Case Study: Our River System in Peril

Transcription

1 Case Study: Our River System in Peril Overview Our River System in Peril addresses concerns & issues right in our students back yards. The lesson & activities are designed to engage students in issues that affect them, and develop real-world problem-solving skills. This Case Study will empower students to take action and promote positive change in the world around them, while learning key content matter in the Earth & Natural Sciences. MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVEL This Case Study is appropriate for any subject/course, and grades 6-8 NEW Sunshine State Standards (still under review) addressed include: Benchmark SC.7.L.4.4: Recognize that individual and group decisions affect the environment. Benchmark SC.7.N.7.4: Understands that science is one of many tools that can be used to inform decision-making at the community, state, national, or international levels. Benchmark SC.7.E.2.3: Relate the extinction of species to an inability to adapt to a changing environment. Extension Activity: Benchmark SC.7.N.7.1: Plans and investigates an experiment that defines a problem, proposes a solution, identifies variables, collects and organizes data, interprets data in charts, tables, and graphs, analyzes information, makes predictions, and supports findings. This Case Study will fit especially well with: Comprehensive Science 2 (7 th grade) Third 9 weeks; Unit 3: Water Movement on Earth TOPICS: Fresh water: underground and surface water, Importance of Water, Water pollution Fourth 9 Weeks; Unit 4: Global Connections; TOPIC: Human changes in ecosystems Objectives: 1. Students will understand the importance of water conservation & how water use affects the St Johns River. 2. Students will recognize various types of water pollution and their causes. 3. Students will be able to identify Storm Water Run-off sites in their area. 4. Students will be able to explain the importance of these issues & how they affect the St Johns River.

2 Script Outline: The Green Monster The Green Monster -when -where -what Economy -who was affected -what are the ramifications Who done it? (causes) -Pollution - industrial pollution - agricultural pollution - wastewater -septic tanks & sewage treatment facilities -Nutrient over-load -JEA & watchdogs What can we do to help? -lawn fertilizer -river-friendly yard -Read before you Feed -Less is Best -Irrigate, Don t Irritate -Downsize the Pesticide -Mow to Grow -Have Bed, Will Buffer -Right Plant, Right Place -Lawn-care quiz -TMDL (total maximum daily load) -No turning back/ close

3 Key Terms & Relative Definitions: Algae: Algae Bloom: Nutrients: Nitrogen: Phosphorus: Eutrophication: TMDL: Run-off: a nonvascular plantlike aquatic organism, usually containing chlorophyll rapid increase in the population of algae in an aquatic system a substance used in an organism's metabolism which must be taken in from the environment; Nutrient overload can cause excess growth and lead to eutrophication a chemical element necessary for all living tissues & amino acids; one of many nutrients found in urban run-off that leads to eutrophication a chemical element important in building DNA and transporting energy in living cells; one of many nutrients found in urban run-off that leads to eutrophication an increase in chemical nutrients in an ecosystem, resulting in excessive plant growth and decay, lack of oxygen, reductions in water quality & wildlife populations Total Maximum Daily Load; the maximum amount of a pollutant that a body of water can receive while still meeting water quality standards Precipitation on land that ultimately reaches streams, often with dissolved or suspended material, nutrients, and pollutants

4 Pre-Learning Activity: Defining key terms: This activity can be done individually or in groups, as a bell-ringer/ start-up activity. Individually: Display the list of key terms on the board; have students come up with their own definitions. Remind them that it is okay to make an educated guess if they are unfamiliar with the word. Ask for student examples, and then discuss the correct definitions. Interactive: Have students form groups of 3, 4 or 5 (depending on class size). Assign each group a different set of 1-3 key words. Instruct each group to come up with definitions for each word. Have each group share their definitions with the class, and then discuss the correct definitions. *This can also be completed as a jigsaw activity with access to student dictionaries or computers. If you are working with an integrated curriculum, ask your language arts teacher to do this activity the same day you will present the DVD. Wrap-up: Ask students: What is the closest body of water to their home or school? If not the St Johns River, how is this body of water connected to the St Johns? Explain to the class that the St Johns River System is in danger because of over-use of water resources & water pollution, especially from storm-water run-off. Ask the students to think of ways they would be affected by an un-healthy river. These ideas can either be shared aloud or written down & collected. Documentary: Show DVD The Green Monster in class. Have students complete the worksheet while they are viewing the DVD. Discuss correct answers to DVD worksheet after viewing. *We recommend previewing both documentaries prior to class. This Case Study can be adjusted to fit in any time period, or can be expanded over the course of a few days, weeks, or months. If time does not allow viewing of the entire DVD, select the segments that best suit your needs. For full grasp of all concepts, students should watch The Green Monster & Revenge of the River in their entirety.

