GETTING THEIR FEET WET: ENGAGING TEACHERS IN FIELD-BASED HYDROGEOLOGIC RESEARCH TO FACILITATE LITERACY AND INTEGRATION OF GEOSCIENCE CONCEPTS INTO THE CLASSROOM

Science teachers outside the Earth Science discipline were provided an opportunity to work with university researchers analyzing aquifer properties, stratigraphy, geochemistry and water quality in several aquifers that are domestic and municipal water supplies. Research activities included sampling of groundwater and surface waters for ionic and molecular concentrations, bacterial contaminants and isotopic analysis. The interaction between earth systems was emphasized and teachers developed lesson plans that included concepts relating to groundwater occurrence, quality and importance to surface supplies. Teachers measured parameters in the field and conducted laboratory analyses for bacterial contamination. These data were integrated with solute analyses using ion chromatography and titration. The results were added to the research database for a project analyzing the effects of short-term (daily) and longer-term (decade-length) fluctuations in air temperature and precipitation on groundwater temperature and quality in karst aquifers. Teachers also used laboratory models to examine the processes that contribute to aquifer contamination and rates of contaminant migration in unconfined and confined aquifers. This experience was coupled with field trips to a sandy terrace aquifer, confined carbonate aquifer and the contaminated and degraded Boone aquifer in the Tar Creek superfund site. The sandy terrace aquifer, which contains a number of piezometers and wells for teaching purposes, was sampled for water elevation, constituents and quality. The results were dramatic and illustrated the interaction between surface water and groundwater in an unconfined shallow aquifer. The effects of residence time on rock-water interactions were clearly demonstrated when the water chemistry and quality in the deeper confined carbonate aquifer were compared to the same properties in the shallow unconfined part. Acid-mine drainage affected surface waters were sampled and analyzed for contaminants and evidence for carbonate buffering. In all cases, teachers integrated field and laboratory techniques and results to develop lesson plans to use in their classrooms.