Project Template

Introductory Paper

“How clean is the Water in Your Town?”

J. Slapak, C. Hollie, T. Dao, A. Olivarez

Target Audience

Our audience will be high school students in regular or honors classes. These students can be 9^th, 10^th, 11^th, or 12^th graders.

Project Description

Water is the most abundant resource on earth. Because water is so abundant, people automatically assume that the water we use is naturally safe and that we as a people are not at risk for overly using our earth’s water supply. Every year, billions of dollars are spent in order to clean and purify our water so that if will be safe not only for human use, but for the use of other organisms as well. The purpose of this unit is to teach the students the importance of water quality by learning the basic properties of water such as structure of the water molecule, diffusion, osmosis, etc. Then the students will explore contaminants in water that make it unsafe for human consumption such as bacteria that can cause water borne diseases. With learning this information, the students will recognize the problem of how contaminants influence water quality and will then attest how to solve this problem through mechanisms such as water testing. The water testing techniques that the students will learn to perform will be testing for nitrates, turbidity, pH, salinity, dissolved oxygen, hardness, phosphates, and pH. All of these factors influence the quality of water and the students will have a better understanding of how much of these components can be present in water and still be safe. The students will be divided into groups of three and each group will perform their choice of three different water tests. The students will perform these water test by collecting samples of water from home, a nearby pond, spring, etc. The students will be encouraged to bring in water samples from different areas in order to compare the results of the water testing experiment. Each water test may be conducted more than once for accuracy. Throughout the lesson, the students will also expand their knowledge of mathematical concepts by learning about linear equations and functions, exponential functions, and analyze data by correctly selecting the proper tables and graphs to represent their results. The students will also learn how to correctly draw and label graphs which is a skill that will be used further in their math and science education.

Driving Question

Throughout the unit, the students will revisit the driving question, “How Clean is the Water in Your Town?”

Overall Goals of the Project

The main goal for this unit of lessons is to increase student awareness of factors that affect the quality of water in the area in which they live. This will be accomplished by covering these learner objectives in class:

Ø Create an understanding of the structure of water and basic properties of water, such as osmosis and diffusion.

Ø Learn how to test water for several variables, such as saline and algal concentrations.

Ø Become familiar with different categories of water classified by the EPA.

Ø Describe the factors that affect the quality of water in a watershed.

Ø Predict sources of contamination of water.

Ø Identify bacterial contamination in water

Ø Formulate ratios between three species of phytoplankton.

Ø Understand exponential functions.

During this unit of study, students will also become familiar with local groups in their area that work to monitor, maintain, and improve water quality. It is hoped that at least some of the students will want to take a more active role in preserving the water quality of their community.

Project Objectives

Investigating Our Watershed
Students will be able to:
1. Define watershed.
2. Describe factors that affect the quality of water in a watershed
3. Learn that one watershed is most likely part of a much larger watershed.

Quality Standards for Water
Students will be able to:
1. Describe different categories of water regulated by the EPA.
2. Understand sources of substance contamination in water
3. Learn the importance of group-data compilation.

Bacteria in Water

Students will be able to:
1. Explain water quality by determining the bacterial counts of the water.
2. Demonstrate how to streak an agar plate in order to isolate distinct colonies of bacteria.

Adhesion and Cohesion

Students will be able to:
1. Identify and model the structure of water.
2. Describe some of the properties of water.

Osmolarity in Plant Cells

Students will be able to:
1.      Investigate the behavior of osmosis in plant cells
2.      Have a better understanding of what osmosis is.
3.      Gather and organize data
4.      Graph results of experiment.

The Quality of Water

Students will be able to:
1. Test samples of water for saline and algae concentrations
2. Have a better understanding of water quality.
3. Gather and organize data.
4. Graph results of experiment.

Introduction to Ratios and Proportions

Students will be able to:
1.   Collect data on the number of species in a particular sample.
2.      Formulate ratios between three species of phytoplankton.
3.      Theorize why the ratio is what it is, and why does it exist.
4.      Apply this knowledge to other species in nature.

Exponential Functions

Students will be able to:
1.   Compare and contrast linear and exponential functions.
2.   Use a simulation to explore growth.
3.      Describe the graphs of exponential functions.
4.      Relate exponential functions to their water project.

