Overview
Students will explore how the quality of water is impacted by human activities and learn about the various scientific components regarding water quality. An activity examining various contaminated water samples will allow students to further process how water becomes contaminated. Finally, they will explore ways they can take action to help decrease the pollution of water in our environments.
Grade Level
8th-12th Grades
Essential questions the lesson will address:
● How is the quality of our water affected by human activities?
● How can our actions decrease the pollution of water in our environment?
Learning Outcomes
Students will be able to:
● Learn what makes water potable.
● Distinguish between types of pollutants and sources.
● Develop alternatives and solutions to problems of water pollution.
● Appreciate the personal actions that can reduce water pollution.
Common Core State Standards (9th Grade)
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.2
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.3
● CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RST.9-10.9
Water Warriors Glossary and Concepts
● Abrasion: a wearing, grinding, or rubbing away by friction (Merriam-Webster)
● Eutrophication: the process by which a body of water becomes enriched in dissolved nutrients (such as phosphates) that stimulate the growth of aquatic plant life usually resulting in the depletion of dissolved oxygen (Merriam-Webster)
● Pathogen: a specific causative agent (such as a bacterium or virus) of disease (Merriam-Webster)
● Pollution: the action or process of making land, water, air, etc., dirty and not safe or suitable to use (Merriam-Webster)
● Pollutant: something that pollutes or contaminates (an environment) especially with man-made waste (Merriam-Webster)
● Remediation: removal of pollution or contaminants from environmental media such as soil, groundwater, sediment, or surface water (Wikipedia)
● Suspended solids: small solid particles which remain in suspension in water as a colloid or due to the motion of the water (Merriam-Webster)
● Water quality: a measure of the suitability of water for a particular use based on selected physical, chemical, and biological characteristics (Merriam-Webster)
● Potable: suitable for drinking (Merriam-Webster)
International Document Reference
● Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR): Article 25
● UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP): Article 29
Formative Assessment Strategies (What will you be looking for in their work, and how?)
The teacher can make note of:
● Student participation during the visualization activity and opening discussion.
● Small group collaboration during the Types of Pollutants activity.
● Class-wide discussion after the activity about alternative solutions.
Materials for Instructor
● Whiteboard, Blackboard, SmartBoard, or Flip Chart
● Water Warriors Glossary Board (Physical or Virtual)
● 8 “contaminated” water samples
● Water Quality and Use handout
● Teacher Guidelines for Contaminated Water Samples worksheet
Materials for Students
● Pollution and Remediation Activity Sheet
● Methods of Pollution Prevention and Remediation Handout
● Water Journal
LESSON PLAN
I. Discussion (15 min.)
Step One. Visualization. (5 min.)
Have students get into a comfortable position and close their eyes. If they are not comfortable closing their eyes, ask them to pick a spot on the floor to gaze at during the visualization. Once the students are settled, explain that you will now guide them through a visualization activity.
Visualization Prompt:
Imagine a water source that’s near you. Maybe it’s a pond that you swim in or a river that you fish in. Maybe it's the reservoir that’s the source of your drinking water. Now, using your imagination, take a moment to experience the water source through your five senses:
● Using your sight, what does the water source look like? What colors are within the water? Are there any animals living in the water source? Fish? Or on the water source? A duck or swan?
● Using your sense of smell, what does the water source smell like? Does it have a fresh, clean smell? Or a fishy kind of smell?
● Using your ears, what sounds do you hear around your water source? Do you hear animals or children playing?
● Using your sense of touch, imagine touching the water source. What does it feel like? Is it cold or hot? Is it slimy or clear?
● Now, with your imagination, just for a moment taste your water source. Is it clean drinking water and tastes great? Or did you just taste your pond which is pungent or your pool which tastes like chlorine?
Ask students to slowly come out of the visualization and re-enter the classroom, eyes wide open. Ask students to share their reflections about the last prompt‒what the water might taste like. Have students share their reflections about whether or not the water would be “clean” enough to drink.
Step Two. Discussion. (10 min.)
Ask the students to now think about and popcorn share aloud how scientists decide if water is “clean.” Write students’ responses on the board as they share. After a few students share, ask them to think about how our use of water is determined by the quality or extent of its “cleanliness.” Have students reflect back on their visualization and whether or not the water source they visualized was “clean.” Have them consider if they would not drink the water from this source, whether or not they would stand or sit in it. Encourage students to share their reflections aloud.
Display the Water Quality and Use worksheet for students to all see. Explain that water may have different quality standards, depending on its use. Water requirements are different for drinking and personal hygiene, fisheries, agriculture (irrigation and livestock supply), navigation for transport of goods, industrial production, cooling in fossil fuel (and later also in nuclear) power plants, hydropower generation, and recreational activities such as bathing or fishing.
Ask students if they can come up with some examples demonstrating how the use of water is determined by its level of quality. Some ideas as displayed in the Water Quality and Use worksheet are listed below:
Pathogens can be present in water used for power and cooling, but not for human consumption.
Suspended solids may be present in use for irrigation, but these solids may cause abrasion issues if used for industrial purposes.
Nitrates can be beneficial in water used for irrigation but can cause problems (eutrophication) in water that is used to support fisheries.
Salts can be present in water used for recreation, but not for human consumption.
II. Types of Pollutants (25 min.)
TAsk students to think about the different types of possible pollutants and brainstorm a list of pollutants. Then have students share their ideas and record the list on the board. Tell students that all of the pollutants they mentioned fit into specific categories which they will explore in the following activity.
Distribute the Pollution and Remediation Activity Sheet. Divide the class into 8 groups. Give each group one of the “contaminated” water bottle samples. They will use the guidelines on the Activity Sheet to determine the following:
The category of the contaminant.
Possible sources of the contaminant.
A scenario as to how this contaminant could have been introduced into the water.
Devise a solution or alternative to your contaminant scenario in order to prevent this from occurring.
After groups complete the activity with one bottle, have them switch bottles with another group so they will be able to work with at least two samples.
III. Reflection (10 min.)
Tell students it is very difficult to reverse the effects of water pollution. Natural processes that cleanse the water can take years, decades, or centuries. Even with costly technological processes, it can take years to remove all of the harmful substances from the water. The most beneficial action that individuals can take is to reduce pollution within their own lives. Have students come up with some ways that they can make that happen in their lives.
After students come up with some ideas, share the Methods of Pollution Prevention and Remediation Handout with students. Challenge them to add to these lists.
A good example of individual action: “Pooper scooper” laws. Have students discuss which type of contamination this prevents.
IV. Homework
Have the students read the following articles about the Flint Water Crisis and copy the following quote into their water journal:
“Emergency managers created this disaster because balanced budgets were more important than people's lives. We are tired of your apologies, Governor Snyder. We want justice.” (Flint activist Nayyirah Shariff in a protest outside Michigan Governor Snyder’s State of the State address)
Articles for further independent reading:
● Ray, Michael. (2021, January 20). Flint water crisis. Encyclopedia Britannica.
Instruct them to write for 5 - 10 minutes, reflecting on the Flint Water Crisis as well as the activities in class today.