Karst in the Ozarks is an educational video about caves, springs, losing streams, and sinkholes. Viewers can enjoy dramatic footage of some of south central Missouri’s best-known natural features, including Grand Gulf, Big Spring, Greer Spring, Mammoth Spring, and the Jacks Fork River, plus footage of caves, rare cave creatures, bluffs, and sinkholes.
This 18-minute documentary explains how landforms in the Ozarks developed over the eons, resulting in numerous rivers, caves, and springs. The video also demonstrates how Ozark groundwater is vulnerable to nonpoint source pollution.
Watch the video “Karst in the Ozarks” and get more information at watersheds.org or KarstintheOzarks.com
Video Targets Grades 7-12
The fact-filled video is ideal for middle school and high school science classes. For showing to grades 4-6, occasionally pausing video for review and discussion is recommended.
Curriculum Dovetails with Missouri GLEs
Curriculum written to supplement the video is suitable for grades 7-12, with several lessons that can easily be adapted for grades 4-6. Lessons are hands-on, interactive, and meet numerous learning styles. Curriculum correlates with Missouri’s science grade level expectations (GLEs), covering geosphere, inquiry, and science impacts.
The curriculum contains six lessons plus a simple pre/post test. They cover: geological history of Missouri; identifying four common Ozark rocks (lab activity); researching threatened Ozark cave species; nonpoint source water pollution; taking a “wonder water walk” after a rain; and taking a home inventory to identify best and poor and practices for protecting groundwater.
Sing along to “Cold, Clear, but not Pure” with Tom Aley…
Original Tom Aley song used under credits of “Karst in the Ozarks”
“Karst in the Ozarks” and accompanying curriculum was partially funded by the Environmental Protection Agency Region 7 through the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, under Section 319 of the Clean Water Act. MoDNR Subgrant G09-NPS-05
