STREAM HABITAT

CURRICULUM PACKAGE
Grade 7

Prepared by:

Funding Partners:

Pêches et Océans Fisheries and Oceans

Canada Canada

Lake Superior
Binational Program

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 Introduction

Purpose
The Stream Habitat Curriculum for Grade 7 is designed to inspire interest in
stream habitat, stream ecosystems and ultimately stream protection. This
curriculum package will provide students and teachers a fun, experiential
way of learning about stream habitat. It is also designed to tie into the
existing Life Systems: Interactions within Ecosystems curriculum for Grade
7’s in Ontario.

Learning Objectives
The educational objectives of the Stream Habitat Curriculum for Grade 7
are:
 To provide students with an opportunity to feel a personal connection
with stream habitat;
 To develop an understanding of streams as a complex community of
living and non-living components;
 To develop an understanding of some of the interrelationships among
the components of the stream community; and,
 To identify different aquatic insects and their specific
characteristics.

Organization
The Stream Habitat Curriculum for Grade 7 consists of two core lessons
designed to occur in one 45-55-minute time period. Should you wish to
spend several periods on steam habitat, it is possible to expand on the core
lessons with two supplemental lessons found at the end of the curriculum
package. Feel free to adapt the lesson plans to fit your particular needs and
comfort level. Each lesson plan consists of the following:

Activity Information - The duration of the lesson is an estimate for delivery

in a classroom setting. Please be aware that choosing an outdoor setting will
increase the duration of the lesson. You can also increase the duration of
each lesson by choosing the ‘Extension Activity’ found in each lesson plan.

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Materials – Most of the materials needed to complete each lesson are
included. If you need extras, please contact EcoSuperior Environmental
Programs at (807)-624-2140 or info@ecosuperior.org.

Core Activity – The core activity for each lesson is detailed in this section.

Narrative –If the activity requires a narrative, it is found in this section.

Extension Activity- The Extension Activity builds on the core activity,

should you wish to explore the lesson further.

Background –This section contains background information to assist with

delivery of each lesson. It is not necessary to discuss all of the information
in this section with your students.

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Core Lesson #1
Water Wings
(Adapted from “Water Wings”, pgs 57- 59 in the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Project
Wild Activity Guide.)

Objective
To give students an opportunity to understand their connection with
streams.

Activity Information
Subject: language arts, environmental science
Duration: 15-20 min
Setting: classroom setting or quiet outdoor setting by stream or with
stream music

Materials
Not included: paper, pens, stream or water music (try
http://www.audiosparx.com/sa/play/play.cfm/sound_iid.213013 or search
for ‘stream sounds’ on the web)

Core Activity
1. Ask students to put away all pens, pencils etc, and to sit in a
comfortable and relaxed position with their eyes closed.
2. Turn on the stream sound. When students look relaxed, begin
offering the narrative. Use a steady and slow speaking style to give
students the time to create rich mental images. It takes about as
much time to observe mental images as it does to carefully review
actual physical settings.
3. Ask students to open their eyes and consider how this activity has
made them feel. Ask them to write one sentence that expresses
their journey into a stream.

Narrative
“Imagine the things you will hear me describing… You are sitting on the edge
of a stream ... Your bare feet are swinging in clean, clear water… The water
feels good, but it is cool… You feel a current washing over your feet, pulling
at them… Imagine the water flowing over your feet until it reaches a larger
stream… You are connected with this larger stream… Feel how the water

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tugs at your feet as it flows faster… See the green ribbon of trees and
plant life on the banks…Feel the cool shade cast by these trees and plants…
Feel the flow of the water on your feet, speeding up and slowing down, as it
goes through lakes… through rivers… into Lake Superior… Imagine that you
feel the water of Lake Superior flowing over your feet…”

“Your own body contains water that is a part of this system… Feel the water
flowing in your body… in your feet… in streams and oceans …. Water flows
over your feet in this stream …”

“Dive into the water of the stream… Become a small insect that lives in the
water… Feel the strong current pulling at your body as you cling to a rock at
the bottom of the stream… See the plants wave in the water above you…
Watch the minnows glide in the water above your head… Feel the life in this
small stream…”

“Now it’s time to come back… Come up through the stream… Bring your
senses back to the surfaces of your feet… back to where you are… When
you are ready, open your eyes.”