5 Post-Learning Activity: Perform a Home &/or School Water Audit! *Portions of this activity will need to be conducted at home (as homework). Materials: Conserve Water! Pre-assessment Water Audit Data Sheet 1 & 2 (one copy of each per student) Calculators (one per student or group; optional) Warm Up: Day 1: 1. Distribute Conserve Water! Assessment to students. (use projector or write questions on the board to save paper) 2. This assessment is to gauge students awareness of water resources, use & distribution. Remind students that it is not a test, and it is okay to answer I don t know. 3. Give students enough time to complete the questions. 4. Go through the students answers as a class, and explain correct answers. Stress the idea of water scarcity & the need to conserve. The Activity: 1. Organize students into groups of Have each group list all the ways they use water every day, inside & outside. 3. Discuss & Record ideas on the board. 4. Hand out the Water Audit Data Sheet 1 to each student. 5. Review the sheet with the class. 6. Instruct students to record in column A the number of times a day they conduct each activity. Students can work together to make estimates, but need to record their own answers 7. Assign column B of Water Audit Data Sheet 1 as homework: explain to students that they will need to tally each water use through the next 24 hours, and they will complete the activity in class tomorrow. Day 2: 8. Ask students to return to their groups from the previous day. 9. Have students compare their predicted water use activity (column A) with their actual water use activity (column B), and with the other members of their group. a. Did they use more or less water than they guessed? 10. Instruct students to calculate their Actual # of Gallons used per day by multiplying B X C for each water use activity, and record their answer in column D. a. Were students surprised by the amount of water they used? 11. Ask students to think of ways they can reduce the amount of water they use. a. Do their parents often ask them to turn of the faucet or shower? Why? b. Is water free, just because it flows freely from the faucet? c. Do students believe that it is important to use water resources wisely or conservatively? 12. Have groups brainstorm some water conservation practices. 13. Assign Water Audit Data Sheet 2 as homework: a. Instruct each student to again record the amount of water they use in a 24 hour period, but this time implementing as many water conservation practices as they can. b. Have each student calculate their total water use when using conservation methods. (multiply column B X column C, and record in column D)

6 Day 3: 14. Ask students to return to groups from previous days, and compare their total water use from column D on Data Sheet 1 to Data Sheet 2. Wrap up: 1. Direct students in discussing the following questions with their group: a. How did their water use change after using water conservation methods? i. How many gallons of water did they save? ii. Were they more careful about their use of water after they realized how much water they were using? b. Which conservation methods were the easiest to do? i. Which were the most difficult? c. If you were only allowed 30 gallons of water a day, what use would you give the highest priority? d. Select 3 of the water conservation methods that you found easy to use: i. If you used these three methods all the time, how many gallons of water would you save each month? ii. If everyone in your family followed these same methods, how many gallons of water per month would be saved by hour household? e. Is it a good idea for a school, business, or hospital to do a water audit? i. How would a water audit benefit these institutions? 2. Instruct each student to write a set of at least 5 recommendations or suggestions for their family based on their home water audit. a. Suggestions should include short & long-term actions. i. Example: Purchasing low-flow showerheads or toilets would be a long-term action, whereas taking shorter showers would be short-term, because it can be implemented immediately. 3. Have students share their recommendations with their group. 4. Ask each group to share their top 2-3 recommendations with the class. 5. Compile a list of recommendations & suggestions that can be used at school, and adopt them as Classroom Water Conservation Methods. For further study, use some of the following ideas for extension & integration activities. Assign them as homework or long-term projects. If working with an integrated curriculum, ask your colleagues to the same!

