„*.
EPA Report Collection
Regional Center for Environmental Information
U.S. EPA Region HI
Philadelphia, PA 19103
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Bay«B»C's
A multidisciplinary approach to
teaching about the Chesapeake Bay
This book is a joint project of the
National Aquarium in Baltimore,
the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
and the Chesapeake Bay Program.
Illustrations by Laurie Hewitt,
USFWS
Chesapeake Bay Program
A Watershed Partnership
Any teacher, school, or school
district may reproduce any part
of this document for class use
without written permission
It may not be sold for profit.
Contents
Introduction 3
Our Chesapeake Bay 4
What is a Watershed? 12
Pathway to the Bay 14
Build a Bay Bulletin Board 17
Alphabet Soup 20
A Host of Habitats 21
Tools of the Trade 25
A Watery Adventure 28
BayFood 30
Jug • gle Your Water Supply 32
Down the Drain 33
Disposal Detectives 35
The Tale of the Troublesome Thing 36
List of Organizations and Agencies 44
The Chesapeake Bay Watershed 46
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Introduction
To the Teacher:
In recent years, the restoration and protection of the Chesapeake
Bay has garnered great attention. Adults, children, business
people, farmers and citizens from all walks of life have developed
a heightened awareness of the Bay's valuable resources and the
threats to their existence. Federal, state and local agencies, as
well as private organizations, have implemented programs aimed
at management and restoration of the Bay and its species.
Vital to the success of these efforts is the cooperation of all
individuals living within the Bay's region. Concerned citizens ask
"How can we help?" Though progress is being made in the
restoration and protection of the Bay, we must ensure that
today's efforts are continued tomorrow by educating our next
generation. Our children must learn to nurture the Bay as a
resource. This curriculum contains an introduction to the
Chesapeake and its inhabitants, discusses threats to the Bay and
suggests some ways teachers and students can contribute to the
Bay's restoration.
The materials presented in this booklet provide teachers with
readily usable lessons for lower elementary students. Suggested
grade ranges have been indicated on each lesson plan, but lessons
can be altered to suit the needs of any level. The curriculum may
be taught as a complete unit on the Chesapeake Bay or used to
supplement other subjects. A variety of disciplines, particularly
language skills, are incorporated into each activity. Any part of
this booklet may be reproduced as needed for your class.
Educators are encouraged to use materials gathered from other
agencies and organizations for instruction about the Bay. Some
names and addresses are listed at the end of the booklet.
The background information
needed to conduct these lessons
can be found in the section
entitled, "Our Chesapeake Bay."
This article has been divided
into three parts, designated by
the following figures:
for fish and wildlife and other
general Bay information;
for material about water; and
• for pollution and conservation
issues.
These symbols will also be found
in the upper right corner of
corresponding lesson plans.
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Our Chesapeake Bay
The Chesapeake Bay is one of our country's most vital resources.
It is the largest estuary in North America. Its waters provide food
and habitat for an abundance of fish and wildlife. It serves as a
highway for commerce, a playground and a storehouse of food. The
land that surrounds the Bay provides homes for nearly 16 million
people that live here. The main body of the Bay is 200 miles long
and as much as 30 miles wide, covering a surface of more than
2,200 square miles. The Bay's average depth measures less than
30 feet. The Bay is fed by fifty major tributaries that drain
64,000 square miles of land, the Bay's watershed. This watershed
includes the District of Columbia and parts of Maryland, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, New York, Delaware, and West Virginia.
The Chesapeake is an estuary, a body of water formed where
freshwater from rivers meets saltwater from the ocean. This
mixing results in varying degrees of salinity (amount of dissolved
salts) - fresh or nearly fresh water in the upper Bay and rivers,
brackish or partly salty water throughout the middle of the Bay,
and the saltiest at the mouth of the Bay near the Atlantic Ocean.
The salinity of the water, combined with other physical
characteristics such as temperature, determine which species
occupy different parts of the Bay. Therefore, plant and animal
populations differ north to south, east to west and from year to
year.
What lives in the Bay? Estuaries teem with a variety of plant and
animal life. The constant movement of the tides sweeps away
wastes and circulates nutrients and food, providing a favorable
situation for sedentary animals such as oysters and clams.
Estuaries are important nursery grounds for fish. Indeed, many
kinds of aquatic animals spend some portion of their life cycle in
estuaries. The biological productivity of estuaries is reflected in
their immense commercial importance. Another indication of
productivity is the constant activity of birds, mammals and other
animals that visit estuaries in search of food.
Most of the living things in the Chesapeake Bay are too small to
see with the naked eye. Microscopic plants and animals, known as
plankton, are perhaps the most important species in the Bay.
Without them, many other animals would not be able to survive.
Why? Because these microscopic plants and animals provide the
food base for so many others.
All living animals in an ecosystem, a community of organisms
interacting with their environment, need energy in the form of
food. Plants and animals continuously circulate energy in a
complex network called a food web. Plants capture energy from
sunlight and use it to manufacture food in the unique process of
photosynthesis. The smallest plants in the Bay, called
phytoplankton, float freely near the surface of the water where
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sunlight is plentiful. Tiny animals called zooplankton, which also
drift in the Bay currents, feed on phytoplankton, as do many
other animals, including the early stages of mollusks (clams and
oysters), crabs, and even some fish species. Small animals, in
turn, provide food for somewhat larger animals. At the top of the
food chain are species such as striped bass, ospreys and human
beings.
Nutrients in an ecosystem are recycled when a plant or animal
dies. Various kinds of decomposers, such as bacteria, feed on dead
material and animal wastes. As plants capture new energy from
the sun and decomposers return nutrients to the ecosystem,
organisms in the food web thrive.
Home, Sweet Habitat
The Chesapeake Bay is an estuary, a body of water. It is also part
of a much larger system that includes other bodies of water, as
well as vast areas of land. This system is the Chesapeake Bay
watershed. Besides water, the Bay watershed includes mountains,
forests and fields. The interaction of the land, water, atmosphere
and living things makes up the character of the Chesapeake.
The Bay watershed provides the habitat that plants and animals
need to survive. Habitat includes the food, water, shelter and
nesting or breeding areas that all living things require. The
availability and quality of habitats are important to maintaining
the health of the Bay and its inhabitants.
Soggy Settings
One of the most important habitats found in the Bay region, as
well as across the Nation, are wetlands. "Wetlands" is a collective
term that refers to special areas between open water and dry
land. Wetlands are an interface, a transition zone. The water
table in wetlands is at or near the surface. The land is, at least
intermittently, saturated by water. Wetlands are characterized by
plants that are adapted to living in moist or saturated conditions.
Wetlands are found along rivers, lakes, ponds, inlets, and bays in
both coastal and inland areas. In the Bay region, there are
saltwater wetlands, such as tidal salt marshes or mudflats, and
freshwater wetlands, including nontidal marshes, wooded
swamps, wet meadows and bottomland hardwood forests.
Treasured Terrain
In the past, wetlands have been given a "bad rap." Often
regarded as unproductive areas, full of insects and unpleasant
odors, wetlands have been filled, dredged or otherwise destroyed
for other uses. Today, however, we realize the tremendous
productivity of natural wetlands.
Wetlands are valuable
because they:
• Contribute plant material
to the Bay food web.
• Provide habitat for
waterfowl (ducks and
geese) and other birds,
furbearers, and threatened
and endangered species.
• Provide nursery grounds
for waterfowl and
economically important
fish and shellfish.
• Control erosion and water
pollution by trapping silt
and filtering and
absorbing chemicals and
nutrients.
• Protect upland areas from
the destructive power of
floods and storms.
• Provide beautiful
recreational areas!
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Whose Home?
Residents of Bay wetlands may include fiddler crabs, periwinkle
snails, oysters, clams, grass shrimp, minnows and other small
fish, rails, redwing blackbirds and many microscopic animals.
Throughout the seasons, wetlands may be visited by a variety of
animals including dragonflies, blue crabs, shad, striped bass,
menhaden, herring, flounder, wading birds (herons and egrets),
waterfowl, birds of prey, beaver, nutria, muskrat or deer.
Sandy Surroundings
Another habitat typical to the Bay region is the beach, the sandy
or pebbly shores of rivers and the Bay proper. Often altered by
wind and water, beaches are an ever-changing habitat, so
relatively few species settle there. Those that do must adapt to
changes in water level, salinity and temperature. To escape the
changing environment, many beach residents live underground
or burrow when the tide is low. Residents may include clams,
worms, insects and relatives of shrimp called beach hoppers.
Beach visitors include gulls, terns, wading birds, raccoons and
even foxes.
Riverine Realm
The freshwater streams and rivers that lead to the Bay are
flowing systems made up of smaller habitats such as riffles, pools
and meandering channels. Therefore, they support a variety of
plants and animals, many of which are adapted to life within the
currents. Rivers are longer and broader than the streams that
feed them. The water in these bodies is carried downhill,
transported by gravity, ultimately flowing to the ocean.
Many freshwater fish such as bass, catfish, carp, trout and
sunfish inhabit these waters, along with turtles, frogs, muskrats,
otters, wading birds, kingfishers, sandpipers and other birds. One
would also find crayfish and the water-dwelling larvae (young) of
insects such as the caddisfly. Visitors may include raccoons, deer,
foxes and migratory fish, such as shad, herring, striped bass or
perch.
