The Effects of Pollution!

A Unit for 3^rd Graders

By Annie Gillman and Paige Murray

Table of Contents

Overview and Rationale

Teacher Background Information

Unit Activity Bank

Organization and Subject Overview

Classroom Plan

Unit Planning Chart

Lesson Plans

Assessment

Appendix

Overview and Rationale

This unit on the effects of pollution is designed for the use of 3^rd graders. Among many other topics, pollution is listed as a social justice issue and one of its many strengths is that it is closely linked to the science curriculum. As teachers we believe that Social Studies is the building block of learning. Our underlying goal throughout this unit is to equip our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to be productive active citizens. It is important that we allow our students to become informed and prepared on issues such as pollution and teach them that they are capable of making a difference. By understanding pollution and the effects it has on ones environment, students will more likely be able to make correct judgments and decisions about ways to reduce pollution.

I believe that students can make a difference in the future if they are able to understand pollution and how it effects their environment. Students must come to understand the role that they play in society and the effects they have on their world. The National Council for the Social Studies says that teachers must prepare students to explore the causes, consequences, and possible solutions to persistent contemporary and emerging issues such as pollution (NCSS 9d); identify and describe examples in which science and technology have led to changes in the physical environment (NCSS 8b); identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens (NCSS 10b). Pollution is a huge social justice issue that is ongoing and if not discussed among students, then the environment as we know will continue to get worse. It is important that students understand the causes of pollution and be able to take a stand on the issue.

The Utah State Core for the third grade focuses on how human activity influences the environment and community (Utah 6030-01). Children need to understand that humans are responsible for the amount of pollution put in our society everyday. It is important to teach children that they have a choice to make a difference. Through proper actions and choices, such as recycling and limiting their needs, students can create an environment that is a cleaner and a safer place to live. It is important for children to realize that it is they, who can make the difference.

Many times, children do not speak out because they were never taught to do so. In the Utah State Core for the third grade standards, it focuses on students participating in activities that promote good citizenship (Utah 6030-05). Throughout the unit on the effects of pollution, each individual lesson provides the students with the opportunity to understand what pollution is and a variety of ways to help cut back on the pollution rate. It is important for children to recognize that they have a voice. By becoming an active member in their community, they can make a huge difference and influence others to do the same.

By making the unit on pollution meaningful and relevant to the student’s lives, they will be able to see the value and the need for reducing pollution. Teaching children the importance of recycling and promoting participation in the community offers children the opportunity to take responsibility and think more critically of their own actions. This unit provides many options for students to become informed and involved citizens on the effects of pollution and possible solutions to the increasing problem.

Teacher Background Information

In order to effectively teach this unit on pollution, teachers need to be knowledgeable about many different issues concerning pollution. First of all, it is very important that teachers become aware of their students background knowledge in order to gain an understanding of what the students may already know concerning pollution. Our unit provides KWL charts and brainstorming activities to help teachers learn about student’s background knowledge. The teacher needs to become familiar with their students cultures and communities to get a better idea whether pollution is a concern. For example, students who live in large cities will be more impacted by pollution than a student from a rural community. It is important the teacher becomes familiar with the communities recycling standards and rules. Many communities can only recycle certain items and the teacher need to be knowledgeable about what is recyclable in that particular area and what is not. Utah for example can only recycle plastic bottles labeled #1. We found recycling information for this unit on our local dumpsters and on our county’s recycling web page (cvcleanteam.org). It is important that you conduct your own personal research in order to give students reliable information concerning pollution in their surrounding community.

It is very important that teachers have an underlying definition of what pollution is. Pollution is to make impure; to contaminate an environment especially with human made waste. This definition should be used throughout the entire unit in order to guide the teacher’s focus. It is also necessary to understand that pollution is comprised of many different categories. For the sake of this unit we have chosen to elaborate on air, water, ground, and noise pollution. Air pollution is defined as the bad air we breathe in. Air pollution is found in both indoors and outdoors. Human activities can release substances into the air, some of which can cause problems for humans, plants, and animals. Ground pollution is the trash and other material that seeps into the Earths surface. Water pollution occurs when a body of water is affected due to the addition of large amounts of materials put into the water. When it is unfit for its intended use, water is considered polluted. Noise pollution is unwanted or offensive sounds that unreasonably intrude into our daily activities. Each of these pollutants has an effect on our life and on our environment. Teachers need to be aware of the consequences of pollution in order to effectively teach week 2 of this unit. Some causes consist of health effects such as skin rash, asthma, kidney damage, cough, bronchitis, liver damage, throat and eye irritation, heart problems, headache, miscarriages, dizziness, birth defects, and cancer. Other effects of pollution are overflowing landfills that cause detrimental effects on the environment, disturbing noises from airplanes and other loud objects that can cause learning imparities, breakdown of our ozone layer, and death to animal life of all kinds.