Extension Activity
1. Lead a discussion on ways that we are all connected to water, and
therefore to streams. Encourage students to discuss the impacts
humans have on water and streams. Discuss ways we can take care of
streams and the water they contain.

Background
Fun Facts: Our connection to water
 Our bodies are more than half water (approx 66%).
 The total amount of water in the body of an average adult is 37 litres.
 Human brains are 75% water.
 Human bones are 25% water.
 Human blood is 83% water.
 A person must consume 2 litres of water daily to live healthily.
 Humans drink an average of 75,000 litres of water in their lifetime,
replacing the amount we lose through respiration, urination, and
perspiration.

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Fun Facts: Our impact on water
 The overall amount of water on our planet has remained the same for
two billion years.
 If all of the world's water were to fit into a gallon jug, the fresh
water available for us to use would equal only about one tablespoon.
 Humans use more and more water each year. The average person in
the United States uses 300 to 375 litres of water each day. During
medieval times a person used only 19 litres per day.
 Americans use five times the amount of water that Europeans use.
 Two thirds of the water used in a home is used in the bathroom.
 It takes 7.5 litres of water to brush your teeth, 7.5 to 26.5 litres to
flush a toilet, and 95-190 litres to take a five-minute shower.
 Less than 1% of the water treated by public water systems is used for
drinking and cooking.
 Sources of water pollution include: oil spills, fertilizer and agricultural
run-off, sewage, stormwater, and industrial wastes.
 Four litres of gasoline can contaminate approximately 2.8 million litres
of water.
 About 450 cubic kilometres of wastewater are carried into coastal
areas by rivers and streams every year.
 There are 12,000 different toxic chemical compounds in industrial use
today, and more than 500 new chemicals are developed each year.

Fun Facts: How we can take care of water and streams

 A small drip from a faucet can waste as much as 75 litres of water
daily.
 An automatic dishwasher uses 35 to 45 litres of water.
 Saving a bottle of cold water in the fridge is better that taking it
from the tap, because it saves time and water.
 While brushing your teeth, you should fill up a glass to rinse your
mouth instead of leaving the tap running.
 Bottled water can be up to 1000 times more expensive than tap water
and it may not be as safe.

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Core Lesson #2
Home of the Snorkel Butts and Spit Artists

Objective
To give students an opportunity to learn about stream habitat by focusing on
aquatic insects.

Activity Information
Subject: environmental science, biology
Duration: 40 min- 55 min
Setting: classroom setting or quiet outdoor setting

Materials
Included: 1 set of 10 Aquatic Bug Puzzles (30 pieces), 10 Aquatic Bug
Posters, 4 sets of Aquatic Bug Trading Cards, 30 Action Sheets

Core Activity
1. Post the ten Aquatic Bug Posters around the room. Have only the top
caption showing. Cover the bug name, picture and details with a blank
piece of paper.
2. Begin with a class discussion:
 What is a stream?
 What are the different parts of a stream?
 Why are all parts of a stream important?
2. Randomly distribute one puzzle piece to each student, using as many
bug puzzles as you need. Each of the ten bug puzzles is composed of
three pieces.
3. Ask students to move around silently looking for the two students who
have the other pieces to complete their puzzle.
4. When students complete their bug puzzle, ask them to read silently
the information on the back of their puzzle and, as a group, determine
which caption on the Aquatic Bug Posters best fits their bug.
5. Read the caption on the first Aquatic Bug Poster, and ask which group
thinks their bug puzzle fits the caption and why. After hearing the
student’s answers, lift off the sheet of paper that is covering the bug
name and picture. Discuss the features of the insect as described on
the poster.

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 6. When you have discussed the insects on all ten posters, discuss the
role of insects in a stream ecosystem. What impact do humans have
on stream habitat?

Extension Activity
1. Familiarize students with insect mouthparts and feeding behaviour by
completing the Supplemental Lesson Aquatic Bugs and Their Feeding
Habits.

Teaching Notes
1. Randomly distribute three Aquatic Bug Trading Cards to each student,
along with the Action sheets. Explain that they can obtain a full set
of Aquatic Trading Cards by completing the activities on the Action
Sheet. Bring or mail the completed sheet to: EcoSuperior
Environmental Programs, 212 Miles Street East, Thunder Bay, ON P7C
1J6
2. You can obtain additional sets of Aquatic Bug Trading Cards by
contacting: EcoSuperior Environmental Programs at
info@ecosuperior.org.

