Lesson Title: Nechako Watershed #1

Subject: Science

Grade: Intermediate Elementary Time: 1 hr.

Rationale: The purpose of this lesson is to introduce the Nechako watershed and for the students to develop a sense of place. Constructing a sense of place has a key role in developing education and interpretation material about our natural and cultural environment. People’s empathy for special places strengthens their commitment to stewardship of our natural environment.

Prescribed Learning Outcome(s): It is expected that students will…

Grade 4 LS (Life Science): Determine how personal choices and actions have environmental consequences. Grade 5 ESS (Earth and Space Science): Describe potential environmental impacts of using BC’s living and non- living resources Grade 7 (LS): Analyse the roles of organisms as part of interconnected food webs, populations, communities, and ecosystems Assess survival needs and interactions between organisms and the environment Assess the requirements for sustaining healthy local ecosystems Evaluate human impacts on local ecosystems

Instructional Objective(s): To explain how individuals and their actions can help conserve the Nechako watershed.

Prerequisite Concepts and Skills: This is mainly an oral lesson, where students are invited to discuss and reflect. It is therefore important that the students are able to take turns listening and speaking.

Materials and Resources: Teacher Students

Map of a watershed “Natural and Human made components of a watershed” Fig. 1.2 from Geological Survey of Canada.

Lesson The Incredible Journey

Map of the Fraser basin/ Nechako watershed

SMARTboard or whiteboard

Markers

Lesson Activities: Teacher Activities Student Activities Introduction (anticipatory set):

The teacher asks if students know what a watershed is. Watersheds are nature’s way of dividing up the landscape. Students reflect upon what a watershed is.

(Also: Some watersheds are tiny systems while others are huge. Also: a watershed is the area of land where all of the water that is under it or drains off of it goes into the same place and/or a watershed is an area of land that catches rain and snow and drains or seeps into a marsh, stream, river, lake or groundwater.)

Review the water cycle. For details, refer to The Incredible Journey. (Students might review water cycle).

Why are we learning about the watershed? (Watersheds have many living and non-living components, which co-exist and, in many ways, depend on one another. These components work together in complex ways.)

The teacher emphasizes that the actions of people who live within a watershed affect the health of the water that drains from it.

Human uses of lands within a watershed include:  Farming and agricultural activities  Forest harvesting Students take a close look at the map of the  Reservoirs, Dams and waterworks Nechako watershed.  Sewage disposal sites  Landfills  Towns  Industrial sites  Roads  Ports and harbours  First Nation Food, Social and Ceremonial (FSC) fisheries (e.g., salmon gill net and char fisheries)  Recreational boating

The teacher shows the map of the Fraser basin and the Nechako watershed. The class gets to take a close look at it. Discuss.

Ask students to locate the Nechako river on the map. Then ask them to also locate their town they live in. Students learn about the cool facts. Ask what the main tributaries* are that flow into the Nechako river (for example, Murray Creek, Stuart river (joins the Nechako 45 km east of Vanderhoof), Endako river, Chilako river (enters the Nechako 15 km west of Prince George, Nautley river (flows into Nechako from Fraser Lake – and it is one of the shortest rivers in the world!), and Cheslatta river (enters at the foot of the Nechako canyon via Cheslatta Falls by Kenny Dam).

*Tributary is a stream or river that flows into a main stem river or a lake. It does NOT flow directly into the sea or the ocean.

Look at smaller streams too. Students learn some facts about the Nechako IMPORTANT! The Nechako river flows northeast to Prince George where it enters the Fraser river (find it on the map!)that river and the dam. They also reflect upon the is part of the Fraser basin. effect the dam had on the watershed and organisms living there. Cool Facts: "Nechako" is an anglicization of [netʃa koh], its name in the indigenous Carrier language which means "big river". Nechako means “big river” in the Carrier language. The Nechako river is 290 km in length (compare distance from Prince George to Burns Lake) and is a major tributary to the Fraser river. Nautley river is the largest tributary. It has many large lakes and rivers. The upper Nechako is diverted westward into Kemano River (hydroelectric generation) Carrier names for some of the major places in Carrier territory, written in the Carrier Linguistic Committee writing system:  Fort St. James – Nak'azdli

 Stuart Lake – Nak'albun

 Stuart River – Nak'alkoh

 Fraser Lake – Nadlehbun

 Nautley River – Nadlehkoh

 Endako River – Ndakoh

 Stellako River – Stellakoh

 Tachie River – Duzdlikoh

 Nechako River – Nechakoh

 Fraser River – Lhtakoh

 Babine Lake – Nadobun

 Burns Lake – Tselhk'azkoh

 Francois Lake – Nedabun

 Cluculz Lake – Lhoohk'uz

Why are we learning about the Nechako watershed? Because the system is a valuable and important watershed in our area. It has unique ecological attributes (emphasize the habitat of the Nechako white sturgeon) and is a source for food, commerce, and recreation:

It:  plays a role in the lives of First Nations people  plays a major part in the development of this area  provides water for  agriculture  power (Kenney Dam)  outdoor recreation

The watershed plays a major role in the development of this area, but not without a cost…

Kenney Dam:

Dam built in 1952, and it significantly altered the hydrology (movement, distribution and health of the Nechako river: -controls spring flooding -diverted water, dry areas before are now lakes and streams and vice versa. - dramatically affects eco-system

The Nechako river was naturally a sediment poor system, now there is a lot more: More erosion due to the dam Cheslatta avulsions 1961 and 1972 (natural impacts) More changes in the last 100 years: Students participate in helping create a flow chart in order to see the relationship between  human settlement human impact and the decrease of important organisms.  forestry harvesting  mining  agriculture  farming

What consequences have occurred due to human activity?

Create a flow chart to see the result from activities in the last 100 years (with input from students): Closure:

How can we conserve and protect the future of the Nechako watershed? Examples: - Learning about the watershed - Change my behavior; such as not littering, appropriate disposal of hazardous materials, be water wise, leave the smallest footprint possible when in the outdoors…) Students explain how they can conserve and - Teach others about choices that are better for the environment (because if the watershed is healthy, we are living more protect the watershed. healthy)

Organizational and/or Behavioural Management Strategies: By keeping the students engaged and encouraged to participate, there will hopefully be less behavioural issues to deal with. Ensure that the lesson is paced appropriately, so that the students do not get bored or overwhelmed, and that there is plenty of opportunity to speak up and discuss.

Assessment and Evaluation: Students are assessed on their ability to orally explain how they can help conserve the Nechako watershed. For example, - Learning about the watershed - Change my behaviour; such as not littering, appropriate disposal of hazardous materials, be water wise, leave the smallest footprint possible when in the outdoors…) - Teach others about choices that are better for the environment (because if the watershed is healthy, we are living more healthy)

Extensions:

This lesson is designed as an introduction to the Nechako white sturgeon and its habitat in the Nechako watershed.

If more time is available, use lesson Nechako Watershed #2 which gives the students a chance to creatively teach others about the Nechako River.

Go on a field trip (hike) on a local trail to visit a stream or a lake in the Nechako watershed. Dip a jar into the river and discuss the findings, such as sediment load and fish foods.