Introduction

Student Activities

For the Teacher

California Science Content Standards

National Science Standards

Resources

 

Activity 2: Why is Our Water Polluted, and What Can We Do About It? California Science Content Standards Met By This Activity

For this activity the class may work in collaborative teams, as partners or individually. Each team, partnership or student should choose one of the following four questions to investigate. After doing the research and/or experiments, each group, partnership or student will report what they have learned to the class.   (Teacher note: make sure all all questions are investigated.) Choose one of these four questions to investigate: Remember to keep complete notes in your journal. Make sure you write down all the bibliographical information.   1. How does water pollution affect you? Read: Where does our Water Go? Water Pollution   2. Why must we filter our drinking water? Do at least one experiment found at these web sites. Remember to use the scientific method. List of Experiments (by grade level) from the EPA Testing for Hard and Soft Water Water Density Surface Tension of Water Buoyancy Hot and Cold Water Bending Water Soft Water and Suds Floating Soap Bubbles     3. Why might you not want to swim in the rivers, creeks, lakes, and bays? Read at least two of the following: Non point Source Pollution: The Nation's Largest Water Quality Problem The Quality of Our Nation's Water Water Drops Web Site   4. How can you stop water pollution? Read at least two of the following: Environmental Protection Agency Information Watershed Management Program Give Water a Hand (What you can do in your community) Water Education from the Environmental Protection Agency Water Dowsing     Present to the class what you have learned using one of the following presentation methods. Write and perform a skit dramatizing the information you learned. Write a movie script and video tape your movie. Your movie could: Include live actors Involve animation Be a digital movie Involve claymation Involve puppets Write a script for and put on a puppet show. Give an oral report. Do a multimedia presentation. Write and perform a song about what you have learned. Write and read a poem about what you have learned   Evaluation Rubric for oral activities Where To Next? The Task Show Your Stuff Activities How'd You Do? Resources  For the Teacher