Our last 2 weeks of our unit focuses on how we can prevent pollution. Students will need to be informed about ways that they can help become active citizens by reducing pollution. As we stated earlier recycling can greatly reduce the effects of pollution. As a teacher you should know how students could cut back on items such as paper, plastic bags, and nearly everything that they use within the classroom. Teachers also need to inform students that they really can make a difference by limiting their needs and by recycling.

Some resources that teachers may find helpful while learning more about pollution are:

Book by Chris Van Allsburg entitled Just A Dream

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/ http://www.epa.gov/region07/programs/artd/air/quality/health.htm

http://www.alupro.org.uk/

http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/pollution-main.html

http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/waterpollution.htm

Unit Activity Bank

Unit Issue: “What are the Effects of Pollution?”

Outcomes/Unit Goals: Explore cause consequences and possible solutions to persistent contemporary and emerging issues such as pollution (NCSS 9d); identify and describe examples in which science and technology have led to changes in the physical environment (NCSS 8b); identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens (NCSS 10b).

Teacher Resources:

Utah.gov
Pollution reports
Adult books of pollution and affects
Recycling guides
Read alouds: Just A Dream by Chris Van Allsburg
Brochures
Websites on pollution

Accommodations for Learners:

Buddies
Books in Native Language about pollution
Read along tapes
Group work
Parent supervision/volunteers
Allow more time
Shorter lengths of assignments

Field Trips/Guests:

Go to dump
Go to recycling centers
USU professors
Garbage man
Scientists
People from other cultures
Parents
Environmentalists
Mountains/community to pick up trash

Student Reading/Literature:

Textbooks (Social Studies/Science)
National Geographic
Websites
Just A Dream
Other story books on pollution

Oral Language:

Students tell stories and experiences
Sing
Poetry
Announcements

Written Language:

Letters to the newspaper/school
Letters to the editor
Poems
Songs
Campaigns
Stories
Journal entries

Social Skills:

Group Work
Pair Share
Presentations
Debates

Social Studies:

What is pollution?
How does it affect our environment?
How has technology changed our environment?
How does our population affect pollution?
What are the statistics of pollution in Cache valley?
How does recycling reduce pollution?
How can we reduce pollution?
What are different kinds of pollution?

Art:

Posters
Collages
Brochures
Book illustrations
Draw pictures about what the world would look like if we didn’t throw away garbage.

Music:

“Take out the paper and the trash” revised.
Songs about our world/America
Songs about nature/mountains/communities

Science:

Environmental effects
What are the different kinds of pollution?
How does this affect our ozone layer?
How does this affect our water?
Medical repercussions
How much trash do we put in our world?

Math:

Statistics
Computing averages
Reading charts/graphs

Physical Education/Movement Health:

· How does pollution affect our physical and mental health.

· What are the causes of swimming/drinking polluted water

· How does it affect animal’s health and survival?

Technology:

Go to websites on pollution
Watch videos

Culminating Activities/Unit Projects:

Create school recycling project
Create a video
Create a big book
Put on a play
Make brochures
Set up a campaign
Art work

Assessment:

Peer assessment review
Read journals
Reflect on lesson plans and make modifications
Use a rubric
Observe same students and record actions
Tests
KWL chart understanding
Have students explain and respond

