The WWP operates in a consistent pattern at the start of every school year. Because we see a new group of students in each grade, we begin the introduction to the WWP from scratch. This introduction process unfolds in six phases.
Phase I
- Students then received an introduction to the idea of groundwater and its specific locations.
- Students take a brief pretest about groundwater.
- Students are finally tasked with sketching detailed diagrams of what they believe lies beneath their school in their science notebooks.
Phase II
- Students are presented with a groundwater model, which includes explanations about the different layers and how they formed according to Colorado’s geological history
- The concept of groundwater and its development within the aquifer is introduced, along with an exploration of potential pollution issues in the model.
- The discussion extends to the various uses of groundwater in Weld County.
Phase III
- Students receive an introduction to the well at their school or testing site.
- Students are educated about the equipment employed for measuring groundwater depth and the procedure for collecting water from the well.
- The water quality kit, which is used to test the well water, is also introduced.
Phase IV
- Students received instructions on how to use the LaMotte water test kits, with a strong emphasis on maintaining accuracy and attention to detail.
- Teams collaborate to share their findings regarding temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, nitrate, and phosphate levels.
- The class collectively calculates average values for each category, and these averages will be recorded on our website.
Phase V
- The data collected by students during their testing is subsequently entered into the WWP website database.
- Each school within the WWP has its dedicated portal and method for inputting data.
- This information can be leveraged to generate more comprehensive questions about hydrology by drawing comparisons between their school and others.
Phase VI
- Students take a post-assessment featuring the same questions as the pre-assessment.
- Monthly well tests continue, conducted by students under the supervision of their teacher.
- The outcomes of the water testing are consistently recorded and updated on the WWP website database.
READY TO GET STARTED?