Title: Pollution and Conservation STEAM Lesson Brief
Educators on the team (for certification max 4/team):
3 Grade Teachers: Collinsworth, Housworth, Moffett, Prease, Rawhoof, Shaver
Art-Spardello, PE-Hardy,
rd
When & where you attended a training. Dates: July 24 and 25, 2014 Shoal Creek Town/State: Conyers, GA
Students use knowledge from across the disciplines to strengthen their understanding of each subject’s content and
its related careers through topic or theme oriented realistic problem-based activity-rich lessons.
Theme that this lesson would tie to: Earth Science
Specific Topic Concept within that theme: Pollution and Conservation
PROJECT IDEA + brief notes & supplies
BASIC CONCEPTS
Concept: Students will experiment and explore the
effect of different types of pollutions on the
environment. Students will then research how
recycling can help the environment. Students will also
explore and research how to conserve resources. A
pamphlet will be created by the students to
demonstrate what they have learned about pollution
and ways people can help make the environment a
better place. Students will create and display posters
throughout the school to explain how students can
help protect the environment. Students will use
movement and strategies to play games using recycled
material.
Science –
 Concept – Students will explore the effects of an oil spill
on water by experimenting with different objects to
clean up an oil spill. The students will keep a record of
their predictions and the results of their experiments.
 Goal / Objectives –.The students will experiment with
different materials to clean up an oil spill, and then
record their results on a chart.
 Standards – Focus Standards:
 S3L2. Students will recognize the effects of pollution
and humans on the environment.
 a. Explain the effects of pollution (such as littering) to
the habitats of plants and animals.
 Supporting Standards:
 S3CS1. Students will be aware of the importance of
curiosity, honesty, openness, and skepticism in science
and will exhibit these traits in their own efforts to
understand how the world works.
 a. Keep records of investigations and observations and
do not alter the records later.
 Project Elements:
 The teacher will read the book Prince William by Gloria
Rand. This book shows the effects an oil spill had on the
environment.
 The students will brainstorm some ways they think an oil
spill could be cleaned up. Children will work in groups of
three to try out some of their suggestions. Each group
will be given a tub of water filled with oil, they will also
be given items they brainstormed to clean up the water.
(See the supply list of some possible items they can use).
Basic Plan:
Hook: The teacher will read the Paper Bag
Princess. The students will discuss how fire (type
of pollution) effected the environment.
Science - Students will explore the effects of an oil
spill on water by experimenting with different
objects to clean up an oil spill. The students will
keep a record of predictions and the results of
their experiments.
Math- Students will create a graph to show how quickly
the use of plastic bottled and cans add up. After
comparing graphs with each other in the class they will
brainstorm some possible solutions to the pollution
problem.
C. 2013
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
Technology and Engineering – Students will recycle
paper to demonstrate one way they can reduce
land pollution.
They will first make a prediction if they think the item
will work. They will then try cleaning the oil with the
object. The students will check their answer. The
students will keep a record of the items they tried and
what happened. (See below)
Social Studies-The students will locate different
countries on a map that the teacher has have
identified has having very specific pollution
problems. The students will locate and color the
countries in with different color pencils. The
students will then research the problems and
answer the questions the teacher presented about
the pollution problems. The students will present
their findings in a power point presentation.
LA- Students have been hired by the Environmental
Protection agency to create a pamphlet that
identifies different types of pollution, and how to
protect the environment through recycling and
reusing materials. The pamphlet will also describe
ways to conserve valuable resources.
Art- Students will use learned art techniques to
create a poster that expresses their ideas and
thoughts about ways to protect the environment
from pollution.
PE -Students will use movement and strategies to play
games using recycled material.
Completed Product/AssessmentThe completed product and assessment is a pollution
pamphlet that explains the effect pollution has on the
environment. The pamphlet also identifies the
different types of pollution, and how people can
reduce the effects of pollution through recycling and
conservation.
Skill level (Grade Range): 3rd Grade
Timing of Lesson: 2 weeks
Basic Supplies:
Books:
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch
Prince William by Gloria Rand
Oil Spill by Melvin Berger
The Adventures of a Plastic Bottle by Allison Inches
The Adventures of an Aluminum Can by Allison Inches
Recycle by Gail Gibbons
The 3 R’s: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle by Nuria Roca
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other
detergent
towels
buckets
Paper
towels
sponges
Coffee
filter
Item used
Prediction Prediction
to clean up
Yes
No
Yes
the oil spill
Mark the boxes with an X
No
• Assessment: The completed chart will be used as a
formative assessment to determine if they were able to
record their predictions and record their results from the
experiments.
 Careers – Environmental Protection Agent, Researcher
 Extension -Students can experiment with other types of
pollution experiments.
Technology & Engineering –
Concept – Students will recycle paper to demonstrate one
way they can reduce land pollution.
 Standards
 Career- recycler
 – T = using tools, E = designing a new element
 Tech tools: hands, paper, screens, sun, stapler, paper
punch, string, pencils or pens, markers
 Engineering – Create a new object from recycled paper.
 Project Element: T
Students will collect used paper. They will tear it into
smaller pieces. They will put the paper in water and let it
soak for several days. The students will stir the paper daily.
When the paper has turned into mush, the children will
place it on a screen and place in the sun to dry out. After
the new recycled paper is ready, the students will use the
paper to create a new object, for example, note pad,
journal, scratch paper, etc.