Watery Woodland
Forests, found throughout the region, are familiar to most people.
But forested areas are not often thought of as being important to
the health of the water. They are. The trees, shrubs and other
plants bordering bodies of water help to filter and trap sediments
and absorb pollutants from the land. These forests house a great
variety of wildlife. The plants offer an abundance of food, shelter,
nesting places and even protective pathways for migrating
animals. Turtles, water snakes, minks, otters, beavers, muskrats,
deer, squirrels, rabbits, wood ducks, eagles, herons and songbirds
call these forests "home." Temporary pools formed in forests are
excellent breeding sites for frogs, toads and salamanders.
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Living On the Edge
Another valuable habitat is the edge that is formed at the place
where different types of plant communities meet. Some
examples of edge habitats are where a forest meets a field or
where a shrubby area meets an open grassy area. Some edges
occur naturally through fire and floods, while others are formed
by grazing animals, timber harvest or agriculture. Edges are
usually rich in wildlife because animals can take advantage of
more than one community. Some animals commonly found in
edges are rabbits, deer, quail, pheasants and various songbirds.
A Balanced Environment
The existence of a diversity of animals and plants in the
Chesapeake Bay region is critical to the future of our
environment. An ecosystem must remain in balance to be
healthy. The complex interconnections between living organisms
and the environment weave an intricate ecological support
system. Systems in balance have the ability to bounce back from
most natural disturbances. When a system's balance has been
disrupted by human activity, recovery may be difficult, if not
impossible. Imagine a child building a tower out of wooden
blocks. As blocks are carefully added, the tower teeters, yet
finds a balancing point and stands at rest. If the child pulls a
piece from the center of the structure, the entire tower
crumbles to the floor.
Indicators of Trouble
Like the famous canary in a coal mine, the increase or decline of
certain organisms can be used to judge the health of the Bay.
One example is the canvasback duck, a historic Bay species.
As the quality of water in the Chesapeake has degraded, the
underwater bay grasses, known as submerged aquatic
vegetation or SAY have declined. SAV is a major source of food
for canvasbacks. Therefore, as the grasses disappear, so do these
ducks. Reduced numbers of canvasbacks in the Bay region is a
warning sign that something is amiss in the ecosystem. The
health of the Bay, in turn, is an indicator of the health of our
environment.
Once a problem is recognized, tracking the cause can be
difficult. There may be multiple causes of a single problem, and
the solutions can be as numerous as the causes. We have to
start somewhere. Simple conservation efforts, like those
mentioned in the next section, can help a wide range of
problems. Continuing preventive measures will help our efforts
at environmental restoration.
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The Chesapeake: A Limited Resource
Water: It's a fact of life!
Most of us are aware of the importance of water in our lives. We
need water for drinking, for growing food, for bathing and for
cleaning. Much of our recreation is centered around water,
whether we go swimming, boating, fishing, crabbing, bird
watching, ice skating or skiing. Many of our livelihoods are
dependent upon water. Water, in various forms, covers 80% of the
surface of the earth and makes up 97% of our bodies!
Water comes in three phases: solid, liquid and gas. Water can also
come in different forms such as fresh, salty and brackish. We see
surface water in lakes, ponds, creeks, streams, rivers, bays, seas
and oceans. There is also groundwater. How are these forms
different? How do these bodies of water relate to the land? How
do human activities affect the land and the water? Which animals
and plants are dependent upon water for homes or habitat as
well as for their survival? These are questions that can be
investigated in the classroom to heighten the awareness of our
"future" citizens to the value of water.
Though there seems to be an abundance of water available for
our use, most of the water on the earth is salty water and is not
easily converted to drinking water. What many people do not
realize is that there is not a limitless supply of clean freshwater,
so what we use is recycled many times. If we were to lose our
water supply, it would be very costly, in terms of money and
energy, to restore it. It is important to conserve water now, so
we'll have it for the future.
The first step in preserving our water is to understand how water
becomes polluted. Most of us contribute to pollution without
knowing that our actions are harmful. If people are aware of
what causes pollution, they can alter certain behavior and help
keep our water clean.
Just who is polluting the Bay, anyway?
People Are the Problem
The fact that we live in a watershed (the land that drains into
the Bay) means that our actions on land will affect the water.
Many threats to the health of the Bay and our environment begin
with people.
The Chesapeake's watershed is home to nearly 16 million
people. With so many people on the land surrounding our vital
waterways, the demands are high on the land, the water and
our energy resources.
The demand for housing increases the development of the land.
Forests, wetlands, fields and shoreline, all critical to a clean
environment and to the control of stormwater, are lost to housing
and the inevitable accompanying roadways, shopping malls and
other facilities.
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This loss of natural lands leads to erosion (see below) and reduces
habitat for numerous species of fish and wildlife. Increasing
numbers of people means soaring energy needs, which further take
a toll on our natural resources and contribute to air and water
pollution. A higher population also means greater use of plastics
and other products that add to litter and waste disposal dilemmas.
All of these factors act together in reducing the water quality of the
Bay and its tributaries. The accumulation of millions of individual
"small" acts of polluting, as well as the larger contributions from
industry, farming and development, add up to an unhealthy system.
The connection between land and water
When rainwater, and the substances it collects, runs from the land
into streams, rivers and the Bay, it is known as runoff. Manure
washes off of the land from our pets, livestock and gardens.
Fertilizers, insecticides and even oils and salt from streets enter
waterways along with runoff.
Many substances, fertilizers in particular, are rich in nutrients,
such as nitrogen and phosphorous. These nutrients supply algae
and phytoplankton (tiny drifting plants) with what they need for
growth. If excess nutrients enter the water, too much growth
occurs, clouding the water and blocking sunlight from reaching
SAV When the algae die, they fall to the bottom where they are
decomposed by bacteria. This process uses a good deal of oxygen,
meaning that oxygen is not available for stationary, bottom-
dwelling animals. Dead plants and animals, oxygen depleted water,
and lots of bacteria do not make for a healthy body of water!
Erosion
Any exposed soil, whether on the shoreline or in upland areas, is
prone to being washed away by rain or wave action. This is erosion.
It is a prime source of trouble for Bay waters. Erosion is a natural
process, but is accelerated by building, boats speeding close to the
shoreline and other types of human activities that disturb the land.
If erosion is natural, how can it hurt the water? Soil, chemicals
and nutrients are carried into waterways. Nutrients dissolve, but
large particles settle to the bottom as sediment. Too much
sediment smothers bottom-dwelling plants and animals. The
remaining suspended particles cloud the water, blocking sunlight
and interfering with underwater plant growth.
Is there a solution to the problem of erosion? Erosion cannot be
completely stopped because it is a natural process. However,
certain actions can slow process of erosion.
Buffer strips, areas of vegetation along waterways, are helpful.
Trees, shrubs and grasses trap loose soil before it reaches the
water. These plants also act as filters, removing and using
nutrients, such as those found in fertilizers, that can cause an over
abundance of algae in the water.
What you can do
Bare areas should be
planted with grass, shrubs
and flowers to help hold
soil.
Driveways or walkways
constructed of gravel,
wood, or other materials
that allow rainwater to
penetrate are helpful in
preventing erosion.
Allowing grass to grow a
bit longer before cutting
helps to slow runoff.
Wetlands should be
preserved. They are
excellent areas for
retaining stormwater,
sediments and nutrients.
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Water Abuse
Let's look at our daily water use habits. When we use water at
home, most of it goes down a drain and then it's forgotten. If your
house is connected to a public sewer system, the water and any
soaps and chemicals that may be with it, travel through sewer
pipes to a wastewater treatment plant. Here, water and wastes are
filtered and treated before the clean water is sent back to a creek
or river which eventually leads to the Chesapeake Bay.
Wastewater treatment plants are built to handle a certain amount
of water and waste. With increasing population and water use, the
plants become overloaded and cannot effectively treat the water
before discharging it. If the chemical and biological wastes that we
put down our drains cannot be removed from the wastewater,
these pollutants will end up in our water supply—in lakes, creeks,
rivers and the Bay!
If your home has its own septic system, water and wastes are
carried to an underground tank where solids settle out and are
broken down by bacteria into less harmful substances. The
remaining water is carried to a drainfield, an area where the
water filters out into the ground. Here it will be mixed with
groundwater and eventually be carried to a nearby water source,
such as a creek. Chemicals that we dump in our sinks, such as
drain cleaners or unused pesticides, will contaminate the
groundwater. These chemicals will also kill the bacteria that
"clean" the wastewater. Without this bacteria in the tank to break
substances down, harmful wastes leach out into the groundwater
and make their way into tributaries and the Bay.
How can we help? It's simple. First, use less water. If we do not
overload treatment plants or septic tanks, they can do a better job.
• Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth.
• Take short showers instead of baths.
• Run washing machines or dishwashers only when full.
• Wash dishes in a sink full of water, not under a running
faucet.
• Water your lawn sparingly. Check the weather forecast. If it's
going to rain, don't waste the water.
Second, remember that where your water goes, so does everything
else.
Never dump pollutants down the drain! This includes old paint,
turpentine, motor oil, fertilizers or insecticides. These substances
will not be removed from wastewater and will pollute waterways.
Remember that many storm drains lead directly to a natural
water source. They are meant for directing rainwater and have no
means for removing chemical waste.
