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Bufferella
Purpose: This game demonstrates the concept of non-point source pollution and the benefits of streamside vegetated buffers. Bufferella can be played seperately or in conjunction with "Cooking up Trouble", which also demonstrates the concepts of non-point source pollution and buffers. The kids are assigned to be trees, grasses, shrubs and soil particles. The soil particles try to make their way to the stream through the "planted" trees, shrubs and grasses without getting tagged. Teachers are the rain and use the squirters to get the soil particles moving and wet when they get too close to the stream. This activity shows how the vegetated buffer alongside the stream is important for trapping soil and pollutants and keeping them out of the stream
Number of students that can play: Maximum manageable is 47. With 20 or so kids, use all the umbrellas for trees, assign 6 soil particles, then divide the remaining students into equal numbers of shrubs and grasses.
Where to play: Works best when played next to the creek below the mill
Equipment:
- 1 squirter for each teacher
- 6 Umbrellas (the trees)
- 13 Laminated grasses
- 14 Laminated shrubs
- 14 Soil particles with "pollutants" attached
- 5 Laminated raindrops (may be used as "chasers", if you like, instead of the squirter if the students are not too aggressive.)
SOLs that correlate to this activity include: Sci 4.4, 4.5, 4.8
Procedure: Here is the general procedure and example dialog for running this activity.
After the "Cooking up Trouble" demonstration, point to the stream below the Mill and Museum, and observe that....
"There really isn't a buffer along side the stream to capture any pollutants in run off. Maybe it would be a good idea to plant something there. In fact......"
"Let's plant six "trees" along side the creek now." - Choose 6 students, hand them umbrellas and space them in a line right along the bank of the stream (on the far side of the bridge works well for space and safety)
"Now, that's looking better. These trees will capture runoff, and break the speed of the rain, as well as gradually improve the soil to hold more moisture, and hold the streambank with their roots" - Hand out the laminated shrubs and get those students to kneel in a row about 10 feet farther away from the stream.
"What a good looking system we have now. All we need are some grasses to complete the filtering" - Hand out the laminated grasses to students and get them to lie down on the ground about 10 feet farther away from the stream than the "shrubs".
"Well, now we need some soil particles along the hillside to test our buffer." - Hand out the laminated brown soil particles and send the students to the hill.
"Of course, we wouldn't want any soil particles to get into the stream and cause a sediment overload, or any other pollutants that would be running off with them. So we'll see if the buffer can tag the soil particles, and stop them before they reach the stream"
"Grasses, you are rooted in the ground and can only tag with 1 hand, gently of course"
"Shrubs, you can use either hand gently, but you can't move from where you're planted."
"Trees, you can offer shelter to any soil particles that get through, before they really get soaked."
"Soil particles, you can try to get through the buffer and avoid getting tagged, but a certain soaking awaits you on the other side of the trees, so you might just choose to lose by taking shelter under a tree. Three per tree is all that's allowed, though, so prepare to pollute"
Start off the soil particles with a blast of the squirter towards them, then move back towards the trees and reload, so that you can aim at anyone who might get closer to the stream than the trees. Three squirts is a gracious plenty!
Prepare to call off the game, "freeze" everyone in place in the buffer while you take up the umbrellas. Observe and have the students notice how effective the different vegetation was in soaking up the soil particles. Point out the pond below the bridge, and say that any soil particles would be sediment in the pond by now. You might also mention that McCormick Farm is planning on planting some vegetated buffers along this stream. Laugh with the kids, and thank them for good filtering as they bring their laminated pieces to you.
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