Introduction |
| Concept Map |
| Project Calendar |
| Lesson Plans |
Letter to Parents |
| Assessments |
| Resources |
Modifications |
| Grant |
Abstract
“
Again, the purpose of this unit is to encourage
students to research the problem that pollution generates, investigate
immediate solutions, and propose a plan of action to the community to
fight pollution and promise a cleaner
Rationale
“
from automobiles
per person, according to a report released by TexPIRG,
a non-profit
public interest advocacy group”
(http://www.dailytexanonline.com)
Air pollution is a strong concern among Austinites
due to the potential hazards presented to human health and biodiversity
in our city. Also, ozone days
are issued more and more often by The
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality (http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/index.html) as a consequence of increasing pollutants. Immediate action from
the community needs to take place to preserve
To address this issue, students will participate
in a six-week unit that contains major aspects of pollution such as
car and factory emissions and their immediate consequences in our society. Students will be presented with inquiry lessons
to learn about the chemistry that affects the ecosystem due to pollution,
including behavior of gases, acids and bases, pH, and buffers. Furthermore, students will be able to design
a project to investigate sources of pollution, collect data, and propose
a solution to be implemented in the community. Students will ultimately
present their work to their immediate community in a small science afternoon
session where everyone is invited to support these students
ideas.
Taking action against pollution is not an option.
The interest from young students promises a cleaner
Description
This six-week project is divided into four sections
that touch the key aspects that will help students understand the chemistry
behind pollution. Students will have to have a general background of
simple chemistry concepts such as determining concentrations and being
able to recognize most common elements in the periodic table. These
four sections are also going to introduce students with the technology
necessary to collect data and interpret it.
First of all, students will be introduced to the
behavior of gases when fluctuations in temperature and pressure take
place. This portion will give students an insight of the effects in
the behavior of atmospheric gases due to global warming. Secondly, students
will be introduced to the concepts of acids and bases. They will further
understand how these play a role in pollution such as the formation
of acid rain. Students will be able utilize the notion of pH, and the
correspondent equipment, as a tool that will help them measure the acidity
or basicity concentrations of affected habitats such as a lake or soil.
Finally, students will learn about buffers, which are solutions that
counteract fluctuations of pH from external sources i.e. acid rain falling
on a lake. They will investigate the different natural buffers that
help out with this problem. These three units are going to be interconnected
to the most important unit of this six-week project, students doing
science.
Students will be given the opportunity throughout
the six weeks to select an aspect of pollution that they will like to
investigate around their community. Such aspects may include water,
soil, and air pollution, effects on species living in
Students will not only have the opportunity to
express their results and improvement suggestions to the teacher, but
they will also hold a science afternoon meeting where they expose their
material to the immediate community. This will make the students realize
the importance that their research brings for the benefit of the community.
They will ultimately appreciate the purpose of the project as specified
in the abstract above.
SIX-WEEK ACADEMIC CALENDAR
Chemistry
| MONDAY |
TUESDAY |
WEDNESDAY |
THURSDAY |
FRIDAY |
| Introduction: ask the following focus questions: How does air pollution
affect our community in Video: Impact that air pollution imposes in our environment. Discussion: How does air pollution affect our community in |
Warm
Up: What were the major causes of air pollution discussed
yesterday? Introduction: Different gas concentrations in the atmosphere play
a role in air pollution. Green House Effect. What is the green
house effect? Have students
view Norton tutorial and answer scavenger hunt questions. Discussion: What is the green house effect? Lesson 1: The behavior of Gases Understanding
pressure and pressure instrumentation with an interactive mini-lab |
Lesson
1 Continuation Understanding
unit conversions. Conversion Game Wrap up lesson. Lesson 2: Introducing variables to understand how a gas behaves.
How is temperature and gas pressure related? Discussion: How does air pollution
affect the behavior of gases according to what has been discussed? |
Last
minute prep. Pick up homework
before debate Wrap up: Review material
for quiz on Friday that will contain: Answers from focus
questions discussed in class, what is the green house effect,
what is pressure, how do we measure pressure, how is gas behavior
affected by temperature, do you believe there is a correlation
between temperature and air pollution? |
Quiz Introduction
to Six-Week Project Let students browse
to some of the national geographic magazines and pick a topic
that looks interesting for them. Let them sign up on the topic
of interest. No more than 3 people in group. Explain that they
have to research about the topic and come up with a good question
of interest to research in the future. |
| Warm
Up: Refresh the effect on temperature and gas pressure.
