H2O Quality: Print Resources

This is a collection of Print Resources about water quality. Separate collections of Electronic Resources and National Academies Press e-Books are also available.

Most titles below are outstanding and recommended by the National Science Teachers Association that fit this year’s theme for Chemists Celebrate Earth Day. Descriptions are based on reviews from the NSTA or publishers web site.

Key: E = Elementary (K–5), I = Intermediate (6–8), HS = High School (9–12), C = College, G = General Public

THE CHEMISTRY OF WATER. Susan E. Kegley and Joy Andrews. Sausalito, CA: University Science Books, 1998. 167 pp. ISBN: 093570244X. (HS, C)
This introductory laboratory manual will help students design a sampling plan, understand the instrumental and analytical techniques used for the assessment of water quality, learn how to interpret data and use statistical analyses, and apply scientific reasoning to an environmental problem. Ideal for use in the laboratory portion of an introductory environmental chemistry or general chemistry course, the manual provides substantial background information about water chemistry and gives the instructor a choice of procedures for each analysis, from instrument-intensive techniques to those requiring nothing more than a buret and a few chemicals. A detailed Instructors’ Manual is also available.
Source: University Science Books
CHEMISTRY: RIVERS CURRICULUM GUIDE. Dr. Virginia Bryan, Allen Burbank, and Dr. Jack Ballinger. While Plains, NY: Dale Seymour Publications, 1997. 238 pp. ISBN 0-201-49367-5. (I, HS)
This book brings the methods and techniques from the popular national program to the classroom. It provides an environmental context for student research in physical science and chemistry. Using the same techniques that field scientists employ, students learn to analyze the quality of local water supplies and interpret the data they collect. The book is divided into 10 lessons (with both teacher and student materials) and six appendices. The first lesson outlines laboratory procedures, data analysis, and safety. Each subsequent lesson introduces a new water quality test: pH, temperature and flow rate, turbidity, total solids, dissolved oxygen, biochemical oxygen demand, phosphates, nitrates, and fecal coliform. Measurements of all of these parameters are combined into a water quality index measure. Kits are available to provide most of the materials necessary for these tests. This is one book in a high-quality series of six produced by Rivers Curriculum Project of Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville. They are excellent for enriching high school physical science programs, and can be used successfully with middle school students with appropriate modifications.
Source: NSTA Recommends
DEATH OF THE SWEET WATERS. D.E. Carr. New York: Norton, 1966. OCLC 271125. (I, HS, C, G)
Source: Athena
DRIP! DROP! HOW WATER GETS TO YOUR TAP. Barvara Seuling. New York: Holiday House, 2000. ISBN 823144590. (E, I)
Jo Jo and her zany dog willy explain the water cycle and introduce experiments about water filtration, evaporation and condensation.
Source: Athena
EARTH DAY: KEEPING OUR PLANET CLEAN. Elaine Landau. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2002. 48 pp. ISBN 0-7660-1778-8. (E)
With celebrations of Earth Day marking each April, teachers are always looking for innovative ideas to for educating students. This book is an excellent resource for environmental awareness. It teaches young children the importance of keeping our planet a clean, safe place to live. It is filled with background information about pollution and taking care of the Earth. It gives the history of the first Earth Day and how it has changed through the years. Tips are also provided for recycling projects and school-wide activities that young people will enjoy. This book includes glossary of environmental terms, other suggested reading, and Internet addresses for additional activities.
Source: NSTA Recommends
FIELD MANUAL FOR WATER QUALITY MONITORING: AN ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION PROGRAM FOR SCHOOLS (12TH EDITION). Mark K, Mitchell and William B. Stapp. Dubuque, IA: Kendall/Hunt Publishing, 2000. 272 pp. ISBN 0-7872-6801-1. (I, HS)
This book is considered to be THE reference for those working with community water monitoring projects. Nine chapters and an excellent appendix of data sheets and drawings help teachers build the equipment and expertise needed to start a water-monitoring program. The first chapters deal with watersheds, sampling and safety. The book begins with specific, clear directions for nine water quality tests. The directions are suitable for senior high school students to follow independently, or middle school students to follow with adult help. Originally developed as a classroom supplement, the activities and techniques included here are the result of many hours of fieldwork. These procedures have been tested in many parts of the world, and they work. This field manual has been adopted by the Global Rivers Environmental Education Network for those doing water quality projects around the world. By establishing this book as the primary reference, GREEN allows groups to collect data using the same set of techniques that are accessible to average students and citizens. There has been much discussion recently concerning the value, even validity, of citizen- collected monitoring data. Although citizen data may not always have the same weight in a court of law as that collected by scientists, it does serve as an important source for establishing trends (improvements and declines) in water quality. Helping establish a sense of connection between a community and its bodies of water is a very important step in creating ownership of the resource, the problems, and the solutions.
