electric plant smoke

Water and Air Pollution Activity

a problem based educational activity

1. Read: "Cleansing the Air at the Expense of Waterways" New York Times October 12, 2009.

Listen to these podcasts from the USGS

#78 - Man-Made Chemicals Found in Drinking Water at Low Levels

#90 - Contaminants in 20 Percent of U.S. Private Wells

2. What are the sources (methods of generation) of the electricity used in your home?

 

3. What are the sources (methods of generation) of the electricity used in your community?

 

4. Evaluate - How clean is your community's air?

EPA: Air tests near schools a priority USA Today

 

 

How does your community’s tap water rate?

Use the Tap water database to obtain an answer.

 

5. Based on the data you have found, is this clean air versus clean water an issue for your community? Explain.

 

 

6. What actions can an individual take to mitigate this problem? Explain.

 

 

 

Water Studies Index Water Vocabulary puzzle
The Math of Sufficient Fresh Water video project What is a watershed?
Precipitation and Population Drought Presentation
Natural Resource Wars - who will be the winner? Pathfinder Science - Stream Monitoring
Lentic or Lotic Ecosystems online activity Protecting watersheds interactive guide
Map Pennsylvania's waters - label Watch Water Cycle
Groundwater Water Science for Schools - USGS
Exploring alternative energies activity Environmental Inquiry - Watersheds
How Clean is the Air in Your Community? Observation - science skill builder- orange water
Water Issue Digital Science Project  

"I have no doubt that we will be successful in harnessing the sun's energy....
If sunbeams were weapons of war, we would have had solar energy centuries ago. ~ Sir George Porter

This activity is aligned with the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for Reading, Writing, Speaking; Environment and Ecology, Science and Technology,

Internet Hunts / Nature / Computers / Wetlands EcoStudy Unit / Problem & Project based Learning / Pennsylvania Projects / Puzzles & Projects / Home

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10/2009 Cindy O'Hora This activity is released to public domain
This activity may be printed for use in a nonprofit setting