Developed by the Illinois Middle School Groundwater Project. Southern Illinois University, 1997. O Below contains student activities, teacher demonstrations, and information about groundwater. Among the activities, students record how much water they use in a day, observe a model of the water cycle, build a solar still, observe how dissolved surface materials percolate into the ground, and observe water movement through different soils. They also investigate how long it takes for waste materials to decompose, and they construct and use a water filter, construct a model oil spill and test the effectiveness of different cleanup methods, and conduct tests to examine groundwater quality.
Students develop a survey or questionnaire to study a local issue.
The guide also provides information and suggestions for taking action on groundwater issues. H 2 O Below, developed for middle school students in Illinois, refers to groundwater resources in that state, but many of its activities can be adapted for other locations. Appendixes include a glossary, a list of resources on groundwater, a preunit test, and a special case study and activities on karst topography. Topic Index listings linked to this entry Use these listings to find related entries. Leader Guidebook and Action Guides , The Tapwater Tour.