Description of the Unabridged Teachers guide

Children of the River

Description of the Unabridged Children of the River Teachers Guide

The activities in the unabridged Teachers Guide are arranged in thematic units. Each begins with one or more biographies/career descriptions on pages designed to be copied and distributed to students as part of the unit introduction. In addition to the biographical sketches, each unit includes background information, activity instructions, additional activities to help students connect what they have learned, a list of books to read and suggestions for relevant community excursions. In Unit I, for example, students will participate in an overview activity focusing on the Chicago River's history. Unit II provides a look at some of the forces which shape the course of a river. The following units allow the students to examine a series of ways in which the river has shaped our everyday lives. They will learn how we have adapted our recreational and transportation needs to the river, how we have relied upon it as a food source, and in perhaps its most important role, how we take advantage of lakes and rivers as a part of our water cycle. Students will then examine methods of determining water quality and treating water, and finally, will discover ways in which they can take some action to preserve the river as a resource for the future.

I. The Chicago River: Past, Present, and Future
Biography: James Landing, Professor and Researcher
Activity 1: Making Maps and Time Lines
The students will combine history, geography, and ecology to create individual projects reflecting various episodes in the story of the Chicago River. Through research and active investigation, students will discover current and future plans for the river and its associated environment.

II. River Dynamics
Biography: Edward Foxworth, Assistant Lockmaster
Biography: Tom Fogarty, Chief of Hydraulics
Activity 2: Go with the Flow
The students will discover some of the factors, both natural and engineered, which cause changes in a river's course over time. They will demonstrate the process of erosion by making a small river box.

III. Recreation
Biography: Ralph Frese, Canoe Builder
Biography: Alex Donahue, Sailing Instructor
Biography: Kevin Ewbank, Park Ranger
Activity 3: Keeping a Boat Afloat
Native American settlers spent much of their time in and around the river, and as a result developed one of the most useful water craft we have: the canoe. In this lesson, the students will construct various styles of this craft to see which designs are better suited to carry their loads.

IV. Transportation
Biography: Darryl Reid, Bridge Operator
Activity 4: Building Bridges
Using rivers for transportation has not only allowed engineers to experiment with different kinds of shipping vessels, it has necessitated the design of structures to span across them as well. In this lesson, the students will share an engineer's sense of discovery as they try out different materials to construct a sturdy bridge.
V. A Source of Food
Biography: Morris Parenti, Fish Purveyor and Quality Control Manager
Activity 5: Fish from the River
The waters of lakes and rivers are home to many different types of fish. We depend on some of these fish as a valuable food source. In this lesson, the students will learn how chemical pollutants in the water can be absorbed by plants and animals and make their way into the food chain.

VI. Our Water Supply
Biography: Dr. Ruth Patrick, Hydrologist
Biography: Andrew Pizza, Field Engineer
Activity 6: It's Hard to Make Suds
Perhaps the most important function which lakes and rivers serve is that they furnish us with our water supply. In this lesson, the students will investigate the hardness of the water we use, and learn the effects of this variable in industrial and residential use.

VII. The Living Indicators
Biography: Frank Lofitz, Microbiologist
Biography: Laurie Stokes, Aquatic Biologist
Activity 7: MicroCommunities
Scientists study the small, and often microscopic, plants and animals from lakes, ponds, and rivers to determine the quality of the water. In this lesson, the students will learn more about these aquatic organisms by observing and identifying them in samples of pond water.

VIII. Water Treatment
Biography: Kathleen Meany, Commissioner and Finance Officer
Biography: Peggy Bradley, Public Educator
Biography: Yiping Zhon, Assistant Civil Engineer and Data Analyst
Activity 8: How Clean is the Water We Use?
Water taken from a lake must be treated prior to being used by industries and homes, while the city's waste water and sewage must be treated before being discharged and reused. In this lesson, the students will learn how this process takes place. They will make a simple filtering device to remove physical impurities from water and will perform pH tests on several samples to see that all impurities are not visible.

IX. Getting Involved
Biography: Bill Koenig, Public Policy Activist and Volunteer Coordinator
Biography: Naomi Cohn, Lobbyist and Educator
Activity 9: River Mediation
Everyone must take some action to preserve the Chicago River. Students can help by educating others about the importance of looking out for the waterway's future. In this lesson, the students will be involved in a role-playing activity. Some students will have the opportunity to take on the role of the Friends of the Chicago River while others act as management of an industry which has its own interests in the river.

X. Water Quality Testing
Activity 10: A Visit to The Chicago Academy of Sciences
In this lesson, the students will share some of their impressions about the river activities and will practice some of the tests used in monitoring river water. They will travel to The Chicago Academy of Sciences to use the resources in the museum's lab.

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