Activity
1. Before students enter the classroom, write the question
of the day on the board: “Why is it important
to be an independent learner?” This question
will refresh students’ minds about the previous
day’s discussion and allow the teacher to see
what students understood from the lesson. Give students
5 minutes or so to write down their answers, and then
have some students share their thoughts. You may decide
to revisit some of the issues from the previous day.
2.
Prepare students for group work with 3-4 people per
group. Explain to the students that today they are
going to begin
research on a very important environmental health concern,
which involves water pollution. Give the students 10-15 minutes
to write up a list of what they know about water pollution
in their community or in general. Some questions for them
to consider might be:
- What
is water pollution?
- How
do you determine if water is polluted of not?
- Where
in the world do you most often see contaminated water?
Why do think this is?
- What
are some common water contaminants?
Encourage
students to ponder and write about all of these aspects
of the issue
in detail.
3.
After the students have had a chance to discuss and write
down their thoughts on
water pollution, allow some time for
groups to share their ideas. You might have a spokesperson
from each group present their thoughts, come back together
as a class for discussion, or have 2 members from each
group swap places with members from another group. The
teacher
or a student should then compile a list of all the class
knows
about water contamination, either on the overhead or on
the board. Explain that this will serve as the background
knowledge
for their final project, which has to do with a dangerous
water contaminant known as arsenic. You may want to distribute
a
handout outlining the project parameters and review it,
or this may be done on the following day.
Closure
Pose this final question to the class to think
about and discuss: “Why should people be aware of water
pollution? How can we help them be more aware?”
Embedded
Assessment
The teacher should assess student responses to the question
of the day to ensure that the students are beginning to
understand that being independent learners allows them
to have the information with which to make informed, wise
decisions on a variety of issues. While students are working
in groups, allow them to ponder all that they know about
water pollution issues. Students should be generating and
sharing their ideas. Homework
Ask students
to find and bring in an article concerning water pollution.
|