Rationale

We can hardly travel anywhere in Austin without seeing signs like “entering walnut creek water shed,” “entering bull creek watershed,” etc. These signs are the manifestation of an effort to raise awareness about our water quality in Austin. It is unarguable that water is a vital part of our lives for recreation, hygiene, and more importantly, survival. Unfortunately, the pesticides we put in our gardens, the oil spots we wash from our drive ways, and the leaves we rake into our gutters may all find their way into our neighborhood creek and thus contributing to the water contamination, the health of aquatic life, and the appearance of our natural landscape.

In recent years, the City of Austin had spent millions of dollars to restore Town Lake to its natural state. Problems in this area are chlordane contamination of fish, toxics in sediment, trash and debris, and oil and grease contamination. Furthermore, the Barton Springs, a once promising swim hole for many people, is continually polluted with bacteria, oil spills, and blue-green algae called oscillatoria. As a result, the City of Austin, in cooperation with agencies like Fish & Wildlife Service, recommend on the top of their list public education. However, how this public education was going to be executed, especially for high school students, was barely discussed.

Through this series of lessons on the quality of our water in Austin, the students will not only be exposed to the history of the sources of the water they drink but also gain valuable insights into the current issues pertaining to the future of our water in Austin. Through their inquiries and labs about water testing, bacteria in water, average water usage, water treatment, and water sources, students will be aware of the water crisis that Austin will face if no action is taken to improve the quality of our water.

Background

The overall concept of “Arrow Worms, Copepods, and Diatoms…Oh My!” is for the students to understand ratios in nature, specifically what the ratio of diatoms to copepods to arrow worms is at the Port Aransas coast, and how ratios in food webs are good to know for organisms as they adapt to their environment. We will see that nature is a delicate balance, and disruptions in that balance can be catastrophic. This will be extended to the students’ “How Clean is the Water in Your Town?” project because it will be an introduction to ratios and proportions that the students will need to know in order to explore and demonstrate the ratios and proportions needed to sustain the human population in their town. Furthermore, the students will need to pick the water purification technique they feel is best, and demonstrate the efficiency of their technique based on the proportions and ratios of clean water the technique makes. Arrow worms, copepods, and diatoms were picked for this lesson because they are abundant
in the plankton of the Gulf of Mexico, and prove to be easy to study. Photographs are available so students can easily discern which organisms are which organisms.

The overall concept of “Exponential Functions” is for the students to get an introduction to exponential functions, to understand exponential functions, and how they relate to real world applications. This will be extended to the students’ “How Clean is the Water in Your Town?” project because it will be related to the exponential functions and growth curves students will see in bacteria in water. Furthermore, the students will need to pick the water purification technique they feel is best, and demonstrate the efficiency of their technique based on the proportions and ratios of clean water the technique makes. Some research has shown that some of these techniques produce clean water in an exponential function. Students will use graphing calculators, specifically TI-83 or TI-89, depending on what is available. These calculators are fairly simple to use, and come with instruction manuals. An online guidebook is available at http://education.ti.com/us/product/tech/83/guide/83guideus.html. Teachers should review Chapter 3 on functions for this specific lesson. A software program called Graphmatica, available at http://www8.pair.com/ksoft/, is also very useful as a review for functions or to show students on the overhead.

The science lessons focus deeply on the main concepts that will affect the students either directly or indirectly. The lesson on “Bacteria in Water” allows the students to think of the bacteria and their effects on our water. Because they are so small, it is difficult for us to see them with our naked eyes. In this investigation, students will be able see bacteria by streaking samples on plates and incubating them. Students will learn how to aseptically spread a sample of water on a Petri dish rich in nutrient that will allow the bacteria to grow. Students will also learn how to count colonies as professionals in the field of microbial ecology or public health do. A detailed explanation of streaking techniques is available online at http://www.umsl.edu/~microbes/pdf/streakplates.pdf. This article will teach students how to streak plates to have good separation of colonies to be counted.

The lesson on the basic properties of water titled “Adhesion and Cohesion” teaches the students about cohesion and adhesion, which are important properties that allow water to be the universal solvent. This fundamental property of water allows water to be carry pollutions in the form of hydrophobic or hydrophilic chemicals, which will be discussed further in the lesson called “The Water Quality.” A comprehensive and interactive presentation of this topic is available online at www.nasaexplore.com and http://eduref.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Biology/BIO0201.html.

