Water Quality Testing - Macroinvertebrates

Essential Question
Can the quality of water can be learned by observing what macroinvertebrates are present?

Objectives

 * accurately identify 2-3 macroinvertebrates
 * correctly correlate macros found with the quality of the water
 * explain why it is important to find lots of different types of macros

What are macroinvertebrates?

 * Macros - (the opposite of micro) Big enough to be seen with our eyes
 * Invertebrates- (opposite of vertebrate) Without a backbone
 * Exoskeleton-hard outer shell in place of backbone
 * 1) Macroinvertebrates are large enough to see without microscopes or magnifying glasses and they don't have backbones.
 * 2) Macros are insects in their late “baby” stage. Review Insect Life Cycle: egg, larva, pupa/nymph, adult (Butterfly=egg, caterpillar(larva), pupa(chrysalis),adult) (Dragonfly=egg, nymph, adult)
 * 3) Review Insect Parts: 3 body parts-Head, thorax, abdomen, 6 legs, pair of antennae, compound eyes, wings

Materials
• 5 gallon bucket filled with creek water and macros

• 10-12 white tubs

• 25-30 green view finders

• 15-20 plastic spoons, measuring scoops

• 30 laminated macro keys



Lesson Plan
Macro Key

Observationsbservations

 * 1) Take a few minutes to study these macros keys, what do you notice? Why are the macros in different boxes? What is the same or different about the two sides of the key?
 * 2) What do the words tolerant, intolerant mean? What do you think the macros are going to tell us about the water?

Touch Tank Preparations
Macros are very fragile. They are young, so their bodies are still soft. Different Tools to use:
 * 1) Spoons/Measuring Scoops: for extracting animals from the tank and placing in viewers or sorting tray
 * 2) Viewers: Put water in bottom first, then add animal. Do not use top of viewer with lens to scoop water.
 * 3) Sorting Tray: Fill cube with water first. Each time a new animal is found, place it in the tray

Touch Tanks

 * 1) Pass out one tub of macros to each group.
 * 2) Pass out tub of tools
 * 3) 2-3 minute observation time without touching the water. Share observations.
 * 4) Remind students of objective to find as many different animals as possible and sort each finding in the trays.
 * 5) Students identify and sort macros.

How it fits to Standard

 * Structures and Behaviors (4-5): Plants and animals have different structures that meet their needs and respond to the environment.
 * Changes in Ecosystem (2-3): Changes in ecosystems affect living populations and the non-living elements of a defined area
 * Classifying Plants and Animals (K-1): Both plants and animals have different characteristics that can be used to classify them.

Conclusion

 * 1) Groups share their findings. Record on one marco key each animal the groups found (i.e. circle each animal that is found)
 * 2) What do our findings tell us about the water quality of ________creek?
 * 3) What do we notice about the types of animals we found?