Background
Stream Ecology
 What is a stream?
A stream is formed whenever water moves downhill from one place to
another. Streams will collect water from rain and meltwater, and join with
other streams to make larger rivers as they make their way down to the sea.

 What are the different parts of a stream?

A stream ecosystem consists of the stream surface, the water column and
the bottom of the stream. In addition, a stream's ecosystem includes the
area immediately around the stream--the damp banks and vegetation on both
sides, the trees that hang over it, and the air above it. And it includes the
stream's entire watershed as well.
Stream surface: Insects such as Skaters and Whirligig beetles can be
found on the surface of the water while Mosquito and Black Fly larvae will
hang down from the surface of the stream. Underwater insects will come to
the stream's surface to drink or reproduce and may be caught by fish.
Eagles may swoop down from the trees to catch fish while they are at the

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surface feeding. Other forms of life that may be found on the surface are
the leaves of large plants (such as water lilies), algae, frogs, ducks, otters,
muskrats, turtles, minks, and beavers.

Water Column: Insects and mammals traveling between one spot on the
bottom and another, or between the bottom and surface will often be found
in the water column. Minks, otters, muskrats, turtles, and frogs dive from
the surface and hunt for food in the water column, while fish will rise from
the bottom to grab a quick bite. Insects such as caddisfly and dragonfly
larvae, leeches, snails and clams can be found moving through the water
column. It is also possible to find terrestrial bugs and organic material from
the land (like leaves) sinking through the water column. Plants with floating
leaves will have their stems in the water column, while other plants
(submergent plants) will have their leaves in the water. These plants will
provide habitat for microscopic organisms and algae, snails, flatworms, and
insects (such as midge and caddisfly larvae).

There are many fishes that have specialized to stay in the water column,
eating algae, macro-invertebrates, other fish, detritus or stuff from the
stream surface. Schooling minnows, trout, pike, pickerel, and bass can be
found in the water column. Birds such as Kingfishers and loons will dive into
the water to catch these fish.

Stream bottom: Many creatures live on the substrate (mud, sand, rock, and
organic debris) found in the riverbed. Crayfish, salamanders, and bottom
fish (including sturgeons and suckers, and many minnows like daces and
chubs) will eat all sorts of insects, water mites, snails, clams, worms,
leeches, and flatworms that cling to algae, bacteria, and fungi that you may
find on submerged logs and branches and stones. Larger fish, like trout and
pickerel, will hide in dark places on the stream bottom so they can’t be seen
by their prey.

Many of the organisms that are found on the stream bottom may also be
found beneath it. Insects such as stonefly, mayfly and dragonfly larvae
spend much of their time clinging to stones on the stream bottom, but will
bury themselves under the streambed during periods when the stream dries
up, or during high stream flow to ensure they are not swept downstream.

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  What is the role of insects in a stream ecosystem?
Aquatic insects help to break down organic matter in streams. They can be
shredders (such as beetle larvae), chewing up live aquatic plants, submerged
wood, or decaying organic matter such as fallen leaves. Collectors (such as
Black Flies) will filter decomposing fine organic matter from the water,
whereas scrapers (such as Mayflies) will graze on algae found on plants and
rocks.

Aquatic insects are also predators, eating other insects and mites. They will
attack their prey and either engulf them in whole or in part, or they will
pierce their prey and suck internal fluids. Aquatic insects can also
parasitize eggs, larvae and pupae.

Aquatic insects are the major prey item for fish. Stoneflies, fishflies and
mayflies are favorite food sources for freshwater fish. In addition, aquatic
insects are good indicators of water quality. Aquatic insects are easy to
collect, abundant and of sufficient size to identify, as well as having
different tolerances for chemical pollution and sedimentation.

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Supplemental Lesson #1
Aquatic Bugs and Their Feeding Habits
(Designed by the Science Museum of Minnesota)

Objective
To give students an opportunity to learn about stream habitat by focusing on
the special feeding adaptations of aquatic insects.

Activity Information
Subject: environmental science
Duration: 45 min- 1 hour
Setting: classroom setting or quiet outdoor setting

Materials
Included: 4 sets Aquatic Bug Trading Cards, 10 Aquatic Bug Posters, 30
Action Sheets
Not included: staple removers, small suction cups, tweezers, tea strainers,
straws, large plastic tub filled with 4-6 gallons of water (sample wetland)
chopped up Jell-o, pieces of sponges (submerged and floating), small rocks,
bread or cookie pieces (to be soaked in water), twigs.
All items can be purchased at a dollar store. Purchase enough items to
ensure that each member of your class has an opportunity to participate.

