Name:
Per:
Date:
Research Assignment—Water Pollution Disaster Story
Objective: Identify and describe key components of a significant water pollution event, including causes,
effects and solution efforts.
Background: What Makes a Water Contamination Disaster? There are a few factors that make a water
contamination situation into a disaster. Although every instance of water contamination is a problem,
many of these are never classified as full-blown disasters. The aspects of these events that must be
considered in order to determine whether or not they are true disasters include:
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Size of the affected area. If the problem only affects a handful of people, it may not be
considered disaster. When hundreds or even thousands are harmed by polluted water,
however, then it’s a much worse situation.
Pollutants involved. The chemicals, heavy metals, or other contaminants that cause the disaster
are typically very harmful in order for it to be classified as such. Particularly when contaminants
can cause cancer or fatal poisoning, these instances become disasters fast.
Effects of the instance. When contamination causes irreversible damage to ecosystems,
widespread illness, or leads to a cleanup that will take decades to complete, then it’s considered
a disaster.
Instructions: For this assignment, you will work in groups of three assigned by mean Ms. S to research a
water pollution event that has been categorized as a “disaster.” See the list of possible topics and sign
up on the front board, or get a different event approved by Ms. S. Once you have chosen your topic,
follow the procedure below.
1. Create a document and work together to answer the following questions in complete sentences
in your own words. Use the internet to find reputable sources--you may need to weed through
some unreliable pages first. Check google classroom for some helpful links related to your topic
if you need somewhere to start. Do not copy and paste information from the internet; instead
paraphrase in your own words.
A. What is the main pollutant(s) or contaminant(s) in this disaster? What classification
of water pollutants does it fall under? (Use your 6.1 notes or textbook 11.3)
B. What happened? Explain what caused this pollution event and who exactly was
responsible. Be specific and describe the development of the disaster step by step.
Was it a point-source or a non-point source?
C. How did it effect the environment? Don’t just say “it was harmful,” or “it killed lots
of fish.” What specific effects does the contaminant have on wildlife? Which native
species were harmed?
D. What were the health effects of this disaster on people (specific illnesses caused, #
deaths or affected people, etc.) Were there any economic effects?
E. What was done after the disaster? Describe any attempts to clean up the pollution,
create preventative measures, etc. What is the status of the water today?
2. List the sources you used at the end of your responses
3. Now that you have discovered the key facts about this disaster, your job is to creatively present
the information to the class. You will do this in the form of a DRAMATIC script. Think movie
trailer dramatic. Can you turn these details into an engaging story line to capture the attention
of your audience? You can use a narrative voice, or create characters which you read between
group members. The details are up to you but be creative! Your script should be at least 200
words and include the key information from the questions above. Include your script in your
document.
4. To go along with your dramatic and exciting script, please create a visual in the form of a google
slides presentation. Your presentation should be mainly images. Each slide should have a large
image and no more than 4 descriptive or clarifying words. You must have at least 4 slides. Share
your slideshow with me at jessicascolaro@sccs-stu.net BEFORE class on Thurs, 4/18. In the
subject line, write your names and class period.
5. You are ready to present your dramatic script! Imagine that you are reading your script to a
group of producers in attempt to get it made into a movie. You may select one person from your
group or incorporate several group members into the reading; either way it must be exciting
and DRAMATIC! Make sure that all names and the class period are on your document. Print out
one copy of your document BEFORE class on Thurs 4/18 and turn in to Ms. S at the beginning of
class.
Possible Water Pollution Disasters:
Canal (beginning 1940s)
Hinkley groundwater contamination (started 1952)
Minamata Bay Disease (1950s)
Great Pacific garbage patch (first described 1988)
Exxon Valdez oil spill (1989)
Milwaukee Cryptosporidiosis Outbreak (1993)
Western Ghana cyanide spill (2001)
Deepwater Horizon oil spill (2010)
Gold King Mine waste water spill (2015)
Water contamination after Hurricane Harvey (2017)
Water contamination after CA wildfires (Camp Fire 2018, Tubbs fire 2017)
Ganges River, Yamuna River, India (ongoing)
Harmful algal blooms in Florida (ongoing)
TEACHER NOTES
Write conclusion prompt on board for after presentations:
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How do you measure the scale of an environmental disaster (which is “worse”)? i.e. $, lives lost,
disability, long term ecological or human effects, economic loss, etc.
Based on your criteria, which disaster was the worst? Use EVICENCE from the presentations to
back up your answer.
Next year do assignment before Flint and Cuyahoga river case studies—add to list
Events to explore and possibly to list next year:
The Dan River Coal Ash Spill in Eden, NC in 2014
Pig farm waste lagoons overspilling after hurricane Florence floods in 2018
Waukegan, IL harbor
Woburn, MA (A Civil Action)
Buffalo Creek flood disaster of 1972 in WV
Ixtoc oil spill 1979