Key Earth Science Links
Groundwater, Porosity, and Permeability Web Sites
The Groundwater Foundation, National Ground Water Association (NGWA). The Groundwater Foundation will help you learn and teach others about the wonders of GROUNDWATER! Find tools, resources, ideas, and ready-to-go activity to bring to life the magic of groundwater.
An Underground River. Teach Engineering Resources Resources For K-12, University of Colorado. Grades 6-8. In this lesson students learn how water flows through the ground, what an aquifer is, and what soil properties are used to predict groundwater flow. Lesson includes online background material with colorful graphics and two activities:
- How Full is Full? is a porosity and permeability activity in which students use paper cups, soil, water, and stop watches to measure water flowing through different mediums.
- Where Does All of the Water Go? uses a groundwater model tank or an online Powerpoint presentation to teach groundwater vocabulary and measurements.
How Groundwater Moves--Porosity and Permeability. Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. Grades 6-9. Classroom activity tied to objectives for teaching porosity and permeability. Students use test tubes and other containers to measure water flow through different types of sediments. Student activity sheets provided.
Whats Down the Well? Teach Engineering-Resources For K-12, University of Colorado. Grades 6-8. Classroom activity that looks at physical models of groundwater and how environmental engineers determine possible sites for drinking water wells. Students create their own groundwater well model using a coffee can and wire screening. Food coloring is added to see how a pollutant can migrate through the groundwater into a drinking water resource.
Aquifers and Groundwater, USGS. U.S. Geological Survey's (USGS) Water Science School offers information on many aspects of water, along with pictures, data, maps, and an interactive center where you can give opinions and test your water knowledge.Model a Repository. Science, Society, and America’s Nuclear Waste, U.S. Department of Energy. Middle School.or High School?Classroom activity that examines porosity, permeability, and capillary action with an assortment of sediments, paper plates, cheese cloth, and food coloring. Designed as a lesson for showing what has to be considered when making a nuclear waste repository, but can be used for any groundwater, porosity, or permeability objective.