Learning to Give, Curriculum Division of The LEAGUE
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Purpose:
The purpose of this lesson is to begin an investigation of the state of the environment and observe the effects of pollution on it. The students begin to strategize about their responsibility to be environmentalists.
Duration:
One and One-Half Hour Class Period
Objectives:
The learner will:
- conduct scientific experiments to determine the effects of air, water and land pollution.
- work cooperatively with peers.
- predict and observe outcomes.
- read facts about air, water and land pollution.
Materials:
- Student copies of the song from “Pocahontas” ( Attachment One: “Colors of the Wind”)
- A supply of materials needed to do the experiments selected from Attachment Two: Pollution Experiments
- Multiple copies (one per student per experiment) of Attachment Three: Recording Results
- Student copies of Attachment Four: Facts About Pollution
- Student folders for gathering materials, optional
- Student copies of Attachment Five: Homework
Instructional Procedure(s):
Anticipatory Set:
Distribute Attachment One: “Colors of the Wind.” Ask the students to listen to the song as they read the words. Ask the students how this song applies to the Native American traditional belief of Mother Earth and everyone's responsibility to protect the environment. Encourage use of the vocabulary words, particularly stewardship from Lesson One: “Mother Earth” - Past during the discussion.
Teacher Note: Prior to this lesson you will need to have all the supplies for the experiments set up in a central location. Some of the experiments (Numbers I, II, and III) depend on sunny or rainy weather. You may need to wait for the appropriate weather for the students to do these. Student folders in which to keep the experiment recording forms will be helpful.
- Explain that the students will be doing experiments to investigate pollution and its effects. They will be observing the results over the next few days.
- Tell the students that some of the experiments they are able to do today will depend on the weather being sunny or rainy. Distribute Attachment Two: Pollution Experiments and divide the class into the number of experiments you have chosen to do. Assign each group one experiment to set up or have each group set up all the experiments (depending on the time and amount of equipment available).
- Give the students copies of Attachment Three: Recording Results (one per student per experiment) and ask them to answer questions one and two for each of the experiments. These first two questions are predictions and should be done before the experiments are observed.
- Distribute Attachment Four: Facts about Pollution and read and discuss it as a class. Ask the students if they want to change or add to their predictions (Questions one and two on Attachment Three ) for each experiment based on this new information. Allow them to make the changes.
- Have the students observe all of the experiments and draw and/or write their observations for “Day One” in question three of Attachment Three . (The remaining questions will be addressed in subsequent lessons.)
Assessment:
- Teacher observation of cooperative experiment groups and class discussion.
- Day One predictions on Attachment Three: Recording Results.
School/Home Connection:
Extension:
Bibliographical References:
- Audio CD. Pocahontas, 2001. Disney. Colors of the Wind . ASIN: B000001M2I
- Bellamy, David. How Green Are You? Frances Lincoln, 1991. ISBN:0711206791
- Environmental Defense Web site http://www.scorecard.org/
- Harlow, Rose. Pollution and Waste: Environmental Facts and Experiments. Houghton Mifflin Co., 2002. ISBN: 0753455056
- Maze, Stephanie. I Want to Be An Environmentalist. San Diego: Harcourt, Inc., 2000. ISBN: 015201862x
Lesson Developed and Piloted by:
Barbara DillbeckCurriculum Director
The LEAGUE Curriculum by Learning to Give
Handouts:
Handout 1Print Handout 1
"Colors of the Wind"
You think you own whatever land you land on;
The earth is just a dead thing you can claim;
But I know every rock and tree and creature
Has a life, has a spirit, has a name.
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you,
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew.
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon,
Or asked the grinning bobcat why he grinned?
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest,
Come taste the sun-sweet berries of the earth;
Come roll in all the riches all around you,
And for once never wonder what they're worth.
The rainstorm and the river are my brothers;
The heron and the otter are my friends;
And we are all connected to each other
In the circle of a hoop that never ends.
Have you ever heard the wolf cry to the blue corn moon,
Or let the eagle tell you where he's been.
Can you sing with all the voices of the mountain?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
Can you paint with all the colors of the wind?
How high does the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know.
And you'll never hear the wolf cry to the blue corn moon,
For whether we are white or copper-skinned,
Need to sing with all the voices of the mountain,
Need to paint with all the colors of the wind.
You can own the earth and still
All you'll own is earth until
You can paint with all colors of the wind
Handout 2Print Handout 2
Pollution Experiments
Experiment I
This experiment must be conducted on a wet day.
Supplies:
- Large funnel
- White paper coffee filter
- Beaker or glass jar
- Microscope (optional)
Directions: Line a large funnel with a white coffee filter. Place the funnel in a jar and put the funnel outside during rain. Check the paper filter after the rain. If possible, look at it through a microscope.
Experiment II
This experiment must be conducted on a dry day.
