9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 1
Testing a Hypothesis--The Black Box Lab
CONCEPTS:
To help each student better understand the process of forming and revising a hypothesis by
observing and indirect means. Students will also practice gathering scientific information, testing
ideas, and problem solving skills.
EQUIPMENT:
Materials for this laboratory exercise are setup for the individual student.
4 black boxes
4 small steel balls
lab work sheet
SUMMARY:
This task will be carried out using four closed black boxes that have partitions inside and a small
steel ball. The students will first for a hypotheses about what they think the inside partition looks
like. Then without seeing or touching the inside of the box, they are supposed to determine the
design of the inside partition by indirect means. As the laboratory progresses, each student will
be changing and modifying their original hypothesis.
SAFETY:
No specific safety considerations are required for this activity.
ACTIVITY 2
Toxicity and Threshold Levels
CONCEPTS:
To provide the students with a better understanding of what toxicity, what toxicology is, and what
a toxic substance is. Students also learn about threshold levels and lifetime ingestion rates.
EQUIPMENT:
Materials for this laboratory exercise are setup for lab groups consisting of three to four
students.
For the class:
1 tube of Tartar Control Crest
Setup for one lab group:
student reading sheets
calculators
Q-tips, 4 per student
tap water
felt tip marker
pencil
student worksheets
metric ruler
five 8oz. plastic cups
2” x 4” sheet of waxed paper
plastic spoon
clean 50mL graduated cylinder
SUMMARY:
These tasks will be accomplished by first reading about toxicity, then doing the activity sheet in
which each student calculates their own lifelong ingestion of toothpaste and then doing an
experiment in which the student determines his/her threshold for a certain type of toothpaste.
SAFETY:
The teacher should review the following with all students taking part in this laboratory exercise.
1. Student should not taste any materials in the lab without permission from the teacher.
2. Students should wash their hands thoroughly before and after this activity.
3. Students should make sure lab glassware, especially the graduated cylinder, is clean
before using.
4. Remind students that they should perform only the procedures described in the student
directions and only under the supervision of the teacher.
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 1 of 7
Environmental Science
9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 3
Study of a Pond Community/Biological Communities
CONCEPTS:
Pond Community Option:
In this investigation students will collect and observe organisms from all areas of a pond
community. They will then draw, count and identify the organisms found in each area.
Each Team will then describe their particular portion of the pond community to the class then
each team will write a description of the pond community as a whole. Each description will
include each organisms niche, trophic level and relationship to other organisms.
Biological Communities Option:
Students identify organisms found in a soil sample and categorize them as producers or
consumers. They list organisms for various community types and determine if these organisms
are producers. Then they look through a soil sample to identify various producers and
consumers.
EQUIPMENT:
Pond Community Option:
Numerous sized collection jars, plant-grappling bar, trowel, dip net, wire-cloth seine, forceps,
marking pencils, plastic bags, manuals for identification, microscopes, stereomicroscopes, hand
lenses, microscope slides, cover slips, dropping pipettes, finger bowls, plankton net
Biological Communities Option:
Soil sample, paper towel/newspaper, spoon
SAFETY:
Care should be taken when handling animals and insects that may bite. Hands should be
washed after either option.
ACTIVITY 4
What is a Food Pyramid?
CONCEPTS:
To help each student better understand the concept of a food chain; more about interactions
within a population; and why “eating lower on the food chain” enables an organism to have more
food available.
EQUIPMENT:
Student worksheet: “What is a Food Pyramid?”, ruler, pencil
SUMMARY:
Students will study and diagram an imaginary food chain, evaluating the size of the components,
the inter-relationships of the components, and then applying this information to a real-life food
chain.
SAFETY:
No specific safety considerations are required for this activity.
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 2 of 7
Environmental Science
9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 5
Owl Pellet Analysis
CONCEPTS:
Identify mammals eaten by the owl. Identify feeding process of owl, understand predator/prey
relationship, and to construct a food web. Use charts to classify and identify prey.
