Designed to build a solid understanding of watersheds and non-point source pollution, this lesson series covers the following topics: an introduction to watersheds and water pollution, managing excess sediment, managing pathogens, and managing excess nutrients.

Lesson 1: Watersheds and Nonpoint Source Pollution introduces students to scientific models that help them conceptualize watersheds and their importance for managing nonpoint sources of pollution.

Lesson 2: Managing Excess Sediment facilitates student understanding of the role of sediment as a major type of nonpoint source pollution.

Lesson 3: Managing Pathogens builds student understanding of the role of pathogens as a major type of nonpoint source pollution.

Lesson 4: Managing Excess Nutrients facilitates student understanding of the role of excess nutrients as a major type of nonpoint source pollution.

This River Rewilding Collection contains a set of units that highlight the social and economic, historic, and biological impacts of rewilding the Grand River through the Grand River Revitalization Effort.

To explore each of the units individually, check out the unit descriptions below:

Unit 1: Grand River Restoration and Revitalization Project: Students explore the Grand River Revitalization & Restoration Project. They look at the economic opportunities associated with the Grand River and community access to the Grand River. They then learn about two species impacted by the restoration: the lake sturgeon and the sea lamprey.

Unit 2: Advanced Water Quality: This unit has three parts: stream habitat assessment, macroinvertebrate analysis, and macroinvertebrate design challenge.

Unit 3: Grand River Social and Economic Impacts: Students examine the social and economic role that the Grand River has played in the Grand Rapids community, beginning with the Paleo-Indians through today.

This unit examines the social and economic role that the Grand River has played in the Grand Rapids community. It begins with the Paleo-Indians and goes through today. Students will look at primary source readings, artifacts, and summaries of different periods. Students will examine the role of the river in society and the impacts of humans on the river, as well as explore how the change in population and uses of the river impact river quality.

There are three parts to this unit: Stream Habitat Assessment, Macroinvertebrate Analysis, and a Macroinvertebrate Design Challenge

Students will have experience analyzing and interpreting streams' biotic and abiotic factors and designing and testing a macroinvertebrate sampler that mimics a stream habitat. This unit asks students to consider what actions could be taken to reduce human impacts and improve stream quality.