HOW PEOPLE CHANGE ECOSYSTEMS: ACID RAIN
NAME: Kelsey Bender
SCHOOL: Garth Elementary
SUBJECT: science
DATE: November 10, 2009
GRADE: 5
TOPIC: acid rain
LESSON LENGTH: 40 minutes
# OF STUDENTS: 27
# OF IEP STUDENTS: unknown
CONTEXT:
This lesson is part of a unit on ecosystems. Students have studied the energy flow through an
ecosystem and have learned about how organisms compete and survive in their habitats. The last half of
the unit will focus on protecting and preserving ecosystems. Students will be learning how ecosystems
change naturally and how humans impact ecosystems.
In this lesson students will learn about how industrial production and emission from vehicles create
gasses, eventually resulting in acid rain. They will observe how acid rain impacts the growth of plant life
and then predict how the damaged vegetation affects other parts of the ecosystem.
KEY CONCEPTS
 What is acid rain?
 How does acid rain affect plant life in an ecosystem?
OBJECTIVES:
 Given appropriate materials, students will observe, measure, and record how watering a plant with
“acid rain” impacts the plant’s growth.
 Utilizing the results from the experiment, students will make predictions about how acid rain might
affect an ecosystem.
SCIENCE LITERACY COMPONENT:
In their science notebooks, students will record:
 When they water each plant.
 How much water they give each plant.
 Each plant’s height.
 Observations about each plant.
 A drawing or photograph of each plant.
CONNECTIONS:
 SC-05-4.7.1 Students will describe and categorize populations of organisms according to the
function they serve in an ecosystem (e.g. producers, consumers, decomposers); draw conclusions
about the effects of changes to populations in an ecosystem.
ASSESSMENT PLAN:
Learning
Type of
Objective
Assessment
1
science journal
Description of Assessment
Students will observe their plants
each day, making record of the
plants’ heights and appearances
with words, pictures, and numbers.
DOK
Adaptations and/or
Level
Accommodations
2
Students will work in
groups to conduct the
experiment, so they could
discuss observations and
methods of recording
2
science journal
After reflecting upon and discussing 3
the results of their experiment,
students will write predictions in their
science journals.
observations with group
members.
Students will work in
groups to conduct the
experiment, so they could
discuss their predictions
with group members.
RESOURCES, MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY:
 Science by Harcourt School Publishers (pages 96-101)
 lemon juice
 water
 rulers
 three potted plants per group
 measuring cups
 science journals
 digital camera (optional)
PROCEDURES:
1. Review the objectives.
2. After reading about how people change ecosystems on pages 96-101, create a graphic organizer
as a class. Have the students engage in a think-pair-share activity, encouraging each pair to
contribute at least one way people change ecosystems to the class discussion.
3. As pairs contribute ideas, ask them to explain in more detail. For example, if a student says
development or construction changes ecosystems, ask him or her to explain how. (The student
might respond that to obtain building materials such as wood, forests must be cut down.
Ultimately, natural habitats are destroyed.)
4. Although students will probably mention acid rain during the discussion, it is likely that they are not
clear on the impact acid rain can have on an ecosystem. Ask students to hypothesis about how
acid rain could affect plant life in an ecosystem. Have students record their hypotheses in their
science journals.
5. Tell students that they will be conducting an experiment that will simulate the effects acid rain has
on plant life.
6. Distribute the following to each group: 3 potted plants, one bottle of lemon juice, one measuring
cup.
7. Students will test how three solutions, ranging in level of acidity, impact the growth of a potted
plant. First, they will label one pot “pure rain,” one pot “slightly acidic rain,” and one pot “highly
acidic rain.”
8. Next, they will record the height of each plant in their science journal. They will also
draw/photograph each plant and write down observations about each plant.
9. Then, students will mix three solutions to simulate pure rain, slightly acidic rain, and highly acidic
rain. The ratio of water to lemon juice for each solution will be listed on the board.
10. Students will then water each plant with the appropriate solution. (Students will water their plants
using the same solutions every other day for the duration of the experiment.)
11. Next, students will place their plants somewhere in the classroom. Each group should place their
three plants in the same area to reduce the amount of uncontrolled variables.
12. Each day, students should measure the height of their plants, draw/photograph their plants, and
write observations about their plants. All information should be recorded in their science journals.
(Students will also water their plants with the appropriate solution every other day.)
13. After collecting information for two weeks, students will draw conclusions about acid rain’s impact
on plant life. Keeping in mind the results of their experiment, students will make predictions about
how acid rain affects ecosystems in the real world.
14. Discuss the experiment results as a class. Also discuss how students could reduce their carbon
footprint, thereby reducing the amount/acidity of acid rain.
Possible follow-up activities:
 Students could write a letter to the local newspaper or a congressman/woman outlining
their experiment and the negative impact acid rain has on ecosystems. They could include
suggestions about reducing one’s carbon footprint.
 Percents and ratios could be discussed as students examine how the level of acidity in
their concocted “rain” affected each plant differently.
 Students could create an information booth at an earth day conference or share their
findings with younger students.
 Students could develop an experiment that tests how different types of acids with various
pH levels impact plant growth.
REFLECTION:
Overall, the lesson went really well. Due to the experiment’s hands-on nature, all students were
actively involved and engaged during the lesson. However, some groups, especially those with a dominate
leader, needed to be reminded to give all members a chance to label, pour, measure, etc. Prior to teaching
the lesson, I created a sample table on a piece of poster paper. By creating the chart, I provided students
with a model for recording and organizing information. I would highly recommend making and hanging the
chart in the classroom because students frequently referred to the table throughout the duration of the
experiment. If I were to teach this lesson again, I would definitely change the type of plant used in the
experiment. Bean sprouts were too delicate and too small to successfully transfer from the original carton
to the pots used in the experiment. Because some of the sprouts were damaged in the transfer, a few
plants died before the experiment was actually underway. Additionally, I would suggest having students
complete some type of extension activity such as one of the follow-up activities listed above. Students
were extremely excited and motivated by the experiment, and they would definitely benefit from
sharing/publishing their results.