Environmental Science Unit

Pflex 2011-2012

Action to Oil Spills

Background• An oil spill is an accidental

release of liquid petroleum hydrocarbons (usually during transportation of oil) into the environment. Oil spills usually refer to the release of oils into water, but of course an oil spill can take place on land as well. While spills can take place quickly, as when a ship sinks, or a leak occurs in a pipeline, the cleanup can be a long term project. And, the longer the oil sits in the water, the greater the impact on the environment.

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Guiding Questions• What are some human-

caused devastation to the environment?

• How are those accidents fixed? How long do you think the environment takes to repair?

• How do we make the best judgment for containing and/ or cleaning an area that is contaminated?

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Task• Work with your team to design a system to

clean-up after an oil spill! – develop a two tiered plan: first, to contain

the oil and second, to remove it. – select any item or combination of items that

have been provided as your tools. – describe your plan in writing and with an

illustration. You will present your plan to the class.

• After all adjustments have been made, your team will execute the clean-up system step-by-step as described in your plan.

• Finally, your team will complete an evaluation/reflection worksheet, and present your findings to the class.

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Disease Detectives

BackgroundInfectious diseases are caused by microbes that

spread. The reason for most sick days for both kids and teachers is an infectious disease. There are many, from the common cold, ear infections, tonsillitis, and the flu (influenza) to pneumonia and mononucleosis. Infectious diseases are caused by microbes—organisms too small to be visible to the naked eye. The most common infectious disease-causing microbes are bacteria, viruses, fungi, and protozoa (a type of parasite). The diseases may be passed from person to person (for example, if someone coughs or sneezes on another person). Sometimes, the disease is passed through another medium, for example, by drinking water or eating food infected with bacteria.

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Guiding Questions• What is epidemiology?• What is your experience with

infectious diseases?• How are infectious diseases

connected to our environment?• How do infectious diseases

impact society?• In what ways can public health

information be important to society?

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Task• Your task as a disease detective:

– Investigate diseases in your family

– Become familiar with the Epidemiological Triangle to help you analyze diseases

– Research an agent, host and environment

– Present your findings and discuss with your fellow detectives

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Climate Change = Animal Adaptation

Background• Numerous studies on animal

adaptation have been carried out since before Darwin and the finches in the Galapagos Islands. Although Darwin was hoping to prove his theory of survival of the fittest, most scientists have focused on how different species adapt or mutate based on the needs of their environment.

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Guiding Questions• What is adaptation?• What are some examples of

adapting?• Does a change in climate

result in adaptations for other forms of life? How? Why?

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Task• Why are beaks shaped

differently?• What is adaptation and

how does it apply to bird beaks?

Then…• Simulate how different

beaks work and collect data about their success

• Discuss your beliefs about Darwin’s theories

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Give the Endangered Species a Voice

Background• The 21st century offers many

avenues to create a “voice” about subjects we are passionate about. Endangered species is something that is in a constant state of emergency and in need of solutions and support. With the internet full of information, how do we create a website that is enticing to viewers and speaks to our cause?

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Guiding Questions• What is an endangered specie?• How does a specie become

endangered? How could the problems of a specie become part of the solution?

• What makes you interested in a particular subject, toy, game, animal, etc? In what ways can we make an audience interested in a subject? How can we utilize that on a webpage?

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Task• Analyze ThinkQuest’s

Mission: Endangered Species website– Discuss what you found,

what worked, how the material was presented

• Choose an endangered species.

• Plan a website to advocate for the species using a story board.

• If time allows, produce your website

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I Can’t Breathe!

Background• Air pollution is the introduction of

chemicals, particulate matter, or biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment, into the atmosphere. The atmosphere is a complex dynamic natural gaseous system that is essential to support life on planet Earth. Stratospheric ozone depletion due to air pollution has long been recognized as a threat to human health as well as to the Earth's ecosystems. Indoor air pollution and urban air quality are listed as two of the world's worst pollution problems.

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Guiding Questions• What is air pollution?• How do you feel about it?• Does air pollution affect your

health or the way you feel?• Are there diseases that are

caused by air pollution?• What are some causes or sources

of air pollution?• What is the AQI and why is it

important?

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Task• What are some causes

or sources of air pollution?

• What do you think the Air Quality Index used for?

• Visit Smog City to learn more about AQI.

• Research AQI in your area and inform others using one of the project choices.

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Healthy Soil, Healthy Land

BackgroundSoil contamination is the source of unhealthy

environments. This type of contamination typically arises from the corrosion of underground storage tanks (including piping), application of pesticides, percolation of contaminated surface water to subsurface strata, oil and fuel dumping, disposal of coal ash, leaking of wastes from landfills or direct discharge of industrial wastes to the soil.

The concern over soil contamination stems primarily from health risks, from direct contact with the contaminated soil, vapors from the contaminants, and from secondary contamination of water supplies within and underlying the soil. Mapping of contaminated soil sites and the resulting cleanup are time consuming and expensive tasks, requiring extensive amounts of geology, hydrology, chemistry, computer modeling skills, and GIS in Environmental Contamination, as well as an appreciation of the history of industrial chemistry.

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Guiding Questions• What is soil contamination?• In what ways can the soil become

polluted?• How will the environment react

to the contamination? How can the contamination be resolved?

• What are some preventative measures that can be put into place to avoid soil contamination?

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Task• Discuss:

– Do you think you have a personal responsibility to help keep our local environment healthy? If not, whose responsibility is it?

– Is our local environment healthy? • Brainstorm ways that

contaminated land and soil affect plants, animals, and humans.

• Continue your learning through staging a debate, creating a documentary, or building a model.

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References• www.thinkquest.org• scorecard.goodguide.com/• Earth911.com• www.learningtogive.org• www.used-robots.com/robot-education.php?page=robots+environm

ent• http://www.robotics.org/content-detail.cfm/Industrial-Robotics-Feat

ured-Articles/Chemical-and-Hazardous-Material-Handling-Robotics/content_id/614

• http://www.smogcity2.org/smogcity.cfm?preset=none• www.airnow.gov• http://www.vtaide.com/png/bird-adaptations3.htm• http://www.bam.gov/sub_diseases/index.html• http://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/avia

nflu/• http://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/chic

kenpox/• http://www.brainpop.com/health/diseasesinjuriesandconditions/viru

ses/• http://www.cdc.gov/chickenpox/• http://www.cdc.gov/meningitis/index.html• http://www.cdc.gov/flu/

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