After the students have learned about the properties of water, they next learn how to test for the chemicals in the water. There are many factors that contribute to the quality of water. This includes mainly pollution and overuse of resources. The students will test for nitrates, phosphates, dissolved oxygen, pH, and saline and algae content in the water. Dissolved oxygen is important because it is a measure of the amount of oxygen found in the water to support marine life. Animal life use oxygen to breathe, while plants produce oxygen. Factors that may contribute to low levels of oxygen are decomposing bacteria and warm temperatures. When animal and plants die, they fall to the bottom of lakes where bacteria decompose them. Nitrates and phosphates are both used in fertilizers and are nutrients for plants. Excessive amounts of nitrogen lead algae growth. This decreases clarity, dissolved oxygen and increase algae blooms, which will be discussed in the tests for algae in our water. To learn more about this concept, teacher and student can go to the LaMotte website at http://www.lamotte.com/. This is a comprehensive website that has significant information regarding the use of these tests and the meaning of each test as they impact the environment.

In addition the lessons above, the students also learn about osmolarity. Students will make predictions, draw tables, and graphs. Students will also be able to analyze the concepts of osmosis and relate them to the world in which they live. Osmosis is the diffusion of fluid through a semi-permeable membrane from a solution with a low solute concentration to a solution with a higher solute concentration until there is an equal concentration of fluid on both sides of the membrane. Osmosis happens in our cells as well as in our arteries.

For the final lessons, “Water Standards” and “Investigating our Watershed,” students are taught about the safe levels of chemicals in our water. Students can visit www.excelwater.com, www.access.gpo.gov/nara/cfr/waisidx_02/40cfr141_02.html, or www.lcra.org to learn more about the standards for our water. Also, a video about Austin watershed will also be shown to students. This video present the problems facing Austin regarding the safety of our watershed and the actions Austin is taking in order to clean up pollutions and restore our natural environment. Also, an employee of the Lower Colorado River Authority will come to the classroom and give a presentation. This speaker will explain the monitoring systems set up along the Colorado River and its chain of lakes.

Standards Addressed

TEKS

(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(D) Communicate valid conclusions.

(3) Scientific processes. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions. The student is expected to:

(5) Science concepts. The student knows the interrelationships among the resources within the local environmental system. The student is expected to:

(A) Summarize methods of land use and management;

(B) Identify source, use, quality, and conservation of water;

(D) Identify renewable and non-renewable resources that must come from outside an ecosystem such as food, water, lumber, and energy;

(E) Analyze and evaluate the economic significance and interdependence of components of the environmental system

(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(D) Communicate valid conclusions.

(3) Scientific processes. The student uses critical thinking and scientific problem solving to make informed decisions. The student is expected to:

(B) Evaluate promotional claims that relate to biological issues such as product labeling and advertisements;

(5) Science concepts. The student knows the interrelationships among the resources within the local environmental system. The student is expected to:

(A) Summarize methods of land use and management;

(B) Identify source, use, quality, and conservation of water;

(D) Identify renewable and non-renewable resources that must come from outside an ecosystem such as food, water, lumber, and energy;

(E) Analyze and evaluate the economic significance and interdependence of components of the environmental system

(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) Plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology;

(B) Collect data and make measurements with precision;

(D) Communicate valid conclusions.

(5) Science concepts. The student knows the interrelationships among the resources within the local environmental system. The student is expected to:

(A) Summarize methods of land use and management;

(B) Identify source, use, quality, and conservation of water;

(D) Identify renewable and non-renewable resources that must come from outside an ecosystem such as food, water, lumber, and energy;

(E) Analyze and evaluate the economic significance and interdependence of components of the environmental system; and

(F) Evaluate the impact of human activity and technology on land fertility and aquatic viability.

(1) Scientific processes. The student, for at least 40% of instructional time, conducts field and laboratory investigations using safe, environmentally appropriate, and ethical practices. The student is expected to:

(A) Demonstrate safe practices during field and laboratory investigations; and

(B) Make wise choices in the use and conservation of resources and the disposal or recycling of materials.

(2) Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A) Plan and implement investigative procedures including asking questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting equipment and technology;

(B) Collect data and make measurements with precision;

(D) Communicate valid conclusions.

