Materials and Resources

Jamaica Pond Field Trip - Homeworks

Before the Field Trip:

• Read the handout on site surveying and prediction making (pp.21-25)
• Choose one of the following three questions to answer in detail:
  1. Jamaica Pond has busy roads going all the way around it. Discuss how these roads would be affecting the water quality and why. Focus on two water quality parameters that you think will be affected the most in your discussion.

  2. Describe the recent weather (past 3-4 days). Choose two water quality parameters except for temperature which you think would have been affected the most by recent weather, and discuss how the weather has affected them.

  3. All measures of water quality have some dependency on the season. Choose two (except temperature) which you think change the most dramatically with the season, and describe how they change and what we would expect to find now in April.

After the Field Trip:

• Make a quick table of your predictions and the results your group obtained for T, pH, DO, and Turbidity. Mention where your group was on the pond (site #)
• Are there any significant disagreements between your predictions and actual results? Choose one parameter (except temperature) for which disagreement was the greatest and discuss in detail why you think the results were different and what you think produced these results

After first day of lab analysis:

• Examine the class data on T, pH, DO, and Turbidity. Are there any consistent differences between the different locations on the pond? Where do you think these differences come from? As you answer this question, begin to think about your own project site and how the water quality may vary there with location.

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