tree limb, a grove of trees, a stream, a hillslope).

Materials/Methods GLOBE protocols-Atmosphere/Climate Rebar (6) placed in pairs at opposite shores, at three different locations Brick laying string (will be attached to rebar pairs Digital camera for documentation Metric rulers

Abstract – Over a school-year period of time, students will investigate the level of this local creek. The beginning of this creek is located ~3km away. Chollas Creek eventually feeds into the San Diego Bay. Most of it (75%) travels through heavily populated areas. The area of the creek that my students would have access to and which would be safe for us to use, is ~16 meters long. San Diego gets very little rain; averaging less than 25 cm per year.

Camera Usage Students will document water level, cloud cover, and vegetation growth at the creek. Students will also document their procedure to make into a power-point presentation for other students, parents, and community.

Data Transformation Monthly graphs will be made Data tables will be used