Seattle Public Schools, Middle School Science
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions & Pollution (SEPUP) Curriculum Workshop
Activity 11: Finding Solutions to Stormwater Pollution: Culminating Activity
(3 class sessions)
(http://vimeo.com/51603152)
WA STATE 6-8 SCIENCE STANDARDS
INQC Interpret Data from an Investigation
INQD (1)(2)(3) Analyze an Investigation
INQE (2) Models
INQF(1) Conclusions form Data
OBJECTIVES
Students will:
 Observe “Drained: Urban Stormwater Pollution” video (approx. 8 minutes) with students

Analyze the stormwater pollution investigation described in the video in order to identify evidence for the effectiveness of rain gardens in mitigating stormwater runoff pollution

Will practice describing a plan to answer a question for a controlled experiment and a plan for a model or simulation

Will practice identifying the variables in an investigation and interpreting data from an investigation

Will describe how a model or simulation is similar to an object and a system or process being modeled

Generate a scientific conclusion based on the data collected in an investigation
MATERIALS
 Video: “
Drained: Urban Stormwater Pollution
” http://vimeo.com/51603152

View the first part of the video, stopping prior to the segment describing the investigation on stormwater pollution and rain gardens at the WSU stormwater research center.

Refer to your classroom (ongoing) summary table with students to review what they have learned about the science of stormwater pollution in Puget Sound.


Show the next segment of the video. Ask students to do a Think –Pair-Share about the investigation
Rewind and watch the second segment again then have students complete the investigation analysis sheet.

Seattle Public Schools, Middle School Science
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions & Pollution (SEPUP) Curriculum Workshop
Activity 11: Finding Solutions to Stormwater Pollution: Culminating Activity

Help students draw connections between the field study percolation investigation and the stormwater research scientists’ investigation. How can they apply this to the problem of stormwater runoff?

Have students complete the analysis item (Part 1: Student Sheet) based on the stormwater
WA STATE 6-8 SCIENCE STANDARDS
APP
OBJECTIVES
Students will:
Apply what they have learned from previous activities in the unit to designging a filtration system to remove as many pollutants as possible form a smape of stormwater
MATERIALS
 pH, Nitrate, and Phosphate test skits

2 liter soda bottles or large funnel

1 large bag each sand, gravel, and compost

liquid plant food (for nitrate and phosphate contamination)

HCl (for pH contamination), dishwashing or laundry detergent

2 gallon bucket
Prepare at least 5 liters of simulated stormwater water for each class. Add debris like potting soil, sticks, and leaves that can easily be filtered out. A few drops of dishwashing or laundry detergent can also be added to give some foam to the mix to represent what might go down the storm drain after car washing.
Per Liter of water add the following:
Simulated Pollutant
5 mL 24-8-16 fertilizer
Actual Pollutant Represented
Lawn & Garden products
( Miracle Grow All Purpose Plant Food )
1 mL dishwashing detergent Car washing
10 mL vegetable oil Oil leaks from cars
100 mL dirt Dirt/Sediment from yards and streets
Bits of paper, twigs, leaves, etc. Litter
HCl (hydrochloric acid from kit) Toxic chemicals from multiple sources

Seattle Public Schools, Middle School Science
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions & Pollution (SEPUP) Curriculum Workshop
Activity 11: Finding Solutions to Stormwater Pollution: Culminating Activity
Overview:
In Part 1 of this lesson, students watched a video that illustrated an investigation done by the WSU
Stormwater Research to model the effect of rain gardens on pollution in a sample of stormwater runoff.
From this investigation, they learned that stormwater runoff from a highway is lethally toxic for small organisms however, if the same stormwater runoff is first filtered through a column of soil, it is no longer lethal. From this, students can infer that soil treats or cleans the water in some way to make it less toxic.
Students then complete the Student Reading: Rain Gardens.
In Part 2, students will be presented with a simulated sample of polluted stormwater runoff. Students will apply the evidence they have gathered from readings and the previous unit activities ( in particular, the field study investigation, the soils reading, the rain garden reading design and the analysis of the stormwater experiment in the “Drained” video a soil column) to designing a soil filter that can remove pollutants from the sample.
Following the design and the testing, students determine which groups developed the most successful soil filters and analyze the composition of the filters (ratio of sand to compost)? What recommendations can students make for designing a rain garden on their school grounds to filter water that runs off the roof and the parking lots?
Explore and Investigate
Focus Question: What is the best design for a soil filtration system to clean storm water runoff before it enters the streams, lakes, and Puget Sound?
1.
Tell students that today they are designing a filtration system that could treat stormwater. Based on what we have learned so far: a.
What might be in the storm water? b.
How are these materials getting into the storm water? c.
Are there ways that these can be removed? d.
If a chemical is dissolved can it be removed? (they have observed that a paper filter is unable ot remove dissolved NaCl or KoolAid but is it possible that a different filtration method might be more effective? e.
Share how the “dirty water” was created.
2.
Introduce students to the materials they will be able to use. Students will then work in groups to design a filtration system to treat storm water runoff. You will provide a sample of “storm water” for them to use to test the efficacy of their filter. Use a similar data table as the one below and the class data sheet provided.

Seattle Public Schools, Middle School Science
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions & Pollution (SEPUP) Curriculum Workshop
Activity 11: Finding Solutions to Stormwater Pollution: Culminating Activity
Explain and Reflect
1.
Have students calculate class averages for the 3 items tested. Remember since pH is a log scale students should just find median or mode for that parameter.
2.
Have students compare their data with each other to determine what method was most successful.
3.
Have students write a summary for their water quality investigations including:

Citing their actual data

Comparison of their data to water quality standards

Discuss how they could improve their system if they had time to redesign

What are the limitations of their design?
4.
Lead students in a discussion. Sample questions below:
 Were your results similar or different from other groups’ results?
 What “ingredient” in your filtration system do you think made the biggest difference?

What does this mean for the health of Puget Sound?

How could this be adapted in the “real world”?

Based on the storm drainage map of Seattle, what parts of the city would benefit most from your filtering system?

Seattle Public Schools, Middle School Science
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions & Pollution (SEPUP) Curriculum Workshop
Activity 11: Finding Solutions to Stormwater Pollution

Seattle Public Schools, Middle School Science
Investigating Wastewater: Solutions & Pollution (SEPUP) Curriculum Workshop
Activity 11: Finding Solutions to Stormwater Pollution