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Who Dirtied the Water?
Students develop a greater understanding and concern for the plight of our coastal waterways. Students begin to recognize that we are all partially responsible for water pollution.
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Groundwater Detectives
Students measure the pH of soil samples from a hypothetical site to locate a contaminant spill and will predict the direction of groundwater flow using mathematical modeling. They use the engineering design process to develop...
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Eek, It leaks!
Students construct model landfill liners out of two-inch strips of garbage bags within resource constraints. The challenge is to construct a bag that will hold one cup of water without leaking. This represents similar challenges that...
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Understanding the Effects of Water Pollution
Third graders examine the effects of water pollution by participating in a story. After reading the story, they determine the best way to get rid of the pollution in a river using different objects. In groups, they complete a worksheet...
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TE Activity: Stream Consciousness
Fourth graders study how environmental engineers monitor water quality. They use environmental indicators to determine the quality of stream water in their area. They count the number of macroinverabrates and use the information they...
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Aquatic Habitat Water Quality Experiment
Fifth graders discuss the importance of water quality for humans and fish and make predictions about what happens to water that is polluted. In small groups, they conduct experiments to compare and contrast water that is unpolluted and...
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Who's Down the Well?
Students identify several sources of contaminants to groundwater. They discuss the movement of possible contaminants through that groundwater from outside sources. They describe how environmental engineers analyze contaminants to...
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Indoor Air: What's the Matter?
Young scholars investigate the variety and amount of particulate matter in the air. They locate the general sources of pollution for a specific area and develop some suggestions for improving air quality.
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The Path of Pollution
Students examine the path of pollution that was created by the Chernobyl accident. They discover how air pollution travels from one area to another and sequentially locate the countries where radiation traveled to.
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Fossil Fuels
Fifth graders explore the use of fossil fuels and relate it to effects on the environment.
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Air Pollution Word Search Activity
Students examine the issues surrounding air pollution. They discover how it affects peoples health and the government's regulations. They complete a word search activity to practice the vocabulary.
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The Rubber Band Air Test
Students complete an experiment to determine how dirty the air is in their local community. They analyze images and discuss the varying degrees of air pollution. They discuss the results of the experiment.
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Air Pollution: Visible and Invisible
Fourth graders work together to complete an experiment on air pollution. They identify visible and invisible forms of pollution. They gather their data in notebooks and analyze their results to end the lesson.
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Keep the Environment Clean
Students discuss ways our environment becomes polluted. They make a list of ways to keep it clean.
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Is Our Water Clean?
Students identify qualities of clean water and develop an awareness of people in the community who keep our water clean.
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Straining out the Dirt
Learners design and construct a water filter using activated carbon, cotton and other materials to remove chocolate powder from water. They test and record their observations, and complete a KWL chart.
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On the Move
Students explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. They observe and record weather information and produce their own weather report for the class.
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Water Pollution Hot-Spots
Students complete internet research in small groups to identify types of water pollution, spotlight water pollution hot-spots, and design a plan for water prevention.
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Choose Your Own Adventure: Recycling
Students complete a variety of activities designed to encourage them to explore recycling. They complete a quiz and worksheet, sort recyclable items and discuss how recyclable goods are identified.
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Types of Pollution
Students differentiate between various types of water pollution and complete a Venn diagram with the information. They consider why there are laws regulating the release of pollution in water and discuss solutions to pollution problems.
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Water Pollution, Stream Ecosystems
Students participate in a series of simulated activities designed to demonstrate the interconnectedness between the environment and the organisms that live there. They explore how polluting one element of an environment affects the...
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Water Pollution Experiments
Fifth graders conduct experiments in simulated water pollution using a box of items to hold "pollutants"and an aquarium, representing a waterway. They observe how "rain" from a watering can poured into the box washes the pollutants into...
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Air Quality
Students determine potential sources of major air pollutants, explain how acid rain is generated and how it affects the environment, discuss global warming, and explore protective role of ozone and cause of ozone layer thinning. Lessons...
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Water Monitoring and Pollution
Students explore the effects of pollution on water supply and how to identify safe drinking water. They test different samples of water over regular intervals and analyze the results to see if they are cyclical or represent a growing...