7 Extension & Integration Activities: Math: Language Arts: Social Studies: Art: Research various statistics affecting the river, and convert them into more understandable/ visual examples: (i.e. 150 million gallons is somewhere between 20,000 to 30,000 dump trucks or around foot semi-trailers or 20 million cubic feet.) Here are some ideas to start with: MFLs (minimum flows & levels) to sustain a healthy river MGD (proposed withdrawal from the river) Average water use (150 gallons per person per day) Average fertilizer load Average storm-water run-off input 4 million people living in St Johns River Watershed (people per area, people per river area) Analyze similes & metaphors of the documentaries Outline the documentaries by chapters Write formal letters to local government Write formal letters to local government Request a visit/ attend a meeting with City Council Map the St Johns River Locate your closest access point to the river; home & school Map storm drains & water-flow areas on your campus & determine where they enter the river or a tributary Create a time-line of the St Johns River s use, development, & historic pollution issues Write emotional responses/ poems about the St Johns River & the issues addressed in the documentaries Create informative posters about the river, and what others can do to preserve it

8 The Green Monster DVD Questions Student Copy 1. During the summer of 2005: From the south, at Lake George... through the river s lower basin... down to Dames Point Bridge... for miles and slimy, stinky months... our once-spectacular morphed into a day-glo green. 2. That s what The Green Monster is, after all.. 3. We ve used it for years and we didn t mean to but we it for years What you end up with are ideal conditions for... a -- algae to bloom The official St. Johns Riverkeeper is responsible for: responding to and identifying. 6. The water was so ; it was times the recommended limit of the World Health Organization. 7. Duval County s Department issued a that people should avoid with the river or a to the river. 8. What symptoms would exposure to the algae cause? 9. List 3 activities that were restricted because of the alage bloom. 10. How much did Shelley Danforth, the crab lady s sales decline because of the Green Monster? 11. The of Northeast Florida is inescapably tied to the.

9 12. Who s responsible for The Green Monster? 13. List 3 of the 5 major pollution sources of the river. 14. Years ago, we used to dump into the river. 15. Adding Nutrients like and to the river is like putting the algae on. 16. How does your fertilizer get to the river? Well it takes the express route List 3 things that can end up as stormwater run-off. 18. Is stormwater treated before it goes to the river (like sewage)? 19. If every homeowner in Duval County sends 1 lb of fertilizer to the river each year, and there are 400,000 homes, how much fertilizer ends up in the river every 5 years? How much fertilizer would we save from the river each year if everyone cut there fertilizer use in half? Over 5 years? 20. I think we ve got to understand every makes a.

10 The Green Monster DVD Questions Answer Sheet 1. During the summer of 2005: From the south, at Lake George... through the river s lower basin... down to Dames Point Bridge... for 100 miles and three slimy, stinky months... our once-spectacular St. Johns morphed into a day-glo green. 2. That s what The Green Monster is, after all. Algae. 3. We ve used it for years and we didn t mean to but we abused it for years What you end up with are ideal conditions for a blue-green algae to bloom The official St. Johns Riverkeeper is responsible for: responding to citizen complaints and identifying pollution problems. 6. The water was so toxic; it was times the recommended limit of the World Health Organization. 7. Duval County s Health Department issued a warning that people should avoid direct contact with the river or a prolonged exposure to the river. 8. What symptoms would exposure to the algae cause? Respiratory problems, skin, eye, nose, or throat irritations 9. List 3 activities that were restricted because of the alage bloom. Boating, jet-skiing/ sea-doo-ing, swimming, fishing, water skiing, kayak/canoeing, playing along the shoreline, eating seafood from the river, etc. 10. How much did Shelley Danforth, the crab lady s sales decline because of the Green Monster? 75% 11. The economy of Northeast Florida is inescapably tied to the river. 12. Who s responsible for The Green Monster? Everyone! (You, me, everyone in NE Florida). Industrial Pollution, Agricultural Pollution, Septic Tank Waste Water, Sewage Treatment Waste Water, Storm Drain Run-off. 13. List 3 of the 5 major pollution sources of the river. 14. Years ago, we used to dump raw sewage into the river.

11 15. Adding Nutrients like nitrogen and phosphorous to the river is like putting the algae on steroids. 16. How does your fertilizer get to the river? Well it takes the express route. The storm drain. Oil drippings from your car, Litter, Pesticides and herbicides, Lawn clippings, fertilizer. 17. List 3 things that can end up as stormwater run-off. 18. Is stormwater treated before it goes to the river (like sewage)? NO! 19. If every homeowner in Duval County sends 1 lb of fertilizer to the river each year, and there are 400,000 homes, how much fertilizer ends up in the river every 5 years? 1lb x 400,000 homes x 5 years = 2,000,000 lbs of fertilizer! How much fertilizer would we save from the river if everyone cut there fertilizer use in half? 0.5 lbs x 400,000 homes = 200,000 lbs saved; 200,000 lbs x 5 years = 1,000,000 lbs saved! 20. I think we ve got to understand every individual makes a difference.