(9) Science concepts. The student knows how solution chemistry is a part of everyday life. The student is expected to:

(A) Relate the structure of water to its function as the universal solvent;

5.1 Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(B) Collect information by observing and measuring;

(D) Communicate valid conclusions; and

(E) Construct simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools

5.4 Scientific processes. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct scientific inquiry. The student is expected to:

(B) Demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of the results.

5.3 Scientific concepts. The student knows that a system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact. The student is expected to:

(A) describe some cycles, structures and processes that are found in a simple system; and

(B) Describe some interactions that occur in a simple system.

5.1 Scientific processes. The student uses scientific methods during field and laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(B) Collect information by observing and measuring;

(D) Communicate valid conclusions; and

(E) Construct simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts using tools

5.5 Scientific processes. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct scientific inquiry. The student is expected to:

(B) Demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of the results.

5.3 Scientific concepts. The student knows that a system is a collection of cycles, structures, and processes that interact. The student is expected to:

(D) Describe some interactions that occur in a simple system.

§111.34. Geometry

(1)(A) The student develops an awareness of the structure of a mathematical system, connecting definitions, postulates, logical reasoning, and theorems.

(1)(C) The student uses numeric and geometric patterns to make generalizations about geometric properties, including properties of polygons, ratios in similar figures and solids, and angle relationships in polygons and circles.

(2) The student uses ratios to solve problems involving similar figures

§111.32. Algebra I

(3) (B) Given situations, the student looks for patterns and represents generalizations algebraically.

§111.32. Algebra I

(b) Foundations for functions: knowledge and skills and performance descriptions.

(1) The student understands that a function represents a dependence of one quantity on another and can be described in a variety of ways. Following are performance descriptions.

(A) The student describes independent and dependent quantities in functional relationships.

(B) The student gathers and records data, or uses data sets, to determine functional (systematic) relationships between quantities.

(3) (B) Given situations, the student looks for patterns and represents generalizations algebraically.

§111.33. Algebra II

(f) Exponential and logarithmic functions: knowledge and skills and performance descriptions. The student formulates equations and inequalities based on exponential and logarithmic functions, uses a variety of methods to solve them, and analyzes the solutions in terms of the situation. Following are performance descriptions.

(3) For given contexts, the student determines the reasonable domain and range values of exponential and logarithmic functions, as well as interprets and determines the reasonableness of solutions to exponential and logarithmic equations and inequalities.

(4) The student solves exponential and logarithmic equations and inequalities using graphs, tables, and algebraic methods.

(5) The student analyzes a situation modeled by an exponential function, formulates an equation or inequality, and solves the problem.

§111.35. Pre-calculus

(3) The student uses functions and their properties to model and solve real-life problems. The student is expected to:

(A) Use functions such as logarithmic, exponential, trigonometric, polynomial, etc. to model real-life data;

National Technology Standards

1. Basic operations and concepts

* Students demonstrate a sound understanding of the nature and operation of technology systems.

* Students are proficient in the use of technology.

2. Social, ethical, and human issues

* Students practice responsible use of technology systems, information, and software.

* Students develop positive attitudes toward technology uses that support lifelong learning, collaboration, personal pursuits, and productivity.

3. Technology productivity tools

* Students use technology tools to enhance learning,

6. Technology problem-solving and decision-making tools

* Students use technology resources for solving problems and making informed decisions.

* Students employ technology in the development of strategies for solving problems in the real world.

Formative and Summative Assessments for Project

Throughout the 6 weeks, students will be introduced to certain Classroom Assessment Techniques (CATS) aimed at daily formative assessment. CATS used include: Focused Listing, Misconception/Preconception Check, Analytic Memo, Pros and Cons, One-Sentence Summary, Concept Map, What's the Principle?, Documented Problem Solutions, Student Generated Test Question, Application Cards, Direct paraphrase, Class Opinion Polls, Course Surveys, Self Awareness As Learner, Goal Ranking and Matching, Interest/Knowledge/Skills Checklist, and Punctuated Lectures. These are included in the calendar.

For a summative assessment, students are required to keep an Annotated Portfolio where they can write their thoughts, concerns, questions, goals, etc. throughout the project and which should be checked by the teacher regularly. As a final assessment, students will present their findings, their choice of specific water cleaning technique, and debate on why their choice is the best. Furthermore, they will condense their Annotated Portfolios and turn in a written report of their project.