10
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Waste
Waste is a growing problem in the Bay region. There are two
types of waste, manmade and natural waste. Most manmade
waste is made of plastic, paper, glass, metal and other solid items.
Some kinds of manmade materials become hazardous waste,
harmful to plants, animals and people. Natural waste refers to
food substances, human wastes, manure and other matter that is
easily broken down. Some of these materials can be harmful to
the environment in indirect ways.
Litter is ugly, but how else could it be harmful? Plastics and
other non-biodegradables that become "litter" are not only
unsightly, but can be detrimental to the health of wildlife. Some
of these materials are mistaken for food, while others entangle,
trap and strangle animals, particularly aquatic species. Litter also
clogs the flow of streams and interferes with both aquatic and
terrestrial habitats. With solid waste production growing by tons,
the problem of disposing of it without impact to the environment
is becoming harder to solve. Many communities offer recycling
services for paper, glass, aluminum and other metal products.
Recycling materials saves natural resources, takes less energy
than manufacturing new materials and helps to reduce litter.
Hazardous waste is a scary term. Toxic or hazardous waste is a
serious factor endangering the health of our environment.
Industries have been blamed for discharging toxic chemicals into
our air and waterways, but many are now meeting restrictions on
the cleanup of wastes before they are released to the environment.
Still, tons of hazardous waste are generated yearly by industry,
government, hospitals, laboratories, businesses and citizens.
Many household products, such as cleaning agents, pesticides and
oil-based paints, are poisonous to people, plants and wildlife.
Hazardous waste from homes reaches the environment in several
ways. Dumping harmful chemicals down the drain is one way.
Disposal, either intentionally or accidentally, directly to the
groundwater or into storm drains causes toxic substances to be
washed by rainwater into natural bodies of water.
So how do we stop pollution from wastes? As individuals, we
must take a careful look at the products we use and the ways in
which we dispose of them. Reading labels will help you to know
which products are harmful. Fertilizers and other lawn care
products should be used only according to directions, and never
just before it rains. Using the correct amount of these materials
can help save money and reduce nutrients in the water. Unused
portions of some potentially harmful products should be carefully
contained to prevent leakage and taken to a landfill. Others can
be shared with a neighbor. Used motor oil should be taken to a
service station or county facility for recycling. Check with a local
environmental agency to see if your area offers services for
hazardous waste collection.
We can be the solution
Think about the possible
dangers to the environment
before disposing of any trash,
chemicals or natural
materials.
Pollution is caused by a
variety of factors, but we can
all take action to help. Just
as millions of small
individual actions can add
up to harm the Bay and the
environment, millions of
small helpful actions will
have a positive effect!
It conies down to taking
individual responsibility for
the health of the Bay,
thinking carefully and
changing our daily habits.
11
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Students assist with a
"working" model of the
Chesapeake Bay
watershed. Grades 1-3
Objectives
• recognize that rivers and
streams are connected to
the Bay, and that water
quality is affected by the
condition of the land
• become aware of the water
cycle
• use a simple map to locate
bodies of water, towns and
to trace the path of a local
tributary
Materials
• aluminum foil
• large rectangular pan or
basin
• two chalkboard erasers,
wooden blocks or bricks
• food coloring
• small amount of loose soil
or sand
• water
• watering can with
"shower" spout, or several
small paper cups with
holes punched in the
bottom (Note: test
prepared cups to be certain
that surface tension of
water does not prevent
flow of through holes)
Subjects
Science, social studies
Skills
Discussion, inference,
interpretation, kinesthetic,
concept development,
mapping, observation,
prediction
What is a Watershed?
Procedure
1) Review a simple idea of the water cycle. Then, introduce the
class to the idea of a watershed (all of the land that sends water
into a particular body of water). Stress the fact that by living in
the Bay's watershed, we are connected to the Bay, even if we
seem to live far away from the water. Begin with a simple map
of the Chesapeake Bay (depending upon ability level of the
class). There is a watershed map at the end of this booklet.
Locate and name large rivers and familiar towns; point out the
Atlantic Ocean.
Find and mark the location of the school on the map. What is
the nearest river or other body of water?
Can the students trace that body of water to its source
(beginning)? To its connection to the Bay?
2) Can you think of any ways that the water could be changed as
it flows from its source to the Bay? Make a list. There could be
many answers, but lead to impacts from human actions and
from substances (natural or manmade) that run off of the
land—remember to note cities, towns and natural areas
through which the water flows.
3) To illustrate the watershed concept, set up the model as
follows: Tear off a piece of foil to just fit inside the pan.
Crumple the foil to make dips and gullies to represent stream
and river beds. At one end of the foil, form a larger basin or
pocket - this will be the Bay and will collect water that runs
from the tributaries. Place blocks in the corners at the other
end of the pan to make mountains (shape the foil over the
blocks), and make a valley between them; raise this end of the
pan a bit higher than the end with the Bay. Explain to the
class what the model represents, noting that higher elevation
or bumps in the foil are areas of land, while cracks and dips
are bodies of water.
4) Students will make it "rain" with the cups filled with water or
watering can. Observe how the water runs off of the land, into
the tributaries and, eventually, into the Bay.
5) Next, create pollution with a drop of food coloring close to one
of your rivers. Use a familiar town named earlier as the source
of the pollution. You may want to use a more relevant
example, such as someone in the town changing motor oil and
dumping the used oil into the street.
What do you think will happen to the pollutant when it rains?
Make it rain again and watch how the rainwater carries the
waste into rivers and the Bay.
What are some other manmade pollutants that get into the
water this way?
12
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6) Now pretend that someone builds his/her home too close to the
bank of a body of water. The bulldozer clearing the land
loosens soil. Place a small pile of soil or sand in your model.
Make it rain again, and watch how the soil is washed away. Let
it rain until the soil collects in the Bay and settles to the
bottom. This loose soil in the water is called sediment.
What effect would a large amount of sediment have on a river?
On the Bay? On the plants and animals living in these waters?
7) Name some ways to prevent these harmful events from
occurring.
Bay
Rivers and streams
This activity was adapted from River Times, published by the Mathematics
and Science Center, 2401 Hartman Street, Richmond, Virginia, 23223.
13
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A two-part activity:
Students observe rain to
view its effect on the land.
Grade K-3
Students take a walk
around the school grounds
or neighborhood to find the
closest connection to a
water source. Note: You
may want to "scout out"
an area ahead of time.
Grades 1-3
Objectives
• recognize that water travels
from place to place and can
be affected as it moves
along
• discover that water
(rainwater, creeks, streams,
etc.) is our connection to
the Bay
• become aware that we can
help or harm the Bay
through our treatment of
any water source
Materials
• simple map of area around
school
• map of larger area (state
map) which includes all or
parts of the Bay
• paper and pencils
• copies of "connectors"
picture, page 16
Subjects
Science, social studies
Skills
Discussion, hypothesizing,
identification, inference,
mapping, observation
Pathway to the Bay
Procedure: Part 1— For a Rainy Day
Where Does the Rain Go ?
Where does the rain go
when it falls on the land?
It makes plunking noises on our roof
and forms a puddle in my hand.
It dribbles down the windows
and trickles off our door.
When it gets on my galoshes
it makes puddles on our floor.
It plops on all the grass and trees
and makes the flowers grow.
I can watch it flowing down the street,
but then where does it go?
I think that all those drippy drops
have traveled here and there.
And when they've finished raining here
they'll meet again somewhere.
1) Read aloud the above poem. Ask the students if they can
guess where the rain goes. Explain that they will be observing
the rain and looking for ways that the rain changes things on
the land. Questions for students to answer while looking out
of the window (students will need pencil and paper):
Write a word that describes how the rain makes things look
(wet, shiny, muddy).
List some things that rain washes away. What do you see
floating in the rainwater? Find a place where rain is dripping
from a building or other object. What is happening to the
ground where the water lands?
Can you find any places where the rain is forming a body of
water?
Can you find any places where the rainwater is joining a
creek or other body of water?
2) After the class has finished the above, discuss their answers
and observations.
Does the rain change the land?
Does the land change the water in any way?
14
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3) Review with the class the idea that we live in a watershed.
Even if the school seems far away from the Chesapeake Bay,
you are connected to the Bay by all of the nearby creeks and
streams that join the Bay, even in the city. The rain that you
observed also joins the Bay in this way. Many things that are
carried by rain will also get into these bodies of water.
What sorts of things could water pick up as it runs through
the land? (Soil, leaves, trash, spilled oil or other chemicals)
Could some of these things harm the water or the animals
that live in it?
Part 2: The Day After it Rains - Making the Connection
1) Review some of the things that were discussed in Part 1.
Why is it important for us to know our connection to the Bay?
Because many of us don't see the Bay itself every day, we
don't realize that our actions affect the Bay. If we know how
we are hurting the water, we know what to change.
2) The class will go outside on an expedition to look for their
connection(s) to the Bay. With the class, prepare a simple map
or diagram of the expedition site—the schoolyard and its
surroundings, marking
landmarks. Ask if any of the
children live very close to the
school. Mark some of those
houses on the map. You may
wish to limit the map to the
school grounds alone.
3) Hand out and read through
the list of "connector" signs
to look for. These are things
that collect water and direct
it somewhere else. As each
item is found, mark its place
on the map.
4) Back in the classroom,
display the map for study.
Review each symbol on the
map.
