Jillian and Barbara
Pollutant Plants
Background: Water pollution is any human related activity that reduces the waters
usefulness to humans and organisms that are found in nature. Pollutants such as weed
killers or insect killers, fertilizers, and hazardous chemicals can find their way into our
water systems. When these contaminates find their way into the water systems it can
become harmful to humans, animals, and surrounding plant life and any other organisms
living in the water. Often times we don’t realize that the cleaning chemicals we put down
our drains, the soap we use to wash our cars, the chemicals we use on our lawns, and the
oil that drips on to the street does go some where. It all goes back into the creeks,
streams, oceans, and sometime reabsorbed back into the ground water. It is important to
buy products that are friendly to the environment so we can prevent the harmful effects
the water pollutants can cause.
Science Standards:
Grade 3: Life Sciences 3 d.
Students know when the environment changes, some plants and animals survive
and reproduce; others die or move to a new location.
Grade 3: Investigation and Experimentation 5 d and e.
d) Predict the outcome of a simple investigation and compare the result with the
prediction.
e) Collect data in an investigation and analyze those data to develop a logical
conclusion.
Materials Needed:
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4 or 5 plastic pots
½ gallon antifreeze, used car oil (from parent or oil change), and one pollutant
found in area. (Example: Maybe cleansers that get washed into drains, or
different pesticides or chemical used in farming)
Several gallons of distilled water (depending of how large your class is.
Approximately 1 ½ gallons per group.
Triple Beams Balance
3 sweet corn seeds per pot (15 per group)
Sun lamps
Ruler
Potting soil
Four beakers
200 mL graduated cylinder
Procedure:
1. Cover entire workspace with plastic Cover so polluted water can not leak onto
counters.
2. Hang or set up (depending on what kind you have available) sun lamps over work
space.
3. Label each pot and beaker as follows, distilled water, classroom water, antifreeze, oil
(Street pollution), and other (for whatever your last pollutant is).
4. Fill each pot with soil up to 2 inches from top.
5. Plant three corn seeds in each pot gently pushing into soil.
6. Water each pot with 100 mL of distilled water, or until soil is completely moist.
7. Repeat step six everyday until corn plants have reached a height of 4 inches.
8. In each of the beakers mix 30 mL the pollutant and 270 mL of distilled water. For the
classroom water, fill the beaker with 200 mL of water from classroom faucet.
9. Water each plant with the appropriate mixture. Be sure to water the distilled plant
only with the distilled water.
10. Water every other day for 3 weeks.
11. After three weeks, measure both the height and mass of each plant. To measure the
mass, remove the plants from their pot, shake off all excess soil and weigh on triple beam
balance.
12. Record height and weight of each plant.
13. Properly dispose of all polluted soil and plants.
Discussions:
1. Which pollutant will have the greatest affect of the plant and why? (Hypothesis)
2. How is it that these pollutants can reach our crops and fields?
3. Compare the growth of the corn water only with distilled water with the corn
watered with the classroom water. What are the differences? Which plant is
healthier? Why do you think that is?
Extensions:
1: For a math component to be added, the student could measure once a week the height
of the plants. They could then make graphs and charts with the data. They could also
make class averages and make a class graph as homework.
2. To write a report on what the student can do to help prevent water pollution. For
example: by going to the store and researching what products are environmentally
friendly for the environment.
http://www.selah.k12.wa.us/SOAR/SciProj2004/BrianV.html
http://www.epa.gov/reg5rcra/wptdiv/p2pages/water.pdf