This book includes activities that compare/contrast Iowa's current water quality and the quality of water when early explorers visited the state. Some activities are designed to promote problem solving skills, while others are designed for discovery and awareness. Eight rivers are included in this booklet: Mississippi, Missouri, Boyer, Des Moines, Raccoon, Skunk, Cedar, and Big Sioux.

The Background Information (194K pdf) contains information about the exploration of Iowa via our river corridors. The explorers discussed include Marquette and Joliet, Lewis and Clark, Zebulon Pike, Stephen Kearny, surveyors of the General Land Office (GLO), and the Dragoons Albert Lea and Nathan Boone.

• Destination Hydracon, Introductory Lesson (147K pdf)
• What Would You Have Done? (189K pdf)
• Fish in the Seine (271K pdf)
• Messin' in the Mud (242K pdf)
• Who Polluted the Missouri? (196K pdf)
• The Course of a River (135K pdf)
• Planning a Plenty (194K pdf)
• Putting Water in the Shed (173K pdf)
• Do You Have a Reservoir? (161K pdf)
• Water Neighborhood (207K pdf)
• What's in Your Floodplain? (248K pdf)

Activities may be used together as a unit, or individually. The introductory lesson, “Destination Hydracon,” can be used to introduce each of the activities. Each activity includes time required for the activity, vocabulary, objectives, method, materials needed, background information, procedure, evaluation, and possible extensions. A list of reference materials is provided for more information on the topics covered.