Can you trace where any of
the downspouts, gutters,
drainage ditches or pipes
lead?
Were you able to tell where
they were sending water?
Rosedale Ave.
0drainpipe X3torn)drain •downspout f^ puddle
15
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The Connectors
Bodies of water:
puddles, creeks,
streams, rivers,
ponds, etc.
Downspounts on buildings
Drainage ditches dug
around properties to maki
sure that water drains
Gutters in streets
Cement or metal drainage pipes in
the ground or under streets
Did any of these connectors lead directly to the storm drains
or bodies of water (if you found any)?
Where do you think the storm drains lead?
Did anyone find any soil, oil or trash in the water or in the
connectors?
Where do you think these materials came from?
Where do you think the water and these materials will end
up?
5) Locate and mark the school and the area studied on a larger
map.
Can you find the nearest stream or other body of water on
this map? These are where the "connectors" eventually send
their water.
Have students trace the flow of these bodies of water from
the school all the way to the Chesapeake Bay.
Why is it important for us to keep trash and other pollutants
away from water?
16
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Build a Bay Bulletin Board
Procedure
1) Prepare a background scene to represent an aquatic setting
(the Bay). Include a large area of water with land on both
sides or shores. Add some trees to edges of bulletin board, to
help students remember that land and water are connected.
Be sure to give the Bay a bottom surface, and include some
underwater grasses to provide food and cover for the animals.
2) Discuss with students the relationship between land and
water.
How is water different from land?
Where on land do we find water? Do we ever find land in (on)
the water?
Does water ever make changes in the land (hint: rain)?
Imagine a land without any water at all. What would it be
like? Would plants live there? Would animals live there?
Would people live there?
Make a short list of some kinds of plants and animals that
would be found on land near the water; make another list for
those found in or on the water.
3) Pass out copies of the cutouts provided (one or two per
student). Have the students color the figures, then cut them
out along the heavy outline. To make the figure stand out, cut
a slit along the dotted line and lap the edges over in the
direction of the arrow. Match the edge of the top piece to the
mark on the bottom piece. Fasten in place. When the figures
are complete, have the students find spots for them to be
attached to the backdrop.
Where would people fit into this scene? Draw yourself using
water (fishing, swimming, boating, drinking, washing, etc.),
and label your drawing. Add these drawings to the board.
Questions for (advanced) discussion:
What changes do people often make to land (clear trees to
build houses, leave trash, etc.)? Have the class decide which
changes are "good" and "bad."
How might these changes affect animals that live there? How
about plants? Do you think these changes could affect the
water? How?
Students color and cut out
"3-D" figures to add life to
a Bay backdrop.
Grades K-3
Objectives
• visualize some of the
components of the Bay
ecosystem
• distinguish between some
aquatic and land-dwelling
plants and animals
• discuss relationships
between humans and
natural resources
Materials
• copies of pages 18-19
• scissors
• glue, paste or clear tape
• rolls of colored
construction paper for
bulletin boards
Subjects
Science, social studies, art
Skills
Discussion, drawing/crafts,
identification, matching
17
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Have the students color
the figures, then cut them out
along the heavy outline. To
make the figure stand up,
cut a slit along the dotted line
and lap the edges over in the
direction of the arrow—match
the edge of the top piece to
the mark on the bottom piece.
18
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Cut
19
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Students name and draw
plants and animals that
relate to the Bay to make
an alphabet banner for the
classroom.
Grades K-3,
as appropriate.
Objectives
• familiarize students with
the variety of living things
in and around the Bay
• match letters or sounds to
names of things or (for
older students) spell these
names
• visualize and draw the
words listed
Materials
• large pieces of drawing
paper
• crayons
• alphabet stencils or other
large letters for display
• chart of Bay animals
provided
• (optional) magazine
pictures of Bay plants and
animals.
Subjects
Language (spelling), art.
Skills
Classification, drawing,
identification, listing,
visualization.
Alphabet Soup
Procedure
1) Begin by asking the class to brainstorm a list of words
relating to the Bay. Start with the letter 'A' and proceed
through the alphabet. It might be helpful to work by category,
for example, "Think of an animal that lives in the water,
whose name begins with A" or "Name something that begins
with B that's found on the land." For younger children, show
a photo and ask for the subject's name. With what letter or
sound does its name begin? The large letters can be used for a
matching exercise. Make a list of the words on the board (see
sample lists).
2) Next have students choose a word to illustrate (if you have
used magazine pictures, pass them out for help with
visualizing the words). Older students should label their
drawings, making sure that spelling is correct; the younger
ones may need the teacher to label for them.
3) When the drawings are completed, the class can help to put
them in alphabetical order. Hang them beside the large letters
to create an alphabet banner.
4) As an added exercise, older children may write sentences
using these words.
Aquatic
Alewife
anemone
barnacle
bass
bay
bluefish
catfish
carp
clam
crab
creek
drum
eel
estuary
fish
flounder
frog
herring
horseshoe
ice
jellyfish
killifish
lake
marsh
words
menhaden
minnow
needlefish
oyster
perch
pipefish
ray
river
rockfish
shad
shells
shrimp
snails
squid
stream
striped bass
sturgeon
toadfish
trout
turtle
terrapin
underwater
grasses
zooplankton
Birds
canvasback marsh hawk
duck
eagle
egret
falcon
geese
gull
hawk
heron
ibis
kestrel
nighthawk
osprey
old-squaw
peregrine
pigeon
quail
rail
redwing
scoter
scaup
kingfisher sandpiper
mallard
animals
boats
Delaware
dragonfly
fossils
insects
island
land
mosquito
widgeon
Other
nature
nutrients
pollution
snakes
skipjack
vacation
wetland
wildlife
Plants
algae
flowers
grasses
lichen
lady's slipper
plants
trees
vegetation
wild rice
wild celery
Mammals
cow
deer
fox
goat
muskrat
nutria
otter
people
vole
You!
20
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A Host of Habitats
Procedure
1) Begin with a general discussion of the Chesapeake region.
Use the photos to help them envision what they're discussing.
• What do the students already know about the Bay and its
resources?
• What kinds of places have they seen (or might they see)
around the Bay? List or draw these places on the board
(forest, beach, marsh, etc.).
• Name some animals that might live in these places;
add these to the list, or make a chart with two columns:
habitats and animals.
2) Single out one or two of the above habitats for further
discussion.
• What does the habitat look like?
• What kinds of plants might you see there?
• What kinds of animals would live or visit there?
• What kinds of things do these animals need to survive
(food, water, shelter or home, space)? Describe how/where
the animals can get these things in this habitat.
• What benefit would people get from these types of places?
(Advanced) How is each habitat important for the Bay
itself?
3) What is your habitat? Draw the habitat where you get your
own food, water, shelter, and space. How is this habitat
different from those of the animals?
4) Hand out copies of pages 22-24. After the children color the
pages, have them cut out the animal pictures and glue them
to their respective habitat scenes. Where do the fish go?
Where should the birds be placed? Students can use the
photos or library books to find out how the plants and
animals should be colored.
Students create scenes of
Bay habitats by pasting
pictures of animals to
background scenes.
Grades K-3
Objectives
• recognize and discuss the
variety of habitats found in
the Bay region.
• learn about the plants and
animals that can be found
in these areas, and discover
their importance to the
environment and to people
• match animals to habitats
Materials
• copies of pages 22-24
• crayons
• scissors
• glue or paste
• photos or magazine
pictures of animals and/oi
habitats.
Subjects
Science, language
(vocabulary), art
Skills
Classification, description
drawing/coloring/ cut &
paste, identification, listi]
matching, use of library
references, visualization
-------
Marsh Animals
Red-winged
blackbird
Ducks
Raccoon
Terrapin
Forest and Stream Animals
Painted
turtle
Shad
-------
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Tools of the Trade
Background
Adaptations, for the purpose of this lesson, can be described as
specialized tools that enable an animal to survive in its habitat or
environment. These tools are part of the animal's body, not
something that it can choose to use the way a human would use a
hammer or an axe. These tools help the animal to find or catch
food; move about in search of food or a mate, escape danger; see;
breathe in air or water; or protect itself. Note: adaptations
develop gradually over long periods of time and through many
generations of the species. Individuals with the strongest or more
successful traits are usually the survivors who live on to reproduce
further generations.
Eyes enable an animal to see, but they are not really an
adaptation. Eyes on stalks, for instance, help a crab to see all
around itself because it does not have a head and neck which it
can turn. Stalked eyes would be an adaptation.
Distinguish for the class between more passive protection and
active defense. Most animals are more likely to flee or hide than to
engage in battle. Examples of protective "devices" might be cam-
ouflage coloring, a hard outer shell, ability to flee quickly or outer
spikes or spines that would not be palatable to a gobbling predator.
In this exercise, students will inspect drawings of animals, and
answer questions about them. This may be done as a class, or
individually, with some preparation.
Note: If you have a classroom aquarium, or would like to start one, its animals
can be observed as examples during discussion.
Procedure
1) Begin with a class discussion of what animals need to survive
—food, water, shelter, space, etc.
• Do these resources differ for different animals?
• Do they differ for animals that may occupy different
habitats?
• Would a rabbit survive if it had to stay under water? Why
not? Would a fish be able to live in a tree? Why not?
