David A. Gillam, Susitna Elementary, Anchorage, AK
WATER POLLUTION
Appropriate for grades K-6.
OVERVIEW: There are a wide variety of pollutants that can affect
water and the plants and animals that live in the water. This
pollution can be divided into three groups: chemical pollution,
thermal pollution, and ecological pollution. Since not all
pollution is human produced students need to understand that there
are sometimes "natural" reasons for some pollution.
PURPOSE: These activities will help students' understanding of
water pollution and its potential effects on human and wildlife
habitats.
OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:
1. Identify 2 or more pollutants in a bog, marsh, stream or
other wetland area.
2. Relate a pollution prevention message through words and art.
3. Understand that some pollutants can not be seen.
ACTIVITIES:
1. Taking student a wetland area helps them become more aware of
the water around them. Take with you paper, pencils,
clipboards, rubber gloves, plastic garbage bags and extra
adults. When you get to your wetland site divide students
into groups of 3 or 4. Each group is to look around the
wetland area and find as many sources/types of pollution as
possible. On their paper a designated recorder for each
group will record the different types of pollution found.
After 5-7 minutes, come together as a whole group and discuss
the pollution that is seen. Since the visible pollution is
often in the form of litter, discuss with your students the
pollution that may be present, but not seen. When the group
discussion is over, pass out gloves and bags. Divide
students into groups and assign an adult to each group. Then
have the students pick up the litter pollution and take back
to school and put in dumpsters. Repeat throughout the year.
2. For this activity you will need paper, crayons, markers,
crayon pastels and other art supplies. Review with the
students the types of pollution that they know about. Talk
about the ways people can help prevent certain kinds of water
pollution. List them on the chalk board. Have students draw
a picture showing how to prevent pollution of a wetland of
other water source. Encourage students to think about the
source of the pollution and ways to either prevent or ways to
dispose of some pollutants.
3. To help students understand that clear water isn't
necessarily free of pollutants, place 5 clear liquids in
portion cups. Things to include should have a definite taste
that students would recognize. Use sugar water, white
vinegar, salt water, water mixed with citric acid, and tap
water. Using cotton swabs, have students taste each liquid
(dispose of swab after each taste) and record what they taste
after each. After students have all had a chance to taste,
discuss that some kinds of pollution can't be seen. If you
have local creeks, streams, or other water ways that are
unsafe for human use, this is a good jumping off point to
discuss the problems these bodies of water have.
RESOURCES/MATERIALS NEEDED: All resources are available in most
areas.
TYING IT ALL TOGETHER: Environment concerns can be understood by
even the youngest school children. Providing them with a
background of information and an opportunity to actively use that
information, they will begin to develop a feeling of stewardship
for their world. Using activities that develop environmental
stewardship in students will hopefully become a basis for action
in their future lives.
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John Kurilecjmk@ofcn.org