Pollution Solutions Challenge – Page 1
Pollution Solutions Challenge
Storm Drain Awareness Extension Activity Lesson Plan
Summary of Activity: In small teams and using HVA’s storm drain models, students brainstorm
solutions to the non-point source pollution problem and use provided materials to represent
their solution designs. Each team shares their designs with the other students. Through the
powerpoint presentation about Low Impact Development practices that are being employed
around the nation (and world) to reduce the stormwater pollution problem. Rain gardens on
North Street, right in their backyard is one example. Most often the students’ solutions are
similar to the engineers solutions and the ones being employed.
Concept/ Topic to Teach: Engineered Solutions termed Low Impact Development are used to
reduce storm water runoff and its associated pollution.
Standards:
Discipline: English and Language Arts
Strand: Language
Topic: Vocabulary and Concept 4.9, 4.10. and 4.13. Discussion, Grades 3-4: 1.2
Discipline: Science and Technology
Strand: Earth and Space
Topic: Soil 5. Earth’s History, Grades 3-5: 12. The Water Cycle 10
Grade: 3 - 6
Time Required: 45 minutes
General Goal: In small teams, students brainstorm solutions to the non-point source pollution
problem and use provided materials to represent their solution designs. Teams share their
solutions. For younger students one model could be used and the whole class participates.
Housatonic Valley Association
1383 Pleasant Street
South Lee, MA 01260
413-394-9796
mass@hvatoday.org
Funding for this lesson bin was provided
by the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation
Pollution Solutions Challenge – Page 2
Specific Goal: Students realize that Engineers are designing and testing solutions to the
stormwater problem and many communities in the nation are implementing solutions, or what
is often referred to as Low Impact Development practices.
Vocabulary: stormwater runoff, Low Impact Development, Rain Gardens,
Required Materials:
 HVA Storm Drain Models
 Pretend Pollutants
 A variety of materials students can use to represent their solutions
o Fiber – fill
o Modeling clay
o Black plastic
o Aluminum foil
o Cotton wool balls
o Sponges
o “Scrubbies”
Step-by-Step Procedure:
1. Stop the SDA presentation before the second part of the powerpoint is shown.
2. Clean the models
3. Review the results of the demonstration with the sod and concrete. Remind how
vegetation and soil absorb stormwater runoff where impervious surfaces don’t. Suggest
that they keep that concept in mind as they work on solutions.
4. Divide students into teams and provide each team with a storm drain model
5. Students reapply each of the pretend pollutants to their model. Review the pollutants, if
time has lapsed since the storm drain awareness lesson
6. Set the stage: The students become engineers, landscape architects and city planners.
EPA has mandated that they reduce the volume of stormwater and the amount of
pollutants entering the river. How will they do this? They have 10 minutes to brainstorm
ways to prevent pollution going down the drain with the following guidelines:
a. Streets can’t flood due to their solutions
b. Width of streets and size of parking lots cannot be reduced
Housatonic Valley Association
1383 Pleasant Street
South Lee, MA 01260
413-394-9796
mass@hvatoday.org
Funding for this lesson bin was provided
by the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation
Pollution Solutions Challenge – Page 3
c. Traffic flow cannot be impeded
d. Solutions need to happen before the stormwater reaches the storm drain!
e. Brainstormed designed solutions are acceptable, but also are solutions that
involve education.
7. Provide students with the materials included. The materials can be bagged so that each
team has a similar quantity of each material. Explain that each material can be used to
represent solutions in the model.
a. Fiber-fill might be vegetation – shrubs, trees, perennials. Vegetation allows for
greater infiltration than grassy areas.
b. Modelling clay could be used as a fence or molded into something.
c. “Scrubbies” and sponges absorb and trap material - they can represent
materials that increase absorption
8. Provide students with a set amount of time (8 – 10 minutes) to brainstorm and add to
the models – use a stopwatch to keep time. This online-stopwatch can be used for the
whole class to see.
9. Visit the different groups and see how they are doing. Provide suggestions along the
way.
10. Have each of the groups share their solutions. As each group presents, if there are
similar solutions, have them share any new additional ideas they came up with.
11. After each group presents, invite the students to rain on just their model and see if their
solutions helped make a difference. (Often what they have done does reduce the
quantity of pollutants entering the river. You can take a sample of the “river water”
from the Storm Drain Awareness lesson and compare it to a sample of “river water”
from the models with the pollution prevention solutions in place. )
12. Show Part II of the Storm Drain Awareness Presentation and invite students to consider
if any of their solutions match the engineering solutions that are being implemented
today.
13. Encourage them to take a closer look at the rain gardens on North Street and share their
knowledge about these rain gardens with their fellow friends and relatives.
Housatonic Valley Association
1383 Pleasant Street
South Lee, MA 01260
413-394-9796
mass@hvatoday.org
Funding for this lesson bin was provided
by the Dr. Robert C. and Tina Sohn Foundation