2) Once the class catches on to this line of questioning,
introduce the idea of adaptations, or "special tools." Have the
students analyze their own adaptations.
A few fun activities:
• Ask someone to try walking on four limbs instead of just
two feet. How would this limit their ability to do everyday
human activities?
• Working with partners, have students tape or tie (not too
tight) their thumbs to the palms of their hands. Without
the use of the thumbs, try picking things up, writing, or
tying shoes.
3) Hand out copies of the activity sheet on page 27. If activity
sheets are done individually, leave enough time at the end of
Students use animal
drawings or photos, or live
animals, if possible, to
investigate various
adaptations for survival.
Grades 1-3
Objectives
• identify body parts of
various animals
• recognize specially adapted
body parts
• match adaptation to its
function
• (advanced ) in some
instances, infer an animal's
habitat, based on its
adaptations.
Materials
• copies of activity sheet,
page 27
• pencils
Subjects
Science
Skills
Discussion, evaluation,
identification, inference,
invention, matching,
observation, relating form
to function.
25
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the lesson to discuss the answers to these questions. During
discussion, have the children explain what makes particular
"tools" special. Review the idea that these "tools" are "made
to order" according to the animal's environment or habitat.
4) As a follow-up, distribute copies of the drawing below and
review its instructions:
This animal is not well adapted to living under water.
Make changes to its body so that it can live better in the Bay.
Remember, it has to eat, see, breathe, move about and protect
itself in order to survive.
26
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Osprey
1. Find the osprey's mouth (beak). Circle the words that describe it:
Sharp dull curved straight large small
2. Study the osprey's feet. Circle the phrase that describes how this
bird uses its feet:
to perch (sit) in trees or on posts to swim in the Bay to catch food
3. The osprey lives near water. Look at the beak and feet again. What do
you think that it eats? Little seeds twigs grass fish
4. Does this animal have any other special tools?
5. Fill in the blanks. To protect itself, this bird would
away.
Duck
1. Look at the duck's mouth. Is it the same as the osprey's? Circle the
words to describe it: sharp dull curved straight large small
2. Fill in the blanks. This bird's feet are used for s
We know this because they are webbed.
mm
3. When this duck wants something to eat, it can dive under the water
What might it eat? Rocks shells Bay grasses
4. If a larger animal was chasing the duck , how could it protect itself?
The duck could: fly away fight dive underwater
swim away call (quack) for help
Blue Crab
1. Can you find the crab's mouth? Circle it. What other part would help
the crab to eat? Fill in the blanks. Its c s could tear food apart.
2. The crab has two claws. How many legs does it have? Circle the two
legs that are different than the rest. These are used for swimming.
Fill in the blanks the pointed ones are used for w 1 ng.
3. Circle the crabs eyes. What is special about these eyes?
4. Fill in the blanks. The crab's protection is its hard h 1.
Fish
1. Fish don't have legs. What do they use to move around?
2. Fish that swim fast and have big mouths can catch and swallow other
fish. This fish is a small fish that swims slowly. It has to eat bits of
things off of the bottom. Draw the kind of mouth that would help it
pick up tiny bits of food.
3. People breathe by using their lungs to take oxygen out of the air.
Fish need oxygen, but they get it out of the water. Fish do not have
lungs. Fill in the blanks. Fish breathe with g s. Circle this
part on the fish.
27
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Students read or listen
to a story about the Bay,
then finish the story
themselves.
Grades K -3,
as appropriate
Note:
This can be an individual
activity or one for the
whole class. If the story
is read aloud, students can
each contribute a sentence
or two to the ending,
while the teacher writes
the composition on a large
piece of paper.
Subjects
Language, social studies.
Skills
Invention, imagination,
listening, reading,
visualization, writing.
A Watery Adventure
Danny was lying on the shore, gazing at the cottony clouds above
him. He'd been able to make out four shapes in the sky already
— a whale, a horse, a giant, and an elephant. Now he could see a
duck forming in the cloud directly over his head. All he needed
was another good breeze to finish putting the head in place.
There! It was a duck, sure enough. He let his eyes wander to the
water in front of him. He hadn't realized it, but the tide was
coming in and his feet were beginning to get wet. He sat up to
move out of the way of the water, but quickly changed his mind
and ran right in until he was knee deep in the cool lapping
waves. Danny wished the waves here were big ones, like those in
the ocean, but then his mother would never let him go swimming
alone. He decided he'd settle for the calmer Bay water, as long as
he didn't have to bring along his nagging big sister. She was
always so bossy when his mother left her in charge! "I'll show
her," he thought, "when I'm a big, tough pirate!"
Danny always liked to think he'd become a pirate when he grew
up. He often imagined himself, armed with a shiny sword, a
patch over one eye and two teeth missing (from battling other
pirates), giving orders on a huge ship with twenty billowing white
sails. He'd been dreaming about this ever since his teacher told
the class about the pirates that used to sail in the Chesapeake
Bay, many, many years ago. Now, he began daydreaming about
another adventure on his ship...
It was a dark and stormy day on the water for Pirate Dan and his
men. The water was rough and churning all about the ship as it
forged on, heading after the enemy who'd stolen two chests of
gold from Dan's ship the day before. Dan shouted out orders,
trying to be heard above the roar of the splashing waves and the
booming of the enemy cannons. He called for his trusted ship's
mate, Lizzie. Lizzie was his real-life best friend, who loved to play
pirates, too.
"Hey Lizzie," shouted Dan, "bring the cannons 'round for firing!
We're closing in on them!"
"Cannons are ready, Cap'n Dan. We've already been knocking
men down off of the stern. They snuck up on us from behind
with a rowboat full of crew. But we're beating those rats!"
"Good work, Liz. A few direct hits with our cannonballs, and
we'll sink 'em for sure!" The two saluted each other, and Lizzie
charged off roaring like a lion.
"Lizzie! Watch out!" cried Dan. A dirty-looking, toothless pirate
was creeping up behind her. Dan was too late to help her. He
reached the rail just in time to see his friend get pushed
overboard by the scoundrel. Without a second thought, Danny
jumped overboard too, and dove in the frothy water below. He
had to save his best friend!
28
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"Lizzie, where are you? Can you hear me?"
"I'm over here, Danny. I'm all right. That rotten creep. I didn't
even see him coming. Now what'll we do? The ship's sailing away
without us."
The booming and cries coming from the two ships were
beginning to die out as the vessels drifted farther away, leaving
Dan and Liz floundering behind. They were right in the center of
the Bay, with eleven miles between them and either shore. They
couldn't swim that far, and there wouldn't be another ship
coming by for days, maybe even weeks!
"Over there!" cried Dan, pointing behind his friend. "They've left
that rowboat behind. Swim for it!"
So the two pirate friends climbed into the abandoned rowboat,
and collapsed from exhaustion. They had no oars, so they'd have
to drift with the current. There were a few useful things
scattered on the floor of the boat — a pocket knife, some twine,
an empty burlap sack, and some matches....
Now you finish the story! What happened to Dan and Liz on this imaginary adventure? How did
they survive out there on the Bay? What did they eat? What kinds of things did they see as they
drifted along? Were they ever rescued? You decide what happens next.
Here are some choices to help you decide how your story should end:
1) As Liz and Dan were drifting along, they saw
many kinds of animals. Which animals did
they see? Remember, this is the Chesapeake
Bay. What were these animals doing?
• fish • polar bear
• ducks • cow nosed ray
• sea gulls • whale
• jellyfish • spider
2) What were they able to find to eat?
a) They didn't find anything to eat, and
lost a lot of weight!
b) They fashioned a fake worm out of a
thread from the burlap sack, used the
twine as a fishing line and caught fish.
They ate the fish raw.
c) They scooped up some Bay grasses that
were floating by, and ate them. They let
some of the plants dry in the sun to save
for later.
d) They ate the burlap sack (but it was
tough).
3) It was hot out on the Bay with no shade to
protect them. Dan and Liz were very thirsty.
Did they find anything to drink? Remember,
they can't drink salt water.
a) They took off their shoes and caught
dew and rainwater in them.
b) They found a bottle of fresh water floating
by, and drank that, a little at a time.
c) They hid from the sun under the burlap
sack, so they didn't really get that thirsty.
4) In your story, were the two pretend pirates
ever rescued?
a) Yes, their shipmates came back for them
the next day.
b) No, and legend has it that their ghosts
still haunt the Bay.
c) Yes. They saw a ship in the distance, and
lit the burlap sack on fire with their
matches. The ship saw their signal and
came to their rescue.
29
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Students learn about the
food sources available in
and around the Bay, and
how some of these have
been used through history.
Grades 1-3, as
appropriate.
Objective
• identify food sources, both
natural and cultivated
• recognize that food does
not originate in a grocery
store
• read a recipe and measure
ingredients.
Subjects
Social studies, language,
mathematics.
Skills
Discussion, following a
recipe, invention, listing,
measuring, reading, research
(library skills).
BayFood
Procedure
1) Discuss with the class where their food comes from. Most will
say that it comes from a store or that a parent mates it.
• Can you think of any other ways that people get their
food?—make a list.
• Have you or a friend or relative ever caught something that
you later ate? (fish, crabs)
Have them imagine that they are colonists and are coming to
the shores of the Chesapeake Bay for the first time.
• What kinds of things would they be able to find to eat?