Supplies:
- Petroleum jelly
- Three white index cards numbered 1, 2 and 3
- One clip board
- Plastic knife
Directions: Spread petroleum jelly on each index card with a plastic knife. Attach one card to the clipboard and place outside. Place one card in the classroom under the teacher's desk. Place one card near an air vent in the classroom. After a day or two, compare the cards to see how much pollution has been trapped in the petroleum jelly in the different locations (cards 1, 2 and 3).
Experiment III
This experiment must be conducted on a sunny day.
Supplies:
- Two small thermometers
- One resealable plastic bag
Directions: Place one thermometer in the plastic bag, fill the bag with air and seal the bag. Record the temperature on both thermometers. Place both thermometers in a sunny window. Record the temperatures again after five minutes.
Experiment IV
Supplies:
- Two small beakers or glass jars
- Acid (white vinegar)
- Eight plant leaves with stem
- Self stick labels
Directions: Label one jar “water” and fill it with plain tap water. Label the second jar “acid water” and fill it with half vinegar and half tap water. Dip four leaves completely in each of the jars and then stand four leaves in each jar, stem in the liquids. Observe the leaves for a few days and record your observations.
Experiment V
Supplies:
- Two beakers or glass jars
- Acid (white vinegar)
- Two pieces of chalk
- Self stick labels
Directions: Label one jar “acid” and fill it with vinegar. Label the second “water” and fill it with tap water. Place a piece of chalk in each jar. Observe the chalk for several days and record your observations.
Experiment VI
Supplies:
- Two small jars
- Salt and tap water
- Measuring spoons
- Eight plant leaves with stem
- Self stick labels
Directions: Label one beaker or jar “water” and fill it with plain tap water. Label the second beaker or jar “salt water.” Fill it with tap water, add four tablespoons of salt and stir it until dissolved. Dip the four leaves completely in each of the jars and then stand the four leaves in their jar, stems in the liquids. Observe the leaves for a few days and record your observations.
Experiment VII
Supplies:
- Two stalks of celery
- Two beakers or small jars
- Red food coloring
- Water
Directions: Fill each jar half full of water. Put several drops of red food coloring in one jar. Make a fresh cut on the bottom of each stalk of celery. Place one stalk of celery in each jar. Observe the celery for a few days and record your observations.
Handout 3Print Handout 3
Recording Results
Name_________________________________________________
Experiment # ________
1. Complete this question about the experiment.
What happens if ___________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________?
2. What do you predict will happen? (Write and/or draw your answer.)
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What did you observe? (Write and/or draw your answer.)
|
Day One |
Day Two |
Day Three |
|
|
4. Why do you think this happened?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What did this demonstrate about pollution?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What more would you like to know? What variation could you try?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Handout 4Print Handout 4
Facts About Pollution
Read and discuss the following facts about pollution.
-
In the U.S., more than seven million cars are scrapped each year.
-
More than 250,000,000,000 tires have been thrown away in the U.S.
-
Each person in the U.S. uses about 12,023 gallons of water a year, enough to fill more than a tanker truck.
-
There is a layer of ozone gas surrounding the earth that protects it from the sun's harmful rays. That layer has become thinner and has holes in it from chemical pollution in the air.
-
Most families throw away about 88 pounds of plastic a year.
-
Every year in the U.S. a forest the size of the state of Maine is cut down to make paper.
-
Gases from car exhaust fumes, power plants and factories are making rain slightly acid as it falls through the atmosphere.
-
The average person in the U.S. throws away about 4 pounds of waste each day.
-
Hugh amounts of disposable diapers are thrown into landfills. These produce methane gas into the atmosphere and take hundreds of years to break down.
-
Acid rain can harm forests and crops, damage bodies of water and contribute to the damage of statues and buildings. Pollutants that contribute to acid rain may be carried hundreds of miles before being deposited on the earth.
-
Automobiles are a major source of air pollution in most areas. They release more than 50 percent of the hazardous air pollutants .
-
Road salt and high nitrogen fertilizers contaminate water sheds, affecting plant and animal life.
Handout 5Print Handout 5
Homework
Dear Family,
I have been learning about the Native American traditional belief of the environment through reading historical and contemporary works about “Mother Earth.” Today we started several experiments to discover the effects of pollution on our environment and we read some environmental facts. Please help me answer these questions.
Thank you,
_______________________________________________
(Student Signature)
Do you think it is important to take care of the environment? YES NO
Who should be responsible for taking care of the environment?
What does our family do as good stewards of the environment?
What does our community do?
What are some ideas for additional actions our family or our community could take to care for our environment ?
Unit Contents:
Overview:Earth Connections Summary
Lessons:
- 1.
- "Mother Earth" - Past
- 2.
- "Mother Earth" - Present
- 3.
- Let's Experiment!
- 4.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
- 5.
- Looking at the Data
- 6.
- Let's Make a Plan
All rights reserved. Permission is granted to freely use this information for nonprofit (noncommercial), educational purposes only. Copyright must be acknowledged on all copies.
Comments
It was beneficial for students to learn how polluted the earth has become. They enjoyed recording the data. Saving the earth is very philanthropic in their eyes.