Grade: 3
Lab #: 1, Pollution
(revised 7/20/2014)
Materials:
Material / Station / Source / Notes3 clear glass bowls / 1 / Lab Kit
3 plastic spoons/class / 1 / Lab Kit or Parent donation
3 drinking straws/class / 1 / Lab Kit or Parent donation
Water / 1, 2, & 3 / Parent donation/fill empty jugs at the school / 24 oz. for station 1
3 gallons for Station 3
1 gallon for Station 2
5-6 Gallons/Class total
Vegetable Oil / 1 & 2 / Lab Kit or Parent donation / 16 oz./per class
Tablespoon Measure / 1 / Lab Kit
Cinnamon / 1 / Lab Kit or Parent donation / 1 tsp/class
Small Marshmallows / 1 / Parent donation / One per student (about 23/class)
Small Feathers / 1 / Lab Kit or Parent donation / About 6/class
Paper towel / 1 & 3 / Lab Kit or Parent donation / Need 1 roll for every 2 classes, so 4 rolls total
2 habitats / 2 / Lab Kit / 1 of these habitats has a hole drilled in the bottom
Small Watering Can / 2 / Lab Kit / If it is not in the lab kit, there is a box of these in the general inventory in the science lab.
Large Bowl / 2 / Lab Kit / Use for discarding waste between rotations
Green Food Coloring / 2 / Lab Kit or Parent donation
Soil/Sand/Pebbles / 2 & 3 / Lab Kit or Parent donation / May run activity with just soil & sand
TOTAL soil needed is 1.5 cubic feet/class
Total Sand approx. 1c./class
Grass Clippings or Shredded Paper / 2 / Parent donation
3 Plastic tubs (at least 35 cm square surface area) / 3 / Lab Kit
Permanent Marker / 3 / Science Lab / If not in lab kit, look in small drawers on bookshelf
Vinegar / 3 / Lab Kit or Parent Donation / 16 oz./class
Ammonia / 3 / Lab Kit or Parent Donation / 15 ml/class which is just over ½ oz./class
7 class total approx 5oz. total
3 Eyedroppers / 3 / Lab Kit / In bin on bookshelf if not already in lab kit
Red & Blue Litmus Paper / 3 / Lab Kit or Parent donation / 27 of each/class
Can be purchased at The School Box for $2.99 for 100 each
Small Cups / 3 / Lab Kit or Parent Donation
10 oz. Plastic Cups / 2 & 3 / Parent Donation / 15/class
Job(s) for volunteers on the day of the lab:
· Fill 5-6 gallon jugs of water to be used at all 3 stations (as detailed by station below).
· Set up stations as outlined in lab.
· Hand out copies of Lab Report Forms (1 per student)
· Teachers are responsible for introducing and leading the lab with parent volunteers assisting with the activities at each station.
· When cleaning up, please dump the used soil outside at the far end of the portable classroom (at the end away from the playground).
Grade: 3
Lab #: 1, Pollution
(revised 7/20/2014)
Station 1: Oil Spills and Water Pollution
This activity is designed to demonstrate to students the affects of an oil spill on the water and the animals that lives on and near our oceans. This experiment also demonstrates what it is like to try to clean up an oil spill and why it is such a difficult task.
Set Up:
1. Pour 8 oz. water into each bowl (3 bowls)
2. Have Tbsp measuring spoon available for measuring oil
3. Have cinnamon available to sprinkle
4. Separate out enough marshmallows for each student to have one
5. Have 3 drinking straws set out (1 for each rotation)
6. Place 3 feathers out (1 for each rotation)
7. Set paper towels at table so that it is available
8. Place 3 plastic spoons at table so that they are available for students (1 per rotation)
Lab Steps:
1. Discuss the station and the question asked of the students. They should make their hypothesis and record it.
2. Add the vegetable oil to the bowl full of water. Observe that the oil and water do not mix.
3. Sprinkle cinnamon on top of the oil. Point out that the mixture resembles sludge.
4. Have the students drop marshmallows in the bowl to represent birds and animals.
5. Have 1 student blow, first gently, then harder on the oil through the straw. Tell the students that wind and waves push the oil, but the oil continues to float to the surface.
6. Observe the marshmallows and the interior sides of the bowl. Point out that a layer of oil coats the marshmallows and the side of the bowl as crude oil would coat the oceans shoreline and wildlife.
7. Place a feather in the oil. Ask a student to try to remove the oil with a paper towel. How hard is it to clean the feather?
8. Ask a student to skim the oil from the water with a spoon. Discuss how difficult it is to remove oil from water.
9. Assist the students with completion of their questions.
Station 2: Storm Drains and Water Pollution
This activity is designed to demonstrate to students what an average storm drain collects during a rainfall event and how the water from the storm drains can impact the water quality and aquatic environments of local streams, rivers, and bays.
Set Up:
1. Place habitat (that does not have the hole in the bottom) on table and fill halfway with water and place on station table.
2. Place the habitat with the small hole in the bottom on top of the water filled habitat.
3. Divide each of the “pollutants” into 10oz cups so that appropriate amounts are ready for each rotation.
a) 2oz. Vegetable Oil (1/4c.) for each of 3 groups
b) Soil (1/4 c.) for each of 3 groups
c) Sand (1/4c.) for each of 3 groups
d) Grass clippings/yard waste (just divide amount sent by class into 3 batches)
e) Green food coloring (have dropper bottle available on table)
Lab Steps:
1. Tell students that the top habitat contains the contaminants which could reach the storm drain and the bottom habitat represents the waterway the storm water mixes into after entering the storm drain.
