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Author: Cea Fortarezzo
School/Organization:
Strawberry Mansion High School
Year: 2022
Seminar: Global Environmental Challenges and Potential Solutions
Grade Level: 9-12
School Subject(s): Science
Download Unit: Fortarezzo-Cea.pdf
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This unit was developed for 9th grade Environmental Science students at Strawberry Mansion High School in Philadelphia, PA. There are 56 students in total across 4 different class blocks. 88% of students identify as Black or African American, 7% as Hispanic or Latino, 2% as Muli-Racial, and 1% White. The class is composed of 50% male and 50% female students. 37% of students are identified as Special Education and 2% are English Language Learners (ELLs). The unit compliments the School District of Philadelphia’s 2022 – 2023 Curriculum for Environmental Science. Students are expected to have developed prior knowledge of the following topics before beginning this unit: interdependence in ecosystems and matter cycling. Students will scaffold their knowledge of matter cycling and the water cycle. The unit will begin with a review of the water cycle and analyze how water is crucial for organisms to survive. Students will be able to show that water is a critical natural resource. They will examine the water molecule through a chemistry oriented lens and use the periodic table to understand common water contaminants and dissolved substances. Students will deepen their knowledge of the water cycle by analyzing the wastewater treatment process that removes harmful contaminants from our drinking water supplies. Students will then plan an investigation to examine the water quality in their school, their homes, and their community. They will be encouraged to share and publish their results with the local community such as – The School District of Philadelphia, The Philadelphia Water Department, Fairmount Water Works, and local news organizations. Some questions that students have raised in class, which have guided the unit are: Students will learn about water quality with a primary focus on lead contamination due to the historic use of lead pipes in the US. They will learn about the potential health effects of consuming water that is contaminated with lead. They will examine case studies of cities in the US that have dealt with water quality crises. Students will examine resources from experts in their community to learn about water quality testing such as: the PA Department of Environmental Protection, the Philadelphia Water Department, The City of Philadelphia, and the office of Sustainability at The School District of Philadelphia. They will examine public water quality data from their school and from the City of Philadelphia. Students will then plan, design, and carry out a scientific investigation in order to measure water quality within their school. They should be able to collect data in their investigation and compare their results with historic data from their school and the City of Philadelphia. Students should be able to conclude whether the drinking water in Strawberry Mansion High School is safe enough for human consumption. This investigative unit of water quality will allow students to make real world connections, provide active learning experiences, and develop deep content understanding1. The unit is built upon an inquiry based investigation and a project based theme. My hope is that students feel more motivated and invested in their personal learning experience within the Environmental Science class. I believe this approach will lead to higher outcomes of learning for students and will allow for my personal growth to develop as a science teacher. This unit aligns with following NGSS standards:
Objective: SWBAT examine, smell, taste, and observe under a microscope five different samples of drinking water IOT look for subtle differences in water quality. Standard: NGSS HS-ESS3-1: Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards, and changes in climate have influenced human activity. Materials: 2 oz plastic or paper cups (enough for 5 cups per student), tap water, filtered water, 3 different brands of bottled water, marker for labeling cups, microscopes, microscope slides, and pipettes. Student Worksheet: Water Sommelier Activity Teacher Notes: This activity requires five different samples of water. The number of water samples could be increased if desired. The tap water sample should come from the school tap, but you could also have students bring samples of tap water from their homes. The filtered water should be from the “hydration stations” in your school. The three different brands of bottled water are up to the teacher’s discretion. This number could be increased. The teacher could ask the students for their opinions on which brands of bottled water they would like to test before beginning this activity. Setup: The teacher should set up 5 stations around the classroom (or more if using more water samples). Each station should be for one of the five water samples and should be clearly labeled. For example, “Water Sample A.” It is important that students do NOT know which water source each sample is from before beginning. At each station you will need enough 2 oz cups for the number of students in your class, a microscope, microscope slides, and pipettes. Steps: Objective: SWBAT analyze the updated water cycle IOT recognize that humans caused changes in Earth’s climate which have