STANDARDS: Standard - 4.2.10.

A
Examine the interactions between abiotic and biotic factors within a watershed.

Describe how topography influences the flow of water in a watershed.

Describe how vegetation affects water runoff.

Investigate and analyze the effects of land use on the quality of water in a
watershed
Standard - CC. 3.5.9-10.B

Determine the central ideas or conclusion of a text; trace the text's explanation of

depiction of a complex process, phenomenon, or concept; provide an accurate summary

of the text.
THEME: Ecology
LESSON TOPIC: The Influence of Vegetation on the Effects of Water Runoff
OBJECTIVES:
Language: Accurately summarize, in writing, how vegetation influences how
water runoff effects an aquatic ecosystem using key vocabulary.
Content: Students will be able to understand how vegetation influences water
runoff and its effects on a freshwater ecosystem.
LEARNING STRATEGIES:
1.) Activate prior knowledge by listing all of the key vocabulary and asking her if
she can explain any of them
Then go through them one by one
The purpose of this is to identify concepts that were previously
learned and identify vocabulary that should be further emphasized.
2.) Graphic organizer fill out throughout the lesson
The purpose of this organizer is to layout the progression of the
lesson.
3..) Virtual Lab a show-dont-tell demonstration of how soil and
vegetation affect water runoff
The purpose is to give another representation of runoff and the
way soil and vegetation influence runoff.
4.) Exit ticket - Assessment to ensure that student can identify how vegetation
influences the effects of water runoff.
Plan A - Have her write a summary using key vocabulary of the
lesson
Plan B - Have her explain orally how key vocabulary is connected
PURPOSE - Ensure that student can use vocabulary in proper
context and understands concepts.
KEY VOCABULARY: Erosion, Biotic, Abiotic, Ecosystem, Water Runoff, Vegetation

Focus on how the vocabulary relates to the whole picture

MATERIALS: Computer; Powerpoint; SmartBoard technology for virtual lab; Graphic organizer;
Pencil/pen; Expo markers
MOTIVATION: The student, who is in 8th grade, is familiar with swimming in spring-fed lakes.
She has connections to this type of ecosystem through her grandfathers cottage during the
summer.
Student will be motivated through recounting her own experiences with aquatic
ecosystems and talk about the components of them. The effects of water runoff on these types
of ecosystems will be examined through a video and graphic organizer. The influence of
vegetation on the effects of water runoff will be explored by means of the graphic organizer and
a virtual lab.
PRESENTATION:
Lesson Outline:
1. Identify what an ecosystem is
a. Ecosystem - a system composed of organisms and nonliving
things.
i.
Example = Lackawanna River
1. Biotic component = fish
2. Abiotic component = minerals
ii.
ASK: Is there any ecosystem/body of water you
are familiar with?
2. Identify what run off is
a. Runoff - the washing away or soil or other substances from the
surface of the Earth
b. Where do the substances in the water come from? What kind of
substances do you think would be in the water?
c. When runoff happens, it carries the water from land to water
systems such as rivers or lakes
i.
Key Q#1 How do you think that runoff
affects a river/ecosystem identified by student?
ii.
Video of runoff - https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=GrBEEjijxaY
3. Influence of vegetation and soil in runoff
a. Key Q#2 Based on the video, how do you think the
presence of vegetation effects water runoff?
b. Virtual Lab
http://www.glencoe.com/sites/common_assets/science/virtual_labs/ES08/ES08.h
tml
i.
Narration for the Hands-on Demonstration
1. Water runoff can come from many
different places like from the rain or melting snow
2. Two factors we will talk about that
influence runoffs effect on a water system
a. Rain intensity

i.

More

rain means more runoff

b. Without the presence
of vegetation, soil can be carried away by the water runoff,
which would lead to erosion of the land.
3. As the water flows over and through
the soil, it is filtered through the spaces between the soil particles
and around the roots of plants
4. By flowing around and through these
things, the movement of the water is slowed down.
5. Sediment and minerals carried by
the water runoff can be removed from the water by vegetation
6. Vegetation is also important because
it helps to keep soil in place, which prevents erosion.
ii.
Demonstrates the effect of vegetation of runoff
1. Access link in PowerPoint (Runoff
Virtual Lab)
2. Allow student to use computer to
perform virtual lab on their own.
a. Student chooses
different variables
i.
No
vegetation/Vegetation
ii.
High
rainfall/Low rainfall
b. Allow student to run
lab four times with all combinations of variables
c. Student drags virtual
graduated cylinder onto water in square
i.
This
will measure the amount of sediment in the water
after the lab is performed.
3. Have student observe and identify
differences in each trial.
iii.
Key Q#3 - Summarize how vegetation affects the
aquatic ecosystem accurately using key vocabulary.
PRACTICE AND APPLICATION
Asking key and discussion questions throughout the lesson
Use of a video to illustrate the information that will be presented by the teacher
Use of a graphic organizer highlighting the relationships between vegetation and
water runoff
Virtual lab for hands-on demonstration of the effect of vegetation on water runoff
REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT:
(Review objectives and vocabulary, assess learning)

 Student will complete her summary of how vegetation influences the effects of
water runoff on the ecosystem and share it with the class. Assessment of acquired
knowledge and skills will be done by verbal and written responses to key vocabulary and
cause and effect scenarios.
EXTENSION:
Introduce the concept of agriculture and explain how agriculture affects runoff.
Give her scenario of a farmer using x amount of land and have her
explain, using key vocabulary his effect on a nearby lake.