Source: NSTA Recommends
FLUSH!: TREATING WASTEWATER. Karen Mueller Coombs, Illustrated with photographs by Jerry Boucher. Minneapolis, MN: Carolrhoda Books, 1995. 56pp. ISBN 0-87614-879-8. (E)
Ever wonder what happens to water you flush down the toilet? A step-by-step trip through the process of cleaning wastewater gives a behind-the-scenes look using excellent, full- color photographs. A unique book concerning our most valuable natural resource — water. Glossary. Index.
Source: NSTA Outstanding Books 1996
THE HOLY ORDER OF WATER: HEALING THE Earth’s WATERS AND OURSELVES. W.E. Marks. Great Barrington, MA: Bell Pond Books, 2001. ISBN 088010483x. (G)
Source: Athena
INSIDE RAIN: WORKING WITH PRECIPITATION CHEMISTRY DATA. Jay Barracato. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press, 2000. ISBN 0-87355-482-6. (HS)
Inside Rain: Working With Precipitation Chemistry Data is a set of resources that includes the Database Basics manual and Inside Rain activities. Information from The National Atmospheric Deposition Program guide makes this collection a valuable unit that will enable even statistics novices to learn good data analysis techniques and develop a foundation for the study of more complex work. The Database Basics manual includes three units: Creating Databases, Working With Data Sets, and Making Decisions Based on Data. The booklets from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program include weekly data from the National Trends Network (NTN), daily data from nine selected sites through the Atmospheric Integrated Research Monitoring Network (AIRMoN), and the Mercury Deposition Network (MDN). All data can be obtained through the Internet site at http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu, and the booklet contains maps of concentrations and depositions for pH, sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and chloride ions.
Each activity is complete with a student section, teacher section, materials and equipment lists, answers to all questions, and permissions to reproduce for classroom use and workshop instruction. This guide is excellent. It follows all the tenets of the STS (Science, Technology and Society) approach to teaching science, and teachers will find that the topics addressed find their way into all science disciplines. The explanations are clear, and the graphics are easy to download, read, and analyze. Questions that follow each activity involve higher level thinking skills, and each activity has several extensions listed in the teacher section. These extensions could provide an avenue for more advanced work or optional work for students who complete their work early. This excellent package is highly recommended as a source of activities for investigating rain in the lab, outdoors, and online.
Source: NSTA Recommends
LAKE AND POND. A.P. Sayre. New York: Twenty-First Century Books, 1996. ISBN 805040897. (E, I)
Discusses the lake and pond biomes and how each is affected by the environment and people.
Source: WorldCat
MATERIALS, MATERIALS, MATERIALS: WATER. Chris Oxlade. Portsmouth, NH: Heinemann Educational Books, 2002. ISBN 1588105881. 32 pp. (E)
This book is appropriate for primary students studying water, weather, or pollution. Topics range from properties of water to clouds and rain to water power and pollution. Key words, such as transparent and dissolving, are in bold type and can be looked up in the glossary. A table of contents and an index give this book the same format as many higher level texts. Students may also find the “Fact File” and “Can You Believe It?” sections fun to read. High- quality photographs feature animals, children, and men and women from around the world. For those children whose interests are piqued by this topic, teachers or parents will also find a list of more books to read.
Source: NSTA Recommends
OCEANS AND SEAS. Catherine Chambers. Chicago: Heinemann Library, 2000. 32 pp. ISBN 1-57572-526-6. (E)
Part of the Mapping Earthforms series, this book provides the reader with the definition and descriptions of the Earth’s major oceans and seas, how they are formed, and how they look below the surface. The authors emphasize the importance of seawater, its effects upon living organisms, and marine minerals that humans need and use in their daily lives. Pollution from chemical fertilizers, pesticides, and raw sewage is having a devastating effect on the oceans and seas. Suggested solutions are given, but the book stresses that the future of the world’s oceans and seas depend on people.
Source: NSTA Recommends
A RIVER RAN WILD: AN ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY. Lynne Cherry. San Diego: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1992. ISBN 152005420. (E, I)
An environmental history of the Nashua River, from its discovery by Indians through the polluting years of the Industrial Revolution to the ambitious clean-up that revitalized it.
Source: WorldCat
RIVERS: NATURE’S WONDROUS WATERWAYS. David L. Harrison. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, 2002. 32 pp. ISBN 1563979683. (E)