• How would they know what things were safe to eat? If they
saw a crab for the first time, would they know how to eat it,
or even if it was edible? You might want to suggest that
perhaps the first settlers got the idea to eat certain things
from watching animals eat.
2) In this lesson the children will be using the library or maybe
a prepared classroom "library" to read about Bay plants and
animals that are used for food, and a little about the history
of these foods. These materials may be difficult to come by, so
a substitute might be the story of the first Thanksgiving, or
any material about hunting, fishing and farming.
3) After they have done their research, have the class collaborate
on writing a BayFoods menu. The dishes on the menu can be
made-up, such as duck feet fritters or French fried muskrat
tails, as well as more traditional, such as roast Canada goose
or rabbit stew. Try to include items representative of all
animal categories: fish, bird, mammal, reptile, amphibian,
and invertebrate (insects, shellfish). And don't forget the
vegetables—wild or farm-raised.
4) Finally, choose a recipe for the class to make together. If this
is not possible, maybe parents could help out with a potluck
lunch for the class. Suggest that the children help at home in
the preparation of these foods. To cut the cost of making
dishes, try making mini-portions. This will give students an
experience in tasting some different foods of the region.
30
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Suggested Foods for Research:
"Wild" Foods
Birds, ducks, geese, quail, pheasant, wild turkey
Mammals
deer, muskrat, beaver, opossum, raccoon
Reptiles
diamondback terrapin, snapping turtle, snakes
Amphibians
frogs
Fish
striped bass (rockfish), drum, perch, bluefish, sea trout, rays, or
any other kind of fresh or saltwater fish
Invertebrates
Aquatic: blue crabs, crayfish, oysters, clams, mussels, shrimp
Insects: grasshoppers, locusts
Plants
wild rice, cattails, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries,
fiddleheads (young ferns), Jerusalem artichokes, "sea pickles"
(glasswort), pickerel weed. There are many wild plants used
for food.
See Roger Tory Peterson's field guide to wild edible plants,
or another similar guide.
Agricultural Foods
Animals such as chickens, pigs, sheep, other domestic animals
Crops
corn, soybeans, cantaloupe and peaches are some of the more
commonly grown Bay region cash crops
31
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Students are introduced to
the value of water as a
limited resource.
Grades K-3
Objectives
• recognize water as an
essential to daily living
• become aware our own
water use habits
• recognize that we actually
need less water than we
use.
Materials
• measuring cup
• drinking cup
• clean gallon container
Subjects
Science, social studies.
Skills
Anticipating needs,
conserving resources,
measuring
Jug-gle Your Water Supply
Procedure
Here's an activity to be done in class, but some may want to try
it at home, too:
1) Begin with a discussion of how our tap water is related to
natural water sources.
• Where does the water in your home or school come from?
• How does it get to your house or school?
• In what ways do you and your family use water at home?
• Where does it go when it leaves the sink or toilet?
Accept guesses, but lead to the idea that water comes from
lakes, streams and the Bay, and is eventually returned there
for reuse. Explain that water leaving the home is called
wastewater and must be cleaned before it can be reused. If
treatment plants become overloaded, they cannot properly
clean the water before it is sent back to natural bodies of
water.
What would happen if we ran out of clean fresh water? Point
out that fish and many kinds of wildlife also live in and use
the same water.
Can we make more water?
How can we make sure that we don't run out? (conserve what
we have)
2) Have students measure out and reserve in a clean container
one gallon of tap water, or a half gallon, if more appropriate.
This is their water supply for one day. They must use this for
drinking, brushing teeth, washing hands and face, etc.
You may want to plan this lesson with some messy activity, to
be sure that students will need to wash their hands. They
may, of course, use the toilet, but remind them that each
flush uses five times as much water as their supply for the
day. The container should not be refilled. Encourage them to
anticipate activities which require water and to conserve their
supply so that it will last throughout the day. At the end of
the day, discuss:
Did anyone run out of water early?
If anyone has any water left, have them measure the amount.
Help them subtract this amount from one gallon to find out
how much was used.
• What did they learn about their own water use habits?
• Will this change the way in which they use water in the
future?
• What were some "tricks" that they learned for conserving
water?
• Make a list of things that can be done daily in school and
at home to conserve water (see the Water Abuse section,
page 10).
32
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Down the Drain
Procedure
1) Review some of the reasons for helping to keep water clean
from within our homes. Water from the sink must be cleaned
at a wastewater treatment plant and must eventually reach a
natural body of water again. Our water will later be home to
fish and many kinds of wildlife. It may also become drinking
water for other people in the future.
2) Ask: Do you ever add anything, such as toothpaste, to the
water before it leaves the sink?
Make a. list of substances on the blackboard. Explain that the
class will be playing a game that may give them an idea of
how many things people add to wastewater every day.
The Drain Game
1) Pass out a container to each student, and have each decide
what he/she will say about the item (see examples, below).
2) Students will make a circle. The teacher will be the "sink"
and will move around the inside of the circle, with the box,
collecting the items from each student.
3) Proceed as follows: The first student will hold up his item,
such as a tube of toothpaste, and will announce to the class,
"I brushed my teeth and added toothpaste to the water."
Then he will place the item in the "sink." The next student
will hold up his item and say, "I washed my face and added
soap," and the first student will add, "and toothpaste to the
water." Then the soap is placed in the "sink." Continue on
thus, until reaching the last person, when a chain will have
been formed, such as, "I mopped the floor and added floor
wax," and "laundry detergent," "and window cleaner," "and
soap," "and toothpaste to the water." By the end of the line
the sink should be full of containers, illustrating the amount
of items that could be added from one home.
4) While still standing in the circle, have the class categorize
items:
• Which items might be most harmful to water, plants or
animals? Which would be least harmful?
• Reading the labels on the containers will help in rating
some of the substances. See the chart on the next page
for additional help.
Students play an add-on
game which illustrates a
form of water pollution.
Grades 2-3
Objectives
• recognize the addition of
toxic substances through
our sewer systems as a
form of water pollution
• become aware that our
every day actions are
sometimes harmful to the
environment
• recognize that individual
helpful actions can add up
to a cleaner Bay.
Materials
• clean, empty, if possible,
sealed (with tape, etc.)
containers from household
goods (toothpaste, bar
soap, shampoo, roll of toilet
tissue, various detergents
and cleansers, such as
window cleaner, floor wax,
etc., cooking oil, coffee
grounds, motor oil, paint,
anything that might end
up being disposed of down
a drain)—one for each
student
• large box or other
container that can
represent a sink.
Subjects
Science, social studies.
Skills
Discussion, identification,
kinesthetic concept
development, listening,
problem solving, public
speaking.
33
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Dish, laundry and bar
soaps, toothpaste, etc.
These have been made so
that they harm the
environment or waters as
little as possible (no
phosphates).
These can go down the
drain
Food items
Most foods, especially oil,
fats, and coffee grounds,
will clog pipes, and may not
be removed from
wastewater
Seal in a garbage bag, or
put in a compost pile.
Motor oil, turpentine
These can be recycled. Keep POISONOUS! Never dump
in tightly closed containers, down the drain!
have adults take to a
recycler (check with your
county).
Medicines, household
cleaners, pesticides, other
chemicals
Throw away leftovers or
empty containers. Tightly
cap original container. Wrap
in many layers of
newspaper. Put in tightly
tied trash bag for regular
collection.
POISONOUS! Never dump
down the drain!
Remind the class that things dumped on the ground or in a storm
drain will be washed into waterways when it rains. Overall, be
careful about disposing of certain substances. Keep poison and
potential pollutants out of the drain.
As a conclusion, you may want to move the "sink" back around
the circle and have each student remove one item, until the sink
is empty again.
Follow-up
Now that your students are more aware of what goes "down the
drain," ask them to become involved citizens and to educate
others about the dangers of improper disposal. Have them design
posters for the school or classroom or to display at home. An
example would be: "Think before you dump!" with a drawing of
a sink.
Don't
Dump/
34
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Disposal Detectives
Procedure
1) Have students observe at home how things are disposed of.
Ask them to make a list of items that are put into the trash
can. Warn students not to go through a trash can without
adult supervision, in case of toxic or sharp materials.
Are any products or substances disposed of in the sink or in
the toilet?
Do they notice any other ways that family members dispose
of items?
Have students make a list and report back to the class after
a given observation period (a weekend might be a good time).
In class, categorize harmful or conservative habits.
2) After discussion, encourage students to suggest to their
families alternatives to harmful practices (see chart from
"Drain" activity). Students should help their families to
implement new, more conservative, disposal methods.
3) Discuss recycling as a way to save energy and raw materials
and to cut down on amounts of trash and litter. How does
recycling help the Bay?
4) Start a paper and/or
aluminum recycling drive in
your classroom. Provide
large containers for
classroom collection and ask
students to bring empty
cans and newspapers from
home. Paper trash from
school can also be saved for
recycling. Set a goal, and
plan to take the material to
a recycler when the goal has
been reached.
Students become aware of
waste problems through
observing actual disposal
methods at home (Best if
done in conjunction with
"Down the Drain").
Grades 2-3
Objectives
• learn to become more
observant of daily
practices.
• find another way to
contribute to Bay cleanup
from the home.
Subject
Social studies
Skills
Categorizing, observation,
problem solving.
35
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Grades K-3
Objectives
• view the litter problem
from a different
perspective (that of the
animals)
• learn some of the kinds of
animals that inhabit the
Bay's marshes.
