Grade 4

Watersheds, groundwater and environmental responsibility

How does water move through our community, and why should we protect it?

Learning goals

To describe what a watershed is and how water moves across the land
To explain what groundwater and aquifers are and how they connect to surface water
To identify how pollution can travel through surface water and groundwater
To recognize the importance of protecting local water systems for people, plants, and animals
To describe the role wetlands and natural areas play in keeping water clean
To develop a sense of responsibility for protecting local and global water systems
To develop problem-solving and teamwork skills through investigation and solution building

Materials

Chart paper and markers
Sticky notes
Computers/Laptops/Chromebooks
Projector for videos and presentations

Visual Resources

GRCA Watershed Overview: Explains watershed features and shows a real Ontario watershed system. Identify where your community/school is located on the map and emphasize how water is all connected within our region. https://friendsofthegr.wpengine.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/GRCA-Watershed.pdf

Healthy Watershed Diagram: Provides a clear visual of land use & water flow, and how forests, wetlands, farms, and cities are all connected within a watershed. https://www.scholastic.com/waterpollution/pdfs/HealthyWatershedDiagram.pdf

Watersheds Canada What is a Watershed resource: Similar to the above resource, demonstrating the flow of water and connection to human uses. https://library.watersheds.ca/e98d7477-0eec-4fb9-b651-223f24f1e07f/#file-e2395b67-f2cb-4a8c-a6c4-74d4edb76ecd

Activity instructions

There are four parts in this activity to be completed:

Introduction
Hands-on activities
Class discussion
Wrap-up activity

Total time: 80-90 minutes; can be delivered across two periods.

There are two parts in this activity to be completed.

Introduction – Understanding Our Watershed (40 minutes):

What is a watershed and what is groundwater? (20 minutes)
Healthy watersheds and how they can become polluted (20 minutes)

Group Work – Environmental Impact and Responsibility Proposals and Presentations (50 minutes)

Proposal Planning (30 minutes)
Group Presentations and Discussion (20 minutes)

Introduction:

Section 1: What is a watershed and what is groundwater? (20 minutes)

Share the video What Is a Watershed?
1. Emphasize that a watershed is an area of land where all water drains to the same place.
Project the GRCA Watershed Overview PDF
Guide students to identify:
1. Rivers and streams
2. Lakes
3. Highland (watershed boundary)
4. Where water collects
5. Where it eventually flows (Lake Erie)
Consider asking the following questions:
1. What happens to rain when it falls on hills?
2. Where does water collect?
3. How does the shape of the land (e.g., hills and valleys) affect where water goes?
4. What might happen to water on a steep slope compared to flat ground?
5. Where does most river water eventually end up?
Reinforce that water moves downhill due to gravity, following the shape of the land.
Ask additional questions about water movement once it reaches the ground:
1. Does all rain stay on the surface?
2. What happens when water soaks into soil?
Share the video What Is Groundwater? Emphasize the following:
1. Some water moves underground
2. Underground water collects in spaces between soil and rock (aquifers)
3. Groundwater can move and connect back to rivers and lakes
4. Surface water (lakes, rivers, ponds) and groundwater are part of one connected system within a watershed

Ask the question: if everything within a watershed is connected, what happens when something harmful enters the system?

Section 2: Healthy watersheds and how they can become polluted (20 minutes)

Project the Scholastic Healthy Watershed Diagram and share the Wetlands Canada What is a Watershed document
Guide students to observe:
1. Wetlands
2. Buildings
3. Movement of water through the watershed
4. Where water goes once it goes underground
Facilitate a discussion:
1. What everyday actions can harm water quality in a watershed?
2. Where might pollution that can impact water come from?
3. If pollution starts on land, where can it eventually travel to?
4. What natural features might be able to help clean and filter the water?
5. Why is clean water important for people, plants, and animals?
Show Keeping Our Water Clean

Introduce contaminants – oil, litter, chemicals, other pollutants
Emphasize the connection between litter/pollution, storm drains, and the connection to our lakes and rivers
Ask: What actions at school or home could impact our watershed?
1. Examples: litter that washes into storm drains; runoff from playgrounds/parking lots; excessive water use at schools or homes; and protecting a local creek or wetland.

Part 2: Environmental Impact and Responsibility Proposals and Presentations (50 minutes)

Consider introducing this project at the end of the first class period.

Section 1: Proposal Planning (30 minutes)

Have students split into groups of 3-4 (or whatever is appropriate based on your classroom).

Each group selects a local water-related issue. Some examples include:

Storm-drain litter
Parking lot runoff (e.g., oil or other pollutants)
Excessive water use
Protecting a local wetland or creek

Each group will create a detailed plan for a project that addresses a water-related issue of their choosing. They should use research and the classroom videos to support their ideas. The plan must include a clear goal and a set of step-by-step actions. Students should organize tasks so that each group member chooses their preferred roles, and every member has something to do.

Suggested project examples:

School storm-drain awareness campaign: Create online or paper posters and give a short class talk to explain where the water in storm drains goes and why we should never put garbage or chemicals in them.
Water Watchers: A team that measures simple water-use checkpoints in their school (e.g., counting running taps, checking for leaks) and suggests ways to reduce waste.
Clean-up near the creek: With teachers helping the whole time, students collect garbage along the sides of the creek trail (no one goes into the water). Afterward, they write down what they found and share the results in the school newsletter.

Section 2: Group Presentations and Discussion (20 minutes)

Presentation: Groups will prepare a visual representation of their proposal; a slide show, infographic, poster, or short skit. Presentations should be no longer than 3-4 minutes.

Presentations should cover:

What the problem is: What is happening? Explain the watershed or groundwater issue in a way your classmates can easily understand.
The science: How does surface water or groundwater move? How does the pollution spread?
Your solution: Share your idea for how to fix or improve the problem.
How it will work: Share simple step by step actions that show how your plan would be done.
Why it matters: Describe how your idea will help the school, the community, or the watershed.
Use visuals: Add pictures like maps, drawings of water flow, or simple diagrams so everyone can follow along.

Wrap-up activity:

Lead a final class discussion:

How does pollution in one place affect other places?

How can we work together as a class to solve these problems.

How does this activity help us become better caretakers of the environment?

How does protecting our watershed and groundwater help people, animals, and plants in our community stay healthy?

How does this activity contribute to environmental education?

This activity helps students learn how water moves through the places where we live and why keeping it clean matters. Students get to investigate how watersheds and groundwater work and think of ways to protect them. It also shows that students can make a real difference, not just adults. By working together on these projects, students learn how to care for our water, support the animals and plants that rely on it, and help keep our surroundings healthy and safe.