This week we returned to science and focused on how our actions on the land impact our watershed.
At the beginning of the week, students learned that, along with being Queen, I am also the mayor of a small town called Gleasonia. Our town, also in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, has been having problems with our water quality. It is being polluted by one of the five areas within the town. Based on their stellar work in science so far, I recruited the groups of scientists to assist with my town's problems.
They began by reviewing case files for each of the five areas to get a better idea of what sort of pollutants each area produced and their possible impacts on the watershed. Then, teams read about the three biggest contributors to the poor health of the Chesapeake Bay, according to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation, urban and suburban run-off, agricultural pollution, and high levels of nitrogen and phosphorus. Based on what they read, students were asked to make connections, integrate concepts, and using scientific vocabulary to determine how actions in particular areas of Gleasonia might be contributing to our poor water quality.
Next, scientific teams conducted water quality tests for each of the five sites within Gleasonoia. Groups of scientists looked for clarity, debris/sediment, pH levels, and presence of oil. As would be expected, I took pictures of the scientists hard at work conducting investigations - please enjoy the pictures below.
Then, the scientific detective teams combined the data from the case files, the water quality labs, and the additional research in order to identify the impact of each of the five areas in Gleasonia on the watershed.
Finally, scientists presented their findings as a CER in the form of a final report on Gleasonia's watershed. Students were asked to make a claim, which area was the most likely main cause of water pollution in Gleasonia. Then, they had to find multiple pieces of evidence that supported their claim. Finally, students had to explain what the evidence meant and how it proved that the area they selected was guilty and the other areas were innocent.
Next week, we will continue with the Gleasonia but focus on possible ways to improve the watershed.
REQUEST - I am asking for donations for our upcoming class project which we will start next week. I am looking for:
Aluminum foil
Paper towels
Plastic condiment containers (this link is for reference)
Aluminum foil pans (recyclable baking pans 9x13)
Duct tape (does not matter the color)
Toothpicks
Plastic items in a variety of shapes and sizes: lids, carry-out containers, bottles (any size - water bottles, milk jugs, laundry detergent, etc.) plastic egg cartons, fruit/vegetable containers, etc.
It is completely fine if the donated items were destined for the recycling bins or found around your house, do not feel that you need to purchase anything. I do ask, if you do donate used items, that you please clean all containers/items before sending them in and that you do not send anything that contained nuts, due to allergies. Additionally, because they will be used in projects, you will not be getting these items back. Thank you in advance for your help.