Big Idea: Environment Protection
Purpose/Big Idea
The purpose of this activity is
to help students be aware that the
protection of our environment is important for human health. As the
human population increases, the environmental problems increase such as more garbage
around us, more pollution, more disasters, and so forth. Over time, we become
more aware of trying to protect the environment. Protecting the environment
ensures our own longevity, our good health, and a healthy environment all
around us.The ability to breathe
clean air, to have a wholesome supply of drinking water and to be protected
against the harmful effects of things like waste are essential to our
well-being. Human beings consciously protect and reasonably make use of
natural resources and prevent natural environment from pollution, because we
are totally dependent on the natural environment. In order to learn how
to protect the environment, we divided our lesson into four sub-categories: 1)
Air Pollution, 2) Water Pollution, 3) Pesticides, and 4) Recycling. In each lesson,
we provide important websites associated with each environmental problem and
also provide an activity for each sub-category.
Water Pollution
Background information
We
cannot live without water. It is part of our lives. We need to drink water to
stay alive. We need water for cooking, planting, and bathing. We eat fruits and
vegetables. They all come from plants that can survive with the help of water.
Everything living in this world depends upon water. This shows that water is a
very important element we need to live. Nowadays, we use shortcuts to do
everything. People sometimes throw garbage into water. Factories dispose their
wastes into the bodies of water around them. This makes the water dirty and
maybe harmful. If clean
water is destroyed, life is going to be much worse on the Earth. In this lesson, students will
find out information about how to protect water pollution. Students will have
an opportunity to search for the causes, treatment, prevention, and effect of
water pollution.
The causes of water pollution
Water Pollution Guide: This
website provides useful information about the sources of water pollution and
how they can be treated.
Environmental Pollution Center: This
website is designed to communicate the most updated and acute environmental
problems and risks as they may appear to you in everyday life.
Grinning Planet: This website
provides a variety of cartoons and great information about health, energy, and
environmental issues.
Treatment of water pollution
Water Pollution Guide: This
website provides useful information about the sources of water pollution and
how they can be treated.
Environment and Heritage: The
Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) and the Environment Protection
Authority (EPA) support the Premier, the Minister for the Environment and the
Minister for Heritage in performing their executive and statutory functions. OEH
develops and leads policy, reform and education in sustainability, biodiversity
and native vegetation, coastal protection and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
Prevention of water pollution
EPA: United States Environmental Protection Agency: As for environmental
pollution, EPA provides a variety of federal research, monitoring,
standard-setting and enforcement activities to ensure environmental protection.
Since its inception, EPA has been working for a cleaner, healthier environment
for the American people.
Environment Agency: The
purpose of this website is to protect and improve the environment and to promote
sustainable development.
Effect of water pollution
Girlshealth. Gov:
This website focuses on health topics that girls are concerned about and
provides reliable, useful information on the health issues they will face.
Lovetoknow:
This website has a growing community of over 6 Million women looking for expert
advice on over 80 topics, including human health effects, overall ecological
risks, and water pollution impacts.
National Geographic:
This website provides free maps, photos, videos and daily news stories, as well
as articles and features about animals, the environment, cultures, history, etc
Activities
Common Core Standard
Reading
Standards for Literacy in Science and Technical Subjects 6–8
Integration of Knowledge and Ideas
9. Compare and contrast the information
gained from experiments, simulations, video, or multimedia sources with that
gained from reading a text on the same topic.
In order to see this video, Adobe Flash will be needed. By doing this interactive activity, students
will understand how water is treated and delivered to their home or school as
water that is safe to drink. In addition, students will learn how to protect the
nation’s sources of drinking water. This
video can be viewed in English and Spanish.
Common Core Standard
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Grade 6
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Grade 7
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Grade8
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Mathematics
Ratios and Proportional Relationships
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3. Use ratio and rate reasoning to solve
real-world and mathematical
problems, e.g., by reasoning about tables
of equivalent ratios, tape diagrams, double number line diagrams, or
equations.
d. Use ratio reasoning to convert measurement units; manipulate and
transform units appropriately when multiplying or dividing
quantities.
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2. Recognize and represent proportional
relationships betweenquantities.
c. Represent proportional relationships by equations. For example, if total cost t is
proportional to the number n of items purchased at
a constant price p, the relationship
between the total cost and the
number of items can be expressed as t
= pn.
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Speaking
and Listening
Presentation of Knowledge and Ideas
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5. Include multimedia components (e.g., graphics,
images, music, sound) and visual displays in
presentations to clarify information
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5. Include multimedia components and visual
displays in presentations to clarify claims and
findings and emphasize salient points.
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5. Integrate multimedia and visual displays into
presentations to clarify information, strengthen
claims and evidence, and add interest.
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Reading
Key Ideas and Details
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1. Cite textual evidence to support
analysis of what
the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn
from the text.
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1. Cite several pieces of textual evidence
to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as
inferences drawn from the text.
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1. Cite the textual evidence that most
strongly supports an analysis of what the text says explicitly
as well as inferences drawn from the text.
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The activities in Water Watchers help students to
learn how monetary value is applied to a family’s water service by examining a typical
water bill and by designing a conservation slogan and bumper sticker, students
express water’s value to the community.