Subjects
Social studies, language,
drama.
Skills
Discussion, interpretation,
listening, psychomotor
development, reading.
The Tale of the Troublesome Thing
This is not just another story about the Chesapeake Bay. This
one is noisy. A noise story is part story and part play. The
teacher or an older student reads the story while the children
make the character's sounds. It's a fun way for young students
to participate in a story without having to read or memorize
long lines. The story has been divided into two parts, so that it
may be done in one or two periods.
Have the whole group make every noise. It works best if you
practice, first. The cue to make a noise is when a noise word
appears in parentheses in the story, or when the children hear
the reader pause. It helps to have the reader make the motions
and noises, too, especially when incidental noises appear in the
story.
Before you begin the story, practice acting out each character a
few times.
The Characters (and their noises)
Silly Goose (hold your nose and say honk! honk!)
(make crab daws with your hands and say
clackity clack!)
Crabby Crabby
Wiggly Eel
Floppity Fishes
(wiggle your body and make a wet slurpy
noise—eels are slimy and slippery)
(flop hands front and back on your lap and
say flip! flop!)
Long Legged Heron (flap your "wings" and squawk loudly—
just one, loud squawk)
Bald Headed Duck (put a hand on top of your head and say
quack! quack!)
Majestic Eagle ("soar" with your arms outstretched—don't
make any sound at all)
Musky Muskrat, Who Gnaws On Things (make lots of chewing
or gnawing noises)
Clapping Clam, Who Can't Come Out of His Shell
(hold the heels of your hands together and
clap like a clam)
Terrapin, the Turtle With the Funny Name (curl up as though
you 're hiding in your shell)
36
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The Story
The Tale of the Troublesome Thing (Part 1)
Down by the edge of the Bay, where the water comes lap, lap,
lapping into shore (lap Hap Hap!), is a place where tall grasses
grow higher than the sky. And in this place, where the ground is
sometimes under water and sometimes just really mushy, and it
smells kind of smelly, you can find lots of wonderful critters who
like to live there.
This day was a beautiful day. The sky was blue and the water
was wet and the breeze was just breezy enough. The Majestic
Eagle ("soar" silently) glided over the marsh hunting for prey.
And all of the other animals went about their usual happy
business.
"There's a lot of food over here!" called Grabby Crabby (clackity
clack!) who swam in with the tide.
"Sure there is, if you like to eat dead stuff!" cried the
little school of Floppity Fishes (flip! flop!). "We'd rather
find some nice floating bits of plants to swallow. We'll see
you later!" And the Floppity Fishes (flip! flop!) turned
and scooted off with their tails swishing behind.
So Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!) ate his fill, and moved
off through the wet water weeds to find something else
to get into. "Ouch!" yelped Grabby Crabby (clackity
clack!) as he bumped into something strange and hard
(bagang! bong!). "Why, what's this strange and hard
something?" wondered Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!).
"This doesn't belong here in our nice clean marsh." He
climbed up on top of the Thing, then climbed down the
other side of it. Then he crept his funny sideways crab
creep all around the Thing. But with all this
investigating, he still couldn't figure out what the Thing
was.
Soon, along came Wiggly Eel (slurp!), who wriggled her
skinny, slimy body over to the Thing. "Why, what's this?"
she asked Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!).
"I think it's a Thing," he answered. "What sort of a
Thing?" questioned Wiggly Eel (slurp!). "It's a Thing
that doesn't belong here!" Grabby said.
While Wiggly Eel (slurp!) was twirling 'round and
'round the Thing, inspecting every inch of it, Terrapin,
the Turtle With the Funny Name (curl up) happened by.
37
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"Well, well, my good companions. What's this unfamiliar item?"
the turtle queried. Terrapin was rather intelligent, even though
he seemed sort of slow.
"We don't know. It's a Thing. But we don't know what kind of a
Thing it is. Maybe you can figure it out," explained Grabby
Crabby (clackity clack!).
There was silence while the turtle pondered the Thing. "I am
certain," he paused, "that this Thing is quite a Troublesome
Thing. Yes that's it—it's a Troublesome Thing," said Terrapin,
the Turtle With the Funny Name (curl up).
"That doesn't help us at all." sighed Wiggly Eel (slurp!).
"No, not one bit." added Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!). At
that, the indignant Terrapin, the Turtle With the Funny Name
(curl up), turned and lumbered off, for his feelings were truly
hurt.
"Let's go find Musky!" suggested Grabby, "He's been all over
this marsh, maybe he'll know what this Troublesome Thing is."
So the two swimmers headed off to find their experienced friend.
When they came to a hole in the mucky mud bottom, Wiggly Eel
(slurp!) put her head in the hole and called out, "Hello (hello!) in
there. Is anyone home?"
"Yes, I'm here! No need to shout." came the response, and out
popped a furry creature with a long skinny tail. It was Musky
Muskrat, Who Gnaws On Things (chewing sounds). Musky
Muskrat was a mammal of the marsh, who built tunnels under
the water and was very good at chopping down tall grasses with
his big front teeth. The other water animals didn't mind that he
was so hairy, because he was a good swimmer, and besides, he
was awfully friendly.
"Musky, you must come and see! We've found a Troublesome
Thing! It doesn't belong here, and we don't know where it came
from!" began the eel.
"We don't even know what it is. And it's ugly," Grabby
complained (he was a crabby crab).
"My, my!" gasped Musky Muskrat, Who Gnaws On Things
(chewing sounds), whistling through his buck teeth.
-------
"We thought that since you've gnawed on so many things, you
could gnaw on this Thing, and tell us what it is." Grabby was
beginning to get crabbier.
"You've got me all wrong, my friends. I don't gnaw on just any
old Thing. No, no. I only gnaw on twigs and marsh grasses. If I
gnawed on a strange Thing, I might break a tooth, and then
where would I be? A muskrat without a tooth? Why that's the
silliest thing I ever heard!" And with that, Musky Muskrat, Who
Gnaws On Things (chewing sounds) dove back into his tunnel
with a pop (pop!).
"Silly he says. Humph!" said the eel. "The only one around here
who's silly is Silly Goose (honk! honk!)"
"That's it!" the crab brightened. "It's been getting colder and
winter is coming. I'll bet we can find Silly Goose (honk! honk!)
eating grain in that field. She must be back from the North by
now."
The two picked up their spirits and sped for the other edge of
the marsh. When they reached some shallower water, Wiggly Eel
(slurp!) stopped.
"Wait, Grabby! I can't go up on land. I won't be able to breathe."
"You stay in the water, then, Wiggly. I can climb up onto the
ground for a little while. I'll find Silly Goose (honk! honk!) and
meet you back at the Thing."
So while the eel waited in the cool shady water, the crab climbed
cautiously out onto the muddy shore. His stalked eyes waved
frantically all around him, ever alerted to danger. He stopped
dead in his tracks when he heard the flapping wings of The
Heron With the Long Legs (squawk!). That big bird would surely
gobble him up if he were seen. When the old bird had passed,
Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!) continued on in search of the
goose. When he found her, she was nibbling away at some
leftover corn kernels.
"Hey, there, my little pinching friend. It's been a long time, has
it not? How've you been? How's your end of the Bay? Was the
summer awfully hot here?" Silly Goose (honk! honk!) often
babbled until she had to be interrupted.
"Silly, I'm glad to have found you. There's a strange and
troublesome Thing in our water! We don't like having it there.
Please come and help us!" cried the frustrated crab.
-------
"Of course, I will help you," mumbled the goose, who's mouth
was still full of grain. She swallowed with a gulp (gulp!). "Now
what's all this about a Thing?"
"I bumped into it," explained Grabby, "because it was in my way.
I've never seen it before. You've flown hundreds of miles and
you've seen lots of things. I thought that maybe you could tell us
what this Thing is, and where it came from."
"Well, now, let's see. When you bumped into the Thing, what
sort of noise did it make?" asked Silly Goose (honk! honk!). "Did
it thump? Or did it clank?"
"I think it clanked," said the crab, trying to recall. "No, wait! It
was more of a bang. Or was it a bong?"
"I'll bet I know." honked the goose, flapping excitedly. "Did it go
like this: bagang! bong! (bagang! bong!) and did it ring for a
bit?"
"Yes! You do know what kind of a Thing that is. I knew you
could help!" Grabby wasn't so crabby any more.
"You won't be so excited when I tell you what it is. It's not a
very nice Thing. It's a Thing that doesn't belong in our marsh,
or even in the water at all. It's TRASH! (gasp!!) Something that
a human probably threw away. Those humans don't think that it
bothers us or hurts our homes to throw old, unwanted things in
our marsh or even in the Bay. We can't let that Thing stay. Not
for one more minute! If we let them put one Thing into our
water, they'll keep on dumping more and more Things in, until
there's no more room for us."
Comprehension questions (as a review before beginning Part II):
Why are the animals so upset about the Thing?
Do you think the marsh animals should do something about the
Thing? What should they do?
Do you think that anyone else should do something about the
Thing? (Who?)
What do you think will happen in the next part of the story?
40
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Part 2
"Come on, then, Silly Goose (honk! honk!), we've got to hurry
back. The Thing has been there for a while, already!"
Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!) grabbed onto the goose as she
headed for the runway, flapping as she ran so she could get up
into the air. The crab, eyes tucked in tightly, held onto her tail
feathers for dear life.
