Module IA: What’s in the Water?
Session 2: Dissolved Oxygen
This lesson is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under
Cooperative Agreement Number HRD 0638793.
Any opinions, findings, and
conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science
Foundation.
Permission is granted to copy these materials for educational, non-commercial
purposes provided the source is acknowledged.
Meadowlands Environment Center - MarshAccess © Copyright 2009
A New Jersey Meadowlands Commission Facility operated by
Ramapo College of New Jersey
Module IA: What’s in the Water?
Session 2: Dissolved Oxygen
Science Content
Meadowlands Content
 Meaning of “dissolved”
 Oxygen - O2 - dissolves in water
 Dissolved oxygen is measured in
parts per million
 Temperature affects the amount
of oxygen dissolved in water
 Fish and aquatic creatures need
O2 to survive
 Sources of oxygen in the marsh
 Measurement of DO of brackish
water
 Impact of varying water
temperatures and DO on fish in
Meadowlands marsh
Science Tools and Technology
Documentation
 Thermometer
 Dissolved oxygen kits
 Hand-held recorders
 Computer and ejournaling
software
 Weather journal page
 Dissolved oxygen and
temperature journal page
 Verbal recording of data
 ejournal
Instructional Objectives:
The participants will learn that:
 Solids, liquids and gases all dissolve in water.
 Oxygen is dissolved in the marsh water and measured as DO.
 Temperature of water affects the amount of oxygen dissolved in
water.
 Fish breathe oxygen dissolved in water using their gills.
 Fish and other aquatic organisms need oxygen to live.
 If the DO of the water in the marsh gets too low, fish will die.
The participants will learn how to:
 Take water samples and set up an experiment measuring DO of
cold, room temperature, and heated water.
 Measure water temperature using a thermometer.
 Measure dissolved oxygen using a DO kit.
Activities:
Welcome and brief review of the MEC, the estuary habitat, brackish
water (5 min).
Make weather observations and record on weather journal page.
Present dissolved oxygen content via Power Point interspersed with
activities:
- Explore concept of dissolved: mix (1-solid) sugar into water (2liquid) vinegar into water and then (3-gas) shake bottle of
seltzer to show bubbles
- Discuss how know item is dissolved, e.g. how know sugar is in
the water? (taste) how know vinegar is in the water? (taste) how
know gas in is the seltzer? (see the bubbles, hear the “whoosh”
when open a bottle or can
- Explain that like seltzer, there is a gas called oxygen in water;
discuss oxygen as needed
- Explain units of measurement for dissolved oxygen is parts per
million (ppm) with rice bottles/red grain of rice model
- Introduce measurement tool: dissolved oxygen kits; show
instructions and verbally describe how use the kits
- Lead discussion with group: Which type of water will hold more
oxygen? – hot, room, or cold? Why? Record prediction.
- Break group into teams; each team measures temperature and
dissolved oxygen of hot water, room temperature water and cold
water, team records results on journal sheets.
- Resume discussion with group – review results, point out that
cold water holds most oxygen, discuss why (molecules move less
in cold temperatures so there is more room for them)
If weather allows, walk outside to collect brackish water sample and
test for dissolved oxygen. Educator uses special DO water sampler
(Angela used with Adler) for accuracy.
Concluding discussion – review results, restate impact of temperature
affects conditions in the Meadowlands marsh. Include description of
high temperatures causing fish kills due to insufficient dissolved
oxygen (many thought the fish kill was due to pollution.)
Universal Instructional Design (UID)- PowerPoint color contrast, font
and size meet accessibility standards; white space, no more than 6
lines of text, no more than 6 words per line, images have alternate
text tags. Copy of PowerPoint available in color (1 or 2 slides per page)
in a 3-ring binder. Use of sound field system; assistive listening
devices for those with hearing impairments or attention difficulties.
Educator reads and describes images on slides. Participants manually
record in journal, use pre-printed labels, or verbally record data using
hand-held recorder. Journals with Verdana font and 18 pt. size, with
visual and text descriptors, peel off response labels, large print,
uncluttered design with white space
Program Modifications/ Adaptations
Following are specific accommodations/adaptations and strategies
found effective, and currently in use or being tested for use by specific
disability groups in this program module.
Cognitive Disabilities
Content – Simplified program content.
Learning Environment – Shorter walking route to field sites; more time
to move from site to site; shortened program. Present impact of
temperature of dissolved oxygen in terms of temperatures that fish
prefer.
Materials – Simplified journals with images and single word
descriptors; large size peel off picture and/or text labels for recording
information in journals; large taxidermy of striped bass to show gills
which fish use to breathe.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Provide talking thermometer for
water temperature; compasses; compasses on lanyards; talking
thermometer for weather observations
Teaching Strategies – Use simple vocabulary; frequently repeat
concepts; speak slowly; ask multiple choice questions (only giving
them two options); use specially designed communication boards and
flip books for non-verbal responses; physically demonstrate how to
use various tools; allow additional time to execute activities. Break
down information into small chunks. Instruct participants on purpose
and use of equipment (for example, thermometer to take water
temperature) before introducing the equipment in the STEM content
activity. When necessary, demonstrate, hand-over-hand, how to do an
activity. Have participants work with a partner. Group subdivided into
smaller groups (4 at a table or in a fieldwork group, one educator per
group). If possible, train partner staff first on all modules which
enables them to better assist their participants.
