Engaged Learning Project Draft
Mark DeFoor
Title of Project: Getting the Lead out of Africa
Subject(s): Math and Science (Chemistry)
Grade Level(s): 11 and 12
Abstract: High school seniors will analyze data collected by the chemistry department of
Georgia College and State University (GCSU) to develop best practices that will reduce toxic
levels of lead in soil. Lead contamination of soils and plants is a major problem in the small
African mining town of Kabwe, Zambia. Up until 1994, Kabwe was home to a very large lead,
zinc and cadmium mining operation. Unregulated mining led to widespread heavy-metal
pollution. Field measurements of lead levels in soils and plants were extremely high. As a
result, the people of Kabwe were experiencing severe health issues, including death, from the
lead that passed into their bodies. By investigating toxic levels of lead, this study hopes to have
the potential for use in the development of methods to recover the soil and remove the hazardous
levels of lead that currently contaminate it. This project will culminate with a multi-media
presentation that corroborates data collected by GCSU students and supports best practices
developed to successfully reduce levels of lead in the soil of Kabwe.
Learner Description Context: Classes consist of male and female students. All students must
meet a pre-requisite of successfully completing one of the following courses:
(Math 3, Accelerated Math 2 or Accelerated Analytic Geometry)
Data for the project is being provided by 3rd and 4th year chemistry students at GCSU. Our
students will be using graphing calculators and other statistical software applications to examine
data and calculate measures of center, variance and standard deviation for the multiple data sets
that will be analyzed.
Time Frame: Ongoing (approximately 8 weeks). This project will be completed during the
second part of a semester class. The timeline for the project is as follows:
Project Description
Introduction of topic
Provide framework for project including
background information
Establish communication link(s) with GCSU
students
Remediate mathematical content needed for
project
Field trip to GCSU’s chemistry dept
Statistical analysis of GCSU data
Synthesize data
Produce multi-media presentation
Duration
1 class period
1.5 class periods
2 class periods
4 class periods
1 day
3 weeks
1 week
1 week
Engaged Learning Project Draft
Mark DeFoor
Standards Addressed:
Math Standards
MM3D3. Students will understand the differences between experimental and observational
studies by posing questions and collecting, analyzing, and interpreting data.
MM1P1. Students will solve problems (using appropriate technology).
MM1P2. Students will reason and evaluate mathematical arguments.
MM1P3. Students will communicate mathematically.
MM1P4. Students will make connections among mathematical ideas and to other disciplines.
Science and Chemistry Standards
SCSh8. Students will understand important features of the process of scientific inquiry.
SC1. Students will analyze the nature of matter and its classifications.
Learner Objectives: Students will learn how lead poisons the blood stream and affects the
central nervous system when it is inhaled through the air and absorbed through the skin. They
will understand the health complications from lead poisoning and how it impacts pregnant
women. Students will understand the importance of the research being conducted by GCSU
students in order to find ways to measure levels of lead in soil, water and plants and how this
data is used by scientists to create best practices to reduce exposure to lead.
The “hook” or Introduction: The introduction to this project is “Why should we care?” The
“hook” will be an impactful video about the town of Kabwe, Zambia and why it is rated as the
world’s fourth most polluted site behind Chernobyl, the Russian city of Dzerzhinsk, where
chemical weapons were produced during the Cold War, and the Dominican Republic town of
Haina, where emissions from an old car battery smelter have caused almost the entire population
of 85,000 to suffer from lead poisoning. The video will show the health impacts suffered by
humans from lead poisoning, the economic impact on the United States (15 million dollars in
federal aid) and the overall impact to the environment. I want students to understand the value of
being good stewards to suffering people on the opposite side of the globe. I want them to think
of this project more as a humanitarian effort that uses the principles of mathematics to problem
solve.
Process: Students will be divided into groups of three. Each group will be assigned the same
responsibilities and will produce the same types of reports and material to support readings of
soil samples analyzed by GCSU students. Because GCSU is overwhelmed with the amount of
collected data, our groups will segment the data based on the type of instrumentation used to
analyze the data as well as the source samples were collected from (soil, water, plants and air).
Engaged Learning Project Draft
Mark DeFoor
The purpose of segmenting data by instrument type is to help determine which instrument is the
most accurate device to use in this project. For example, an atomic absorption spectrometer may
be more effective recording levels of lead in soil than plants. The statistical reports we generate
(measures of center, variance and standard deviation) will serve as a check against the reports
created by GCSU students. The role of the teacher will be that of a co-learner/co-investigator as
well as a guide and facilitator. It will be the responsibility of the teacher to monitor the process
of the project and explain/clarify things when needed. The teacher must also be willing to
engage colleagues from other disciplines since students will be exploring ideas that are outside
the expertise of a math teacher.
Product: The goal of this project is to analyze data collected, stored and studied by the
chemistry department of Georgia College and State University (GCSU) to determine if best
practices to reduce toxic levels of lead in soil are effective. We will use technology to study and
store sample sizes of data and use software to provide statistical reports to GCSU students so
they can validate their own findings. We will also use technology to collaborate with GCSU
students so we can compare and discuss findings, reflect on processes and make corrections if
necessary. Our culminating task will be a multi-media presentation depicting the problems with
lead contamination in Kabwe and how our class collaborated with a state university that helped
develop a best practice to improve the lives of others. This presentation will show how we use
mathematics to problem solve a humanitarian issue.
Technology Use: Technologies that are critical to this project are:





