A Collaborative Effort
Title: Introduction to Water Pollution
Class: Environmental Science
Grade: 11-12
Timeframe: 1 Double-blocked period, 47 minutes each (96 minutes total)
Knowledge Gap Topic
Source of water pollution and types of water treatment
Subject Matter/
Key Vocabulary
This lesson is designed to educate students on water pollution and
sources of contamination. Key vocabulary for this lesson is nonpointsource pollution, point-source pollution, wastewater, water pollution,
biological magnification, eutrophication, artificial eutrophication, and
pathogens.
Essential question #2: How human activities influence streams?
Essential Question/
Over-Arching Concept/
Key Understanding
Curriculum Connections
 OGT standards
 Local standards
Instructional Objectives
Materials
Life Science Standards (11-12), Benchmark B
Explain how humans are connected to and impact natural systems.
Life Science Standards (11-12), Benchmark E
Explain the interconnectedness of the components of a natural system.
Life Science Standards (11-12), Benchmark F
Explain how human choices today will affect the quality and quantity of life
on earth.
O1) Students will compare point-source and nonpoint-source pollution
O2) Students will classify common types of pollutants
O3) Students will recognize ways that humans are polluting our waterways
O4) Students will identify cause and effect relationships between landbased activities and water-related changes
Power point presentation
Copy of notes for students
Large sheet of paper (1 per class)
Marker
Additional Documents
Water Pollution Power point
Introduction
 focus event
 varies with teacher
Development
 major parts of unit/
lesson
Rigor/Relevance Quadrant(s)
 link to rigor/relevance
document
The lesson would first be introduced after lesson #1 of the water quality
unit. The lesson would serve to introduce the concept of water quality vs.
water quantity from lesson #1. Students are asked to list properties of
polluted water (i.e. smell, appearance, clarity, etc). This is to engage
students in the concept of water quality and causes of contamination.
The questions written in purple are to stimulate class discussions through
a think-pair-share format. Students would first jot down their thoughts on
the questions then would share their responses with partner. After
responses are shared, the partner groups would volunteer to share their
ideas with the class which the teacher would record on the large sheet of
paper at the front of the room.
A: Students focus on introduction of material and learning key vocabulary.
B: NA
C: Throughout the lesson, students are asked to contemplate how water is
cleaned for human use and also students are expected to link prior
learning about biological magnification in food chains with water
contamination
D: NA
Designing Watershed-based Education and Extension Efforts through a Mental Models Research Approach
USDA-CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Program
Product/Artifacts/Student
Evidence of Understanding
Accommodations
 plan B
 differentiated instruction
Formative
Assessment/Feedback
 measure of progress
Final Evaluation
 project rubric
 oral or paper quiz/test
 portfolio
Teacher Reflection
 complete after lesson
Student responses to the questions asked will be formative assessments
of their current understanding. A summative assessment will be given in
the form of a newsletter assignment and a final exam.
This class is a collaborative class with many lower level students who
struggle in areas of reading, writing and organization. Because of the
demographic, student notes were provided so students could focus only
on the subject matter and not writing or organizing their thoughts. In a
higher level class or an AP class, the teacher may wish to have the
students research responses to key questions through an independent
study.
Progress is evaluated through student questions about the material and
student responses to teacher questions. The depth of questions and
responses will indicate if the student has understanding.
At the end of the unit, students will be asked to write a water newsletter to
share the information they have acquired, with their parents and teachers.
Water Newsletter
The assessment piece of the lesson did not produce the results I was
hoping to achieve. The students would likely have done better on a written
test or quiz over the material. The newsletters were not up to the standard
that these students could achieve. It may have been that the assignment
was too close to the end of the year that they did not take it seriously. The
notes portion of the lesson went very well and students asked probing
questions about water quality. Student responses were more in-depth
than either of the teachers (myself and the collaborative teacher) had seen
from this class to this point. Student questions asked in class for lesson
#2
Designers/Email: knights@gjps.org
Additional Comments:
Designing Watershed-based Education and Extension Efforts through a Mental Models Research Approach
USDA-CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Program
Create Your Own
Newspaper Assignment
Directions: Create a newspaper to inform others about what you have been learning in
class about water quality. All portions of the newspaper must relate to water quality.
The newspaper must meet the requirements listed below and is due on
___________________________.
You will be graded using the following criteria:
 Formato Must be two pages (1 page front & back) using 12 pt font or smaller(headings may be 16 pt. and the main title may be up to 40 pt font) _____/3
pts
o Must look like a newspaper (headings, captions, columns, etc)_____/2pts
 Pictureso Must contain a minimum of 5 pictures, one picture must be from our trips to
the creek or a picture of you at a local (Gahanna) waterway (1pt. each
picture, up to 5)________/5 pts
 Grammar- 1 point will be deducted for each error up to 5 points _____/5pts
o Contains no spelling errors
o Contains no grammatical errors
o Contains no punctuation errors
 Creek Test Summary and Resultso Must include descriptions and results of at least 5 creek tests that were done
in class
o Tests may include: turbidity, nitrates, phosphates, temperature, stream flow,
stream depth, dissolved oxygen, macroinvertebrates in each taxa found, etc)
(1pt. for each test description/result, up to 5) _______/5pts
Designing Watershed-based Education and Extension Efforts through a Mental Models Research Approach
USDA-CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Program
Choose three of the following options to include in your newspaper:
o Debate summary and highlights of each side’s arguments
o Advertisement for a water-related product or service
o Advice column including at least 2 questions and responses about water issues
(in the style of Dear Abby)
o Cartoon depicting water quality issue with a “reader’s reaction” to the cartoon
(to show your understanding of the cartoon’s meaning)
o Weather forecast related to water cycle
o Letters to the editor voicing opposition or support of a water issue (think about
debates)
 Choice #1-____________/5
o Shows clear understanding of the issue ____/2 pts
o Relevancy of choice to water unit’s I Cans _____/2 pts
o Creativity of presentation of your choice _____/1 pt
 Choice #2-____________/5
o Shows clear understanding of the issue ____/2 pts
o Relevancy of choice to water unit’s I Cans _____/2 pts
o Creativity of presentation of your choice _____/1 pt
 Choice #3-____________/5
o Shows clear understanding of the issue ____/2 pts
o Relevancy of choice to water unit’s I Cans _____/2 pts
o Creativity of presentation of your choice _____/1 pt
Designing Watershed-based Education and Extension Efforts through a Mental Models Research Approach
USDA-CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Program
Student questions about water pollution
1. Why can’t we just clean the water in poor countries to make it safe for everyone?
2. How is wastewater really different from drinking water?
3. How is drinking water purified?
4. Does the water in the toilet get treated and become drinking water?
5. What if you pee (urinate) in the shower? Does that get cleaned before being reused?
6. Can’t eagles and other birds taste that fish are contaminated and not eat them?
7. Aren’t there laws that protect waterways?
8. Should the government step in and say that people should not use certain fertilizers and pesticides?
Designing Watershed-based Education and Extension Efforts through a Mental Models Research Approach
USDA-CSREES National Integrated Water Quality Program