impacted the water cycle. Standard: Materials: (1 of each per student group of 3 – 4) Teacher Notes: Spanish versions of USGS Printouts and digital versions of the Water Cycle Game & Score Sheet are available (see Resources below). Setup: Students will work together in small groups throughout this lesson. Students may choose their own partners or the teacher can prepare a list of student groups ahead of time. Make sure each student group has 1 copy of each printout and other materials. Steps: Objective: SWBAT use manipulatives to model a water molecule IOT develop an explanation of what chemicals and elements can affect water quality. Standard: Materials: Teacher Notes: The School District of Philadelphia’s Science Lending Library allows public school teachers in Philadelphia to borrow the 3D Molecular Design Water Kit. Teachers will be able to borrow a set of 10 kits for a lending period of three weeks. The Lending Library recommends teachers request the kit at least 2 weeks in advance before planning prior to usage. Any of the activities or lessons from the 3D Molecular Design: Basic Lesson Plan could be added to this Unit Plan to extend learning experiences for students. Setup: Students can complete this lesson within their small groups from the previous lesson. The teacher should set up materials for each small group ahead of time. Steps: Objective: SWBAT research what factors influence water quality IOT analyze the water treatment process which provides safe drinking water for large communities. Standards: Materials: Teacher Notes: This activity could be done independently or chunked into smaller assignments. Students with IEPs relating to reading and writing may have difficulty with reading comprehension. To modify the assignment for these students, the teacher could reduce the amount of questions each student is responsible for and/or have students read through each website with a small group. Another way this assignment could be modified would be to have the class use a jigsaw style technique. The teacher could separate students into small groups and have each group read the information on one of the websites. Students could share with the class what they learned and exchange information gathered from this activity. Please note that the reading level increases with difficulty throughout the assignment. Students with higher reading levels should be asked to complete one of the websites towards the end of the assignment. Students with lower reading levels should be asked to complete one of the first few websites in the assignment. Setup: Decide whether to have students complete the activity independently or in small groups. Make sure there are enough computers or laptops for each student or small student group. Steps: Objective: SWBAT build their own water filter based on the general procedures that municipal water plants may use to purify water for drinking IOT analyze the water treatment process. Standards: Materials: (for each student group) Teacher Notes: Students should work together in small groups to build their own water filter using the provided materials. They will most likely need more than one class period to achieve this objective. Ask students to bring in clean 2 Liter Bottles a few weeks prior to beginning this activity. The rest of the materials could be purchased from a dollar store or a hardware store. One suggestion for this activity is to use water from a local stream or river to increase connections to the local community. Safety Note: Advise students that the final step at the treatment plant is to add disinfectants to the water to purify it and kill any organisms that may be harmful. Because the disinfectants are caustic and must be handled carefully, it is not presented in this experiment. The water that was just filtered is therefore unfit to drink and can cause adverse effects. It is not safe to drink! Setup: Divide the class into small groups prior to beginning this activity. Have the activity materials set up on a table or somewhere easily accessible for students. Alternatively, the teacher could put together materials needed for each group. The teacher should also prepare an example water filter so that students have an idea of what they should be able to create by the end of this lesson. Steps: Objective: SWBAT plan and conduct an investigation exploring the properties of water and what factors influence water quality IOT determine whether the water in our school is clean and safe enough for drinking. Standards: Materials: Teacher Notes: This last lesson of the Unit Plan will have multiple class periods to complete depending on the nature of the student investigation. Students should plan their own investigation and have control over what variables they test and where they collect water samples from. Using a Lead Testing Kit could be one option to explore, but students may want to test for other contaminants or chemicals. Allow students to design their own investigation regardless of what materials are available. When it is time to carry out the investigation, use what materials you have or are able to access. Setup: Steps:Lesson 1: Engage – Water Sommelier Activity (80 minutes, +extension)
Lesson 2: Explain – Review of the Water Cycle (80 minutes, +extension)
Lesson 3: Explore & Explain – Examine a Water Molecule (80 minutes)
Lesson 4: Explain – Water Webquest
Lesson 5: Explore – Build a Water Filter
Lesson 6: Elaborate – Plan an Investigation
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