From mountain streams to the sea, this book takes the reader on an exciting river journey. On the way, elementary students learn about food chains, the water cycle, erosion, rock weathering, and watersheds. The book also mentions pollution and what can be done to clean up the environment. The book does not describe all rivers; for example, its assertion that rivers begin in mountains would exclude the Mississippi. But the concepts provide a valuable link between science and geography. Reading level and concepts are well suited for third or fourth graders.
Source: NSTA Recommends
TOXIC LEAK! AN EVENT-BASED SCIENCE MODULE STUDENT EDITION. Russell G. Wright. 49 pp. Dale Seymour Pub., While Plains, NY, 1996. ISBN 0-201-49433-7. (I, HS)
What is our most priceless resource? Water. Where do you get your water, and could it be contaminated? With students playing the roles of concerned citizens in a small community where leaking gasoline storage tanks have contaminated the groundwater, Toxic Leak! An Event Based Science Module is exciting from start to finish. The module emphasizes cooperative learning, teamwork, independent research, hands-on investigations, and explorations of authentic tasks. Written and field-tested by teachers, the module is extremely well written and organized. Students will readily get involved in the activities without realizing they are practicing science and developing problem solving skills. This excellent module is geared for middle school but could easily be adapted for high school students.
Source: NSTA Recommends
TOXIC LEAK! AN EVENT-BASED SCIENCE MODULE TEACHER’S GUIDE. Russell G. Wright. Addison-Wesley Pub. Co., New York, NY, 1996. ISBN 0-201-49436-1. (I, HS)
See description in student edition.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER. Brenda Walpole. Ada, OK: Garrett Educational Corp., 1990. ISBN 944483720. (E, I)
Explains the many uses of water and how clean water gets to the household tap. Includes instructions for a variety of simple experiments.
Source: Athena
WATER MATTERS: VOL. 1 — WETLANDS, WATER USE & WASTEWATER TREATMENT. 32 pp. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA, 1994. ISBN 0-87355-127-3. (E, I, HS)
A three volume series of three teachers guides released by U.S. Geological Survey Water Resources Educational Initiative and NSTA. It is designed to help teachers investigate the integral role that water plays in our lives with students Grades 3–8. The introduction lists goals and how to use the materials. Teachers are provided a clearly written background section on the major concepts. Next, the guide includes a variety of activities, from analyzing and interpreting data to making models that demonstrate the basic wastewater treatment methods. Be prepared for lots of relevant math and graphing! The activities are easy to replicate and do not require costly equipment. Each activity correlates with one of three information-filled posters, which are included. The last part of the guide contains ideas for more research and a list of resources.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER MATTERS: VOL. 2 — NAVIGATION, GROUNDWATER & WATER QUALITY. 32 pp. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA, 1997. ISBN 0-87355-127-3. (E, I, HS)
See description in Vol. 1 of series.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATER MATTERS: VOL. 3 — OCEANS, WATERSHEDS, & HAZARDOUS WASTE. 32 pp. NSTA Press, Arlington, VA, 1999. ISBN 0-87355-175-3. (E, I, HS)
See description in Vol. 1 of series.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WATERSHEDS: A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK FOR HEALTHY WATER. Clive Dobson and Gregor Gilpin Beck. 152 pp. Firefly Books Inc., Toronto, Ontario, BC, 1999. ISBN 1-55209-330-1. (HS)
This book is an enticing survey of the essential elements of water ecology. From the elementary concept of a watershed to more intricate biological aspects of wetland ecosystems and their impact upon the environment, this book delivers the most up-to-date scientific information in a simplified format and writing style. The author is a research biologist and a college teacher of courses in water pollution and ecology. Clive Dobson’s more than 100 beautifully crafted color illustrations augment the text and make reading the book easy, informative, and enjoyable. Beck and Dobson take the reader on an intellectual and sensory trip that visits the following topics: bioregions and aquatic habitats, water and nutrient cycles, water and air pollution, invasions of exotic species, habitat loss, and ecological restoration. In a special section called How Can I Help? readers find pragmatic and meaningful applications, such as reducing water and air pollution, preserving native forests, and helping restore the health of rivers and streams, that can make a difference in the health of watersheds.
Source: NSTA Recommends
WOW! THE WONDERS OF WETLANDS. Alan S. Kesselheim, Britt Eckhardt Slattery, Susan H. Higgins, Mark R. Schilling. St. Michaels, MD: Environmental Concern, 1995. 330 pp. ISBN 1-888631-00-7. (E, I, HS)
This book is an exciting and complete educational resource book of background material for teachers who are preparing wetland study units. It features discussions of the physical science, chemistry, and biology of wetlands as well as their socioeconomic benefits. Other chapters address the topics of management and action for wetlands. This book focuses on easy-to-follow, hands-on/minds-on activities that encourage students to use higher-order thinking skills as they collect data and make conclusions. The activities also develop students’ beliefs about the nature of science and teach the importance of science literacy and good citizenship through community involvement.
Source: NSTA Recommends

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