Organization and Subject Overview with Goals and Objectives

The overall question of the unit is: “What are the effects of pollution?” This unit will address three NCSS strands for performance expectations of students: 1) Explore causes, consequences, and possible solutions to persistent contemporary and emerging issues such as pollution (NCSS 9d); 2) Identify and describe examples in which science and technology have led to changes in the physical environment (NCSS 8b); 3) Identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens (NCSS 10b). In addition to using the National Standards, we have implemented the Utah National Core Standards as well. They include:1) Students show how environments and communities change over time through the influence of people (Utah 6030-01). 2) Students participate in activities that promote good citizenship (Utah 6030-02). The content of our unit is organized thematically into three main categories. The three issues that we address are: “What is Pollution?,” “ What are the Effects of Pollution?,” and “How can we Prevent Pollution?”. All of the activities that are applicable for these three headings are listed in our Unit Planning Chart below. The students will benefit from each of the lessons because we have made it a priority to make them meaningful in our student’s lives. The lessons and activities included in the unit deal with real-life problems that the students face in their communities and in their lives. Throughout the use of literature, our students will be able to take on a different perspective of what our world might become if the persistent problem of pollution is not controlled. Students are also able to have an authentic experience as we discuss the different health effects that pollution may cause. They are able to confront their feelings towards pollutants as we read a real-life obituary of someone who has been greatly affected by pollution. We also have provided many activities to engage students and motivate them to make a difference. Students will understand the importance of their actions on their environment by performing a skit to their peers about the benefits of being active members in their community and taking a stand by recycling. Classroom projects will also allow students to recognize ways that they can be more frugal in their use of paper and other classroom supplies. This allows students to recognize the ways that they contribute to pollution and how they can reduce the effects that they cause by conserving. Not only are students learning for the time being by participating in such activities, but also they will learn valuable information that will benefit them in their futures.

As teachers it is very important that we have a block of time each day dedicated to the Social Studies. We feel that social studies is a broad subject that integrates all aspects of the curriculum. It is important that students become aware of the issues that surround them in their everyday lives. Because of this, each of our lessons take up a minimum of 45 minutes each day. The lessons are comprised of activities that deal with group work, class discussions, and individual problem solving to help students become more aware of the effects of pollution. We involve categorizing, acting, decision-making, class recycling projects, and literature to emphasize the main issues discussed throughout the unit. The students will be collecting materials throughout the classroom so they need to be readily available to use. Space should be allotted for students to bring in materials that they have collected to be used or recycled. This space should be away from the traffic areas of the classroom. It is important that the desks are arranged in groups of four to six in order to make group activities easier to manage. Resources such as books, pictures, videos, magazines, and websites should be available for students to read and research their developing interests in pollution. The classroom plan below indicates the classroom set-up that would be ideal for this unit.

Classroom Plan

Unit Planning Chart

	Week 1	Week 2	Week 3	Week 4
TOPIC	What is Pollution?	What are the Effects Pollution?	How can we Prevent Pollution?	How can we Prevent Pollution?
NCSS STANDARDS	• Explore cause consequences and possible solutions to persistent contemporary and emerging issues such as pollution (NCSS 9d) • Identify and describe examples in which science and technology have led to changes in the physical environment (NCSS 8b). • Identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens (NCSS 10b).
UTAH OBJECTIVE	• Students participate in activities that promote good citizenship (Utah 6030-05). • Students will predict how human activity will influence environments and communities (Utah 6030-0101). • Students discuss possible solutions to pollution and identify how environments and communities change over time through the influence of people (Utah 6030-01).
LEARNING ACTIVITIES	KWL Chart about their knowledge of pollution.	Guest speaker on the effects of pollutants on health.	Perform a skit about preventing pollution to inform peers.	Take a field trip to the local recycling center.

	Literature read aloud on pollution.	Brainstorm possible effects of pollutants	Learn about recycling	Sing song "Take Out the the Trash"

	Students predict future pollution problems	Discuss obituaries of people who have died from pollutants	Students determine what can be recycled	Create a poem

	Students write their own pollution story	Students write about ways that people could avoid pollutants	Class recycling project to determine if paper is reusable	Bring things from home to Recycle

	Take a field trip to the local dump	Brochures of the effects of pollutants on health	Write a letter to a pollutant to explain how to get rid of him	Create a video to encourage recycling

	Categorize pictures into correct pollutant heading.	Research the internet for further information (inquiry based)	Letters to the governor about the importance of recycling	Create a big book as a class to put in school library

	Students create a collage on pollution	Visit a place where the environment has been effected	Classroom campaign to clean up the playground	Make a class oath to always help prevent pollution

Lesson Plans

Lesson 1

Title of Lesson: What is Pollution?

