All A level specifications have content based around the water cycle, specifically human and physical factors affecting the stores/components and flows/transfers within the water cycle. Using the school grounds or local green space, this fieldwork is designed to allow students to think about data collection techniques themselves, being creative and evaluating the usefulness of the data collected. This could be delivered as part of an NEA preparation fieldwork session to encourage students to consider a breadth of enquiry routes.

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Aim: To develop techniques to measure stores and flows of water within the school grounds.

Starter activity: Using either a field sketch or photograph of the school grounds or local green space students should annotate land use, topography, vegetation cover, stores and flows or transfers of water and any other relevant influences on the water cycle

Method: Class discussion to identify which factors can be measured. Students can use Method for Hydrology – Field Studies Council,  Fieldwork ideas and resources – Geographical Association and RGS water and carbon cycling for research and ideas. Secondary data sources should also be considered to support data. This can be gathered in a table such as the below, depending on your site. The discussion should also focus on what cannot be measured, and importantly why they can’t be measured and how this affects any conclusions they might draw.

Students are tasked to set up and monitor data collection techniques for stores and flows, with encouragement to be as creative as possible. They must plan their method, gather, or source equipment and test it as a pilot study. Depending on their method most equipment is relatively easy to source from home, the geography or science department.

Group discussion can be supported by the teacher to encourage good enquiry practice, for example students should consider:

• Does different land use (urban, grassland, woodland) affect infiltration rates?
• Are there different tree species in the grounds, if so, will that affect interception, stem flow, etc.)?
• Will different substrate surfaces have different rates of run off?
• Will evaporation rates differ in contrasting levels of cover or albedo?
• Do different levels of vegetation cover affect soil moisture?

Once students have collected some data, they must work in their group to present their method with a full evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the data collection and findings.

Application: This level of creativity and engagement with data collection can inspire students to consider their own options for NEA generation and lead to novel and innovative methods. The array of data collected could be used to develop data presentation skills and even GIS skills.

Modelling using GIS: Students can create a map of the drainage basin the school grounds sits in, then overlay land use, geology, topography or flood risk maps over the area. This can be used to collect secondary data, make inferences about the drainage basin as a whole and suggest further areas of study or inspire NEA investigation titles.

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