EQUIPMENT:
owl pellets
SUMMARY:
Students dissect an owl pellet to identify mammal skulls and other bones and construct a food
web.
SAFETY:
Care with use of dissecting equipment.
dissection tools
ACTIVITY 6
Population Ecology Exercise
CONCEPTS:
To understand ecosystem stability and its intrinsic relationship of ecosystem components.
Understand flow of energy through the ecosystem.
EQUIPMENT:
habitat boxes
100 yellow beads
100 red mice beads
SUMMARY:
Students model an ecosystem of mice and foxes through several generations, following a set of
rules. They graph the data and form conclusions.
SAFETY:
None
measuring cup
small cups
ACTIVITY 7
How Competition Establishes a Niche! / Finding a Niche In A New Environment
CONCEPTS:
Competition Option:
Demonstrates how competition between species for resources that are in short supply
determines the niche each species will occupy. The analogy of how fast food restaurants
compete for the resource (money) is used.
Finding Niche Option:
Students will interpret the effects of various abiotic factors on life and make a graph to represent
given data. Students will be given a chart detailing the effects of three abiotic factors on the
mortality of an insect and then graph this data and make a critical analysis of the conditions
which would contribute to optimum insect survival.
EQUIPMENT:
Competition Option: Pencil and Lab
Finding Niche Option: Lab sheet, map pencils
SAFETY:
None.
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 3 of 7
Environmental Science
9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 8
Climatogram
CONCEPTS:
To relate climate to the plant and animal communities of different areas by plotting climatograms
of biomes.
EQUIPMENT:
Graph paper with ¼” squares
SUMMARY:
Students will interpret monthly temperature and precipitation averages in 6 biomes and use that
information to construct graphs and draw conclusions about the climates.
SAFETY:
None.
ACTIVITY 9
Oklahoma Grassland Biome
CONCEPTS:
To determine the relationship between precipitation, elevation, and vegetation across the state
of Oklahoma.
EQUIPMENT:
Oklahoma highway map
Oklahoma county map
Oklahoma vegetation map
SUMMARY:
Students will indicate four distinct rainfall regions in Oklahoma, associate the rainfall amounts
with Oklahoma’s 3 prairie types, and determine the connection between rainfall and elevation in
Oklahoma.
SAFETY:
None
rainfall/elevation fact sheet
markers & pencils (yellow, red, green)
ruler
ACTIVITY 10
It’s a Small World After All
CONCEPTS:
To help each student better understand that our Earth has a limited amount of usable/livable
land on which humans, most animals and plant life can live.
EQUIPMENT:
1 medium sized apple for each student
1 potato peeler (the potato peeler can be shared between 2 students)
1 sharp paring knife (the knife can be shared between 2 students)
2 napkins or 2 paper towels for each student
2 sheets of graph paper
SUMMARY:
Activity uses an apple to represent our planet. Each student will cut and peel their apple in a
process of five steps. At each step the students stop and answer questions to help them to
draw parallels between their apple and our Earth.
SAFETY:
Students will be handling and eating their apples, for these reasons all students should wash
and dry their hands and their apple before starting this activity. The instructor should review the
basic safety precautions needed for proper handling of both the peeler and the knives. The use
of safety goggles or glasses is advised.
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 4 of 7
Environmental Science
9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 11
Keep the Heat
CONCEPTS:
To understand how insulation works to prevent heat energy transfer.
To understand the meaning of “R-value”.
To appreciate the value of insulation.
EQUIPMENT:
4 coffee cans with prepared plastic lids (insulated testers)
4 thermometers
4 sup cans to fit inside coffee cans
graduated cylinder or graduated beaker
various insulating materials—sand, shredded newspaper sawdust,
socks, styrofoam, construction insulation, etc.
SUMMARY:
Students will study the effects of various insulation materials and draw conclusions about the
characteristics of a good insulator. Students will further evaluate the environmental implications
of reducing heating and air conditioning use and practical ways they can reduce energy
consumption.