Now another variable is going to be introduced. Lesson 3: The gas laws Boyle’s Law Charles Law Mini Lab |
Continuation
of Lesson 3: Combining laws
ie. Pv=nrT Work problems
and play a game to get students familiarized with solving problems.
Homework Assign some gas
kinetic problems for graded homework. |
Warm
up: Review the laws Discussion:
How can each law seen in lesson 3 contribute or aid
to air pollution? Divide class in 3 sections and permit discussion.
Talk about the
ozone layer and summarize the negative impact of air pollution
using the gas laws. |
Quiz: Gas laws, Combined
gas laws, how can the fluctuation of variables affect our atmosphere?
Also include some information from last week Putting the
picture together: Make a class concept
map having air pollution in the middle and production of gas and
is effects as we have learned. |
Working
on Six-Week Project:
Provide each student with a handful of resources where they can
read more about their topic of interest. By the end of
the period, students should come up with a question of interest
and begin working in their introduction for their six-week paper/presentation.
Introductions are due next Friday. |
| Recalling: What other factors were affected by air pollution.
Water should be mentioned. Lesson 4: Physical and Chemical Properties of water with mini-lab.
What is water the standard solvent? Etc. Working with concentrations. |
Lesson
4 continuation… Discussion: How is water important to our bodies, to animals,
and to ecology? What would happen if water did not exist? Lesson 5: Acid, Bases, and pH Do a mini-lab
before lecture: have students taste some fruits and other things
and rate them depending on taste. How can we quantify
the differences between taste? Proceed with lecture. |
Lesson 5 Continuation |
Continuation
of lesson 5: Work with solving
problems Scavenger Hunt:
Have students answer the questions that follow the
Norton tutorial about pH |
Game: Have students form teams and play to win a prize
(5 points on lowest quiz) after correctly answering pH problems. Project Introduction
Due Homework: Practice quiz |
| Scavenger
Hunt: Answer questions about Acid Rain Quiz Very similar to
the take home practice quiz |
Students
will now work on different ways to collect data for their project
and data would have to be approved by teacher by the end of class. What instruments
do I need? Where do I collect my data? Is it feasible with the
amount of time allotted? Etc. |
Putting
the picture together:
Have students, as a class, build on the concept map that we started. Discussion:
How does our planet respond to the chemicals put out
in air brought down to earth by rain? How does the ocean aid to
prevent air pollution? Lesson 6: Buffers Before entering
buffers, make sure to review acid, bases, and pH |
Lesson
6 continuation: Include mini lab |
Lesson
6 continuation: Concentrate on
how the buffering capacity of ocean and lakes work. Refer back
to tutorial. Homework: Acid, Base, pH,
buffers |
| Quiz Includes everything
that we have talked about |
Lab
day: Collecting data
for the term project Data is due next
Monday Homework: Bring soil from
your house |
Add
information to our class concept map. Lesson 7: What other things
are affected by air pollution: Soil. Mini lab with
pH measurements of soil from around the house. |
Discussion: How are soil properties
affected by the changes in pH? How are plants affected by the
change in pH? Have probably
power point slides that show how these two habitats are affected. Remind students
about the buffering capacity that plants or soils may have to
counteract the problem: |
Lab
Day: Finish up collecting
data and start working on conclusions. Conclusions are due the
day of the presentation which is next week. Assign presentation
dates for the different groups in class. (Power Point) Question to presenters
are bonus points for Test on Tuesday |
| Review
Day: Review material
from lessons 1-6 asking random questions and helping clarify any
misconceptions. |
Test |
Lab
Day: Work on finishing
conclusions and presentation power point. |
Presentations In class and in
the science afternoon |
Presentations In class and in
the science afternoon |
Budget
| Material |
Quantity |
Cost/Item |
Total |
| Simple form Boyle’s law Apparatus |
10 |
$7.95 |
$70.95 |
| Charles’ Law Tube |
10 |
$30.00 |
$300.00 |
| Air Thermometer Bulb |
10 |
$9.50 |
$90.50 |
| Student Microchemistry Equipment Kit* |
35 |
$167.39 |
Provided by School |
| Somerset Titration Kit* |
35 |
$10.80 |