Assessment – Formative assessment: Students will be
assessed on how well the recycled paper turns out and if
they are able to reuse the paper for another task.
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
Math –
 Concept – Students will create a graph to show how
Science: 1 Container for water per a group of 3
quickly the use of plastic bottled and cans add up. After
Oil, coffee filters, spoons, sponges, washrags, eye
comparing graphs with each other in the class they will
droppers, paper towels, detergent, bucket
brainstorm some possible solutions to the pollution
problem.
Technology and Engineering:
 Standards - MD3- Draw a scaled bar graph to represent a
Old paper, water, large spoon, screens, staplers, tape,
data set with several categories. Solve one and two step
paper punch, string
how many more/how many less problems using
information presented in scaled bar graphs
LA: Computers, markers, paper, colored pencils
 Careers - Statistician; Math Teacher,
 Project Element – TSW will recycle cans and bottles at
Math: graph paper, pencils, bottles and cans to recycle
home. They will collect the bottles and cans daily and
keep a record of how many of each is collected for one
Social Studies: Copy of a world map: Use this site to
week. They will then create a graph using their data.
make a copy of a map
They will bring their graphs to share with the class.
http://eduplace.com/ss/maps/
Art: Poster board, recycled objects, crayons, paint,
colored pencils, rulers, glue
 Assessment - Students will create a bar graph based on
the data they kept for the week. The students will then
share their findings. See the graph below.
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LA
Concept –Students have been hired by the
PE: Styrofoam and plastic cups, aluminum cans,
Environmental Protection agency to create a pamphlet
plastic bottles, lids from coffee cans, coffee cans,
that identifies different types of pollution, and how to
newspapers, plastic bottles
protect the environment through recycling and reusing
materials. The pamphlet will also describe ways to
VOCABULARY:
conserve valuable resources.
 Standards –
pollution
 ELACC3W2: Write informative/explanatory texts
air pollution
to examine a topic and convey ideas and
land pollution
information clearly.
water pollution
 a. Introduce a topic and group related
habitats
information together; include illustrations when
environment
useful to aiding comprehension.
ozone layer
 b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, and
littering land
details.
pollution conservation
 Careers -researcher; author
acid rain
 Project Element –
natural resource
 The students will explore pollution and it effects in
renewable resource
the other subject areas, such as, science, social
nonrenewable resource
studies, math, and technology and engineering.
recycle
After the completion of those experiments the
reuse
students will then be tasked with creating a
reduce
pamphlet to present to their findings to the EPA
that explains pollution and ways they can reduce
Photos:
their effect on the environment. The students will
be assessed as described below and with the
attached rubric.
Cleaning an oil spill
 Assessment – The students will create an informational
pamphlet on pollution that explains the effect pollution
has on the environment. The pamphlet also identifies
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STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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Extension – The students could create a monthly
newsletter with observation from around the school
and some suggestions to reduce the pollution around
the school.