Mobility Disabilities
Learning Environment – Shorter walking route to field sites; more time
to move from site to site; shortened program. Alternate indoor
classroom setting from where many features are visible (eg., use
samples from tanks in Animal Room or tactile models).
Materials - Larger journal page size attached to large clip board; large
print and peel off labels. Dycem to keep materials in place on table
surface.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Writing lap boards; portable tables
placed at outdoor field sites; talking compasses; compasses on neck
lanyards; pouring tools.
Teaching Strategies – Ask open-ended questions; ask some multiple
choice questions; allow extra time to respond either verbally or with
personal communication device; use specially designed communication
boards and flip books for non-verbal responses; allow additional time
to execute activities. Participants subdivided into small groups (4 at a
table) with one educator and an assistant. Flexible approach to all
activities (e.g. eliminating activities or re-calculating time spent on
each portion of the program; developing new methods for
accomplishing physical tasks based on trial and error, participant or
chaperone suggestion).
Blind and Low Vision
Learning Environment – Alternate indoor classroom; shorter walking
route to field sites; more time to move from site to site; lengthened
program; alternate indoor classroom.
Materials - Journal and other documents created with high-contrast
and enlarged to Verdana 20 pt.; documents converted to Braille;
PowerPoint offered in a binder, with one slide per page; PowerPoint
available in electronic, accessible formats for personal viewing
following the scheduled program.
Note: at this time dissolved oxygen readings are made by matching
the test sample to 1 of 9 different shades of blue – a task that is
difficult to impossible for this audience. It is hoped that a “field
worthy” talking probe providing audio results will be available shortly.
(May 2009)
Equipment/Assistive Technologies - Tactile models of diamondback
terrapin, killifish, silverside. Hand lenses on neck lanyards; and large
foldable magnifiers. Talking compasses; compasses on neck lanyards.
Tape recorders to verbally record data. Braille embosser and braille
translation software for converting text documents into braille; Braille
labels for map; Indiana University software for converting PowerPoint
into accessible formats.
Teaching Strategies - Educator reads what is on each PowerPoint slide,
and verbally describes relevant pictures in detail. Hand-on-hand
assistance with identifying content features tactile models. Detailed
verbal descriptions throughout program.
Deafness and Hearing Loss
Learning Environment – Seating and activities arranged to
accommodate need for lip reading and sign language presentation.
Materials/equipment – Sound field and assistive listening devices.
Written and visual step by step instructions for all procedures and
activities. Journals with peel off picture and/or text labels for recording
information. Talking compasses on neck lanyards.
Teaching Strategies – Use of interpreter(s), who has been provided
with key vocabulary ahead of time. Educator speaks slowly and clearly,
to accommodate interpreters and those who lip read; educator stands
in a central, front of room location so all participants who lip-read can
clearly see the face of the educator. Educator physically demonstrates
how to use various tools/equipment, waiting between steps for
interpreter to complete translation, and to wait for any questions.
Participants break up into small groups (4 or less) during activity, with
assistant working with each group, and interpreters moving from
group to group as needed. Educator refers to simplified and standard
text and visual step-by-step instructions.
Age-Related Limitations
Note: All materials, equipment, assistive technologies, and teaching
strategies described above would be implemented based on the
functional ability /disability (cognition, mobility, hearing, vision) of the
participant.
Content: High level, age appropriate content, closely related to
expected life experiences of participants.
Learning Environment – Shorter walking route to field site; more time
to move from site to site. Alternate indoor classroom setting from
where many features are visible (e.g. use samples from tanks in
Animal Room and/or tactile models).
Materials - High level, high interest journals with large font, visually
organized with a great deal of white space separating text, images,
and answer boxes. Communication boards with text and images
serving as memory prompts, or for use in non-verbal response.
Equipment/Assistive Technologies – Handheld magnifiers; large
foldable magnifiers; sound field and assistive listening devices; tools
with different types of handles / grips. Writing lap boards; portable
tables placed at outdoor field sites; talking compasses; compasses on
neck lanyards; a variety of digital cameras with hand straps and
carrying cases.
Teaching Strategies – Slower pace of instruction (especially with those
individuals with aphasia), slower walk to the outdoor sites, allowing
extended time to ask and answer questions. Use of whiteboard to
write down key concepts during lecture/discussion phase of program.
Relating science content to life experiences. Participants break up into
small groups (4 or less) during activity to encourage interaction and
participation.
Materials for Dissolved Oxygen
Classroom set up
Sound field and assistive listening headsets
Name tags
PowerPoint as organizing tool so that content and activities are
presented in proper sequence
Binder(s) with 1 Powerpoint slide per page
Journal page(s) on clipboards with rubber bands & pencils
Stickers for journal responses
Hydrometer
2 sets of medium sized containers -label A (hot) ,B (room temp.), and
C (cold)
8 thermometers (2 must be the ones with the red cover, use in hot
water sample)
6 small paper cups
2 plastic clear cups (for waste-popsicle sticks and to discard small
paper cups)
2 waste bottles ( for DO ampoules and water samples)
Popsicle sticks (2 per person)
Bottles of rice to demonstrate parts-per-million
Granulated sugar
Vinegar
Bottle of seltzer water
paper towels
Straw
Tactile model of a fish, to show gills
Large visual DO instructions
4 DO Kits
Backpack with radio
First aid kit
Map of park with field site locations
Emergency air horn
Toolbox
6 DO kits
1 waste bottle
2 standard thermometers, 1 talking thermometer
Other
1 large bucket