Teachers: Annie Gillman and Paige Murray

Date: 8/30/03

Time Allotted: 45 minutes

Grade Levels: 3^rd

Number of learners: 30

Unit Theme: The Effects of Pollution

Standards Met: See Below

Goal: Explore cause consequences and possible solutions to persistent contemporary and emerging issues such as pollution (NCSS 9d); identify and describe examples in which science and technology have led to changes in the physical environment (NCSS 8b); identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens (NCSS 10b).

Objectives: Given [materials], the learners will contribute to part of the KWL chart about pollution, they will listen to a read aloud about how pollution can affect our future, and continue adding to the KWL chart, in order to predict how human activity will influence environment and communities (Utah 6030-0101).

Material Needed: Just A Dream by Chris Van Allsburg, KWL Chart on butcher paper, markers.

Motivation: It made me so mad today as I drove to school. I saw the man in the car next to me throw out his wrapper from his McDonalds breakfast sandwich. I couldn’t believe it!! How many of you have seen someone throw their trash somewhere besides a garbage can? Well, today we are going to find out about what happens when we don’t take care of our world.

Procedures: (This is a teacher student interactive activity. A KWL chart will be placed in front of the class ahead of time. As students respond, teacher will fill in the chart. )

With the ‘K’ part of the KWL chart, ask students “What do you know about pollution?” Write student responses on the chart.

To cue students responses ask:

i. Is there pollution in Logan?

ii. What causes pollution?

iii. What kinds of things can be polluted (i.e. air, ground, water, noise)

iv. What are ways that people pollute?

In order to fill out the ‘W’ part of the KWL chart, ask students “What do you want to learn about pollution?” Write student responses.
Read aloud Just a Dream, stopping to explain any new vocabulary, student’s questions/experiences, and elaborate on illustrations.
After reading the book, fill in the ‘L’ category by asking students, “After reading Just A Dream, what kinds of things did you learn about pollution?” Did the book answer any of your questions? If we don’t help reduce pollution what consequences will we face in the future?
Leave the chart up for display and explain to the students that we will continue to add to it as we learn more about pollution.

Accommodations: For second language learners, provide versions of the read-aloud book along with a cassette tape to follow along with. Invite students to sit up front providing a closer view, better hearing, and to encourage on-task behavior.

Closure: At the end of this book, the little boy plants a tree. What can you do that would contribute to reducing pollution in our world? Have 5 students share their ideas with the class.

Assessment/Evaluation: Review the KWL chart to evaluate student’s knowledge and progress concerning pollution. (This is a good starting point for the teacher to see what the students already know about pollution and what they need to learn).

Extension: Have students tell a story about when they (or someone they know) have caused pollution or helped to prevent it.

Teacher Reflection:

Lesson 2

Title of Lesson: Student’s Just a Dream

Teachers: Annie Gillman and Paige Murray

Date: 9/30/03

Time Allotted: 45 minutes

Grade Level: 3^rd

Number of Learners: 30

Unit Theme: The Effects of Pollution

Standards Met: See Below

Goal: Explore cause consequences and possible solutions to persistent contemporary and emerging issues such as pollution (NCSS 9d); identify and describe examples in which science and technology have led to changes in the physical environment (NCSS 8b); identify examples of rights and responsibilities of citizens (NCSS 10b).

Objectives: Given [materials] students will be able to recognize human actions that affect our environment and create a class book with a drawing and explanation of a time where they saw how human activity influences the environment through pollution in order to understand the potential effects of pollution (Utah 6030-0101).

Materials Needed: Pieces of paper for each student including extras for mistakes (blank on top, lined on bottom), pencils, markers, crayons, and student dictionaries.

Motivation: Review the story Just A Dream, by Chris Van Allsburg. Explain to students that we are going to make our own Just a Dream book as a class throughout the unit.