Productivity tools (Excel, Word and PowerPoint) – Excel will be used to store and
manipulate large quantities of data and create graphs. PowerPoint will be used in our
culminating task to create a multi-media presentation.
Email – Email will be used to exchange data and communicate with GCSU students.
Skype – or some other instant video messaging application will be used to communicate
with GCSU students.
Graphing calculators (TI-84) – a class set of TI-84 graphing calculators will be used to
calculate measures of center, variance and standard deviation for multiple data sets.
World Wide Web – the internet will be used to conduct research on topics related to the
project including background information on the town of Kabwe, Zambia.
References and Supporting Material: Reference and supporting material for this project
include:






Documentary video of the town of Kabwe, Zambia and why it is rated as the 4th most
polluted city in the world
Video of the health implications of lead poisoning in humans
Email and Skype to communicate with GCSU students
Field trip to GCSU
Project description and necessary documents needed for groups to make portfolio
Class set of TI-84 graphing calculators
Engaged Learning Project Draft




Mark DeFoor
Excel software to store and manipulate data
PowerPoint to create multi-media presentation for culminating task
Access to computer lab
Grading rubric
Links to existing resources for this project
http://www.irinnews.org/report/61521/zambia-kabwe-africa-s-most-toxic-city
http://www.worstpolluted.org/projects_reports/display/45
Dale, Penny (2003) Zambia’s Child Poisoning Tragedy, BBC News retrieved from
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3241037.stm
Children of Kabwe Mine (video) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OJ3KVyBrvmY
Lead Poisoning in Kids (video) – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62dVw7QQVJ8
Lead Poisoning Investigation by the CDC – http://www.cdc.gov/onehealth/in-action/leadpoisoning.html
The Robert Shitima Project, Kabwe, Zambia (video) –
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mpqAvv0KAc0
What modifications have you made since you submitted your “idea” for feedback? I have
talked with GCSU chemistry students to have a better understanding of their data collection
process, how they analyze their data, instruments used to analyze soil, how data is recorded and
what statistical measurements are most important to them. We also discussed how our role
would best serve GCSU. Based on the feedback I received, I made modifications to our
processes as well as the product our class will produce for our culminating task. Specifically, I
thought it would be extremely beneficial for our class to take a field trip to GCSU and observe
chemistry students conducting readings on soil samples. I want our students to understand and
appreciate the relationship between the work GCSU is conducting and potential impact it will
have on the people of Kabwe. My hope is that students will become even more engaged in the
project, and in post secondary education, by being on a college campus and collaborating with
motivated college students. I have also created a timeline to make sure it is feasible to complete
this project over an eight week time span. I found videos that will serve as “the hook” to this
project.
Which indicators of Engaged Learning will be high in this lesson and why? ELIs that I
expect to be high for this lesson includes challenging, authentic/meaningful and co-learner/coinvestigator. This will be an intense project from the standpoint of the students moving from
beyond knowledge/comprehension and be able to analyze and synthesize information they may
not be familiar with. One challenge I see is getting students to move beyond the type of data we
will be analyzing and focus on the mathematical concepts required to turn the data into
information.
Engaged Learning Project Draft
Mark DeFoor
Which indicators would you like to strengthen? I would somehow like to strengthen the role
of the teacher as a facilitator.
What LoTi level do you think this lesson would be and why? I think this lesson will receive a
LoTi level of 5. We will be using technology to research and record data for our project.
Students will be required to use higher order thinking skills in order to meet the objectives of the
assignment. Specifically, students will be required to recall material already presented to them
in previous classes/lessons, analyze data and processes used to collect data and make
comparisons of data collected. The project will use real world events, and students will make
scientific inquiries through the use of technology. There will be collaboration with outside
resources, specifically college students from the Chemistry Department of Georgia College and
State University. Furthermore, to create a LoTi level of 5, students will use spreadsheets and
databases as tools to solve problems related to the overall concept of the project.
What help would you like to receive from us? I would like someone to recommend an instant
video messaging application they have had success with so our class can easily and seamlessly
communicate with GCSU students. I chose Skype because it seemed to be the most popular
application at the time, but I am wondering if Facetime would be a better product. I would also
like suggestions/recommendations for an application our class can use to develop a multi-media
presentation. I have had success with PowerPoint but would like to know if there are other
solutions available.