SAFETY:
Use caution in heating up and transferring hot water.
ACTIVITY 12
Energy Audit
CONCEPTS:
To help students analyze the amount of electrical energy used in their home and to identify ways
to reduce electrical energy use in daily life. Students learn how saving electrical energy reduces
air pollution.
EQUIPMENT:
2 worksheets
compass or protractor
colored pencils
calculator
6 month of old electric bills
SUMMARY:
Students determine average number of kilowatt-hours of electricity their family uses by reading
6 months of electric bills and calculating monthly average. Students conduct home energy audit
to determine where energy is used and graph results of audit to show appliances using the most
energy. Plan is devised for household to reduce usage 15%. Students calculate amount of CO2
generated by their household use and compare it to amount generated with 15% conservation.
SAFETY:
None
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 5 of 7
Environmental Science
9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 13
Why Are Some Soils & Lakes Damaged by Acid Rain?
CONCEPTS:
To analyze the effects of calcium carbonate in protecting soils and lakes from acid rain.
EQUIPMENT:
soil sample
water
4 vials
calcium carbonate
SUMMARY:
Students will make soil and water samples acidic and then dissolve calcium carbonate into the
samples to test for neutralization. From their observations, students will make inferences about
the effects of calcium carbonate on areas receiving acid rain.
SAFETY:
Care in use of knife, be sure to wear goggles/lab apron, keep all chemicals away from face, and
handle glassware with care.
lemon juice (or vinegar)
blue litmus paper
graduated cylinder
tablespoon
ACTIVITY 14
Parts of an Aquifer and Recharge Zone
CONCEPTS:
Use a 2-liter soda bottle to model concepts related to ground water, aquifers, and hydrology.
EQUIPMENT:
(water, 50 pounds of dry play sand per class, collection bottle, 2 2-liter clear bottles with formed
bottoms, plastic film canister, metric ruler, permanent marker, scissors, water-based marker,
food coloring)
Aquifer Model:
sand
marked collection bottle/model bottle
water
food dye
paper
large beaker to hold model bottle before assembled to collection bottle
small piece of screen
Recharge Zone Model:
marked model and collection bottles
sand
food dye
water
plastic film canister with bottom cut off
paper
SUMMARY:
Students will use capillary action to create an aquifer and study how water flows into the ground
to become ground water through a recharge system.
SAFETY:
Do not use construction sand, as it can harbor infectious disease.
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 6 of 7
Environmental Science
9-12 SCHOOLS
Environmental Science
Core Lab Summaries
Revised Summer 2001
ACTIVITY 15
Soil Compaction
CONCEPTS:
To determine the porosity of soil samples and relate porosity to soil vulnerability to compaction.
EQUIPMENT:
2 soil samples
water
beaker to hold/pour water
SUMMARY:
Students will take at least two different soil types and determine which soil type will hold the
most water – have the greatest porosity. Students will be able to determine which soil then has
the greatest porosity and draw conclusions about the type of soil that is more easily and likely to
become compacted (the soil with the least porosity).
SAFETY:
Safety with glass; wash hands following lab to remove soil contaminants.
2 small beakers or vials
balance
ACTIVITY 16
Energy and Nutrients as Water Pollutants
CONCEPTS:
Understand how energy production and waste material can cause or add to water pollution.
Understand function of BOD and how oxygen concentration varies with temperature.
EQUIPMENT:
500 mL beaker
marking pencil
clock
four 20 mL test tubes
test tube rack
yeast
methylene blue
three 100 mL beakers
10 mL graduated cylinder
hot plate
stirring rod
milk
thermometer
SUMMARY:
Students will use a methylene blue indicator to study the effects of placing yeast into an
enriched nutrient environment and an environment with elevated temperature. The students will
relate the availability of oxygen to these changes in the environment and the overall impact on
living organisms.
SAFETY:
Hot plate is extremely hot. Methylene blue is toxic and stains skin and clothing.
Science Curriculum: November, 2001
Lab Summaries: Page 7 of 7
Environmental Science