Provided by School |
| Chemistry Water Test Field Kit |
5 |
$55.09 |
$275.45 |
| Universal Indicator Solution (100 ml) |
10 |
$7.15 |
$71.50 |
| 1.0 M HCl Solution 1 L |
3 |
$6.95 |
$20.85 |
| 1.0 M NaOH Solution 1 L |
3 |
$6.95 |
$20.85 |
| pH meter |
10 |
$42.00 |
$420.00 |
| Color coded pH buffer 4 (500 ml) |
3 |
$5.30 |
$15.9 |
| Color coded pH buffer 7 (500 ml) |
3 |
$5.30 |
$15.9 |
| Color coded pH buffer 10 (500 ml) |
3 |
$5.30 |
$15.9 |
| Uei Air Quality Analyzer Datalogger |
1 |
$995.00 |
$995.00 |
*For a description of basic equipment contained, look at Sargent-Welch web site:
https://chemistry-supplies.com/category.asp?c=26245
Therefore, the purpose
of the project is to encourage students to research the problem that
pollution generates, investigate immediate solutions, and propose a
plan of action to the community to fight pollution and promise a cleaner
My goal is to engage students
to help the community by taking initiative in learning what problems
are, and taking action. This can only be done with knowledge. This is
why their project is tightly bound with inquiry lessons that teach them
concepts and tools needed for their investigations, whatever they may
choose to research on.
All my students, their
parents, immediate community interested in the project, colleagues,
and other interested students may participate in the project. However,
I believe that all of these groups of people, including myself, will
be impacted with the potential that each student has in doing science.
Evaluation Plan
Students are expected to be familiar with basic
chemistry content obtained from the first semesters. Students are expected
to understand how to measure concentrations by using moles or parts
per million as the units. Students also need to be familiar with the
most common elements in the periodic table, and know their characteristics
that distinguish them from other types of elements.
The project is based on the Instructional Planning
Guide to provide structure and consistency with what students should
be learning at this period of time. In addition, the concepts are strongly
related to a common and local problem, pollution, to emphasize a relationship
between the outside world and what is done in a classroom. Students
can then take the knowledge gained from the unit and be able to apply
it in other fields, such as Biology.
As observed, this six-week project contains different
activities for students to explore different aspects in chemistry. Throughout
the course, I plan to grade student knowledge based on tests and homework.
I also intend to grade students in practicing science by creating checkpoints
in their own designed project as specified in the calendar. This will
also give them the pace necessary for them to work faster if they need
to. Ultimately, the community will be observing their work and will
personally judge their effort to keep
Johanna
Villalon
512-837-5609
Objective A teaching
position in Secondary Natural Sciences
Education
Bachelor of
Science in Chemistry (teaching option), Spring
2005
Senior,
Overall GPA 3.34
Skills
Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Fluent in Spanish
Responsible, organized, energetic and
punctual
Related Courses
Academic: Principles of Chemistry with Laboratory, Organic Chemistry
with Laboratory, Physical Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry with Laboratory,
Fundamentals of Biochemistry, Physics with Laboratory, Introduction
to Cell Biology, Introduction to Genetics and Evolution, Introduction
to Structure and Function of Organisms, Genetics, Cell Biology
Teaching
Proficiencies: Knowing and Learning, Classroom Interactions,
Research Methods, Perspectives in Science
and Mathematics, Project Based Instruction
Experience
09/04 Current Tutor,
In-class tutoring in Algebra II, Chemistry and Spanish
05/03 09/03 Account
Representative, Cardon Health Care Network
11/00 01/03
Assisted a variety of patients at
06/00 08/00 Sales
Representative, MCI Telecommunications
Sales by telecommunicating with people around the country
Activities/Accomplishments
Honors List (Spring 2004, Fall
2004)
Recipient of Austin ISD Scholarship
(Spring 2004, Fall 2004)
Recipient of Heraeus Quartztech Inc.
Scholarship (2002-2004)
Member, Math and Science Teachers of Tomorrow (2003 to
present)
Member, Gamma Beta Phi Society (2002-2004)
Member, The
National Society of Collegiate Scholars (2002-2004)
Member, American Chemical Society (2002-2004)
References
Available upon
request
Employability Status: US Citizen