Core Activity
1. Fill the tub with water and small pieces of Jell-o. Scatter the small
pieces of sponge, cookie or bread pieces, rocks, and twigs throughout
the tub. Post the ten Aquatic Bug Posters around the room.
2. You may wish to divide the class into groups of 6 to ensure that
everyone can reach the tub easily.
3. Hand out the mouthparts (staple remover, suction cups, etc.) and have
the students discover which food their “mouth” will catch. After 30
seconds (or so), have the students switch “mouths”.
4. Discuss which mouths caught what food. How did the students decide
which food their mouths would catch? Did some mouths catch more
food? Why?

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 5. Looking at the Aquatic Bug Posters, determine what type of
mouthpart each critter has. How are the insect mouths similar to the
tools the students used?
6. Discuss the role of insects in an aquatic food chain.

Teaching Notes
1. Randomly distribute three Aquatic Bug Trading Cards to each student,
along with the Action sheets. Explain that they can obtain a full set
of Aquatic Trading Cards by completing the activities on the Action
Sheet. Bring or mail the completed sheet to: EcoSuperior
Environmental Programs, 212 Miles Street East, Thunder Bay, ON P7C
1J6
2. You can obtain additional sets of Aquatic Bug Trading Cards by
contacting: EcoSuperior Environmental Programs at
info@ecosuperior.org.

Background
Aquatic insects have job-specific mouths and mouthparts. The various tools
used by students in this activity approximate aquatic insect mouthparts.
Some insects have shredding mouthparts (such as beetle larvae), chewing up
live aquatic plants, submerged wood, or decaying organic matter such as
fallen leaves. Some insects have mouthparts that filter decomposing fine
organic matter from the water (such as Black Flies). Other insects have
scraping mouthparts to graze on algae found on plants and rocks.

Aquatic insects are also predators, eating other insects and mites. They can
have large chewing mouthparts to allow them to engulf their prey, or they
can have piercing/sucking mouthparts to enable them to pierce their prey
and suck internal fluids.

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Supplemental Lesson #2
Web of Life

Objective
To give students an opportunity to recognize that all parts of a stream
habitat are interconnected and equally important.

Activity Information
Subject: environmental science
Duration: 20- 30 min
Setting: classroom setting or quiet outdoor setting

Materials
Included: Stream life cutouts
Not included: ball of string, blank index cards, tape

Core Activity
1. Discuss the different life forms in a stream ecosystem. As each is
named, write it on the board.
2. Distribute one Stream life cutout (with picture of life form) to each
student.
3. Have the students affix the stream life cutout to the front of their
shirt, and arrange themselves into a large circle.
4. Hand the ball of string to one student and ask him/her to hold on to
the string, passing the rest of the ball to someone else who they would
be connected to in a stream habitat. As they do this, they explain
their possible connection to the other life form. E.G. Fish are eaten
by otter, otters swim among water plant, trees provide shade for algae
in the stream etc…The string should go from person to person in the
group. Each student holds on loosely to a section of the string when
they receive it, creating a web of string. Everyone should be included.
5. Ask one person to gently tug on the string. The entire web should feel
this. Explain that all things in the web are connected. Ask the
students questions such as:
 What would happen if a minor pollutant were introduced into the
stream?
 Why does the food web fall apart?
 How could the destruction of the aquatic food web affect
humans?

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Resources

Canadian Wildlife Federation. (1993). Project Wild Activity Guide. Canada:

Western Regional Environmental Education Council.

McCafferty, W. Patrick. 1998. Aquatic Entomology: The Fishermen’s and

Ecologists’ Guide to Insects and Their Relatives. Jones and Bartlett
Publishers, Sudbury, MA. 448 pp.

Science Museum of Minnesota. (1997). Aquatic Bugs & Their Feeding

Habits.
http://www.nps.gov/miss/programs/brj/brjactivities/aquaticbugs.html

The Institute for Earth Education. (1987). Conceptual Counters 1- The Great
Spec-Tackle. West Virginia: The Institute For Earth Education.

The River Food Web: Who Eats What In A Stream.

http:// www.chasmisa.freeshell.org/food.htm

Mississippi National River Recreation Area. (1997). The River Is A Poem.

http://www.nps.gov/miss/programs/brj/brjactivities/poetry.html

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