SS
Concept – The students will locate different countries on
a map that the teacher has have identified has having
very specific pollution problems. The students will
locate and color the countries in with different color
pencils. The students will then research the problems
and questions presented by the teacher. The students
will present their findings in a power point presentation.
Standards - G1- The student will locate topographical
features of places.
Goals / Objectives- The students will locate countries on
a map and then explain pollution problems from one of
the countries in a PowerPoint presentation.
Careers – Ecologist; Environmental Economist
Project – The students will locate a specific country on a
map that has been identified by the teacher as having a
specific pollution problem. Some examples:
Groundwater pollution on farms, untreated sewage in
India, pollution caused by mining in Canada, Air
pollution in Thailand
The students will research and answer questions the
teacher presented about the pollution problem in that
country.
Students will use different research materials to answer
the following questions:
Where does the pollution occur? What
plants/animals/humans are affected by this pollution?
List 3 ways humans are trying to fix this problem. Using
these questions the students will work in groups of 4 to
create a power point presentation.
http://ts3.mm.bing.net/th?id=JN.g%2fOUPUdIg835%2
fMgx5FpG6A&pid=15.1&H=214&W=160
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the different types of pollution, and how people can
reduce the effects of pollution through recycling and
conservation.
See the attached rubric at the end of this plan.
Assessment- Students will create a PowerPoint
presentation which includes a map with their identified
country. Students will answer questions about the
identified country in their PowerPoint.
Extension –– Students can expand on the research done
by creating an action plan that showcases an idea they
have for cleaning up the pollution in the area
researched.
Art –
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
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Concept – Students will use learned art techniques to
create a poster that expresses their ideas and thoughts
about ways to protect the environment from pollution.
Standards, VA3PR.3 Creates artworks based on personal
experience and selected themes.
a. Creates artworks to express individual ideas, thoughts, and feelings
from memory, imagination, and observation
Project:
The students will review what they have learned about pollution, and
the ways they can help keep our environment by recycling and
conserving materials.
The students will be asked to create a poster to put up in the school’s
hallways that demonstrate what pollution is and how they can
participate in helping the environment and conserve resources at
school.
Assessment – The student will critique and describe
their artwork and they will explain how their artwork
supports protecting the environment.
PE –
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Concepts –Students will use movement and
strategies to play games using recycled material.

Standards -PE3.2: Demonstrates understanding
of movement concepts, principles, strategies,
and tactics as they apply to the learning and
performance of physical activities.

Careers – physical fitness instructor,
Project Element – The students will play a relay recycling
game. The students will use the following recycled
materials -aluminum cans to stack into towers, plastic
bottles to play bowling, old newspapers to crumble and
throw into the recyclable trash can, plastic or Styrofoam
cups to fill a coffee can, and plastic lids of the cans to
use as Frisbees. The teacher will set out the various
recycled items into stations. The teacher will explain the
directions on what to do at each station. The students
will be divided into two teams. The students will run
through each station and then back to the next student,
who then completes the stations. The first team to
finish wins. The students will do a quick write about the
importance of recycling and how old items can be
recycled. They will also identify things that can be
recycled.
Assessment The students will do a quick write explaining
why is it important to recycle, and identify what kinds of
things do you recycle?
STEAM Education
Lesson Brief

Extension: Students will play the game, “Trash the
Neighbors Yard”. By setting up cones to determine the
line of the yard, students will take turns throwing trash
into each other’s yard. The importance of the negative
effects of pollution will be discussed following the game.
Music – Students will sing about pollution.
 Concepts – Students will understand the concept of
recycling to save the planet.
 Goal / Objectives – Students will be able to identify a
variety of activities to use when trying to recycle old
items.
 Standards – NAfME 8. Understanding relationships
between music, the other arts, and disciplines
outside the arts
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Careers – Musicians
Project – Students will learn the song Going Green with
appropriate singing technique.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8DJ45Yc3urg
Assessment: Students will be informally assessed on their
singing technique and memorization of lyrics.
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STEAM Education
Lesson Brief
Example of how the Math Graph Could Look: Students will create bar graphs based on the number of bottles and
cans collected over a week.
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Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Rubric for the Pamphlet in Language Arts
Rubric
Pamphlet
Three Points
Exemplary
Ideas
The pamphlet includes all 4 of
the following elements:
*Definition of Pollution
*Explains the effect of
pollution on the environment
*Explains the different types of
pollution
*Gives 3 examples of how to
reduce the reduce the effect of
pollution on the environment
Organization
Ideas are clearly and logically
sequenced in order
Conventions
C. 2013
Proper names and beginning
sentences capitalized.
Correct punctuation used.
Most spelling correct.
Two Points
Developing
The pamphlet includes all 3 of
the following elements:
*Definition of Pollution
*Explains the effect of pollution
on the environment
*Explains the different types of
pollution
*Gives 3 examples of how to
reduce the reduce the effect of
pollution on the environment
One Point
Needs Improvement
The pamphlet is missing
several of the following
elements:
* Definition of Pollution
*Explains the effect of pollution
on the environment
*Explains the different types of
pollution
*Gives examples of how to
reduce the reduce the effect of
pollution on the environment
Pamphlet is hard to read.
Ideas may not be in order.
Most proper names and
beginning sentences capitalized.
Correct punctuation used.
STEAM Education
Ideas are not sequenced in a
logical way.
Some proper names and
beginning sentences
capitalized.
Some correct punctuation
used.
Lesson Brief