Procedures:

Model directions by drawing a piece of paper on the white board (blank on top and lined on bottom). Remind the students about the incident that you saw happen on your way to school. Tell them that you are going to make a page in the class book about the man who was a litterbug.
Then, on the blank part of the paper, draw what you saw. On the lined portion, write about it. Such as: “I saw a man crinkle up his wrapper and throw it out the window of his car.”
Explain to the students that they will be doing the same thing about a time when they witnessed pollution.
Hand out to each student a piece of paper (blank on top, lined on bottom). Provide them with writing and drawing materials.
Give students adequate time to make their drawings and write their story.

Accommodations: Give students extra time, allow them to write in their native language (with a translation), or require a small written description. Allow students to ask for help or work with a buddy.

Closure: After students have finished their page, ask several students to share their pictures and responses. Give a round of applause for student’s good work.

Assessment/Evaluation: Have student’s hand in their pictures and written description that they created for the class book concerning pollution. Evaluate them for understanding and awareness of what pollution means through their illustrations and writings.

Extension: For students that get done early, have them create the cover page to the class book.

Teacher Reflection:

Lesson 3

Title of Lesson: What Pollutant am I?

Teachers: Annie Gillman and Paige Murray

Date: 10/06/03

Time Allotted: 30-45 minutes

Grade Level: 3^rd

Number of Learners: 30

Unit Theme: The Effects of Pollution

Standards Met: See below

Objectives: Given [materials] students will be able to identify and categorize the four different pollutants by looking at pictures, in order to describe the changes of the environment due to human inventions and peoples influence over time (Utah 6030-0101).

Materials Needed: For each table, provide 8 to 10 different pictures showing examples of water, air, ground, and noise pollution. Include category headings entitled AIR POLLUTION, GROUND POLLUTION, WATER POLLUTION, and NOISE POLLUTION. The teacher should also have the same label headings on the white board for class categorization. You will also need a glass of water and food coloring.

Motivation: Bring in a glass of water that has been discolored with food coloring and ask one of the students if they would like to have a drink. Once they say no, ask them why not. Tell them that the water and the air that they drink and breathe have many different chemicals and pollutants, but unlike the food coloring, they cannot see it.

Procedures:

Review with students, what it means to pollute.
Ask students questions about polluting.

How does pollution affect our environment?
What are examples of everyday things we use or do that promote pollution?

i. Inventions: Drive cars, airplanes, throw away trash, hairspray, chemicals, loud noises, insecticides, fertilizers ( Review of earlier lessons)

Explain to the students about the four kinds of pollutants they will be studying for this unit.

Air, ground, water, and noise pollution.
Air pollution is the bad air we breathe in. Air pollution is found in both indoors and outdoors. Human activities can release substances into the air, some of which can cause problems for humans, plants, and animals.
Ground pollution is the trash and other material that seeps into the Earths surface.
Water pollution occurs when a body of water is affected due to the addition of large amounts of materials put into the water. When it is unfit for its intended use, water is considered polluted.
Noise pollution is unwanted or offensive sounds that unreasonably intrude into our daily activities.

Ask the students a time when they have seen any of these four pollutants.

What are some examples of the various pollutants?
Where do we see these kinds of pollution taking place?
How do humans play a part in these various types of pollutions?

Next tell the students that they are going to play a game about pollutants. Tell the students that you want to see how well they understand each of the four categories of pollutants. Remind them that they are going to have to use their thinking skills for this game.
On the students table place a box of several pictures and four headings (many different pictures of pollution and headings entitled: air pollution, noise pollution, ground pollution, and water pollution). Place the headings at the top of the table.
Mix up the pictures and categorize them into their correct type of pollutant.
Give the students eight minutes to complete the task.
After the students are finished, have them bring up their categorized pictures to the whiteboard to create a classroom chart.
This is a good way for students to see all of the different forms of pollution that were placed on their peers tables.

Accommodations: For students that may have a difficult time understanding the pictures you could have a written explanation of what is depicting on the back of the picture.

Closure: Have the students look closely to all of the pictures on the board and ask them whether or not they want these types of things in the world around them.

Ask the class to “take a stand” on the following statement: “I feel that my personal actions make a difference in creating solutions to pollution.” Students will line up according to their personal beliefs that their actions make a BIG difference (one end of the classroom) or a VERY LITTLE difference (the opposite end of the classroom). This is a great introduction to pollution prevention that follows later in the unit.