"Fly more to your left, Silly!" yelled Grabby over the noise of her
flapping (flap! flap! flap!). Grabby had dared to poke his eyes out
of his shell just a little. "The Thing should be right over there."
As they flew frantically back over the marsh, they passed over
Musky Muskrat, Who Gnaws On Things (chewing sounds), who
looked up from his chewing and waved.
"Where are you going?" Musky shouted up to them.
Silly Goose (honk! honk!) was too busy flapping to answer, and
Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!) was too scared to bother. So the
muskrat followed them from below, wondering if all the
commotion was still about that silly Thing.
On his way, Musky Muskrat, Who Gnaws On Things (chewing
sounds) nearly ran over Terrapin, the Turtle With the Funny
Name (curl up).
"Watch where you're going, Speedy!" grumbled the terrapin.
"I'm sorry, Terrapin, but I'm hurrying to see where Silly Goose
(honk! honk!) and Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!) are going. I
think it's about that Thing the crab found." explained Musky.
"Oh, that Thing is a Troublesome Thing, all right! I told them it
was a Troublesome Thing. I'll come with you." And the worried
terrapin climbed on Musky's back, because he knew that he
could never keep up with the muskrat.
As the airborne pair came closer to the spot where the Thing
had been found, Grabby directed his friend to land.
"Hold on tightly, then," instructed the goose, and she bent her
wings and dropped in for a landing. The two came down on the
water with a tremendous splash Silly Goose (honk! honk!) was so
excited that she hadn't looked down before hitting the water.
41
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"Hey! What do you think you're doing?" someone quacked from
underneath the goose. "Why don't you watch where you're
landing?" It was the Bald Headed Duck (quack! quack!), who
was more than a bit annoyed.
"Excuse us," began Grabby, "but we were hurrying to the Thing.
We want to get it out of our marsh."
Just then, Musky and Terrapin swam up to the group. "Is that
Thing still troubling you?" asked Musky, panting.
"Still troubling us? Still troubling us?" babbled Silly Goose
(honk! honk!). "Why, it should bother you, too. This marsh is
your home. Do you want it polluted with trash and other
Things?"
"Of course not! I hadn't thought of that before," said Musky.
"I never wanted it here," Terrapin chimed in, "it's a
Troublesome Thing."
"What are we waiting for?" asked the Bald Headed Duck (quack!
quack!). "If it's so troublesome let's go and get rid of it." So
Grabby Crabby (clackity clack!) led the way, with Silly Goose
(honk! honk!) next in line. Musky Muskrat, Who Gnaws On
Things (chewing sounds) came next, and then the Bald Headed
Duck (quack! quack!), who was still a little dizzy. Floppity Fishes
(flip! flop!) were curious and came along, and trailing behind
came Terrapin, the Turtle With the Funny Name (curl up).
When they reached Wiggly Eel (slurp!), who was waiting for
them, Grabby looked around, but couldn't find the Thing.
"What happened to the Thing?" asked the crab.
"You won't believe it," said the eel. "Come with me and you'll
find out." So Wiggly squirmed off, with the others following
behind her.
Soon, they came upon Clapping Clam, Who Can't Come Out of
His Shell (clap). "Clapping Clam can tell you why the Thing isn't
here," announced the eel.
"But why are you here, Clapping Clam?" asked the Bald Headed
Duck (quack! quack!). "You belong out in the Bay, no>t here in
the marsh."
42
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"I'm convinced," claimed the clam, "that it was quite a close call.
I was snatched from the Bay by a big old gull. He was about to
gobble me up! But I'm smarter than that bird. I saw some trash
down here in the water, and I know how those gulls love trash!
So I said, 'Listen, you gull, why eat me? I'm only a small snack.
Look down there. There's a big hunk of trash. What a clever
trade it would be, to exchange little me for all that wonderful
trash!' And wouldn't you know, that stupid bird fell for it. He
dropped me right away and swooped down and plucked that
Thing right out of the water!"
"That was awfully lucky! But where do you think that gull will
go with the Thing? He'll soon find out that he can't really eat
it!" said the Bald Headed Duck (quack! quack!).
"Don't worry about that," laughed Clapping Clam, Who Can't
Come Out of His Shell (clap), "he was headed right for the
dump. He'll probably leave it there, he knows where trash
belongs!"
"I wish people knew where to put their trash. Then we wouldn't
have to worry about it messing up our home!" said Musky
Muskrat, Who Gnaws On Things (chewing sounds).
And the group, relieved, but still looking a little worried, began
to split up and go about their business again.
"Hey, Clam," called the goose, "I'll give you a ride back to the
Bay. I've got to catch up with the other geese out in the field."
Silly Goose (honk! honk!) picked up the little clam and flew
away, waving goodbye to her other friends (wave) . . .
As they took off, they saw the Heron With the Long Legs
(squawk!) flapping over the marsh. And off in the distance was
the silhouette of the Silent and Majestic Eagle, ("soar" silently),
still patrolling the scene.
The End
Comprehension Questions:
How would you feel if some-
one dumped trash in your
bedroom?
How did the animals feel
about having the Thing in
their home?
What would happen to the
marsh if many more Things
were put there?
The animals were lucky that
the Thing was taken away.
Do you think that this is
what usually happens to
trash?
The animals in this story
stuck together when there
was trouble. Discuss ways
that people could stick
together to keep the water
clean for the animals.
43
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Chesapeake Bay
Organizations and Agencies
Federal Agencies
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Chesapeake Bay Field Office
177 Admiral Cochrane Drive
Annapolis, MD 21401
410/573 4500
Environmental Protection Agency
Chesapeake Bay Program Office
410 Severn Avenue, Suite 109
Annapolis, MD 21403
410/267 5700
1 800/YOUR BAY
www.fws.gov/r5cbfo
www.chesapeakebay.net
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Chesapeake Bay Office
410 Severn Avenue, Suite 107
Annapolis, MD 21403
410/267 5660 noaa.chesapeakebay.net
State Agencies
Maryland Department of the Environment
2500 Broening Highway
Baltimore, MD 21224
410/631 3000
www.mde.state.md.us
Maryland Department of Natural Resources
Tawes State Office Building
580 Taylor Avenue
Annapolis, MD 21401
410/260 8019
www.dnr.state.md.us
Pennsylvania Bay Education Office/PACD
4999 Jonestown Road, Ste. 203
Harrisburg, PA 17109
717/545 8878 www.dep.state.pa.us/pacd/pacd.htm
Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection
400 Market Street
Harrisburg, PA 17105
717/787 2814 www.dep.state.pa.us
44
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Virginia Department of Environmental Quality
E O. Box 10009
Richmond, VA 23240
804/698 4000 www.deq.state.va.us
Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries
4010 West Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23230
804/367 1000 www.dgif.state.va.us
Other Organizations
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland Office
6600 York Road, Suite 100
Baltimore, MD 21212
410/377 6270 www.alliancechesbay.org
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Pennsylvania Office
600 Second Street, Suite 300B
Harrisburg, PA 17101
717/236 8825
Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia Office
EO. Box 1981
Richmond, VA 23218
804/775 0951
Chesapeake Bay Foundation
162 Prince George Street
Annapolis, MD 21401
410/268 8816 www.cbf.org
Chesapeake Bay Trust
60 West Street, Suite 200A
Annapolis, MD 21401
410/974 2941
National Aquarium in Baltimore
501 E. Pratt Street, Pier 3
Baltimore, MD 21202
410/576 3800
Save Our Streams
761 Aquahart Road, Suite 100
Glen Burnie, MD 21061
410/766 9443
www.chesapeakebaytrust.org
www.aqua.org
www. saveour streams. org
45
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The Chesapeake Bay Watershed
A vast network of rivers and
streams drains 64,000 square
miles of land, meanders across
six state boundaries, and
pours billions of gallons of
fresh water into Chesapeake
Bay daily. This fresh water,
carrying essential minerals
and nutrients, mixes with
salty ocean water to form an
estuary with ideal conditions
for an abundance of plant and
animal life. This huge
drainage basin or watershed is
home to nearly 16 million
people and several thousand
species of animals. The
watershed encompasses a
diverse landscape stretching
from the Appalachian
mountains, through the
rolling hills of the Piedmont
region, to the flat coastal plain
of the Delmarva Peninsula.
As the water winds its way
through the landscape, it may
pick up pollutants that will
affect life in Chesapeake Bay.
Rain carries soil, excess
nutrients, including
fertilizers, and other
pollutants from streets, lawns,
construction sites, and farm
fields into the streams and
rivers, and eventually into the
Bay. Aquatic life, including
oysters and submerged
aquatic vegetation, is sensitive
to the effects of excess soil and
nutrients. Impacts to these
vital species upset the natural
balance of the Bay.
During the past decade,
citizens, private groups,
businesses and government
agencies have intensified
efforts to restore the Bay.
Now, more than ever, people
realize that what they do on
the land directly affects life in
the Chesapeake. In order to
protect and restore the Bay,
all of us living in the
watershed need to become
better stewards of the land.
46
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Pennsylvania
Maryland
x-
47
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Chesape.ilie Bay
A Watershed Partnership
410 Severn Avenue
Suite 109
Annapolis, Maryland 21403
1-800-YOUR BAY
www.chesapeakebay.net
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