3.26
Pollution.
Delta Science Module (DSM) series. Hudson, N.H.: Delta Education, 1994.
Program Overview
The Delta Science Module (DSM) series has 51 life, physical, and earth science units for grades K-8 that emphasize science concepts, science content, and process skills. The series includes 12 modules for grades 5-6 and 8 modules for grades 6-8. Each requires about 3 to 4 weeks to complete and includes a teacher's guide and materials for a class of 32 students.
Teacher's Guide
Recommended grade level:
5-6.
Pollution introduces students to the concept of pollution--the contamination of the environment caused by the introduction of natural or humanly produced waste or harmful substances. During the unit, students collect, classify, and infer the sources of litter found on school grounds; determine the average volume of paper waste that their class generates on a daily basis; and recycle old newspaper into papier-mâché bowls. They also make a device to measure the concentration of particles in the air at different sites, construct a simple water filtration system and examine the particles that get "filtered out" of several samples, and discover how difficult it is to remove oil from water and from feathers.
In other activities, students determine the relative hardness of water samples, test the pH of 6 different water samples, and investigate the purity of rain water. They also compare the rate of growth among plants that have been watered with tap water, acidic water, and a mixture of both, and infer the reason for the different growth rates. They listen to sounds to develop a definition of noise pollution and take a sound survey of 3 different areas at school. The 12 activities in Pollution take from 30 to 60 minutes each, and can be done by students working individually or in groups.
In addition to directions for activities, the teacher's guide provides a module overview, a schedule of activities, objectives for each activity, background information, materials management and preparation tips, sample answers to discussion questions, teaching suggestions, and reinforcement activities. Also included are reproducible activity sheets for student work and a performance-based assessment. A "connections" feature at the end of each activity provides suggestions for extending or applying the concepts addressed.
Key to Content Standards: 5-8 (see app. C)
UNIFYING CONCEPTS AND PROCESSES: Systems, order, and organization; evidence, models, and explanation; change, constancy, and measurement.
SCIENCE AS INQUIRY: Abilities necessary to do scientific inquiry; understandings about scientific inquiry.
EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE: Structure of the earth system.
SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY: Understandings about science and technology.
SCIENCE IN PERSONAL AND SOCIAL PERSPECTIVES: Populations, resources, and environments; natural hazards; risks and benefits; science and technology in society.
Prices:
Teacher's guide (ISBN 0-87504-107-8), $27.95. Kit, $279.00. Refill Package, $75.00.
Publisher/supplier:
Delta Education.
Materials:
Available locally, from commercial suppliers, or in kit.
Topic Index listings linked to this entry
Use these listings to find related entries.
Environment, Physical Sciences: "The Best of Edison" Science Teaching Kits, Life Sciences: Middle School Life Science, ~ Parade of Life: Animals, ~ The Interrelationships of Soil, Water and Fertilizers and How They Affect Plant Growth, ~ Mapping Fish Habitats, Environmental Sciences: Acid Rain, ~ Changes in Ecosystems, ~ Chemicals: Choosing Wisely, ~ Chemical Survey and Solutions and Pollution, ~ Earth's Ecosystems, ~ Eco-Inquiry: A Guide to Ecological Learning Experiences for the Upper Elementary/Middle Grades, ~ Investigating and Evaluating Environmental Issues and Actions: Skill Development Program, ~ Living Lightly on the Planet: A Global Environmental Education Guidebook, Chemicals, Health, Environment, and Me (CHEM 2: Enhanced Program), ~ Environmental Issues: Intermediate, ~ Investigating Your Environment: The MINI Edition, ~ Our Wonderful World: Solutions for Math + Science, Earth Sciences: Glencoe Earth Science, ~ Blue Planet, ~ Earth at Hand: A Collection of Articles from NSTA's Journals, ~ On the Rocks: Earth Science Activities for Grades 1-8, Multi & Applied Sciences: Integrated Science: Book One, ~ Integrated Science: Book Two, ~ The Local Environment, ~ Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Seventh Grade, ~ Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Eighth Grade, ~ SciencePlus Technology and Society: Level Red, ~ Science 2000: Grade 6, ~ Science 2000: Science 1 (Grade 7), ~ Science 2000: Science 2 (Grade 8), ~ Climate and Farming, ~ Investigating Chemical Processes: Your Island Factory, ~ Minds-on Science: For the Sake of the Nation, ~ Science Is . . , ~ Science on a Shoestring, ~ Thematic Applications: Sciences II, ~ Transformations: Science, Technology and Society.
Hardness (of water), Environmental Sciences: The Monitor's Handbook, Water: Can We Keep It Fit for Life?, ~ The Tapwater Tour.
Noise pollution, Physical Sciences: Sound and Light, Multi & Applied Sciences: Exciting Science and Engineering: A Series of Problem Solving Tasks for Seven to Fourteen Year Olds.
pH, Physical Sciences: Chemistry of Matter, ~ Chemical Interactions, ~ Introduction to pH Measurement Kit, ~ Mystery Festival, ~ Personal Science Laboratory pH Experiments, Life Sciences: Hydroponic Instructional Package, ~ Exploring Classroom Hydroponics, Environmental Sciences: Acid Rain, ~ Acid Rain, ~ Acid Rain, ~ The Monitor's Handbook, The Pondwater Tour, ~ California Smith, Water Investigator: Water Education Program, ~ The Tapwater Tour, Earth Sciences: The Topsoil Tour.
Plant growth, Physical Sciences: Exploring Physical Science, Life Sciences: Ecology: Earth's Living Resources, ~ Experiments with Plants, ~ Parade of Life: Monerans, Protists, Fungi, and Plants, ~ Food from Our Land, ~ How Much Is Too Much? How Little Is Too Little? Factors That Affect Plant Growth, ~ Hydroponic Instructional Package, ~ The Interrelationships of Soil, Water and Fertilizers and How They Affect Plant Growth, ~ The Lives of Plants, ~ Plants in Our World, ~ Power Plants: A Plant-Based Energy Curriculum for Grades 5 through 8, ~ Exploring with Wisconsin Fast Plants, ~ GrowLab: A Complete Guide to Gardening in the Classroom, ~ Plant Biology Science Projects, ~ Seeds and Seedlings, Earth Sciences: Exploring Earth Science, ~ Solar Energy, Multi & Applied Sciences: Investigating Patterns of Change, ~ The Local Environment, ~ Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Seventh Grade, ~ Prime Science: Level B, ~ Prime Science: Level C, ~ SciencePlus Technology and Society: Level Red, ~ Climate and Farming, ~ Hot Water and Warm Homes from Sunlight.
Pollution, Life Sciences: Ecosystems, ~ Ecosystems, ~ Biodiversity: Understanding the Variety of Life, ~ The Interrelationships of Soil, Water and Fertilizers and How They Affect Plant Growth, Environmental Sciences: Changes in Ecosystems, ~ Chemical Survey and Solutions and Pollution, Endangered Species: Wild and Rare, ~ Environmental Resource Guide: Nonpoint Source Pollution Prevention, ~ The Environment: The Science and Politics of Protecting Our Planet, Earth Sciences: River Cutters, ~ The Great Ocean Rescue, Multi & Applied Sciences: Middle Grades Science: A Problem-Solving Approach, Seventh Grade, ~ Prime Science: Level C, ~ Science 2000: Science 2 (Grade 8), ~ Minds-on Science: For the Sake of the Nation.
Water filtration, Environmental Sciences: Ecology Lab,