2. Discuss the question asked of the students and have them write their hypothesis.
3. Assign a pollutant to each student explaining what each represents. The vegetable oil represents motor oil found on the streets, the soil and sand are from yards and construction sites, yard waste is from our yards at home and the food coloring represents lawn fertilizer chemicals.
4. Have the first student add the vegetable oil.
5. Ask a student to use the watering can to create rain to wash the pollutant into the waterway.
6. While washing each pollutant into the waterway, review the pollutant and its use or origin. Discuss the following questions: How does the pollutant damage the environment? Why did they do what they did? How can this type of pollution be stopped?
7. Have each student place his/her pollutant into the storm drain in this order after the vegetable oil: soil, sand, yard waste, food coloring watering in between each addition.
8. Be careful to add pollutants one at a time so students can observe effects of each one.
9. Examine the contents of the waterway. Discuss how the waterway has changed and how viewing this change makes the students feel.
10. Discard waste into trash can between student rotations and wipe clean with paper towels.
Station 3: Drinking Water and Water Pollution
This activity is designed to demonstrate to students how pollutants get into drinking water and how drinking water can be tested.
Set Up:
1. Fill each of 3 plastic tubs with soil up to marks in box (5cm from top).
2. Saturate the soil in each of the 3 tubs. (Note: use the watering can with the “sprinkle dispenser” at the end so as not to create puddles of water. The volunteers do this so that when the water is placed into each of the “wells” that the students will create that the water in the wells is not instantly absorbed by the soil.) Each bin will need to be saturated with 3 quarts of water (9 quarts total).
3. Take 9 sheets of paper towel and cut them to form large circles (scissors may be found in the plastic drawers on the bookshelf by the door). The 9 circles are referred to as “filters” in the rest of this discussion. Label the filters close to the edge: A (3 filters), B (3 filters) & C (3 filters); 1 set will be used for each rotation.
4. Label 9 Small Cups: A (3 cups), B (3 cups) & C (3 cups); 1 set will be used for each rotation
5. Make sure eye droppers in Lab Kit are labeled, A, B & C. If they are not labeled, please do so with a permanent marker.
Lab Steps:
1. Discuss the question posed to the students and ask them to write their hypothesis.
2. Take the plastic tub filled with soil from the setup steps above. Construct wells by pushing the filters into the soil to make round “wells”. Place them side by side so there is a Well A, Well B, and Well C. It is a little messy to do this step so is better for the volunteer to place the wells.
3. Have students add 100 ml of water to each of the wells: A, B and C. Allow the water to settle. (Because you’ve already saturated the soil, the water should sit in the well and not be absorbed into the dirt).
4. Sample the water from each well explaining that authorities . Using the eyedroppers, have the students extract water from each well, using the appropriately labeled eye dropper and deposit the water into the corresponding plastic cup. (i.e. Well A uses eyedropper A and is deposited into plastic cup A).
5. Discuss that litmus paper will turn colors depending on whether the liquid is neutral (no change), acidic (red), or alkaline/basic (blue). Using red and blue litmus paper, have the students test the water in each cup.
6. Stop and have the students report their findings on their papers.
7. Explain to the students that when it rains, the rain picks up pollutants in the air due to the burning of fuels such as coal, petroleum, and gasoline. This is called acid rain and it contains sulfur. To simulate acid rain, we will use vinegar which is acidic.
8. Measure out 30 ml of vinegar. Pour it right next to Well A (on the side where Well B is) to simulate acid rain. Pour it as close to well A as possible. You may have to lift the “rim” of the filter to put it near the well. Allow a few minutes for it to seep into the soil.
9. After pouring the vinegar into the soil add 50ml of water to the same spot in the soil to push the chemical into the dirt.
10. Empty the three small cups labeled A, B, and C into a side bowl. Have the students take new samples from the wells to put into the same cups.
11. Using red and blue litmus paper, have the students test the water.
12. Discuss the results and have the students record them on their worksheets.
13. To simulate the effects of fertilizer run-off we use ammonia which is used in making fertilizer.
14. Pour 5ml ammonia close to Well C the same way you poured the vinegar. Then pour 50 ml of water in the same spot as the ammonia to push the contaminant through the dirt.
15. Dump out the cups again and take new samples from each well to be tested with the litmus paper.
16. Record the results of the third test and then compare test results. Have students complete the questions about the lab.
Key:
Litmus Paper Results: / Blue / RedNeutral Liquid / No change / No change
Acidic Liquid (Vinegar) / Red / No change
Basic Liquid (Ammonia) / No change / Blue
Clean Up Notes:
1. Remove the filters and place them in the trash.
2. Please empty the three bins of soil outside at the far end of the trailer (the end away from the playground).
Science Lab Report Form – Station 1
Name: _____ Date: ______
Question: (Problem Statement)
How do oil spills affect water and animal life?
Hypothesis: (A guess to be tested)
Record Your Observations:
1. Do oil and water mix?
2. How hard is it to clean the feather?
3. Are oil spills easy or difficult to clean up? Why?
______
4. What other observations did you notice?
______
______
Conclusion: (Revisit the hypothesis. Support your conclusion with your findings.)
The hypothesis is correct/incorrect because in the experiment…
______
______
______
______
Science Lab Report Form – Station 2
Name: _____ Date:
Question: (Problem Statement)
How can storm drains affect drinking water and the local environment?
Hypothesis: (A guess to be tested)
Record Your Observations:
1. How does the pollutant damage the environment?
______
______
2. Why did they do what they did?
______
______
3. How can this type of pollution be stopped?
______
______
4. What other observations did you notice?
______
______
Conclusion: (Revisit the hypothesis. Support your conclusion with your findings.)
The hypothesis is correct/incorrect because in the experiment…
______
______
______
Science Lab Report Form – Station 3