12 Conserve Water! Pre-Assessment Questions This is not a test; it is a tool to help you learn more about water conservation. It is okay to answer I don t know, but do your best to make an educated guess. After you complete these questions you will discuss your responses with your class & teacher. Be prepared to explain WHY you selected each answer. 1. Where does the water come from that flows out of your faucet at home/school? a. Home Well b. Flows through pipes from the city water treatment facility c. Directly from the river or ocean d. I don t know 2. Is the water that flows from your faucet at home/school free? a. Yes b. No c. I don t know 3. Where does water go after it is flushed down the toilet or swirls down the drain in your home/school? a. City waste water treatment plant b. Directly to the river c. Through a septic system d. I don t know 4. If a bathtub full of water represents all the water in the world, what measurement shows the amount of fresh, usable drinking water in the world? a. One cup b. One bathtub c. One half-teaspoon d. One bucket 5. What percentage of the human body is made up of water? a. 50% b. 10% c. 70% d. 5% 6. Why are some places in the world dry, and others very wet (or, why is water distributed unevenly throughout the world)? a. Some places just waste a lot of water, so it is dry b. Because of differences of weather, climate, and geography c. In some places, the sun never sets, sot it is always hot & dry d. I don t know Extended Response: Write 2-4 sentences to answer the following questions: 7. Do you believe it is possible for individuals to change their habits & use less water? 8. Do you think that individuals choosing to use less water can have a positive impact on the water supplies of their community?

13 Water Audit Data Sheet 1 Water Use Column A Predicted # of water uses per day Column B Actual # of water uses per day Column C gal. per use # of Column D Actual # of gal. used per day (B X C = D) Brush teeth for two minutes, water 6 gallons One toilet flush 5 to 7 gallons Wash dishes by hand, rinse in water 20 gallons Shower 5 gallons/minute One dishwasher cycle 12 to 15 gallons Bath 30 gallons Wash hands, water 3 gallons One clothes-washing cycle 50 gallons Get a drink with water 1/4 gallon Water lawn, 10 minutes 75 gallons Wash car with hose 10 gallons/ minute TOTAL: 1. Write down any other water uses that are not listed & research to find out how many gallons of water that use requires. 2. Think of how often you directly use water every day. Write down how many times you think you do each activity every day in column A. 3. Throughout the following day (as soon as you get up in the morning) record how many times you actually use water. 4. Multiply the number of times you use water by how many gallons each activity uses. 5. Add all the numbers in column D, & record the sum in the last box of that column (total). a. This is the estimated number of gallons of water you use every day!

14 Water Audit Data Sheet 2 Water Use Column A Water Conservation Action (suggested, or your own action) Brush teeth for two minutes, water Brush & Rinse, water not Column B # of water uses per day Column C estimated # of gal. per use 6 gal. 1/2 gal. Column D Actual # of gal. used per day (B X C = D) One toilet flush Low-flush toilet 5 to 7 gal. 3 gal. Wash dishes by hand, rinse in water Wash dishes & dip in pan of water to rinse 20 gal. 5 gal. Shower One dishwasher cycle 5 minutes with lowflow shower head *5 gal./min. 12 gal. 12 to 15 gal. Bath 30 gal. Wash hands, water turning off water between wash & rinse 3 gal. 1/2 gal. One clothes-washing cycle adjusted water level 50 gal. 25 gal. Get a drink with water Water lawn, 10 minutes Pour glass from water pitcher in refridgerator 1/4 gal. 1/16 gal. 75 gal. Wash car with hose Use bucket, sponge, and controlled-flow nozel **10 gal./ min. 5 gal. total TOTAL: *5 gal. x length of shower in minutes = total water use **10 gal. x number of minutes hose is = total water use 1. Write down any water uses that are not listed. 2. Conduct your daily water activities, but think of ways you could conserve water. Add any you think of to the chart, and share them with the class. 3. Add up the total number of gallons in column D & record the sum in the last box (total). 4. Compare your total number of gallons used with total from Data Sheet How many gallons did you save in one day by practicing a few simple water conservation actions? 6. How many gallons would your family save in one day if everyone followed water conservation actions? 7. How many gallons would your family save in one month? One year?