Assessment: Observe the students categories of different pollutants to see if they can place various pictures under the correct pollutant heading. Ask the groups to each tell about a different picture and give a verbal description why it fits into the category that it does. Such as, “This picture is under the water pollution heading because of all of the trash that people have thrown in the river.”

Extension: Have the students write about a time when they have seen any of these different kinds of pollution in their lives and share them with their groups.

Teacher Reflection:

Lesson 4

Title of Lesson: Polluted Health

Teachers: Annie Gillman and Paige Murray

Date: 9/30/03

Time Allotted: 45 min-1 hour

Grade Level: 3^rd

Number of Learners: 30

Unit Theme: The Effects of Pollution

Standards Met: See Below

Objectives: Given [materials], students will learn how human activity will influence communities and the environments (Utah 6030-0101). Students will contribute to the brainstorming web about polluted health. Learners will be able to learn about different degrees of health problems that arise from pollution. Students will compose a reversed obituary in order to understand how to prevent getting ill

Materials Needed: Obituary from the newspaper, a pre-written reversed obituary.

Motivation: Begin coughing and say that you have a soar throat from breathing in all of the dirty air outside.

Procedures:

Ask students how pollutants can affect their health? Can these affects be serious to our bodies?
Explain to the students that as a class they are going to do a brainstorming web about the effects of pollution on health. “What are some health problems that people face?”

Write student responses on the board as a web. (Skin Rashes, Asthma, Kidney Damage, Liver Damage, Can’t Breath, Coughing, Bronchitis, Headaches, Heart problems, Dizziness, Throat and Eye Irritation, Damage to the inside of the Body, Baby Problems, Birth Defects, Cancer).

Respond to and clarify any questions that students have about the effects of pollution on health.
Explain to the students that there are a variety of health issues that range from less serious to more serious.
Next to the web, create a new chart and label the headings accordingly: Less serious, Medium, and More serious.
Ask the students to categorize the health affects from the web into the correct column. Possible answers include:

Less Serious Medium More Serious

Skin Rash Asthma Kidney Damage

Cough Bronchitis Liver Damage

Throat and Eye Irritation Heart Problems

Headache Miscarriages

Dizziness Birth Defects

Cancer

Explain to the students that over 1.3 million people die in the world from pollutants each year. Ask the students how that makes them feel. Why do we continue polluting our world?
Read an obituary of someone who passed away from a pollutant.
Explain to the students that they are going to help write the reverse of an obituary. Tell the students come up with solutions of how that person could have avoided or reduced the effects of the pollutant on his/her health. Begin by brainstorming possible ideas of ways to avoid pollutants. Make a class web on the whiteboard.
In their groups, students will write their reversed obituary. Students need to include the pollutant and the prevention strategies that the person may have taken.

Example: On October 10, 2003 Miss Paige Murray escaped the detrimental effects of drinking polluted water by buying a water filter and by having her neighborhood contact the state about their water conditions.

Accommodations: Have students work with partners. Provide a format of an obituary for students to fill in their responses.

Closure: Volunteers share their obituaries with the rest of the class. Review with the students what are ways that we can reduce pollution in order to stop all of these deaths.

Assessment/Evaluation: Read students reversed obituaries to evaluate students understanding of possible solutions to prevent illnesses caused by pollution. Look for student’s description of specific pollutants and their consequences on their health.

Extension: Provide newspapers for students to look through and find a person who passed away from pollutants.

Teacher Reflection:

Lesson 5

Title of Lesson: The Recycling Skit!

Teachers: Annie Gillman and Paige Murray

Date: 9/30/03

Time Allotted: Two-hour session

Grade Level: 3^rd

Number of Learners: 30

Unit Theme: The Effects of Pollution

Standards Met: See Below

Objectives: Students will be able to reenact a skit of the importance of recycling in order to participate in activities that promote good citizenship (Utah 6030-05). Students will predict how human activity will influence environments and communities (Utah 6030-0101).

Materials needed: 30 copies of the Family Recycling Project script. A prepared list of groups with assigned characters for each student.

Motivation: How many of you have seen a skit? Has anyone ever been part of a skit? Well today you get the chance to become actors and actresses.

Procedures: