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Learning
Through Legacy
Alabama’s Environmental Education Guide
for Grades 3-5
Produced for
Alabama Educators
By
Legacy, Partners in Environmental Education
Revised 2013
Funding for this project is made possible
by proceeds from the sale of Alabama's
“Protect Our Environment” license tags.
Disclaimer
“Learning Through Legacy: An Environmental Education Guide” was prepared by Legacy, Inc.,
Partners in Environmental Education, and its collaborative partners, including teachers and
environmental professionals throughout Alabama. (For a complete listing, contact the Legacy office.)
Neither Legacy, Inc., nor any persons acting on its behalf:
a. Make any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy of
any information contained in this document; or
b. Make any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, that the use of any information,
apparatus, methods, or process disclosed in this document may not infringe on
privately owned rights; or
c. Assume any liabilities with respect to the adoption, applicability or use of any information,
apparatus, methods, or process disclosed in this document or inferred therefrom;
d. Assume any liabilities for damages resulting from the adoption, applicability or use of any
information, apparatus, methods, or process disclosed in this document, or inferred therefrom.
This document does not reflect necessarily the views and policies of those involved in the
preparation or production of this publication. The use of or reference to, specific brand names or
products should not be construed as an endorsement by any of those involved in the preparation or
production of this publication.
Notice of Request for Duplication:
This document is provided for use by teachers and environmental educators in Alabama by Legacy,
Inc. Duplication of materials contained herein is prohibited without prior, expressed written
permission from Legacy. Permission for duplication and/or information related to the this
publication or information about obtaining a copy of “Learning Through Legacy: An Environmental
Education Guide” may be obtained by contacting:
Legacy, Inc., Partners in Environmental Education
P.O. Box 3813
Montgomery, AL 36109
Phone: 334-270-5921 or 800-240-5115 (In Alabama)
FAX: 334-270-5527
E-mail: info@legacyenved.org
Website: www.legacyenved.org
*** “Learning Through Legacy: An Environmental Education Guide” are available for the following
grade levels: K-2, 3-5, 6-8, and 9-12.
Legacy, Inc., is an equal opportunity employer. The programs of Legacy are available to all eligible
persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability unrelated to program
performance, or age.
i
ii
iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS (REVISED EDITION)
Project Staff
Legacy, Inc. Staff
Paige Moreland, Executive Director
Toni Bruner, Programs Coordinator
Stacey Little, Marketing Manager
and
Brenda Litchfield, Educational Concepts
Clint Orr, Graphic Designer
Chuck Higginbotham, Graphic Designer
Rick Van Eck, Layout and Design
A special acknowledgement to James Lowery for his content and technical data review for the
publication.
Thanks to all of the teachers and environmental professionals throughout Alabama that provided the
content and activities and technical review for the original publication published in 1993. (A
complete listing of individuals that participated is available from the Legacy office.)
iv
v
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Disclaimer ............................................................................................................................................................i
Acknowledgments ..............................................................................................................................................iii
Correlations ..........................................................................................................................................................v
Chapter 1: Ecology
Introduction ..........................................................................................................................................................1
In The Know ........................................................................................................................................................3
No Salt, Please ....................................................................................................................................................5
Habits Of Habitats ..............................................................................................................................................11
A Spider Sat Down Beside Her ..........................................................................................................................17
Boning Up On Biomes ......................................................................................................................................23
Worming Out Of It ............................................................................................................................................29
The Chain Gang ................................................................................................................................................31
The Web Of Life ................................................................................................................................................37
An Ant Can ........................................................................................................................................................39
Adaptations Help Stop Limitations ....................................................................................................................45
Necessary Changes ............................................................................................................................................53
To Transpire Or Perspire...That Is The Question ............................................................................................59
Over and Over Again ........................................................................................................................................63
Backyard Composting ........................................................................................................................................67
Vermi-Village ....................................................................................................................................................73
Chapter 2: Pollution Prevention
Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................77
A Legacy ............................................................................................................................................................79
The Dirty Half Dozen ........................................................................................................................................85
It’s All In The Air ..............................................................................................................................................95
Sky Blue, Sunset Red ........................................................................................................................................97
Smoke Gets In More Than Your Eyes ............................................................................................................101
Let’s Sock Car Exhaust ....................................................................................................................................103
Don’t Take A “Lichen” To Pollution ................................................................................................................109
The Great Garbage Caper ................................................................................................................................115
All Tied Up ......................................................................................................................................................119
To Fertilize Or Not To Fertilize: That Is The Question ..................................................................................123
Clean Up Your Act ..........................................................................................................................................127
You Dirty Bird ..................................................................................................................................................131
Swim Suitable ..................................................................................................................................................135
Down It Goes - Where It Stops, Nobody Knows ............................................................................................139
Do you Get My Point? Point and Nonpoint Source Pollution ........................................................................143
Chapter 3:Waste Management
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................145
What A Waste ..................................................................................................................................................147
Trash Flash Through Time ..............................................................................................................................151
Trash Patrol ......................................................................................................................................................157
We’re Down In The Dumps ............................................................................................................................161
Dump It ............................................................................................................................................................169
It’s A Gas ..........................................................................................................................................................173
What Goes Around Comes Around ................................................................................................................181
A City “Can” ....................................................................................................................................................187
Heavy Metal ....................................................................................................................................................191
Seeing Is Believing ..........................................................................................................................................195
Roll Out The Barrels ........................................................................................................................................199
Fetch A Pail Of Water ......................................................................................................................................203
Filtration Sensation ..........................................................................................................................................207
Crystallizing The Problem ................................................................................................................................211
Playing With Rubbish ......................................................................................................................................213
Chapter 4: Natural Resources
Introduction ......................................................................................................................................................217
Salty Mapping ..................................................................................................................................................219
Mining ..............................................................................................................................................................223
What’s the Point? ............................................................................................................................................225
Down Home Dinosaurs ....................................................................................................................................229
The Value Of Water ..........................................................................................................................................233
Gardening With Natives For Natives ..............................................................................................................239
How Strong Are Your “Mussels”? ..................................................................................................................243
The Development Of Sunshine City: Simulation Activity ..............................................................................247
Start Shredding The News ..............................................................................................................................253
Color My World Natural ..................................................................................................................................255
Home Sweet Home ..........................................................................................................................................257
Energy From Water - Free For The Taking ......................................................................................................261
Some Like It Hot ..............................................................................................................................................269
How Are You Gonna Keep It Down On The Farm? ........................................................................................271
Glossary ..........................................................................................................................................................273
Resources
Internet Resources ............................................................................................................................................281
Directories ........................................................................................................................................................285
Discovering Alabama Program Guide ............................................................................................................309
vi
vii
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 1
Ecology
MATHEMATICS
In T
he
Kn
ow
(p
g 3
)
No S
alt
, P
lease
(p
g 5
)
Hab
its
Of
Hab
itats
(p
g 1
1)
A S
pid
er S
at
Dow
n B
esid
e H
er (
pg 1
7)
Bon
ing U
p O
n B
iom
es (
pg 2
3)
Worm
ing O
ut
Of
It (
pg 2
9)
Th
e C
hain
Gan
g (
pg 3
1)
Th
e W
eb O
f L
ife
(pg 3
7)
An
An
t C
an
(p
g 3
9)
Ad
ap
tati
on
s H
elp
Sto
p L
imit
ati
on
s (p
g 4
5)
Nec
essa
ry C
han
ges
(p
g 5
3)
To T
ran
spir
e or
Per
spir
e...T
hat
Is T
he
Qu
esti
on
(p
g 5
9)
Over
An
d O
ver
Again
(p
g 6
3)
Back
yard
Com
post
ing (
pg 6
7)
basic computation (addition, subtraction,
multiplication)x
use measurements x x x x
make estimates and approximations x x
formulate and solve problems
probability and statistics x x x x
charts and graphs
SCIENCE
identify questions answerable through scientific
investigationsx x x x x x x x x x
use appropriate skills to design and conduct a
scientific investigation, including classifying,
measuring, observing, predicting, etc.x x x x x x x x
demonstrate the ability to perform safe and
appropriate manipulation of materials, living
organisms, scientific equipment, and technology.x x x x x x x x x
use available technology to communicate scientific
procedures and to defend explanationsx x x x x
think critically and logically x x x x x x x x x x
investigate alternative explanations of experimental
results
use mathematics in scientific inquiry x x x
demonstrate an understanding of the relationships
among science, technology, and society - past and
present
x x x
x x x x
LANGUAGE ARTS
language (acquiring and using) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
writing ( mechanical, persuasive, creative, letters) x x x x x x
speaking and listening x x x x x x x
reading and literature x x
communication/presenting ideas x x x x x x x x x x
Ver
mi-
Vil
lage
(pg 7
3)
viii
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 1
Ecology
SOCIAL STUDIES
In T
he
Kn
ow
(p
g 3
)
No S
alt
, P
lease
(p
g 5
)
Hab
its
Of
Hab
itats
(p
g 1
1)
A S
pid
er S
at
Dow
n B
esid
e H
er (
pg 1
7)
Bon
ing U
p O
n B
iom
es (
pg 2
3)
Worm
ing O
ut
Of
It (
pg 2
9)
Th
e C
hain
Gan
g (
pg 3
1)
Th
e W
eb O
f L
ife
(pg 3
7)
An
An
t C
an
(p
g 3
9)
Ad
ap
tati
on
s H
elp
Sto
p L
imit
ati
on
s (p
g 4
5)
Nec
essa
ry C
han
ges
(p
g 5
3)
To T
ran
spir
e or
Per
spir
e...T
hat
Is T
he
Qu
esti
on
(p
g 5
9)
Over
An
d O
ver
Again
(p
g 6
3)
Back
yard
Com
post
ing (
pg 6
7)
map skills x
collecting, recording and categorizing data x
comparing and contrasting x x x x x x x x
inferences and generalizations x x x x x
social, human problems and decision making x x
RELATED ARTS
the arts (art, music, drama) x x x x x x x x x
health
computer activities
Ver
mi-
Vil
lage
(pg 7
3)
ix
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 2
Pollution Prevention
MATHEMATICS
A L
egacy
(p
g 7
9)
Th
e D
irty
Half
Doze
n (
pg 8
5)
It’s
All
In
Th
e A
ir (
pg 9
5)
Sk
y B
lue,
Su
nse
t R
ed (
pg 9
7)
Sm
ok
e G
ets
In M
ore
Th
an
You
r E
yes
(p
g 1
01)
Let
’s S
ock
Car
Exh
au
st (
pg 1
03)
Don
’t T
ale
A “
Lic
hen
” T
o P
oll
uti
on
(p
g 1
09)
Th
e G
reat
Garb
age
Cap
er (
pg 1
15)
All
Tie
d U
p (
pg 1
19)
To F
erti
lize
Or
Not
To F
erti
lize
: T
hat
Is T
he
Qu
esti
on
(pg 1
23)
Cle
an
Up
You
r A
ct (
pg 1
27)
You
r D
irty
Bir
d (
pg 1
31)
Sw
im S
uit
ab
le (
pg 1
35)
Dow
n I
t G
oes
- W
her
e It
Sto
ps,
Nob
od
y K
now
s
(pg 1
39)
basic computation (addition, subtraction,
multiplication)x x x
use measurements x x x x x x x x x
make estimates and approximations x x x x x
formulate and solve problems x
probability and statistics x
charts and graphs x x x x x x x x x
SCIENCE
identify questions answerable through scientific
investigationsx x x x x x
use appropriate skills to design and conduct a
scientific investigation, including classifying,
measuring, observing, predicting, etc.x x x x x x x x x x x x x
demonstrate the ability to perform safe and
appropriate manipulation of materials, living
organisms, scientific equipment, and technology.x x x x
use available technology to communicate scientific
procedures and to defend explanationsx x x x x
think critically and logically x x x x x x x x x
investigate alternative explanations of experimental
results
use mathematics in scientific inquiry x x x x x
demonstrate an understanding of the relationships
among science, technology, and society - past and
present
x x x x x
x x x
LANGUAGE ARTS
language (acquiring and using) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
writing ( mechanical, persuasive, creative, letters) x x x x x x
speaking and listening x x x
reading and literature x
communication/presenting ideas x x x x x x x
Do Y
ou
Get
My P
oin
t? P
oin
t an
d N
on
poin
t S
ou
rce
Poll
uti
on
(p
g 1
43)
x
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 2
Pollution Prevention
SOCIAL STUDIES
A L
egacy
(p
g 7
9)
Th
e D
irty
Half
Doze
n (
pg 8
5)
It’s
All
In
Th
e A
ir (
pg 9
5)
Sk
y B
lue,
Su
nse
t R
ed (
pg 9
7)
Sm
ok
e G
ets
In M
ore
Th
an
You
r E
yes
(p
g 1
01)
Let
’s S
ock
Car
Exh
au
st (
pg 1
03)
Don
’t T
ale
A “
Lic
hen
” T
o P
oll
uti
on
(p
g 1
09)
Th
e G
reat
Garb
age
Cap
er (
pg 1
15)
All
Tie
d U
p (
pg 1
19)
To F
erti
lize
Or
Not
To F
erti
lize
: T
hat
Is T
he
Qu
esti
on
(pg 1
23)
Cle
an
Up
You
r A
ct (
pg 1
27)
You
r D
irty
Bir
d (
pg 1
31)
Sw
im S
uit
ab
le (
pg 1
35)
Dow
n I
t G
oes
- W
her
e It
Sto
ps,
Nob
od
y K
now
s
(pg 1
39)
map skills x
collecting, recording and categorizing data x x x x
comparing and contrasting x x x x x x x
inferences and generalizations x x x x x
social, human problems and decision making x x x x x x x x x x x x x
RELATED ARTS
the arts (art, music, drama) x x x x x
health
computer activities
Do Y
ou
Get
My P
oin
t? P
oin
t an
d N
on
poin
t S
ou
rce
Poll
uti
on
(p
g 1
43)
xi
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 3
Waste Management
MATHEMATICS
Wh
at
A W
ast
e? (
pg 1
47)
Tra
sh F
lash
Th
rou
gh
Tim
e (p
g 1
51)
Tra
sh P
atr
ol
(pg 1
57)
We’
re D
ow
n I
n T
he
Du
mp
s (p
g 1
61)
Du
mp
It
(pg 1
69)
It’s
A G
as
(pg 1
73)
Wh
at
Goes
Aro
un
d C
om
es A
rou
nd
(p
g 1
81)
A C
ity “
Can
” (
pg 1
87)
Hea
vy M
etal
(pg 1
91)
See
ing I
s B
elie
vin
g (
pg 1
95)
Roll
Ou
t T
he
Barr
els
(pg 1
99)
Fet
ch A
Pail
Of
Wate
r (p
g 2
03)
Fil
trati
on
Sen
sati
on
(p
g 2
07)
Cry
stall
izin
g T
he
Pro
ble
m (
pg 2
11)
basic computation (addition, subtraction,
multiplication)x x x x
use measurements x x x x
make estimates and approximations x x
formulate and solve problems x x
probability and statistics x
charts and graphs x x x x
SCIENCE
identify questions answerable through scientific
investigationsx x x x x x x x
use appropriate skills to design and conduct a
scientific investigation, including classifying,
measuring, observing, predicting, etc.x x x x x x x x x
demonstrate the ability to perform safe and
appropriate manipulation of materials, living
organisms, scientific equipment, and technology.x x x x x x x
use available technology to communicate scientific
procedures and to defend explanationsx x x
think critically and logically x x x x x x x x
investigate alternative explanations of experimental
results
use mathematics in scientific inquiry x x x x
demonstrate an understanding of the relationships
among science, technology, and society - past and
present
x x x x x
x x x x x x x x x x
LANGUAGE ARTS
language (acquiring and using) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
writing ( mechanical, persuasive, creative, letters) x x x
speaking and listening x x x
reading and literature x
communication/presenting ideas x x x x x x x
Pla
yin
g W
ith
Ru
bb
ish
(p
g 2
13)
xii
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 3
Waste Management
SOCIAL STUDIES
Wh
at
A W
ast
e? (
pg 1
47)
Tra
sh F
lash
Th
rou
gh
Tim
e (p
g 1
51)
Tra
sh P
atr
ol
(pg 1
57)
We’
re D
ow
n I
n T
he
Du
mp
s (p
g 1
61)
Du
mp
It
(pg 1
69)
It’s
A G
as
(pg 1
73)
Wh
at
Goes
Aro
un
d C
om
es A
rou
nd
(p
g 1
81)
A C
ity “
Can
” (
pg 1
87)
Hea
vy M
etal
(pg 1
91)
See
ing I
s B
elie
vin
g (
pg 1
95)
Roll
Ou
t T
he
Barr
els
(pg 1
99)
Fet
ch A
Pail
Of
Wate
r (p
g 2
03)
Fil
trati
on
Sen
sati
on
(p
g 2
07)
Cry
stall
izin
g T
he
Pro
ble
m (
pg 2
11)
map skills x x
collecting, recording and categorizing data x x x x x x
comparing and contrasting x x x x
inferences and generalizations x x x x x x x
social, human problems and decision making x x x x x x x x x x
RELATED ARTS
the arts (art, music, drama) x x x x x x x x
health x
computer activities
Pla
yin
g W
ith
Ru
bb
ish
(p
g 2
13)
xiii
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 4
Natural Resources
MATHEMATICS
Salt
y M
ap
pin
g (
pg 2
19)
Min
ing (
pg 2
23)
Wh
at’
s T
he
Poin
t (p
g 2
25)
Dow
n H
om
e D
inosa
urs
(p
g 2
29)
Th
e V
alu
e O
f W
ate
r (p
g 2
33)
Gard
enin
g W
ith
Nati
ves
For
Nati
ves
(p
g 2
39)
How
Str
on
g A
re Y
ou
r “M
uss
els”
? (
pg 2
43)
Th
e D
evel
op
men
t O
f S
un
shin
e C
ity:
Sim
ula
tion
Act
ivit
y (
pg 2
47)
Sta
rt S
hre
dd
ing T
he
New
s (p
g 2
53)
Colo
r M
y W
orl
d N
atu
ral
(pg 2
55)
Hom
e S
wee
t H
om
e (p
g 2
57)
En
ergy F
rom
Wate
r -
Fre
e F
or
Th
e T
ak
ing (
pg 2
61)
Som
e L
ike
It H
ot
(pg 2
69)
How
Are
You
Gon
na K
eep
It
Dow
n O
n T
he
Farm
?
(pg 2
71)
basic computation (addition, subtraction,
multiplication)x x x
use measurements x x x
make estimates and approximations x x x x
formulate and solve problems x
probability and statistics x x
charts and graphs x x x
SCIENCE
identify questions answerable through scientific
investigationsx x x x x x x
use appropriate skills to design and conduct a
scientific investigation, including classifying,
measuring, observing, predicting, etc.x x x x x
demonstrate the ability to perform safe and
appropriate manipulation of materials, living
organisms, scientific equipment, and technology.x x x x x x x x
use available technology to communicate scientific
procedures and to defend explanationsx x
think critically and logically x x x x x x x x x
investigate alternative explanations of experimental
results
use mathematics in scientific inquiry x x x x
demonstrate an understanding of the relationships
among science, technology, and society - past and
present
x x
x x x x x x x x
LANGUAGE ARTS
language (acquiring and using) x x x x x x x x x x x x x x
writing ( mechanical, persuasive, creative, letters x x
speaking and listening x x x x x x x
reading and literature
communication/presenting ideas x x x x x x x x x
xiv
3-5
Correlation
Chapter 4
Natural Resources
SOCIAL STUDIES
Salt
y M
ap
pin
g (
pg 2
19)
Min
ing (
pg 2
23)
Wh
at’
s T
he
Poin
t (p
g 2
25)
Dow
n H
om
e D
inosa
urs
(p
g 2
29)
Th
e V
alu
e O
f W
ate
r (p
g 2
33)
Gard
enin
g W
ith
Nati
ves
For
Nati
ves
(p
g 2
39)
How
Str
on
g A
re Y
ou
r “M
uss
els”
? (
pg 2
43)
Th
e D
evel
op
men
t O
f S
un
shin
e C
ity:
Sim
ula
tion
Act
ivit
y (
pg 2
47)
Sta
rt S
hre
dd
ing T
he
New
s (p
g 2
53)
Colo
r M
y W
orl
d N
atu
ral
(pg 2
55)
Hom
e S
wee
t H
om
e (p
g 2
57)
En
ergy F
rom
Wate
r -
Fre
e F
or
Th
e T
ak
ing (
pg 2
61)
Som
e L
ike
It H
ot
(pg 2
69)
How
Are
You
Gon
na K
eep
It
Dow
n O
n T
he
Farm
?
(pg 2
71)
map skills x
collecting, recording and categorizing data x x x x x x
comparing and contrasting x x x x x x x
inferences and generalizations x x x
social, human problems and decision making x x x x x
RELATED ARTS
the arts (art, music, drama) x x x x x x x x
health x x
computer activities
INTRODUCTION TO ECOLOGY
Ecology deals with the relationships living things have to each other and to their environments (surroundings).
Scientists who specialize in studying these relationships are called ecologists.
No living thing—plant or animal—lives alone. Every living thing depends in some way on certain other living
and nonliving things. Animals and plants that live in the same area, or community, depend on each other in some
way. For example, an elephant must have plants for food. If the plants in its environment were destroyed, the
elephant would have to move to another area that had plants, or it would starve to death. Plants depend on such
animals as the elephants for the nutrients (nourishing substances) they need to survive. Animal wastes and the
decaying bodies of dead animals and plants provide many of the nutrients that plants need.
The study of ecology increases people’s understanding of the world and all its creatures. This is important
because humanity’s survival and well-being depend on relationships that exist on a worldwide basis. Change in
distant parts of the world—even outer space—affect us and our environments.
One goal of ecologists is to intelligently manage and control the living and nonliving things in the world. Many
ecologists study air and water pollution and how dirty air and water affect life. Ecologists try to foresee possible
environmental problems, such as crop losses or losses in animal life that building a dam or straightening a river
channel may cause. They study such things as insect pests, including the beetle that carried the Dutch elm
disease from Europe to the United States where it killed millions of trees.
Ecologists are concerned about the rate at which people are using up such natural resources as coal, gas, and oil.
Along with many other scientists, they are searching for ways to use sunlight and atomic energy for fuel and
power. Ecologists also are concerned about the world’s increasing population and its decreasing food supply. For
example, along with marine biologists, they are trying to find new ways of producing food from the sea.
Ecologists use knowledge from many different fields of study including physics, chemistry, mathematics, and
computer science. They also rely on other sciences, such as climatology, meteorology, geology, and
oceanography, to learn about air, land, and water environments.
Adapted from World Book Encyclopedia
1
2
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define the term “ecology”.
2. List the three main levels of ecology.
3. Explain why a proper balance between plants and animals is
needed to maintain life.
BACKGROUND:Ecology deals with the relationships living things have to each
other and to their environment. No organism lives alone.
Everything depends in some way on other living and nonliving
things within its surroundings. For example, a deer needs certain
plants for food. If the plants in its environment disappeared, the
deer would have to move to another area or starve. Likewise,
plants depend on animals, such as deer, for the nutrients they
need to live. The decay of dead animals, plants. and animal waste
provide many of the nutrients plants need.
Ecology has three main levels: populations, communities,
ecosystems. A population consists of a group of the same species
that live in a certain place. A species is a group of organisms that
has the same characteristics.
A community consists of all the populations living together in the
same place. A forest community might have foxes, squirrels, bears, and oak and pine trees. An ecosystem
consists of all the communities that live in an area together. A community of plants and animals that covers a
wide geographical area is called a biome. The main biomes of the world include deserts, forests, rain forests,
grasslands, tundra, and saltwater and freshwater ecosystems. An ecosystem is a community and its nonliving
environment. This includes climate, soil, water, air, food, and energy. In summary, no living thing exists alone.
VOCABULARY:biome - a community of plants and animals that covers a wide geographical area
community - all the populations living together in the same place
ecology - the relationships living things have with each other and their environment
ecosystems - all the communities that live together in an area including water, soil, and climate
nutrients - substances that provide nourishment and promote growth
population - a group of the same species living in a certain place
relationship - how one thing or things interact with another thing or things
species - a group of organisms that have the same characteristics and are able to reproduce
tundra - a cold, windy, dry area just south of the polar ice caps in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland,
Norway, and Asia.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Direct students to prepare a booklet from construction paper and notebook paper. This should be labeled
Science Journal. Students will use this to record definitions and observations.
2. Purchase guppies, elodea, and snails from a local pet supply store.
In The Know
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Art
Time Needed:Three class periods and two weeks of
observation of jar
Materials:construction paper
notebook paper
gallon jar
pond plant (elodea)
pond snails
two guppies
plastic wrap
guppy food
3 www.legacyenved.org
PROCEDURE:Setting the stageDiscuss with students the meaning of ecology.
• List the three main levels of ecology.
• Encourage students to brainstorm components of a population, community, and ecosystem.
• Have students record the definitions of these components in their science journals.
Activities1. Take the class outside on the school ground.
• Tell students they should take pencils and their science journals.
• Give students 20 minutes to list, illustrate, or describe as many different populations as they can locate.
(Each student or small group should go to a different area of the school ground.)
• Return to the classroom and have them share and compare their information.
• Think of why some populations were found in one part of the school ground and not another.
2. Put students in small groups.
• Have the groups discuss how cutting down a tree might affect the ecosystem of an area.
• Have the groups share their ideas with the class.
• Stress that the actions in one part of the ecosystem affect many others. Cutting down a large tree would
affect the food supply and living space for birds and squirrels in the area. Changes in the amount of
shade and sunlight would affect the grass growth near the tree.
3. Fill a gallon jar almost to the top with water.
• Add elodea, snails, and guppies.
• Put the jar near a sunny window or a bright light.
• Cover the top tightly with plastic wrap.
• Feed the guppies for the first few days. (Do not add water or anything else.)
• Observe what happens.
• Record observations in the science journals.
• Observe for two weeks.
• Help students to draw conclusions about how the plants and animals stayed in the jar.
Follow-UpObserve gallon jar for a few minutes each day for two weeks.
• Record observation in science journals.
EXTENSIONS:1. Make a pictorial record of the kinds of organisms the students observe living on or near a tree. (Field
guides of birds, insects , and fungi can be used to identify and study each species.)
2. Create a mural of a biome.
• Research characteristics of biomes prior to creating the mural. (Illustrations drawn by students or
magazine pictures could be used.)
3. Suggest that students use reference encyclopedias online to learn what foods animals in a forest
community eat.
• Ask students to use this information to make a chart (food web) showing how each population affects the
others. (Squirrels eat acorns, raccoons eat fish, large fish eat small fish, and owls eat mice.)
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Ecology. World book encyclopedia. (1989). (Volume E, pp. 50-51). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
Carruth, G. (Ed.) (1983). The volume library I. (3-34). Nashville, TN: The Southwestern Company.
Guy, Robert G., et al. (1989). Discover science. Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman and Company.
4
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define freshwater.
2. List at least three examples of freshwater sources.
3. Name at least three animals that can live in a freshwater
ecosystem.
BACKGROUND:Almost three-fourths of the Earth’s surface is covered by water.
Without water all plants and animals would die. Oceans and seas
make up most of the world’s salty water.
Freshwater is water that is not salty, comes from rain that fills
ponds, streams, lakes, and rivers.
Streams and rivers have the power to change the shape of the
land. In addition to water, boulders, pebbles, and grains of sand
carried by the water help to give a river its cutting force.
Freshwater can support many types of life. Rivers can support
freshwater fish, plants, birds, freshwater clams, snails,
salamanders, and frogs.
River ecosystems vary depending on the type of landscape they
pass through and the climate. Even a single river does not have
the same ecosystem its entire length. A small stream could
support fewer than ten fish species, while the larger river may
support 50 to 100 species.
River ecosystems do share some characteristics. All rivers erode
their channels and carry the material worn away downstream. All
rivers have natural cycles of flow from high to medium to low.
These cycles depend on the amount of rainfall.
Rivers flow through most every part of Alabama. (See attached
“Rivers of Alabama” sheets, which include a map and an
explanation of the rivers.) The Mobile River System is the most
important river system in Alabama because most of the state
rivers run together and empty into Mobile Bay. This system
brings many minerals and nutrients along with it to help support and replenish the environment along the way.
The Alabama and the Tombigbee are Alabama’s longest rivers. The Tennessee River is the most important
river in north Alabama and the Chattahoochee River forms much of the border between Alabama and Georgia.
There are no large natural lakes in Alabama, but dams on rivers have formed many artificial lakes. Lake
Guntersville is the largest of these. Other large artificial lakes include Wheeler, Martin, Smith, and Weiss.
No Salt, Please
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:Three class periods, additional time for
constructing pond and/or aquarium,
observation time
Materials:sand
pebbles
mud
spade
large sheet of plastic
stones
hay or straw
old carpet or rags
pond plants and weeds
plenty of water
a bucket of water, weeds, and mud
from another pond
soil: enough to cover a 4” layer pond
3-10 gallon fish tank
water (let it sit for a day in open
container)
sterilized sand or gravel
water plants (elodea or eelgrass)
snails
guppies or tadpoles
pH strips
5 www.legacyenved.org
VOCABULARY:ecosystem - all the communities that live together in an area including water, soil and climate
erode - wear away
freshwater - water that is not salty
lake - a large standing body of water
river - a large natural stream of fresh water that flows across land in a definite channel
ADVANCED PREPARATION:1. Assemble necessary items for activities.
2. Ask for students to volunteer to get certain items.
PROCEDURE:Setting the StageAsk students to discuss the types of freshwater ecosystems found locally
• Think of the organisms living around or near the ecosystem.
• Identify the ecosystem as a river, lake, pond, or stream.
Activities1. Make rivers to see how a river can carve out a path downhill.
• Build a sloping mountain out of damp sand, pebbles, and mud.
• Slowly pour a steady stream of water over the top of the mountain.
• Observe the path the water takes down the slope and how much sand and pebbles it takes along the way..
2. Build a pond for the classroom.
• Obtain permission to build a pond on the school grounds.
• Build the pond away from trees.
• Build the pond close to a flower bed or hedge, if possible, as this will give frogs and toads some
protection.
• Design the shape of the pond.
• Dig a hole at least six feet across and one and one-half feet deep.
• Slope the sides gently.
• Remove all the stones that stick out of the bottom and the sides.
• Cover the bottom with old carpets or rags.
• Wash the plastic thoroughly to get rid of any chemicals.
• Lay the sheet of plastic in the hole.
• Secure the sheet with large stones around the edges.
• Place a four inch layer of soil over the bottom of the pond. (Use some of the earth that was dug up.)
• Use a hosepipe or bucket to fill the pond with water to about 2 1/2” to 5” from the top.
• Add water, weeds, and mud from another pond.
• Place plants in the pond.
• Let the mud and soil settle.
• Place some larger stones on the bottom of the pond.
• Control murkiness in the pond by putting in plenty of pond snails to clean the water and eat the algae.
• Adding fish to the pond will cause the smaller pond life to dwindle as the fish will eat it.
• Observe activities in the pond. Record those observations in the science journals.
• Add water if the level drops.
3. Set up an aquarium to observe a freshwater ecosystem.
• Cover the bottom of the aquarium with sand to a depth of one inch.
• Add a few small rocks or stones.
• Fill aquarium with water to about 1 1/2” from the top.
• Add the water plants and anchor the roots in the sand. (Put about five plants per gallon of water.)
• Let the aquarium settle for a day.
6
• Add snails and leave aquarium for a day.
• Add two fish per gallon of water the next day.
• Place the aquarium in north or west light.
• Have students observe the aquarium.
• Add dechlorinated water if the water level drops.
• Feed the fish a small amount of food each day.
• Have students keep a log of what they observe in the aquarium over several weeks.
4. Collect samples of local freshwater.
• Test samples to find out if water is acidic, basic, or neutral.
Follow-Up1. Ask students to define freshwater.
2. Instruct students to record in their science journals at least five facts learned from this lesson.
EXTENSIONS:1. Creative writing - Ask student groups to imagine they are fish or snails living in water. Have students
write and produce skits or multimedia presentations based on their reflections.
2. Begin a webpage or other multimedia file about rivers.
3. Plan a field trip to a local pond or river. Make pictures or let students illustrate what they observe.
4. Have students make a diorama showing the plants and animals in a freshwater ecosystem.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:
Alabama. (1989). World book encyclopedia. (Volume 1). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
Badders, W. et al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdette Ginn Science.
Gregory, S. (1995). The cost of taming a river. Science Year. Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
Marhmaltchi, V. (1992). Hands-on science activities. Troll Associates.
Snowball, D. (1994). Freshwater habitats. Greenvale, NY: Mondo Publishing.
Taylor, B. (1992). Rivers and oceans. Kingfisher, NY: Mondo Publishing.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:
.
7
8
A Man-Made Pond
9
Alabama Rivers
10
CoosaThe Coosa River begins in Georgia and enters Alabama
in Cherokee County. This river has a watershed that
includes much of Georgia and 10 counties in Alabama.
The Coosa is 275 miles long and is used for power and
transportation. The Coosa joins with the Tallapoosa to
form the Alabama River at Wetumpka.
TallapoosaThis river forms in Georgia and enters Alabama in the
northeastern part of the state. It is 200 miles long and
drains seven counties. The Tallapoosa joins the Coosa
to form the Alabama River.
CahabaThe Cahaba River is 200 miles long and drains four
counties. It flows into the Alabama River.
TombigbeeThe Tombigbee River begins in Mississippi and enters
the state of Alabama in Pickens County. It is about 300
miles long and drains seven counties of Alabama and
part of Mississippi. It flows into the Mobile River. It
connects to the Tennessee River by the Tennessee-
Tombigbee Waterway. This helps transportation.
SipseyThe Sipsey River flows into the Tombigbee. It is only
170 miles long, but it drains seven counties.
ButtahatcheeThe Buttahatchee River is a small river that begins in
Alabama, drains two counties, and then joins the
Tombigbee River in Mississippi.
TennesseeThe Tennessee River begins in the state of Tennessee
and then dips into northern Alabama. It ultimately flows
into the Ohio River at Paducah, Kentucky. From there it
flows through the Ohio River and into the Mississippi
and out into the Gulf of Mexico. It is an important trade
route. The Tennessee is over 200 miles long in Alabama
and powers dams controlled by TVA. The Tennessee
drains nine counties in Alabama.
Black WarriorThe Black Warrior River begins in northeastern
Alabama and flows into the Tombigbee at Demopolis.
The Black Warrior is 175 miles long and drains seven
counties. It has several locks and dams and is a busy
river. Tuscaloosa is the river’s Indian name, and the city
sits on her banks.
MobileThe Mobile River is made from the Alabama and the
Tombigbee. It flows into Mobile Bay and connects
Alabama to the world’s oceans. The Mobile is only 50
miles long and drains three counties.
TensawThe Tensaw is a historically important river because it
has been the main channel of the Alabama or Mobile
Rivers. It helps distribute traffic from both rivers. It is
only 50 miles long.
ChattahoocheeThe Chattahoochee River begins in Georgia and forms
part of the Alabama border. The river offers electrical
power to Alabama and Georgia. In Alabama it is about
170 miles long and drains six counties.
ChoctawhatcheeThe Choctawhatchee River is about 86 miles long and
flows through Dale County. It drains five counties and a
large part of Florida. It joins the Pea River at Geneva
and flows to Florida and to the Gulf of Mexico.
Pea RiverThe Pea River, called Talakhatchee by the Indians,
flows through Dale and Coffee counties. It is 120 miles
long and has a six county watershed. The Pea River
flows into the Choctawhatchee.
EscambiaThe Escambia River is formed by the converging of
two large creeks. It is 50 miles long, draining three
counties and part of Florida. The Escambia flows into
Pensacola Bay.
ConecuhThe Conecuh River is 175 miles long and drains six
counties. It flows into the Escambia River.
PerdidoThe Perdido River is short but important. It is 50 miles
long and drains two counties and part of Florida. It
flows into Perdido Bay.
AlabamaTwo important rivers, the Coosa and the Tallapoosa,
join to form the Alabama River just north of
Montgomery. It is 315 miles long and drains eight
counties. It joins to form the Mobile River and enters
the sea at Mobile Bay. Selma and Montgomery are
cities on the banks of the Alabama River.
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define the term habitat.
2. List the four elements of a habitat.
3. Describe an appropriate habitat for a given animal.
BACKGROUND:A habitat is described as the area where an animal lives. The four
basic elements of a habitat are food, water, shelter, and space. If
any of these elements are lacking, the animals will be forced to
find other areas more suitable or die. In Alabama, the habitats of
the native animals vary greatly. Habitats range from a forested
mountain top to a sandy beach. Habitats can also be a farm, a
vacant lot, or a garden spot. Habitats can fluctuate between semi-
arid and watery, as with beach areas. Creatures adapt to these
particular changes in habitat so that reproduction of their species
occurs. A habitat usually has numerous organisms of the same
species that live and reproduce there. This is called a population.
A habitat may have more than one population. For example, a
garden spot would contain several different animal populations: worms, beetles, ladybugs, butterflies, spiders.
It could also contain different plant populations: weeds, beans, corn, tomatoes, cucumbers.
VOCABULARY:arid - very dry, without enough rainfall to support vegetation
habitat - the area in which an animal resides
population - a group of the same species living in a certain place
ADVANCE PREPARATION:Provide pictures of Alabama wildlife for each student. See attached sheet.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Guide students to brainstorm things needed in order to live or survive.
• List these on the board.
• Have students group words that are related and form categories.
• Distinguish between necessary and unnecessary things.
2. Introduce the term “habitat.”
• Have students describe it as the place where an animal lives.
3. Guide students to list the four needs that every living thing must have.
4. Continue to guide the discussion so that students include the categories that relate to the four elements of a
habitat (food, water, shelter, and space).
Activities1. Provide each student with a picture of an animal native to Alabama.
• Instruct students to glue the picture to the center of a sheet of paper.
• Students should draw an appropriate habitat for that specific animal.
• Habitats should contain all four of the necessary components.
Habits Of Habitats
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:pictures of native Alabama wildlife
glue
markers
crayons or pencils
11 www.legacyenved.org
• After students complete the activity, have them describe and explain their work to the class.
• Display work in a class big book.
2. Individual work of students may be displayed instead of a big book.
EXTENSIONS:1. Have students design habitats for animals in other parts of the world.
2. Have students plot on a graph the types of animals and plant habitats located throughout Alabama.
3. Students may choose an animal or plant and depict its habitat by making a diorama.
4. Read aloud to the class the book Little Turtle’s Big Adventure by David Harrison.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Cohen, M. (Ed.) (1989). Discover science. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Co.
Makhmaltchi, V. (1992). Hands on! Troll Associates.
12
13
Alabama Wildlife
RABBIT
SAND CRAB
FOX
SHRIMP
RACCOON
SEA TURTLE
DEER
DOLPHIN
OPOSSUM
BOBCAT
WILD TURKEY
CARP
SQUIRREL
HAWK
PELICAN
QUAIL
EAGLE
YELLOW HAMMER
OWL
GULL
BEAVER
CATFISH
BREAM
BASS
Alabama Wildlife
14
15
Alabama Wildlife
Notes
16
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Describe the body of a spider.
2. Name two places where spiders live.
3. Name some foods that spiders eat.
4. State two ways spiders differ from insects.
5. Name at least three types of spider webs.
BACKGROUND:A spider is an arachnid that has eight legs and two body parts.
Spiders are found in abundance all over the world, except for
very high elevations and the Antarctic. Spiders have fangs that
give out poison used to kill prey. Most arachnids live on land, but
a few spiders live in water. They use their fangs, poison, or webs
to catch insects and very small animals for food. Spiders are
helpful to humans because they eat insects. Some spiders also eat
tadpoles, small frogs, small fish, mice, and birds. Spiders live
anywhere they can find food (fields, woods, swamps, caves, and
deserts). Spiders are often lumped into the same invertebrate
class with insects, but they are not insects. Spiders have two body
parts whereas insects have three. Spiders have eight legs and
insects have six. Not all spiders are web builders, but each
species of the web-building spiders makes a characteristic kind of
web. By observing webs, students can identify the type of spider
that created the observed web.
VOCABULARY:arachnid - classification for spiders, mites, ticks, harvest men, scorpions, and king-crabs, all of which have
four pairs of walking legs
elevation - the height above sea level
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Purchase one can of black enamel spray paint.
2 Have black or brown pipe cleaners and a half piece of red pipe cleaner for each student.
3. Discuss with students the importance of not touching a spider or breaking a web.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stageStudents illustrate their idea of a spider.
• Include body parts.
• Review students’ work and discuss spider body parts.
Activities1. Take students for a walk around the school and school grounds.
• Look for spider webs on this walk.
• Have students look for webs near the ground and in taller weeds and bushes.
A Spider Sat Down Beside Her
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Art, Geography
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:black enamel spray paint (one can)
white paper
black or brown pipe cleaners
red pipe cleaners
string
copy of spider web page for each
student
copy of spider parts page for each
student
spray bottle
17 www.legacyenved.org
• Gently touch the web with a pencil or a stick. Observe what the spider does. Does the web move? Do not
break the web.
• Mist the web lightly with water, and the spider will come out.
• Record observations in the science journals.
2. Locate a good spider web.
• Stand three to four feet from the web.
• Quickly spray both sides of the web with a thin coat of black enamel spray.
• Quickly put a sheet of white paper against the web.
• Curve the paper first in the middle of the web.
• Straighten out the paper carefully along the sides of the web.
• Let the design dry.
• Study the shape and design of the web.
3. Write a description about a day in the life of a spider.
4. Include locations of a spider web.
5. Include food the spiders eat.
6. Make a spider.
• Cut the brown/black pipe cleaners into four equal parts.
• Hold the four pieces together evenly.
• Wrap the red piece of pipe cleaner around the middle of the black or brown pipe cleaners.
• Spread the black or brown pieces apart to make the spider’s legs.
7. Determine how a spider knows the size of an intruder.
• Stretch the string between two stationary objects.
• Gently place your finger tips on one end of the string.
• Have your partner pluck the opposite end of the string while you look away.
• Decide that the web acts like a telegraph line.
• When the web shakes the spider senses it.
• Weak vibrations are usually ignored by the spider.
• Medium vibrations let a spider know it probably has a meal.
• Large vibrations let a spider know that it could be in danger.
• Record observations in science journals.
8. Match the web to its spider.
• Study the spider web illustration and description sheet.
• Match the web design from the activity, to the correct spider on the “Spectacular Spider Webs” page.
Follow-Up1. Have students label the body parts of a spider.
2. Name two places where spiders can live.
3. Identify two ways spiders differ from insects.
EXTENSIONS:1. Read Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White to the class.
2. Write a newspaper article about different types of spiders native to Alabama.
3. Draw pictures to show the webs made by different spiders native to Alabama.
4. Research the following:
• Where in the world are there no spiders?
• What is the largest spider? What is the smallest spider?
• Which spiders in Alabama do not make webs?
• What spiders in Alabama are dangerous to people?
5. Math problems can be written on a sheet printed with spider patterns. Have students write and solve story
problems about spiders.
6. Read Spider by Stephen Savage (life cycle of a garden spider).
18
7. Read Someone Saw a Spider - Spider Facts and Folktales by Shirley Climo.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Guy, R. et al. (1989). Discover science. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company.
Van Cleave, J. (1994). 201 Awesome, magical, bizarre, and incredible experiments. New York, NY: John
Wiley and Sons, Inc.
World book encyclopedia. (Vol 18). (1985). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
19
Spectacular Spider Webs
20
(Loose tangled web. The middle
of the web catches the prey.)
(Web forms a triangle connected
between twigs. The sticky bands
catch the prey
(Web forms a sheet below a net
of crisscrossed threads. The prey
falls from the net onto the sheet.)
(Spins a large orb web. The prey
is captured by sticky threads.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
House Spider
Triangle Spider
Platform Spider
Orange Garden Spider
21
Sp
ider
Part
s
22
Sp
ider
Part
s
Leg
Leg
Leg
Eyes
Leg
Leg
Leg
Leg
Leg
Sp
inn
eret
s
Cep
halo
thora
x
Ab
dom
en
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define biome.
2. Make a model of a biome.
3. Identify the six major land biomes of Earth.
BACKGROUND:A biome is a community of plants and animals that covers a wide
geographical area. Specific plants have adapted to living in
certain climates. These plants have created a certain kind of
environment along with the climate and other habitat factors in
which only certain types of birds, animals, and insects can gather
food, have shelter, and raise their young. The greater the number
of different plants in a biome, the greater the number of different
animals found in that biome.
The six major biomes of the world are the tundra, taiga,
deciduous forest, tropical rain forest, grassland, and desert.
Alabama’s main biome is the deciduous forest. Deciduous forests
have earthworms, fungi, small plants, ground birds, mice, shrews,
squirrels, and rabbits. These smaller animals are food for larger
animals such as foxes, raccoons, bobcats, deer, black bears, and
wolves. Song birds also visit during the year. The decomposing
leaves serve as food for many plants, especially mushrooms. The
most prevalent trees are oak and birch. The Earth is made up of
six main land biomes and the saltwater and freshwater
ecosystems.
VOCABULARY:biome - community of plants and animals that covers a wide geographical area
deciduous - trees that shed leaves during a particular season
ecosystem - all the communities that live together in an area including water, soil, and climate
fungi - large groups of plants not containing chlorophyll, roots, stems, or leaves; important as decomposers -
includes molds, mildews, mushrooms, and bacteria
taiga - a swampy coniferous subarctic forest extending south from the tundra
tundra - a cold, windy, dry area just south of the polar ice caps in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland,
Norway, and Asia
ADVANCE PREPARATION: Prepare for biome experiment.
• Purchase broad-leaf plants. The number depends on how many students are in a small learning group.
• Place charcoal, plastic jars, and potting soil in a central location.
• Fill spray bottle with water.
Boning Up On Biomes
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Geography, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods, small groups
Materials:broadleaf plants
potting soil
several large plastic jars
activated charcoal
water in a spray bottle
journal
world atlas
biome map
graph paper (three sheets for each
small group of students)
colored pencils
23 www.legacyenved.org
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Display the map of the major land biomes in the world.
• Have students identify the biome occupied by Alabama.
• Tell students that the Earth has six major land biomes as well as saltwater and freshwater ecosystems.
Find them on the map.
• Discuss with students how human activities can change a biome.
2. Read this excerpt from the The Roadside by David Bellamy: “Farther on where the old track goes through
the woods, ferns and mosses nestle in the damp coolness beneath the trees. A toad sits motionless on a
stone. The fallen trunk of a silver birch is full of holes made by woodpeckers searching for insects, and
clusters of bracket fungi are growing on the dead wood. Just beyond the woods, the foxes have their den
under a hedge row of sweet chestnut and rose bushes”.
Activities1. Make a model of a biome. Students do this in small groups.
• Give each small group a broad-leaf plant.
• Students should cover the bottom of a jar with a layer of activated charcoal a half centimeter thick.
• Place a layer of potting soil (three centimeters thick) on top of the charcoal.
• Take the plant out of its pot and place the roots in the soil. Be sure the roots are covered and the bottom
of the plant is firmly covered.
• Put the mini-biome in a sunny place. Use a spray bottle to moisten the soil every two to three days.
• Observe the mini-biome daily. Record the observation in the journals.
• Lead students to identify the needs of this particular biome.
2. Compare temperature and precipitation among biomes.
• Set up a graph (as shown on Figure A) for each small group on three separate pieces of graph paper.
(Note: oC = temperature, cm = precipitation)
• Label one graph “desert,” one graph “deciduous forest,” and one graph “tropical rain forest.”
• Use the table (Figure B) and one colored pencil to make a bar graph of the monthly temperature for each
biome studied.
• Use another colored pencil to make a line graph of the monthly precipitation for each biome studied.
• Decide which biome has a steady temperature throughout the year.
• Determine where the highest average temperature for a single month occurs.
• Decide which of the biomes studied has the least yearly precipitation. Which has the most?
• Have students average their results and compare them with Figure B.
2. Ask students to brainstorm a list of four cities and countries.
• Have them use an atlas to determine their exact locations.
• Have students locate the approximate position of each city or country (Figure B) on the world biome
map.
• List each city or country and its primary biome.
Follow-UpHave students list the six major biomes of the Earth.
EXTENSIONS:1. Have students work in small groups to research any of the six biomes of the Earth. Use websites or nature
magazines for pictures and facts. Research about the animal life, plant life, rivers. Make a booklet to show
the information.
2. In small groups or individually, have students design a travel brochure about Alabama’s biome. This
brochure should be informative and colorful.
3. Think about Alabama’s biome. Write a descriptive paragraph about what it would have been like 100 years
ago.
24
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Badders, W. et al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn.
Billington, E. (1971). Understanding ecology. New York, NY: Frederick Warner and Co., Inc.
Bryant, N., Jr., et al. (1995). Science anytime. Orlando, FL: Harcourt, Brace and Company.
Mallinson, G. (1984). Science. Morristown, NJ: Silver Burdette Company.
25
26
Bio
me
Hom
es
Tu
nd
raT
aig
aT
rop
ical
Rain
Fore
st
Gra
ssla
nd
Des
ert
Tem
per
ate
Dec
idu
ou
s
Fore
st
27
Boning Up On BiomesAverage Temperature and Precipitation in the Biome
Figure A
Figure B
Average Temperature and Precipitation of Biomes
Notes
28
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. State the life cycle stages of a mealworm (grain beetle).
2. Conduct an experiment to observe the life cycle of a
mealworm.
3. Record observations about the growth stages of a mealworm.
BACKGROUND:Each living thing goes through stages of growth and change.
These stages are called the life cycle. The mealworm (grain
beetle) is one of the easiest insects to keep and to observe. It has
a four-stage metamorphosis. The name mealworm is given to the
larva stage. Mealworms shed their skin anywhere from 10 to 20
times during the four or five months of the larva stage.
Mealworms are often found in rotting grain or flour supplies.
They may be bought at pet stores.
The entire life cycle of the grain beetle consists of the egg, larva,
pupa, and adult beetle. The entire metamorphosis takes from six
to nine months. The egg stage is the hardest to observe. The
mealworm is harmless to handle at any stage.
Remind students to treat these animals humanely. Remind them
to use gentle touches.
VOCABULARY:life cycle - the stages of growth and change in an organism
metamorphosis - series of changes that occur as an egg develops into an adult including the four stages of
egg, larva, pupa, and adult
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Obtain mealworms from a pet shop.
2 Place mealworms in covered dish along with some dry cereal.
3. Slice apple or potato.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Discuss and guide students to identify mealworms and their needs for survival.
2. Predict what mealworms need in order to live.
• List supplies for the mealworm habitat.
• Determine if the supplies will provide for the needs of a mealworm’s habitat.
3. Instruct students to illustrate their interpretation of a mealworm’s habitat.
Activities1. Assemble materials to prepare a ventilated home for the mealworms.
• Ask students to describe the home in their science journals.
Worming Out Of It
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:One class period for three weeks
(observations daily)
Materials:plastic gloves
five mealworms
dry sugar-free cereal
thin pieces of apple or potatoes
dish with a cover (with holes in top)
hand lens
metric ruler
science journal
29 www.legacyenved.org
• Put the mealworms in the home with the dry cereal and apple or potato pieces.
• Clean the home every other day by replacing old cereal with fresh dry cereal and give the mealworms
fresh food.
• Observe the mealworms under a hand lens every day for three weeks.
• Measure with a ruler the changes in their size.
• Record any noted changes.
2. Find out how cold temperature affects the mealworm’s life cycle.
• Use two mealworms.
• Keep one cold and the other at room temperature.
• Observe the differences.
• Draw conclusions about how cold temperatures affect the life cycle of a mealworm.
• Record any observations in science journals.
3. Observe methods that might influence a mealworm’s behavior.
• Touch the mealworm gently to see if it backs up.
• Blow air gently through a straw to see if it backs up.
• Test for moisture preference by sticking one moist and one dry cotton swab into the mealworm’s home.
• Use a flashlight to determine if a mealworm prefers light or dark places.
• Record all observations in science journals.
• Treat all mealworms gently.
Follow-UpAsk students to identify the stages in the life cycle of a mealworm.
EXTENSIONS:1. Illustrate each stage in the life cycle of a mealworm.
2. Add 10-12 pupa in a dish and cover.
• Watch for 7-10 days to see adults emerge, mate, and lay eggs.
• Place a slice of apple or other fruit as soon as the adults appear.
• Put the colony in a safe place and leave undisturbed for one week.
• Flip the colony upside down to find the eggs.
• Observe eggs more closely with a hand lens.
• Observe the life cycle as the eggs hatch and the larvae develop.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Badders, W. et al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn Science.
Gega, P. (1982). Science in elementary education. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons.
Simonet, Carissa and Kramer, D. (1996). Finding mealworm eggs, science and children. (Volume 33,
Number 4) p. 31.
30
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Understand the meaning of the term food chain.
2. Name the components of several different food chains.
BACKGROUND:Plants, animals, and other living things existing in one place
make up a community. In communities the food chain begins
with plants, which are the producers. Animals eat these producers
or some other animal. Even meat-eating animals (carnivors) eat
animals that eat these plants. A food chain is the transfer of food
energy from the plants through a series of animals with repeated
eating and being eaten behaviors. For example, a green plant, a
leaf-eating insect, and an insect-eating bird would be a simple
food chain. All living things make food chains.
Plants need the sun to grow. Many insects eat plants, many toads
eat insects, many snakes eat toads, and many hawks eat snakes.
This is another example of a food chain. Whenever we eat food,
we are members of a food chain.
VOCABULARY:community - plants, animals, and other living things existing in
one place
food chain - the sequence in which energy is transferred from one organism to the next as each organism eats
and is eaten by another
producer - an organism that makes its own food and is the beginning of a food chain
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Make six cards with one of these words on each card: sun, plant, insect, toad, snake, and hawk.
2 Label tags with grasshopper, snake, or hawk.
3. Instruct students to have science journals on hand.
4. Copy or make an overhead transparency of the Energy Pyramid and Food Chain Sheets.
5. Copy for each student the Food Chain Review page.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Ask students if they are a member of a food chain.
2. Lead students to understand they are a member of a food chain whenever they eat food.
3. Explain to students how every food eaten by them has energy stored earlier by other living things.
4. Ask students on which energy source does every living organism depend.
• Accept various responses.
• Lead students to understand that the sun is the main source of energy upon which all food chain members
depend.
• Display picture of the Energy Pyramid.
The Chain Gang
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:Two class periods; or 60 - 90 minutes
Materials:six cards
six pins
tags marked grasshopper, snake or
hawk
science journal
construction paper for each student
student activity page for each student
information sheets copied
31 www.legacyenved.org
Activities1. Have students perform a food chain simulation to determine what happens when a food chain is broken.
• Pin a card labeled sun, plant, insect, toad, snake, or hawk on six students.
• Stand in a line and hold hands in this order: sun-plant-insect-toad-snake-hawk.
• Ask the following questions:
What animals would die if there were no snakes to eat? (The snake person drops hands)
What animals would die if there were no toads to eat? (The toad person drops hands)
What animals would die if there were no insects to eat? (The insect person drops hands)
What animals would die if there were no plants to eat? (The plant person drops hands)
What would happen if there were no sun to let plants grow?
2. Reproduce the information sheet, Food Chains.
• Have students cut out the food chain parts.
• Instruct students to glue these in proper order onto a piece of construction paper.
Follow-Up1. Have students make up two food chains and display in a diagram of their own creation.
2. Ask students to write meaningful definitions for the vocabulary terms.
3. Complete the Food Chain Review Sheet.
EXTENSIONS:1. Read aloud to class Chipmunk Song by Joanne Ryder.
2. Ask students to work in small groups to write a song or a poem about a food chain.
3. Use the book Biology: Plants, Animals, and Ecology. by Ifor Evans to help students better understand the
structures of life.
4. Additional books to read:
Who Eats What? Food Chains and Food Webs by Patricia Lauber
The Magic School Bus Gets Eaten: A Book About Food Chains by Joanna Cole (3rd Grade)
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Bernstein, L.et al. (1996). Environmental science. Menlo Park, CA: Addison-Wesley Publishing Company.
Bryant, A. Jr. et al. (1995). Science anytime. Orlando, FL: Harcourt Brace and Company.
Butzon, C. & Butzon, J. (1989). Science through children’s literature. Englewood, CA: Teacher Ideas
Press.
Gega, P. (1982). Science in elementary education. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
32
33
Energy Pyramid
3. Energy used by primary carnivores comes from the
animals in level 2.
2. Energy used by herbivores comes from producers in
level 1.
1. Energy for this level comes from the sun.
34
3.
2.
1.
35
Notes
36
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define the term food web.
2. Explain what happens when food chains overlap in an
ecosystem.
3. Name the three components of a food web in an ecosystem.
BACKGROUND:Almost everything in nature works in a cycle. Plants and animals
live, die, and decompose only to be recycled again. In nature the
plants, or producers, make the food. Animals eat the producers or
other animals. An animal that eats only other animals is called a
carnivore. Animals that eat only plants are called herbivores.
Omnivores are animals that consume both plants and animals. As
each living thing eats another, energy and materials are passed
among them. The path that passes this energy and material is
called a food chain.
Since most animals eat more than one specific food, they belong
to more than one food chain. When two or more food chains
overlap, they connect plants and animals by the plants and
animals they eat. This is known as a food web. Within a food
web, each member depends on another member. If one member
changes, then the rest of the web will change in some way. Every
part of the web depends on decomposers to return materials to the
soil, air, water, and start the cycle over.
VOCABULARY:carnivore - an animal that eats only other animals
consumer - an organism that obtains energy by eating other living things
decomposer - an agent that breaks down the bodies of dead organisms
ecosystem - all the communities that live together in an area including the water, soil, and climate
food web - two or more food chains that overlap, connecting plants and animals through the plants and
animals they eat
herbivore - a plant-eating animal
omnivore - an animal that eats both plants and animals
producer - an organism that makes its own food and is the beginning of a food chain
ADVANCE PREPARATION: Prepare cards with the following words for each group: bird, dragonfly, frog, water plants, mosquito, minnow,
bacteria, molds, and sun.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Guide students to discuss the meanings and differences of producers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores,
and decomposers that represent populations in a community.
The Web Of Life
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:construction paper
markers
scissors
tape
string or yarn
science journal
cards for each group with the following
words: birds, dragonfly, frog,
mosquito, water plants, minnows,
molds, bacteria
37 www.legacyenved.org
2. Ask students to predict what would occur if two food sources disappeared in a food web.
Activities1. Using the cards:
• The student with the sun card holds the end of a ball of yarn.
• The student with the water plant card takes the yarn.
• Each organism in turn takes the yarn from the food it can eat until a food web is intertwined.
• Other cards that may be used to produce food web: plants, mouse, grasshopper, wolf, raccoon, snake,
hawk, toad.
2. Prepare a hanger web.
• Provide a coat hanger for each student or small group.
• Cover and decorate the body of the hanger to represent the environment in which the members of this
food web would be found.
• Hang the food web stages from the bottom of the hanger. Use different lengths of string, wire, or thread.
• Display each model.
3. Have students in small groups place the cards marked with different components of a food web in order on
a piece of poster board.
• Place arrows for the steps of a food web in the proper arrangement.
Follow-UpAsk students to brainstorm why food webs are usually more stable than food chains.
• Lead them to conclude that predators in a food web would have other food sources if one food source
became less abundant or extinct.
• Have students work in small groups to design a web drawing to summarize the concept of a food web.
EXTENSIONS:1. Make a poster of a food web that is local to the area.
2. Read Why Save The Rain Forest? by Donald Silver.
3. Have students read about life downtown and in a city park in The City Kid’s Field Guide by Ethan
Herberman.
• Then have students classify things found in each area.
• Classify organisms as producers, decomposers, herbivores, carnivores, omnivores.
4. Read Who Eats What? Food Chains And Food Webs by Patricia Lauber.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Badders, W. et al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn.
Cornell, J. (1979). Sharing nature with children. Ananda Publications.
Ecology. (1989). World book encyclopedia. (Volume E, p. 51). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
Gega, P. (1982). Science in elementary education. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Guy, R. (1989). Discover science. Glenview, IL: Scott Foresman and Company.
38
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Explain how ants communicate.
2. Conclude how a change in the food source affects ants’
behaviors.
3. Name the body parts of an ant.
BACKGROUND:Humans rely on sight and sound to convey messages. Many
animals, however, rely on chemical messages. Chemical
communication is based on the production and secretion of a
chemical, called a pheromone. This chemical can be detected by
animals.
Ants communicate with one another when they look for food.
When an ant finds food, it may carry it back to its nest. On its
way, it leaves a pheromone trail that other ants can follow. Before
long, other ants are traveling the trail to and from the food. Once
the food is gone, the pheromone is no longer secreted. As the trail
begins to vanish, the movement of the ants becomes less uniform,
and they leave the area. Ants live in communities and are social
insects.
VOCABULARY:colony - a community of social insects
community - all the populations living together in the same place
pheromone - chemical secreted by an animal to communicate
secretion - substance produced by some part of an animal or plant
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Purchase or collect ants. (If collecting ants, remember to return them to their natural habitat. Use caution
not to collect fire ants. Warning: some students are allergic to ants.)
2. Copy the illustration of the ant’s body.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. On a walk outside, have students search for ant hills and ant trails. Discuss the dangers for ants as they
move around the Earth.
2. Discuss with students where they have observed ants around their homes.
Activities1. Conduct an experiment to demonstrate how ants can communicate about food.
• Using very small pieces of bread, chips or other foods, make a trail along the ground (1/2 teaspoon).
• About one foot away from these crumbs make another trail of crumbs (1/2 teaspoon).
• Use magnifying glasses to observe if the ants find the crumbs.
• Observe the ants moving the crumbs toward the colony.
• Use a stick to wipe out a section of the crumb trail. Observe and discuss changes in the ants’ behaviors.
An Ant Can
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One or two class periods
Materials:ants from a pet specialty store or
trapped from their natural
environment
stopwatch
magnifying glasses
paper cup
paper plate
small part of a piece of bread
one half teaspoon sugar
diagram sheet labeled “Parts of an Ant”
modeling clay
pipe cleaners
39 www.legacyenved.org
2.. Divide students into groups of four to five.
• Have each group of students time how far an ant can walk in a minute when heading toward a food
source. Each group might use different types of foods.
3. Direct students to look at ants by using a magnifying glass.
• Instruct students to describe (see unlabeled sheet, Parts of the Ant) and illustrate the shape of the body of
an ant.
• Using a pipe cleaner or modeling clay, students should make a model of an ant’s body.
• Distribute labeled sheet, Parts of an Ant, and have students compare the body parts of an ant with their
models.
• Discuss where the pheromone is produced. See diagram sheet of labeled parts of the ant.
Follow-UpTell students to describe to a partner how ants communicate with each other.
EXTENSIONS:1. Ask students to research details of an ant habitat. Students can then illustrate the ant habitat.
2. Instruct students to write a skit based on the different jobs that ants have within their colony.
3. Purchase an ant farm for observation.
4. Read the book Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg. If this book is not available, any literature selection
containing a similar theme can be used to enhance the lesson.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Ants. World book encyclopedia. (1988). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
Butzow, C. & Butzow, J. (1989). Science through children’s literature. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas
Press.
Chapman, E. (Undated). A teacher’s manual for outdoor classrooms. Auburn, AL: U.S. Department of
Agriculture.
Greenland, Caroline. (1986). Nature’s children ants. Danbury, Connecticut: Grolier Educational
Corporation.
Cole, Joanna. (1996). Magic school bus gets ants in its pants. New York. Scholastic, Inc.
Dorros, Authur. (1987). Ant cities. New York, NY: Harper Collins Publishers.
40
41
Part
s O
f A
n A
nt
42
Ab
dom
enA
nte
nn
ae
Man
dib
les
Sto
mach
Th
ora
xH
ead
Cro
p
Part
s O
f A
n A
nt
43
Illu
stra
tion
of
an
An
t C
olo
ny
Pu
pae
Nes
t
Eggs
Food
Larv
al A
nts
Qu
een
An
t
Win
ged
Male
An
ts
Work
er A
nts
Work
er A
nt
Work
er A
nt
Work
er A
nt
Ther
e is
usu
ally
only
one
Quee
n A
nt
in a
colo
ny.
She
lays
the
eggs
for
the
colo
ny.
She
is f
ed a
nd
gro
om
ed b
y w
ork
er
ants
.T
hes
e an
ts d
o n
ot
live
in t
he
colo
ny v
ery l
ong.
Aft
er t
hey
mat
e to
fer
tili
ze t
he
eggs,
they
die
.Thes
e an
ts a
re f
emal
e.
Lar
ger
work
ers
coll
ect
food
for
the
colo
ny.
Sm
alle
r
work
ers
gro
om
and f
eed
the
quee
n,
dig
new
tunnel
s,
care
for
the
pupae
and
larv
ae,
and p
rote
ct t
he
colo
ny.
Notes
44
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define the term adaptation.
2. Name at least three ways animals have adapted to their
environments.
3. Define the term camouflage.
4. Describe differences in bird beaks.
BACKGROUND:Ecosystems change over time. Due to this, animals must respond
to these changes in their environment. Animals make adaptations
to their environments so that they may continue to survive.
Adaptation is the behavior or the part of a living thing that helps
it live in a certain environment.
Certain traits, such as body coloring and markings, special body
parts, and specific actions, help an animal to adapt better to its
environment. Some adaptations in animals help the animal to see
its surrounding better. For instance, dragonflies have compound
eyes with thousands of separate lens in each eye. Using the wider
field of vision helps the dragonfly see movement up to 12 meters
away. Some falcons can see their prey 800 meters away. Rabbits
and mice have eyes set on both sides of their heads to give them
a wider range of vision.
There are hundreds of places where living things are found. The
places may differ from each other in a number of ways. In each
place, the organisms found there are especially suited for living
there. They have adapted to their environment.
VOCABULARY:adaptation - the behavior, or the part, of a living thing that helps
it live in a certain environment
camouflage - the ability to blend in with the surroundings
ecosystems - all the communities that live together in an area
including the water, soil, and climate
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Secure patterned and plain paper.
• Duplicate a butterfly-shaped pattern for students.
• Have timers or watches with second hands for each cooperative learning group.
2. Assemble petroleum jelly, cotton balls, and water for Activity 4.
3. Assemble materials needed for Activity 5.
4. Make nectar for Activity 5 by mixing water and red food coloring.
Adaptations Help Stop Limitations
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Art
Time Needed:Three class periods
Materials:several sheets of wrapping paper: one
patterned, two different solid colors
scissors
timer
red transparent plastic folder
light yellow crayon
white paper
cotton balls
petroleum jelly
tub of water
tools: tweezers, soda straws, eye
droppers, tongs, pliers, chopsticks
bird food
walnuts or other nuts in shells
candy worms
red food coloring for nectar
jelly beans
rice
puffed cereal
marbles
oatmeal
student activity sheets
45 www.legacyenved.org
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Ask students to share times they have seen animals use their different senses to find food and water.
2. Ask students to share different survival behavior they have noticed in animals.
Activities1. Demonstrate animal camouflage. (Do this in pairs of students.)
• Have students cut out 12 butterfly shapes from the patterned paper and 12 from each of the solid papers.
• Have one student in each pair put one full piece of patterned paper on the floor.
• Place the 36 butterflies, color, or pattern side up.
• Have the partner cover his or her eyes.
• Set the timer to ten seconds.
• Tell the partner to uncover his/her eyes and pick up, one at a time, as many butterflies as possible.
• Have pairs count the number of butterflies of each type collected.
• Repeat the experiment, substituting solid-colored wrapping paper for the background.
Note: Newspaper can be substituted for wrapping paper.
2. Encourage students to work in pairs to write a story about an animal character whose adaptations are
important in the story.
• Tell students that stories can be funny or adventurous.
• Have students illustrate their stories.
3. Ask students to create a hidden picture of an animal to demonstrate camouflage.
• Draw a bird using the yellow crayon on the white paper.
• Cover the drawing with the red plastic folder.
• Encourage students to brainstorm why the bird seems to disappear. (A possible idea could be that the
yellow bird and the red folder are both reflecting light to your eyes.)
4. Invite students to demonstrate how oil in the feathers of water birds, such as ducks, helps them to keep dry
and to stay afloat. Ask students if they think birds that do not get in the water have as much oil.
• Instruct students to coat a cotton ball thoroughly with petroleum jelly.
• Have them place the ball in the container of water.
• Direct them to put an uncoated cotton ball in the water.
• Observe what happens to each cotton ball.
• Encourage students to conclude that because the oil and water do not mix, the oil keeps the water from
getting into the cotton, thus into the birds.
5. Have students do the following activity to learn about birds’ beaks.
• Read the story “Dear Diary” to the class.
• Explain that different types of birds have different beak types that determine what they eat.
• Prepare six containers each with a different type of bird food (See Teacher Key).
• Divide students into groups.
• Explain to students what each container of bird food represents (See Teacher Key).
• Allow students to select tools to use to capture and eat each type of bird food.
• Use the tool as a beak to gather food.
• Have students compare the tool they used to the pictures on the Beak Illustration Sheet and determine
which one they had.
Follow-Up1. Have students write examples of animal adaptations.
2. Instruct students to complete the Student Activity page for follow-up.
3. Have students complete the Bird Beaks Page.
46
EXTENSIONS:1. Encourage students to work in groups to research animals that have adapted to living in very harsh
climates.
2. Have students create a class big book illustrating animals native to Alabama and list their adaptations to
their environment.
3. Have students choose a favorite animal and make a model of it using clay or play dough. Ask students to
list adaptations of their animal on an index card.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Badders, W. et. al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdette Ginn.
Makhmaltchi, V. (1992). Hands-on science activities. Troll Associates.
Van Cleave, J. (1990). Biology for every kid. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons Inc.
Gill, P. (1990). Birds. The Nature Club. U.S.A. Troll Associates.
Mason, H. (1992). Life in a forest. Niagara Falls, New York: Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd.
47
48
Butterfly Pattern
“Dear Diary”
Dear Diary,
Today was my birthday, and I invited all of my bird friends for a birthday dinner. I
served insect casserole and seed cakes. We washed this down with sparkling
rainwater. For entertainment I warbled my song, “Rockin Robin.”
What a disaster I had! Having birds over for dinner can be tricky since we don’t have
teeth. I discovered that if you don’t have exactly the kind of food they are used to
eating, they’ll go hungry. Here’s a list of the birds I invited to my party.
The toucan, who favors the parrot with his beautiful bright feathers, lives in the
jungle. He informed me that he eats papayas, mangoes, and bananas. I was so
embarrassed. Those weren’t on my shopping list.
Mrs. Woodpecker, my next door neighbor, also came. She lives in the hollow tree.
She was in luck! I was able to find her some earthworms, bugs, and spiders.
Sally Pelican only eats things that come from the sea. I knew this, so I had prepared
a tuna “special.”
The hawk and the owl arrived together. They are really fond of rats, snakes, and
sometimes other birds. I had to watch my back feathers all night! They left early and
hungry. They went to hunt.
I have learned a lesson. You should always be prepared!
Love,
Ima Sparrow
49
Which Type Of Beak Do You Have?
50
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
BEAKS TOOLS BIRD TYPES
Long thin beak used for reaching out and plucking fruit.
Small sharp beak for picking insects from leaves, logs, and dirt.
Long beak used to probe for worms and other small animals in the water.
Bill that acts as a strainer to filter out tiny plants and animals.
Short strong beak used for breaking open seeds.
Long hollow beak used to probe for nectar.
Student Activity Sheet
51
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
BEAKS
Long thin beak used for reaching out and plucking fruit.
Small sharp beak for picking insects from leaves, logs, and dirt.
Long beak used to probe for worms and other small animals in the water.
Bill that acts as a strainer to filter out tiny plants and animals.
Short strong beak used for breaking open seeds.
Long hollow beak used to probe for nectar.
Toucan
Tongs are the best instrument. Use
marbles or jellybeans to represent fruit.
Warbler
Forceps or tweezers are the best
instruments. Use rice to represent small
insects.
Snipes, Kiwis, Curlews
Chopsticks are the best instrument. Use
candy worms in dry oatmeal to represent
worms in mud.
Hummingbirds
An eyedropper or straw is the best
instrument. Use red food coloring and
water to make nectar. Place in a bud vase.
Flamingos and some Ducks
A strainer is the best instrument. Use
worm candy in water. Also add puffed
cereal to represent plants.
Cardinals, Sparrows, Grosbeaks, and
other Finch-like birds
Nutcrackers or tongs are the best
instruments. Use walnuts and other nuts in
bird seed.
Which Type Of Beak Do You Have?Teacher Key
Student Activity Sheet
Animal Adaptations
A body part or a behavior that helps an animal to survive in its environment is called
adaptation.
Wings, large ears, feathers, and fat are all adaptations that help an animal keep its
body temperature.
An elephant’s tusks or a dog’s long tongue helps it to obtain water.
Bears’ heavy claws or a snapping turtle’s sharp beak helps it to get food.
A snail’s hard shell or the shell of an oyster provides it with shelter.
Some animals use color adaptations called camouflage for protection in their
environment.
Use the underlined words to make up questions. Ask your questions to a partner.
52
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define the term adaptation as it relates to plants.
2. Conclude how plants adapt to changes in amount of light.
3. Develop a list of at least two ways plants have adapted to
their environment.
BACKGROUND:Plants grow in almost every part of the world. They grow on the
tops of mountains, in the ocean waters, in the desert, and in polar
lands.
People must have plants to live. The oxygen we breathe comes
from plants. Our food comes from plants or from the animals that
eat plants. Many homes are built from plant material. Many of
our clothes come from cotton plant fibers.
We can find plants in different types of places. These places can
be hot, cold, dry, or wet. Plants growing in these places have
different needs. Their adaptations help them to meet their needs
in each place.
Alpine plants are adapted to live in cold places. They adapt by
growing close to the ground and close to each other. This helps the
plants to survive the cold winds. These plants also have special adaptations for collecting water. They are
provided with shallow spreading roots to collect the melting snow.
Stems and leaves are covered with a coat of wax and fine hairs to assist in retaining the water. A cactus is an
example of a plant with adaptations for surviving in the desert. It has shallow spreading roots to collect rain
water. It has stems and spines that are coated with wax to retain the water.
Many trees in areas that have cold winters will adapt by losing their leaves. This keeps the tree from losing
water through its leaves. A pine tree does not shed its leaves in winter. Its leaves consist of needles with a
thick covering that helps retain water.
Plants growing in forests have adaptations for getting sunlight. Some plants climb to reach the sunlight, while
others grow along the branches of tall trees to get sunlight.
Geotropism is a type of adaptation that plants undertake due to gravity. The roots of the plant will turn
downward in response to gravity.
VOCABULARY:adaptation - the behavior, or the part, of a living thing that helps it to live in a certain environment
environment - all the surrounding living and nonliving things that affect another living thing
geotropism - a bending movement of living things due to gravity
species - a group of organisms that have the same characteristics and are able to reproduce
Necessary Changes
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts
Time Needed:One class period plus three days of
observation
Materials:three tiny plant seedlings each growing
in a paper cup
shoebox with a lid
plastic wrap
invisible tape
duct tape
journal
53 www.legacyenved.org
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Purchase three small seedlings and plant each seedling in a separate paper cup.
2. Obtain a shoebox and cut a small hole in the lid.
3. Purchase clear plastic wrap and tape.
PROCEDURE:Setting the StageDiscuss with students what we do when we walk into bright light. (Lead them to determine that we squint.)
• Have students cover their eyes with their hands.
• After two minutes, instruct students to uncover and open their eyes.
• Talk about what happens when they uncover their eyes.
• Talk about how this is a way they adapt to a changing environment.
Activities1. Demonstrate how plants respond to changes in their environment (see illustration A).
• Place a seedling into a box. Cut a small hole in the lid and then cover the box. Be sure that the seedling
is away from the hole in the box top.
• Place another seedling in a paper cup (see
illustration B). Cut a tiny hole (just big enough
for the seedling to fit) in a piece of plastic wrap.
Tape the plastic wrap tightly to the cup.Turn the
cup upside down. Attach the upside down cup to
a window so that the plant is hanging upside
down. (Use duct tape.)
• Put the third seedling on a flat surface so it can
receive light.
• Instruct students to predict what will happen to
each of the three plants.
• Students should record predictions in their
journals.
• Wait at least three days and then observe the
seedlings.
• Any changes should be recorded in their science
journals.
• Compare the final observations with predictions
and record any changes noted. (Students should
conclude that plants respond to light by growing
toward the light.)
2. Demonstrate how a growing root will respond if
the tip is pointed upward.
• Fold a paper towel and put it in a plastic bag.
• Place the plastic bag on a table.
• Put three seeds on the paper towel.
• Staple through the bag and the towel below the
seeds.
• Staple the sides of the bag.
• Add a small amount of water to the bag. (The water must be in contact with the paper towel but not
above the staples.)
• Tack the bag to a bulletin board.
• Observe the seed each day.
• Watch for the roots to get two to three centimeters long and remove the bag form the board.
54
A.
B.Bag
Tape
Hole
• Using tweezers, turn the seeds so that the roots point upward.
• Have students predict what the roots will do.
• Observe the roots for the next few days and record observations in science journals.
• Have students explain why the roots turned (roots respond to gravitational pull - geotropism.)
Follow-UpHave students describe how a plant might adapt to changes in its environment. (Use the Plant Adaptations
Sheet to begin a discussion.
EXTENSIONS:1. Read to the class A Tree in the Forest by Jan Thornhill. If this book is not available, any literature selection
containing a similar theme can be used to enhance the lesson.
2. Use dried beans and ask students to invent a way for that seed to be carried by attaching art scraps or
cotton to the bean. Write a descriptive story about the adventures of the seed. Discuss adaptations some
seeds have that help them be transported (stickers, maple seed “wings”).
3. Write a poem or a rap about the protective devices of a plant.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Badders, W. et al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn.
Butzon, C. & Butzon, J. (1989). Science through children’s literature. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas
Press.
Mallison, G. (1984). Science. Morristown, NJ: Silver Burdett Company.
Savan, Beth. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Donahue, Mike. (1988).The grandpa tree. Niwot, Colorado: Roberts Rinehart, Inc. Publishers.
Jaspersohn, William. (1980). How the forrest grew. New York: Mulberry Books.
55
56
Place seed on wet paper towel in bag
Seed sprouted
Turn sprouted seed upside down
Seed sprouting
Roots turned downward
Plant Adaptations
57
CACTUS
Spines help the cactus to adapt
to the hot sun. A spine is a type of leaf
that does not let water escape through
it. The cactus has shallow spreading
roots to quickly absorb more water
over a larger area.
IVY
Some plants climb to get the
sunlight. Ivy adapts by climbing up
trees, fences, houses, and other
available structures.
ALPINE FLOWERS
These mountain flowers grow in
high elevations. They adapt to the
strong light and decreased amount of
water by growing waxy leaves and
shallow roots.
Notes
58
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Explain the process of transpiration.
2. Trace the process of transpiration on the Student Information
Page.
3. Observe that plants transpire.
BACKGROUND:The process of transpiration moves water up from a plant’s roots.
In the process of transpiration, a plant loses water through tiny
openings in the underside of the leaves (stomata) and pulls up
more water from the roots.
Water moving up the stem of a plant to its leaves accounts for 90
percent of the water lost through the pores of the leaf. Some trees
can lose up to 15,000 pounds of water during a 12-hour period.
The openings in the leaves that provide for the loss of water and
the exchange of gases are adapted to different climates. Water’s
upward climb is the result of the pull at the top. As water is lost
through the stomata, more water is pulled up from the leaf veins,
the stems, and the roots, thus producing long columns of water in
the plant.
VOCABULARY:stomata - tiny openings in the underside of leaves on a plant that
control the amount of water in a plant’s tissues by releasing water vapor into the air.
transpiration - the loss of water through openings in a leaf (stomata) through which gases and water enter
and leave
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Assemble items necessary for experiments.
2. Copy Student Activity Pages for each student.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Discuss with students that plants usually take in more water
than they can retain. Ask what happens to the water.
2. Ask students what the dew is on plants (the result of
condensation on the leaves).
Activities1. Demonstrate how water moves through a plant (see
Experiment A illustration).
• Place a cut flower, such as a white carnation, in a bud vase
containing water.
• Pour a few drops of food coloring into the water in the
vase.
To Transpire Or Perspire . . .
That Is The Question
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:one cut flower such as a carnation
food coloring
bud vase
four growing plants
plastic sandwich bags
clear tape
student activity pages for each science
journal
petroleum jelly
59 www.legacyenved.org
Experiment A
Flower
Glass filled with dyed water
• Explain to students that tubes in the stem pull the
colored water up through the plant to the petals.
2. Show how transpiration occurs (see Experiment B
illustration).
• Put a sandwich bag over a leaf on a plant.
• Tape the bag to the stem so no air can get in.
• Do not put the plant in sunlight.
• Observe the inside of the bag.
• Help students correlate the accumulation of water
in the bag to the transpiration process.
3. Compare the amount of water transpired from four
different plants.
• Place plastic bags over each of four different types
of potted plants and close tightly with tape.
• Observe the amount of water droplets that collect
on the inside of each glass.
• Compare the results of transpiration for each of the
four plants.
4. Repeat Experiment B but place each plant in:
• A a cool place; a dark closet; a very warm place, a
room but not in the sun.
• Compare the results for the amounts of water
transpired from all four plants.
• Ask students if light and temperature have any effect on the amount of water transpired. If so, what?
Follow-Up1. Have students define stomata and explain their role in transpiration.
2. Ask students to label transpiration steps on the Student Activity Page, “Transpiration”.
3. Record in science journals any observations made during the experiment.
EXTENSIONS:1. Conduct an experiment with two plants.
• Coat one plant’s leaves with petroleum jelly.
• Leave the other plant’s leaves natural.
• Cover both plants with plastic bags.
• Observe and compare water vapor that collects on the sides of the plastic bags.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Badders, W. et al. (1996). Discovery works. Parsippany, NJ: Silver Burdett Ginn.
Guy, R. et al. (1989). Discover science. Glenview, IL: Scott, Foresman and Company.
Plants (1987). The world book encyclopedia. (Volume 19). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
Van Cleave, J. (1990). Biology for every kid. New York, NY: John Wiley and Sons, Inc.
Savan, B. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd.
60
Experiment B
Plastic Bag
Plastic Bag
Step 1
Step 2
Potted Plant
Transpiration
61
Steps of Transpiration
1. Plants absorb water from the soil
through their roots.
2. The water and minerals move up
the stem to the leaves.
3. The stomata on the underside of
the leaves release the water.
Stomata
Tubes (inside stem)
Roots
Notes
62
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Describe the stages of succession in the forest.
2. Illustrate the stages of succession.
BACKGROUND:Succession is a regular pattern of changes in the plants and
animals in an area. This process may take hundreds or even
thousands of years. Changes may be started by enriched soil,
greater moisture, loss of moisture, intervention of humans, and
numerous other conditions. New organisms that can adapt and
thrive in the new conditions will emerge.
A climax community is reached when the plant life is fully
adapted to the existing conditions of soil content, water supply,
and organic environment. This community is considered stable.
Although it may change in small ways, its major characteristics
remain the same.
Floods, fire, or human intervention may reverse this process.
Succession that takes place where an ecosystem has previously
existed is called secondary succession.
VOCABULARY:succession - the process of continuous change
ADVANCE PREPARATION:Each student should bring a plastic soda beverage bottle to school. Use scissors to cut off the top. Add to each
jar five centimeters (approximately two inches) of soil and seven centimeters (approximately three inches) of
water. Stir and allow to stand overnight.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. What does a mature forest (climax community) look like? (little undergrowth, canopy)
2. Discuss what happens to a forest when ravaged by a fire. Which plants emerge first? What happens to the
wildlife?
Over And Over Again
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period, on-going observation
Materials:two-liter plastic bottle
soil
aquatic plant
two cups bird seed
scissors
sunflower seeds
63 www.legacyenved.org
Day 1 About 3-4
weeks later
.5 liter of water
5 cm. of soil
ActivitiesExperiment: Succession from pond to forest.
1. Using the prepared bottle, add an aquatic plant and place bottle in a window or beneath a grow lamp for
three to four weeks. Do not replace water that evaporates.
2. Put observations on the chart. Once or twice each week, have students add three or four bird seeds to the
bottle and make a drawing of the bottle and its contents. (Note: While there is water in the jar, the seeds
will sprout and then rot. As the water evaporates down to the soil, the aquatic plant will die, but the bird
seeds will now find a suitable environment.)
3. If the soil dries out too much, add a little “rain” occasionally. Add sunflower seeds in the third week to
represent “trees.”
4. Have students work in groups or four or five to make a poster of what they saw happen to their community
and list what they learned about succession. Allow each group to present its findings.
Follow-Up1. Using the recorded observations, illustrate the succession of the forest.
2. List the stages of succession in the forest.
EXTENSIONS:1. Read The Hatchet by Gary Paulsen. If this book is not available, any literature selection containing a
similar theme can be used to enhance the lesson.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Gates, J. (1989). Consider the earth. Englewood, CO: Teacher Idea Press.
TVA - A world of resources. (November 1986): TVA/ONRED/L&ER/86/52.
Jaspersohn, William.(1980). How the forest grew. New York: Mulberry Books.
Donahue, Mike. (1988). The grandpa tree. Niwot, Colorado: Roberts Rinehart, Inc. Publishers.
Mason, Helen. (1992). Life in a forest. Niagara Falls, New York: Durkin Hayes Publishing Ltd.
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65
Student Activity Sheet
DrawingDescription
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Notes
66
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Explain composting.
2. Identify compostable types of solid waste.
3. Create rich, odor-free compost.
4. Record temperatures on a chart.
5. Identify compost inhabitants.
6. Construct a compost food web.
7. List changes that occur within a compost over a period of
time.
BACKGROUND:In the near future, landfills in the U.S. may stop accepting “yard
waste.” Compost piles are an alternative disposal method for
leaves and grass clippings.
Compost is dark, earthy-smelling, crumbly material. In a compost
pile, a large number of microscopic organisms call a compost
heap “home.” The movement of these organisms within the heap
helps to aerate it. These compost residents break up and
decompose the dead organic matter to help create humus. Humus
slowly releases small amounts of plant nutrients when added to
soil. Humus is an excellent soil-building material.
In a compost pile, decomposers, such as bacteria and fungi, thrive
on dead tissue. The amount of moisture, air, temperature, light,
and the nature of the decomposing material affect the composting process. To form a good compost, a
carbon/nitrogen ratio of 30:1 must exist. Composts deficient in nitrogen may not decompose for at least a
year. Too much nitrogen will produce a strong ammonia smell. The compost heap must be damp, not soggy. It
must be turned to ensure proper ventilation. Turning exposes all parts of the heap to the heat that is produced
during decomposition. Compost piles should be less than one meter high. They can be contained or out in the
open. Done correctly, compost will form in about two weeks.
Modern landfills seal garbage deep in the earth, keeping out air and moisture. This prevents microorganisms
from doing their work. Therefore, even biodegradable products do not readily decompose when placed in a
landfill.
Composting is a solution to some of the solid waste disposal problems. It helps dispose of waste material in
an efficient and sanitary manner. It produces humus, which has beneficial properties for growing plants.
Experts say that composting can keep up to 60 percent of all solid waste out of the landfills.
VOCABULARY:aerate - to expose to the circulation of air
aerobic - requires oxygen to live
arthropods - invertebrate organisms that include insects, spiders, and crustaceans
bacteria - living organisms so small they need magnification to be observed
biodegradable - a compound that can be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms
Backyard Composting
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:One class period to set up; daily
maintenance and observation
Materials:soil thermometer
compost ingredients (leaves or straw
and grass in a 2:1 ratio)
tools for shredding
watering can
partially decayed compost pile
plastic specimen dishes
forceps
stereoscopes
flashlights
67 www.legacyenved.org
carbon - a substance that occurs in any living organisms.
composting - collecting and layering organic material, such as lawn clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, and
manure, in order to decompose into fertile humus
decomposer - an agent that breaks down the bodies of dead organisms
humus - decayed organic material used to improve gardening and soil
microscopic - exceedingly small, minute; too small to be seen with the naked eye
nitrogen - a substance plants need to survive.
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
2. Copy Student Handouts.
3. Collect a sample of partially decayed compost material.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Give the journal prompt “Describe life in a compost pile.”
2. Share student responses and discuss using background information.
Activity I1. Create rich, odor-free compost.
• Combine material by weight.
• Shred compost material to increase surface area and speed by decomposition.
• Sprinkle the compost materials with water to dampen. Avoid using too much!
• Assemble a heap no more than one meter high.
• Take the temperature at the center of the compost pile, then five centimeters below the surface.
Record the temperatures on the Backyard Composting chart.
Repeat this procedure every 24 hours.
• Cover the compost pile.
• Turn the heap with a pitch fork as soon as the temperature of the compost drops slightly (every 48-72
hours).
2. Graph the recorded daily temperature.
Activity II1. Observe compost debris in small groups.
• Place a handful of decomposing compost material in a specimen dish.
• Focus a light on the sample.
• Turn the debris over with a pair of forceps and look for compost inhabitants.
• Examine it under a stereoscope.
• Identify as many compost arthropods as possible using the Student Activity Page. The hairlike organisms
are nematodes.
2. Construct a food web by drawing arrows from the predator to the prey or vegetation on the Student
Activity Page.
3. Compare the compost created and the compost collected.
Follow-Up1. Discuss the temperature increases and decreases.
• Inform students that temperature increase due to the heat released during the respiration process of
decomposers. Temperatures decrease due to a lack of oxygen or a decrease in organic matter.
• Calculate the temperature ranges recorded.
2. Graph data using pictures obtained from observations.
68
3. Draw or explain the kinds of materials that can be composted.
4. List the steps of the composting process.
EXTENSIONS:1. Conduct a school-wide survey to find out how many families have a compost pile. Graph the results.
2. Use the compost to fertilize a garden planted by the students.
3. Plant a seed in only compost, a seed in only soil, and a seed in mixed compost and soil. Compare the
results.
4. Visit a composting facility.
5. Use craft supplies to construct an original compost critter.
6. Write a story about life in the compost.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Alabama Cooperative Extension Service. Backyard composting. (Circular No. ANR-638). Auburn
University, AL: Auburn University. http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0638/ANR-0638.pdf
Cooperative Extension Service. (1989). Lessons in solid waste management: 3 - R’s. Manhattan: Kansas
State University.
Kraft General Foods. (June, 1993). Solid thinking about solid waste.
Swarthout, F. L. (September 1993). The science of composting. The science teacher. 60(6), pp. 27-29.
Swarthout, F. L. (October 1993). The compost community. The science teacher. 60(7), pp. 45-47.
The University of North Alabama Environmental/Energy Education Center. (April, 1991). Environmentalawareness activities guide for grades K-6.
Savan, B. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto, Canada: Kids Can Press Ltd.
Glaser, L. (1996). Compost! Growing gardens from your garbage. Brookfield, Connecticut: The Millbrook
Press.
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Backyard Composting
Record the compost pile’s temperature.
List any changes you observe here:
Date Change
Temperature
At center Near surface
Time
(hours)
0
24
48
72
96
120
71
Student Activity Sheet
Name ____________________
Backyard Composting
Directions:
1. Place a check in the box if the arthropod can be seen in your compost sample.
2. Write the total number of each kind of organism you see.
3. Construct a food web by drawing arrows to each item that an organism consumes.
# found
# found
# found
# found
# found
# found
# found
# found
pseudoscorpions
• vicelike front claws
• poisonous glands
• eat nematodes, mites,
earthworms, and larvae
springtails
• wingless insects
• springlike structure on
stomach
• jump a few inches high
• eat nematodes, fungi, leaves
earwigs
• pair of pinchers
• release smelly liquid
• eat fruit, moss, lichen, and
grass
centipedes
• fast moving
• poisonous claw behind
head
• eat arthropods and worms
nematodes
• look like fine hair
• eat decaying vegetation
and fungi
compost mites
• smaller than a grain of sand
• resemble red-orange
droplets
• prey on nematodes, insect
eggs, mite larvae
sowbugs
• slow moving
• crustaceans
• eat decaying vegetation
millipedes
• slower
• cylinder shape
• eat vegetation
Notes
72
ECOLOGY
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Construct a vermi-compost pile.
2. Observe the behaviors of a worm.
3. Record the reaction time of a worm.
BACKGROUND:Composting is an important way to reduce garbage. Composting
with worms is called vermi-composting.
Worms have well-developed noses and great senses of smell.
They do not have eyes or ears. The skin of a worm is sensitive to
moisture, temperature, touch, and light. Worms breathe through
their skin, taking air out of the moist soil. Their skin is tender.
Worms are nocturnal.
VOCABULARY:composting - collecting and layering organic material, such as
lawn clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, and manure, in order to
decompose into fertile humus
nocturnal - active at night
vermi - indicates a worm or worms
ADVANCE PREPARATION:Poke holes in the bottom of the bin.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Create a concept map about worms.
2. Discuss the benefits and uses of worms to the environment.
3. Provide each student with a gummi worm and a gummi worm sheet.
Activities1. Construct a vermi-compost pile.
• Place the bin on a tray so that water can drain out.
• Put the bedding in the bottom of the bin and dampen it thoroughly.
2. Observe the worms.
• Divide students into groups of four.
• Guide students to complete the Student Activity Page, “Squirmy Vermi”.
3. Add the worms. Cover with the lid.
• Place in a cool, dark spot. Do not allow it to freeze.
• Feed the worms organic wastes such as vegetable and fruit leftovers, dust balls, and egg shells (not meats
or fatty foods).
• Gently mix the contents periodically. Be careful not to harm the worms.
Follow-UpShare worm observations.
Vermi-Village
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:one pound red worms (purchased from
a bait shop)
one large plastic bin
one lid and tray
bedding made of an organic mix
(straw, chopped plants, leaves, and
shredded cardboard or newspaper)
three to four worms per group
hand lens
one flashlight per group
one cup of sand per group
one cup of potting soil per group
timing device per group
tape measurers
gummi worms
73 www.legacyenved.org
EXTENSIONS:1. Test the worms’ reactions to light or smell. Soak a cotton ball in ammonia or vinegar and place it near the
worms.
2. Write a song about worms.
3. Create a squirm dance.
4. This activity could be extended to predict and record how long it takes for original bedding to become
compost.
5. Read Earthworms, Underground Farmers by Patricia Lauber.
6. Read Squirmy Wormy Composters by Bobbie Kalman.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Kalman, B. (1991). Reducing, revising, and recycling. New York, NY: Crabtree Publishing.
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Squimy Vermi
1. Observe your worms with a hand lens. What do you see? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
2. Can you tell which is the front end of the worm? Draw the difference in the front and the tail.
3. How do worms move? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
4. Measure a worm. . . . . . . . . cm
5. Place your worm on a moist paper towel. Gently touch it and record your observations on the chart
below.
Shine a light on your worm and record your observations on the chart below.
Allow your worm to burrow down into the cups. Time how long it takes in each type of soil.
Prediction Actual
Touch Light
Trial
Trial 2
Average
Potting soil
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
Sand Potting soil Sand
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
min. sec.
Wormy Worksheet
Draw your Gummi Worm.
Gummi Worm is the common name for this worm. What is the scientific name?
(Make one up)._______________________________________________________________________
Describe your worm Length __________________ Width _________________________________
Colors _____________ Number of segments______________ Smell __________________________
How can you tell the anterior (head) end from the posterior (tail) end?___________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Compare your Gummi Worm to other Gummi Worms. How are they alike? How are they
different?_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Can your Gummi Worm be stretched? _____________________________________________________
Can it be compressed? _________________________________________________________________
Does it return to its original shape? _______________________________________________________
What other tests could you perform to find out more about the worm? ___________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
Compare your worm to a real earthworm (from memory)
____________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
What does your Gummi Worm taste like? __________________________________________________
76
Student Activity Sheet
INTRODUCTION TO POLLUTION
PREVENTION
Many satellites put in orbit by the United States and other countries have included geographic image surveys as
part of their missions. Not only have those images clearly illustrated the beauty and diversity of the planet’s
surface, but also those images have shown that it is isolated and self-contained. Although enormous in scale, the
Earth is not infinite nor are its resources. While the planet can support an abundance of life and even can absorb
some level of pollution, its carrying capacity (the amount of life supportable through resource allocation and
use) is fixed. Because of this, the combination of natural and human-made detrimental effects, including
pollution, must be considered to ensure that the carrying capacity is not exceeded.
The effect of natural or human-made change on Earth is often difficult to determine and is speculative on a
worldwide scale, although studies of individual ecosystems and smaller geographic areas prove less difficult to
measure. Instances of pollution can be investigated to determine effects and risks posed. Environmental studies
and analyses have received increasing attention in past decades. Only through education can we as citizens
become informed enough to make accurate and responsible decisions about our environment. The focus of this
chapter is environmental pollution, either occurring naturally or human-made. There are two fundamental
reasons for our concern with environmental pollution: (1) human health, welfare, and resource needs and (2)
concern about the rest of nature.
Human Health, Welfare, and Resource Needs
Our personal concern with environmental pollution mainly revolves around health problems from natural, as
well as human-made, pollutants. Human health and well-being can be impacted by environmental pollution in
two distinctly different ways: (1) on a personal level by detrimental health due to contamination or depletion of
water, air, and other needed resources or (2) by reduced social and economic benefits or degradation in a
geographic, ecosystem, or global context through slow deterioration of our habitat or decreasing availability of
resources.
The cost of control and remediation measures for pollutants sometimes is reflected in health-care costs to treat
afflictions caused by pollution. Reduced or eliminated mental well-being or recreational benefits often are
overlooked and are underestimated because of the difficulty in quantifying costs. The cost of the inability to fish
a stream segment because of aquatic pollution, to stay outdoors for extended periods because of elevated ozone
levels, or to play in areas contaminated by pollution is difficult to determine economically. Maintaining a
healthy and sustainable environment for these activities often runs contrary to human and economic needs for
population, urban, agricultural, and manufacturing growth and development.
Concern for Nature
Concern for nature other than that readily identified as healthful or economically beneficial has been a part of
human existence for centuries. For example, there are many things about the balance of nature that we don’t
know. The loss of some species may throw off that delicate balance in ways that we cannot foresee at the time.
This is a major theme of the modern environmental movement. Although many concerns mainly address human
enjoyment, nature has value simply in its existence. Consider, for example, the number of people who place
value in the protection of endangered species and the national park system, even though they have never seen
an Indiana Bat or visited Little River Canyon. This protection of nature does not come without a price to all of
us. Some resources have to be left unclaimed, some land has to be left undeveloped, and funds must be spent on
protection and preservation of the delicate balance of nature.
77
Cultural Change
One of the major factors in the creation of environmental pollution stems from the consumption of resources,
production and manufacture of goods, and disposal of wastes. Demand from citizens for a ready supply of goods
increases as the population increases. Technology offers more products to make our lives better and easier, and
our purchasing power increases.
The controversy over the creation of pollution traditionally has focused on finger pointing and on placing
economic matters above environmental concerns. Industry, government, and public groups have not always
realized that environmental protection and economic growth do not have to be mutually exclusive. Government
regulation, industry initiative, and public demand have caused great improvements to be made in the area of
environmental protection. Better process design, control measures, and pollution prevention activities to reduce
or eliminate pollutants at the source have reduced much pollution. Although great successes have been achieved,
much more must be done in order to protect human health and the environment from pollutants.
A cultural change continues in the way many Alabamians work and play. Businesses, industry, agriculture, and
other activities continue to make improvements in their operations. Collectively, they are trying to make a
difference, as are public environmental groups and government agencies who keep watch over the environment
and who encourage progress. These collective actions are important to success, but what can we do individually?
We must all consider our activities, taking into consideration the environmental impact they may have. The idea
of “throwing it away” is a myth. Wastes do not “disappear” when we “throw it away.” All waste must be
disposed of somewhere, and consumption of most materials creates at least one form of pollution from solid
waste or from discharges in water or emissions into the air.
When purchasing materials and services, we must consider questions such as “What will happen to it after I use
it? Can it be recycled? Can I purchase goods with less packaging? Is there a better alternative?” and finally, and
most importantly, “Do I really need it?” Unfortunately, we often must act and make decisions without complete
information. Educating ourselves, taking the time to get accurate information, and considering the consequences
of our actions collectively and as individuals are important first steps in solving the problems created by
environmental pollution.
From World Book Encyclopedia
78
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Analyze the relationships between how people use the Earth
today and the impact of these actions on the future.
2. Define the term legacy.
3. List two examples of a legacy.
BACKGROUND:A legacy is something that is left for the next generation. A
legacy could be your great grandmother’s locket or your great
grandfather’s watch left to you. It could be a rare coin collection
On a larger scale, the national parks are a legacy left to us. A
legacy can even be a story passed down from generation to
generation. A legacy is something valuable enough to protect and
to continue to pass on to future generations.
VOCABULARY:barren - land not producing plant life
bubble - a round space filled with air kept in by a non-rigid
membrane
concrete - a mixture of cement, sand, or gravel and water that
hardens as it dries
desert - dry land with few plants and little rainfall
dome - a large, rounded roof on a circular or many-sided base
generation - the average time interval between the birth of parents and the birth of their offspring
humankind - people
legacy - something left for the next generation
withered - dried out and lifeless
ADVANCE PREPARATION: Read the story “The Legacy” by Kay Atchinson.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Have students tell about special items left to them by others.
2. Lead students to brainstorm the reason we should be concerned about leaving a legacy to future
generations.
ActivitiesDiscuss the story “The Legacy” with the class.
• Ask students what a legacy is according to the grandfather. Ask what he meant when he said his
generation did not leave one.
• Ask students about the reasons why the grandfather’s generation did not listen to those trying to conserve
and protect the Earth.
• Ask students to predict when this story could have taken place (past, present, or future). Why?
• Ask if students think the grandfather actually sees the landscape at the end of the story. (This is a
A Legacy
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Language Arts, Science, Social Studies,
Art
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:“A Legacy” by Kay Atchinson
student handouts
paper
pencils
art supplies
79 www.legacyenved.org
flashback to a time in his life when he could see and feel the beautiful landscape and hear the animals.)
These things are no longer available to see or feel on Earth except in books, videos, or museums.
• Ask students what they think the author is trying to say in this story. (What we do today influences what
happens in the future.) We can try to do a small part in protecting and conserving the Earth’s
environment. If everyone would do a small part, we could conserve and protect the Earth for future
generations.
• Instruct each student to write a paragraph describing his/her idea of what the Earth will be like when
he/she is 50 years old.
Follow-Up1. Summarize the importance of protecting our legacy.
2. List ways to protect our environment.
3. Recite “A Conservation Pledge” with the class.
EXTENSIONS:1. Make a class book depicting the characters in the story.
• Encourage students to include descriptive adjectives about the main characters.
• Instruct students to design illustrations for the class book.
2. Ask students to retell the story in their own words.
• Write the vocabulary words on the board or use an overhead projector.
• Direct students to use the vocabulary words to make meaningful sentences telling about the story.
3. Ask students to identify locations in Alabama where they might find some of the things seen by the
grandfather at the end of the story.
• Plot these items on an Alabama map.
• Instruct students to make a map key using symbols to represent these items.
4. Read The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein to the class.
5. Read Just A Dream by Chris Van Allsburg to the class.
6. Ask students to write a descriptive paragraph about how they view their world today.
• Place their work in a time capsule (coffee tin or metal box) and bury on the school grounds.
• Date information for a future finder.
7. Students can interview an older relative or others in the community to find out how the world has changed
in their lifetime.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Atchinson, K. (1994). A Legacy.
Banfield, S. (1992). What in the world? Troll Associates.
80
A LegacyBy Kay Atchinson
An old man and a young child sat on a concrete slab. As they looked around at the landscape outside, the
small child looked up at the old man.
“Grandfather, was it always like this? The world is such a dreary place to me, with all the concrete streets, tall
buildings, and dry, rock-filled lawns. Why do we have to have so much of everything in rocks and concrete?”
“Well, the Earth has a lot of sand, deserts, and rocks, and that makes good concrete,” the old man chuckled.
“But, Grandfather, our teacher tells us it was not always like it is today...the Earth, I mean. What was it like
when you were my age?”
The withered old man looked down on the child and his eyes held a forlorn, wistful longing. He hesitated
before he spoke, and the child thought he had forgotten. “This world you know and see is so different from
the one of my childhood. You can only imagine it from the pictures in your books or in the older videos you
watch, but I can see it in my mind’s eye as it used to be long ago. Your teacher was right - the world was
different then. But our generation did not realize its worth. We thought it would be here forever. We used it to
gratify our wants and needs, never with a thought that we might someday use it up. It had always provided us
with what we wanted. We figured it would do so forever. I’m sorry, sweetheart, that we did not think to leave
your generation a legacy.”
“What’s a legacy, Grandfather?”
“That’s not easy to put into words that you might understand, but I’ll try. A legacy is like a present you give to
someone who comes after you are gone from this Earth. It is like a treasure, but you can’t buy it for all the
money in the world. In fact, it must be given freely, without expecting anything. But yet the person getting it
has a price to pay, really. That person must also give it freely to those who are here when he is gone. A legacy
will always be left to be used and loved by everyone, no matter what happens in the future. Does that make
any sense to you?”
“I think so. It’s like the time Uncle Jeff gave me his football card collection when he went away and told me
to keep it so I could give it to my children someday.”
The old grandfather smiled, thinking of his grandchild’s materialistic reasoning. “Kinda like that, but a legacy
may not always be yours alone. Sometimes a legacy doesn’t belong to just one person, but to all the people of
the Earth. That’s what my generation failed to realize...until too late.”
Didn’t your teacher or anyone else teach you about the legacy?”
“Oh, plenty of people taught us or talked about the things we could and should do to preserve and protect our
environment (Earth, as you call it), but we were too busy or concerned to pay much attention to it. You see, it
wasn’t that we didn’t know or care about it, we did care. We even had organizations that tried to do what they
could, but they were only a few compared to the whole. Humans tend to think that as long as they can’t see
the future today, that it won’t ever get here. So, we put off facing facts until they hit us in the face and then
we try to change overnight. Some things are hard for humans to learn.”
81
“Why DIDN’T you LISTEN to everyone?”
The old gentleman gazed into the distance for a few minutes, then spoke. “Sometimes we listened a while.
But then we thought about how much trouble it was to do, or how much of our comfortable lifestyles we
might have to sacrifice, or how much money things cost; but I think the real reason most of us didn’t listen
was because we thought that our little contribution wasn’t going to make a difference. We were wrong, but we
couldn’t see it.”
“Don’t be sad, Grandfather,” whispered the child, as he snuggled up closer. “I forgive all of you. You didn’t
know what would happen in the future. My teacher says the future really never gets here because when it
comes, it isn’t the future anymore; but it is today.”
Looking down into the innocence of the child’s eyes, a tear trickled down the old man’s face. “How wise your
teacher is, my little one, to make that observation. If my generation had only realized that fact, maybe your
Earth would have been a much different place. We failed to see that OUR FUTURE IS WHAT WE DO
TODAY, not tomorrow or next week or even years from now. All we are given is TODAY, and we must use it
wisely. I hope that you and all your friends listen better than we did, for the future legacy of this planet is in
your hands now. But the future is not in the distance, but right at this very moment - TODAY. Your future is
today - don’t waste it as we did.”
A loud whistle sounded in the distance, signaling the end of the daylight hours and the beginning of night. The
child and the old man rose and walked hand in hand down the concrete path towards the family’s dwelling.
Above them loomed the plastic bubble of the city’s atmosphere, where fresh clean, cool air drifted down from
the invisible piping network embedded in the dome. Computer sound systems clicked on, bringing the sounds
of the night to lull humankind to sleep. Forced air rustled the leaves of the test-tube grown trees.
Turning and gazing outward into the desolate world beyond the bubble, the small child wondered about the
past - the past that was long before this time.
Long after the child was asleep, the grandfather crept outside; and he, too, watched the world outside the
bubble. But instead of dry cracked earth barren of life, his eyes saw beautiful lush forests, clear blue sky
overhead, and clean gurgling waves bumping the sides of his canoe as it slid through the swift water of
sparkling rivers and streams. His ears were listening to the shrill cries of gulls and hawks, the songs of the
mockingbird, the rat-a-tat-tat of woodpeckers, and the calls of the animals such as the wolves, owls, frogs,
coyotes, and bobcats, and yes, even to the sounds of the bees as they busied themselves making fresh, sweet
honey.
With a start, the grandfather awakened. It had been a dream. He became more determined to become a better
steward of the Earth and to teach his grandson these values.
Our future is today, now and with passing seconds it is slipping away into the past. Will we close our eyes,
ears, and minds to our legacy to our grandchildren? Will we let them forget the problems that caused us to
implement those methods? The children are the leaders of the future, and we must help them to understand
WHY we have begun to take steps to protect and care for our planet. If they are not aware of the problems
that caused these methods to be put into use, will they not forget the lessons of the past more quickly?
Awareness is the catalyst for continuous change and progress. Alabama leaves a beautiful legacy.
82
83
Conservation Pledge
I give my pledge
as an Alabamaian,
To save and faithfully
to defend from waste,
the natural resources
of my state - its soil and minerals,
its forests, waters, and wildlife.
Notes
84
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Identify the major sources of each of the six pollutants.
2. Identify the major effects of each of the six pollutants.
3. List three ways to reduce air pollution.
BACKGROUND:In the United States, the Clean Air Act of 1970 strengthened
earlier laws. It required that air quality standards be established.
It also set up guidelines for achieving these standards and gave
the federal government more responsibility and power in
protecting air quality. In the same year, the U.S. Congress created
the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be in charge of
the federal government’s environmental programs. The EPA was
given responsibility for implementing the Clean Air Act,
regulating air pollution, and enforcing the law.
The Clean Air Act required EPA to set air quality standards so
that even the people most sensitive to air pollution (usually the
very young, the very old, and the sick) would not suffer adverse
health effects from pollution levels in the ambient air (the air
around us) if the standards were met. National Ambient Air
Quality Standards were set for substances identified as criteria
pollutants. These were common, widespread pollutants shown by research to be harmful to human health and
to general public welfare. (Welfare includes crops, livestock, vegetation, buildings, and visibility.) Carbon
monoxide, lead, nitrogen oxides, photochemical oxidants (such as ozone), particulate matter, and sulfur
dioxide were the criteria pollutants. The 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments added further criteria pollutant
restrictions. For example, most areas in the country must have attained particulate matter standards by 1994.
This includes combating acid rain by reducing sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxide emissions.
Many efforts are underway to reduce air pollution. Air pollution devices have been installed in factories,
power plants, vehicles, and even wood stoves to trap pollutants before they get into the air. Use of cleaner
burning fuels and more advanced combustion technology are other ways pollution is reduced. Other efforts
include encouraging people to use cars less and to conserve electricity, which will reduce the amount of fuel
we burn and, at the same time, reduce the amount of pollutants we put into the atmosphere. Pollution
prevention efforts also include using fewer harmful materials.
VOCABULARY:pollutant - a substance that can harm air, water, soil, and living organisms
ADVANCE PREPARATION: Prepare transparency.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Show pictures of slides of air pollution. Ask students where they have observed air pollution.
The Dirty Half Dozen
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts, Art, Social
Studies
Time Needed:Four to five class periods
Materials:magazines
transparency of Major Man-made Air
Pollutants
overhead projector
wipe-off markers
student activity pages
art materials
85 www.legacyenved.org
2. Introduce the term pollutant. Many of these come from fuel and power plants that provide us with
conveniences.
3. Tell the students this lesson introduces them to six major air pollutants (criteria pollutants) that are
regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency in the United States.
ActivitiesGroup Project/Presentation
• Distribute copies of Major Man-made Air Pollutants and Matching Major Air Pollutants with Their
Source and Effects.
• Have students read and research their student activity pages.
• Design a unique method of presenting this information to the class. (For example, use a cardboard box
car to present carbon monoxide or lead. Write a rap or song about particulate matter.)
• Reports should last about 10 to 15 minutes and must include new solutions to the problem.
• Present three each day.
Follow-Up1. Hand out all student sheets and make sure they have the correct answers for study.
• Carbon monoxide - sources: cars, wood stoves; - effects: less oxygen in blood, reduced mental alertness,
heart damage.
• Lead - sources: electric power plants, cars, metal refineries; - effects: brain damage, contaminated crops
and livestock.
• Nitrogen oxides - sources: cars, coal-burning stoves, electric power plant; - effects: lung damage, damage
forests, smog.
• Ozone - sources:exhaust, ozone-forming fumes (paints, gas stations); - effects: eye irritation, respiratory
problems, lung damage, damaged vegetation, smog.
• Particulate matter - sources: diesel engines, wood stove, windblown dust; - effects: eye irritation,
damaged crops, lower visibility, discolored buildings and statues.
• Sulfur dioxide - sources: electric power plants, coal-burning stoves, refineries; - effects: eye irritation,
lung damage, harmed aquatic life, damaged forests, deteriorated buildings (effects are due to acid
decomposition).
2. List a minimum of two solutions for each of the six criteria pollutants.
3. Design bumper stickers. Create a slogan and an emblem for one of the criteria pollutants.
EXTENSIONS:1. Have students write to the EPA to request information on air quality legislation.
2. Have interested students research the killer smog in London in December 1952, which resulted in over
4,000 deaths.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Duckworth, C. (September, 1987). The big bad six. Ranger Rick. Washington: National Wildlife
Federation.
Keep America Beautiful, Inc. (Undated). Pollution pointers for elementary students.
Motor Vehicle Manufacturers Association. (Undated). Saving energy! Stock no. 22. (Brochure).
Schultz, R.F. (1982). Solids in the air. Environmental experiment from edison. Southfield, MI: Thomas
Alva Edison Foundation.
Tennessee Valley Authority. (Undated). Environmental resource guide: Air quality.
86
87
Teacher
Major Man-Made Air Pollutants
Sources EffectsDescriptionPollutioncarbon monoxide
(CO)
• Colorless,
odorless gas
• Vehicles burninggasoline
• Indoor sourcesinclude: keroseneor wood burningstoves
• Headaches, reducedmental alertness
• Heart damage
• Brain & kidney damage• Contaminated crops and
livestock
• Lung damage• React in atmosphere to
form acid rain• Deteriorates statues &
buildings• Damage forests• Form ozone & other
pollutants (smog)
• Lung damage• Eye irritation• Respiratory tract
problems• Damages vegetation• Smog
• Lung damage• Eye irritation• Damage crops• Reduces visibility• Discolors buildings &
statues
• Lung damage• Eye irritation• Kills aquatic life• Reacts in atmosphere to
form acid rain• Damages forests• Deteriorates buildings and
statues
• Old paint• Metal refineries• Vinyl blinds
• Vehicles • Power plants
burning fossil fuels• Coal burning stoves
• Vehicle exhaust &certain other fumes
• Formed from otherair pollutants in thepresence of sunlight
• Diesel engines • Power plants• Industries• Windblown dust• Wood stoves
• Coal burning powerplants andindustries
• Coal-burningstoves
• Refineries
• Metallic element
• Several gaseous
compounds made
up of nitrogen &
oxygen
• Gaseous pollutant
• Very small
particles of soot,
dust, or other
matter, including
tiny droplets of
liquids
• Gaseous
compound made
up of sulfur &
oxygen
Lead
(Pb)
Nitrogen Oxide
(NOx)
Ozone
(O3)
Particulate matter
Sulfur dioxide
(SO2)
88
Matching Major Air Pollutants
with their sources and effects
89
Matching Major Air Pollutants
with their sources and effects(continued)
90
Matching Major Air Pollutants
with their sources and effects(continued)
91
Matching Major Air Pollutants
with their sources and effects(continued)
92
Matching Major Air Pollutants
with their sources and effects(continued)
93
Matching Major Air Pollutants
with their sources and effects(continued)
Notes
94
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Test the air for visible pollutants.
2. Compare and contrast data collected.
3. Graph the results of pollution collectors.
BACKGROUND:An air pollutant is anything that makes the air impure. We can
see some visible particulants; but air pollutants, such as carbon
dioxide and sulfur dioxide, are invisible.
We take 14 to 18 breaths per minute of the air available to us. A
breath of country air carries about 40,000 particles of dust, and
each breath of city air carries approximately 70,000 particles.
These particles contribute to our discomfort and our diseases. The
more acidic pollutants can blister paint, erode stone, and etch
metal.
VOCABULARY:air pollutant - anything that makes air impure
ADVANCE PREPARATION: None necessary
PROCEDURE:Setting the stageDemonstration
• Darken the room and light a flashlight. Observe dust particles. For emphasis, hit a chalkboard eraser.
Name dust as a visible pollutant.
ActivitiesCollection of Visible Pollutants
• Spread a thin, even layer of petroleum jelly on the inside of each jar.
• Place the jars in various locations - playground, classroom, cafeteria, janitor’s storage area, by a heat
vent, or other selected locations. Label each with location and date.
• Do not disturb for one week.
• Collect in one week, and examine with a magnifying glass. Describe the debris found by shape, color and
amount.
Follow-Up1. Graph a comparison of what was found in each location.
2. Write a rap or a poem entitled “It’s All In The Air”.
EXTENSIONS:1. Demonstration
• Place a sheet of facial tissue over the end of a vacuum cleaner hose. Hold it in place with a strong rubber
It’s All In The Air
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods, approx. one week
apart
Materials:four to five wide-mouthed, medium-
sized jars
petroleum jelly
95 www.legacyenved.org
band. Hold it in the air and turn it on. Sweep the air for a few minutes. Remove the tissue and examine
the collection.
2. Ask a vacuum cleaner representative or dealer to come in and talk about the particles in our air, our
carpets, and our beds. They often conduct excellent demonstrations.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Environmental and Energy Education Program. (April, 1988). Ideas can change the world. Alabama energy
education idea book. University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama.
Needham, D. (1970). Pollution: A handbook for teachers. CCM Professional Magazines.
Schwartz, L. (1990). Earth book for kids. (p. 102). Santa Barbara, CA: The Learning Works, Inc.
96
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Experiment to discover how visibility is determined.
2. Explain why the sky is blue and the sun is often red at sunset.
BACKGROUND:The colors perceived by the human eye and brain are the result of
differing absorption and reflection of the colors making up visible
light. Visible light, such as sunlight, looks white but is really
composed of red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet
blended together. Different types of materials absorb or reflect the
colors that make up white light in different ways. For example,
something that appears red reflects mostly red light and absorbs
the other colors of the spectrum; something that appears green
reflects mostly green light and absorbs the other colors.
The tiny molecules that compose the atmosphere scatter much
more of the sun’s blue light than other colors. When we look at
portions of the sky where the sun is not located, the light we see
is mostly scattered light, and appears blue. If those molecules
were not there to scatter light, when we looked upward we would
see only darkness except at the spot where the sun is located. This is the case on the moon where there is no
atmosphere.
The favored scattering of blue light by molecules in the atmosphere also makes the sun itself look redder than
it really is because a lot of the blue light is scattered out of its direct rays, leaving the redder colors behind.
The redness of the sun’s direct rays is accentuated when the sun is low in the sky, for example, at sunrise and
sunset. This is because the light must travel a longer path through the atmosphere before it reaches us.
Therefore it is subject to more scattering than when the sun is more vertical.
In addition to molecules, the atmosphere also has particulate matter suspended in it. The very tiniest particles
of matter in the air also scatter blue light. Most of the particles in the atmosphere are larger and scatter the
colors more equally. This is the reason the sky turns milky white, gray, or brownish when the atmosphere
contains a lot of particles.
Most of the particles suspended in the air are from natural sources such as soil erosion, volcanic activity, and
plant pollen production. In most cases, these are rather large particles that settle out of the air relatively
quickly and generally pose no great threat to human and environmental well-being or to normal patterns of
weather and visibility. However, human activity can also add particulate matter to the air, and much of the
human-created particles are harmful. For this reason, particulate pollutants are identified and regulated as one
of the six criteria air pollutants in the United States.
Particulate pollutants from human activities, such as burning fuel in vehicles, power plants, and industries, are
harmful to human health. Also, these tiny particles sometimes reduce visibility when they are produced in
great enough amounts or concentrated by weather conditions and the land’s topography. In extreme cases, the
light-absorbing, scattering, and reflecting properties of both natural and human-created particulate matter can
also affect weather patterns and plant growth.
Sky Blue, Sunset Red
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:3 large clear glass jars or glass beakers
1/2 cup milk
teaspoon
water
large flashlight
prism
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VOCABULARY:hue - shade or tone, often refers to color
particulate matter - very small particles of soot, dust, or other matter including tiny liquid droplets
prism - triangular shaped object that breaks light into the spectrum as it passes through it
spectrum - a series of colors formed when a beam of white light is dispersed so that its parts are arranged in
order of their wavelengths
visibility - clarity of the air, how far one can see
ADVANCE PREPARATION: Collect materials.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Ask the students if they have ever experienced the lowered visibility that sometimes results from a major
fire. Some of the students may have experienced forest fires, dust storms, volcanic eruptions, or other
events that send large amounts of particulate matter into the air. Ask them to describe what it was like.
2. Share the background information with the students. Explain to them that you are going to demonstrate the
relationship of particles in the air to the colors we see in the sky.
3. You may wish to use a prism to demonstrate to the students that visible light is composed of a spectrum of
colors. Review this as necessary.
ActivityDemonstrate the effect of particles in suspension on color perceived.
• Fill three glass jars (or large beakers) with cold water.
• Add nothing to jar 1, one teaspoon of milk to jar 2, and three teaspoons of milk to jar 3.
• Darken the room.
• Direct a flashlight beam through the side of jar 1. The water will appear transparent with no color.
• Move the flashlight around so the light shines toward the students through the water in jar 1. The water
will still be transparent with no color.
• Repeat the last two steps with jars 2 and 3. The apparent color in both cases will be blue. However, when
the light is shining directly through the water toward the observer, it will appear yellow in jar 2 and pink in
jar 3.
Follow-Up1. Observe the students in a discussion helping them to derive the following explanation: The flashlight beam
is visible because the light is scattered by the particles of milk that are suspended in the water. The color
produced depends on the number of particles and the angles at which light hits them. Milk is an excellent
representation of the sky because, like the sky, it has tiny particles suspended in it. Light is scattered when
it hits the particles in the atmosphere and in the milk. When there is more milk mixed with water, more of
the blue light is scattered; and the direct beam becomes more reddish.
2. Let student volunteers repeat the demonstration after you orally explain the colors observed. This
experiment can be tried with larger white particles to show that color changes occur only when the
particles are tiny. Ask the students what they think will happen if the rest of the milk is added to the water.
Do so and repeat the demonstration. When there is enough suspended matter in the water, very little light
penetrates the mixture. Relate this to major episodes of particulate pollution where visibility is affected.
3. Using the data from the experiments, have small groups discuss and answer the following questions:
• Why does the sky generally appear blue?
• Why do sunsets often have reddish hues?
• What are two major sources of particulates in the air?
• What are three possible effects of particulates in the air? (Answers may include sky color, reduced
visibility, changes in weather patterns, changes in plant growth.)
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4. Clear up any remaining questions that the groups may have.
EXTENSIONS:1. Much progress has been made in the fight against particulate air pollution. You may wish to have the
students investigate Environmental Protection Agency standards for particulate matter and their
community’s compliance with these standards. What are the chief sources of particulate in the area?
2. The students may investigate some major historical occurrences of natural particulate pollution. Such
occurrences may include the World Trade Center disaster in New York due to a terrorist act. The
demolition and clean-up have raised many health concerns. Other occurrences in U.S. history were the
volcanic eruption of Mount St. Helens in 1980 and the Yellowstone forest fires in 1988. Almost 200 years
ago, large areas of the world experienced “The Year With No Summer” after a massive volcanic eruption
in the South Pacific (or Indian Ocean).
3. Some scientists theorize that particulate pollution build-up in the atmosphere could cause global cooling.
Even slight changes in global temperature averages could cause global climate change. In the case of
particulate pollution, such change could possibly produce enough cooling to usher in a new Ice Age.
4. Have students do a “wash” art project to develop further understanding of hues. Procedure for this will
take two days.
• Let students paint a picture of a sunset on art paper. The picture will dry overnight.
• Take very watered-down blue paint and paint over the entire picture. Let dry and see the wonderful
results.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Amergy, H. (1978). The know how book of experiments. St. Paul, MN: E.M.C. Corporation.
Iglauer, E. (April, 1968). The ambient air. The New Yorker, Vol. 13. (p. 3)
Tennessee Valley Authority. (Undated). Environmental resource guide: Air quality.
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Notes
100
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Discover what causes smog.
2. Think about how and what we breathe.
3. Associate the dangers of smog with the dangers of smoking.
BACKGROUND:Air is important to us for many reasons. Of foremost importance
to humans and animals is that air contains oxygen we need to
live. Air also makes fire possible, which provides us with heat,
light, and energy. Other uses of air make our lives easier or more
pleasant. For example, air makes it possible to sail sailboats, fly
kites, fly air craft, and use windmills. It is also used to dry clothes
and inflate tires and balloons.
Clean air, which is composed of nitrogen, oxygen, and other
gases, is healthy for us to breathe. However, both indoor and
outdoor air can become polluted with particles and gases that are
not part of its natural composition, making the air dirty and
unhealthy. Air can also become unhealthy with excessive amounts
of gases that are part of its natural composition. Because we sometimes see and smell smog, odors, smoke,
and other evidence of air pollution, when we’re outdoors, we often associate pollution only with outdoor air.
Indoor air, however, can be just as dirty and polluted as the outdoor air.
Some outdoor pollution is from natural causes such as sand from sandstorms, ash from volcanoes, and smoke
from forest fires. Other outdoor pollution is caused by such things as smoke from woodstoves or campfires,
exhaust emissions from automobiles, or fumes from factory smokestacks. Indoor air can be polluted by such
seemingly innocent items as plywood, fireplaces, synthetic materials, paints, pesticides, wood stoves, and
cleaning products. Biological contaminants, such as mold, mildew, bacteria, viruses, pollen, dust mites, and
animal dander, can also occur in high concentrations indoors.
VOCABULARY:smog - a thick haze caused by the action of sunlight on air polluted by smoke and automobile exhaust
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Collect materials.
2. Show pictures of smog shrouded cities.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Experiment
• Ask students to sit quietly and think about their breathing. What evidence do they have that they are
breathing?
• With a stopwatch, time how many breaths each student takes in one minute. Use a calculator to compute
the mean for the class. What is the range?
• Using the mean, calculate the number of breaths taken each hour, each day. How important is it to our
Smoke Gets In More Than Your Eyes
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:stopwatch
matches
aluminum foil pan
clear glass half-gallon bottle
candle (optional)
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bodies that we get sufficient oxygen? What if the air we breathe is heavily polluted?
2. Sit quietly for three minutes. What if we couldn’t breathe during that time?
3. Discuss numerous ways we pollute the air. Share background information with the students.
ActivitySmog experiment (Teacher Demo Only).
• Drop a burning match into a clear glass half-gallon bottle.
• Press your mouth over the bottle opening and blow hard into it. Release your mouth quickly. What is the
result?
• Brainstorm about the combination that caused this reaction (correct combination is water vapor and
smoke). Where is smog most frequently found? Why?
Follow-UpExperiment - amount of O2 in the air
• Obtain tin pie pan, glass jar, clay, candle, matches,
and water.
• Set up experiment as shown.
• Light candle, cover, and quickly pour a cup of
water into the pie pan.
• Observe and mark the highest water level on the
jar. How high did the water rise?
• What did the H2O replace? (Our air is 20% or 1/5
oxygen.)
• What effect does smog have on oxygen in the air?
EXTENSIONS:1. Research the effects of smoking on lungs.
2. Research asthma and other breathing problems.
3. Devise an experiment to test the results of smog on plant growth.
4. Create a cartoon illustrating the dangers of smog and/or the dangers of smoking.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Air and Waste Management Association. (1995). Air quality environmental resource guide K-12.
Pittsburgh, PA.
Needham, D. (1970). Pollution: A handbook for teachers. CCM Professional Magazines.
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POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Describe different sources of air pollution from motor
vehicles.
2. Relate the role of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
in the federal vehicle control programs and discover what has
been accomplished under these programs.
BACKGROUND:In 1986 there were almost 500 million vehicles operating
worldwide. If the present growth rate continues, by the year 2030
there will be one billion vehicles worldwide. As the number of
vehicles on the road continues to grow, so does the atmospheric
pollution. Presently more than half of the air pollution in North
America is the direct result of mobile sources such as airplanes,
trains, buses, trucks, boats, and automobiles. Emissions from
motor vehicles contribute to five of the six criteria of air
pollutants: lead, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, ozone, and
airborne particulate matter. Of these pollutants, only lead has
decreased dramatically between 1977 and 1986. Strict limitations
of the level of lead in gasoline have reduced lead emissions by 94
percent and lead in the air by 87 percent. Levels of lead in the air
are expected to continue decreasing as less leaded gasoline is
produced.
Motor vehicles are the main source of carbon monoxide, an invisible odorless gas resulting from incomplete
fuel combustion. Inefficient burning of gasoline usually occurs when vehicles are started in the morning,
idled, or moved slowly in heavy or congested traffic. Nitrogen dioxide, a reddish-brown toxic gas, is also
produced by combustion sources such as motor vehicles. Ozone, a major component of smog, is produced
when sunlight triggers a chemical reaction between naturally occurring atmospheric gases and pollutants such
as nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons. Diesel engines are considered a major source of particulate matter
pollution.
There are a number of ways that air pollution produced by motor vehicles is already being reduced. In the
United States, government agencies - like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) - set manufacturer’s
emission standards for motor vehicles through federal vehicle emission control programs. State and local
governments have implemented other important programs: vehicle maintenance inspections, inspections to
check for the presence of pollution control devices, and incentives to encourage use of public transportation
and car pooling (may be found in some states). New technologies to reduce motor vehicle pollution are
actively being developed. Increased fuel economy (more miles per gallon), more efficient burning of gasoline
(particularly in city driving), vehicle design changes to reduce wind drag, and vehicle fuel sources other than
petroleum-based sources will all be part of future air pollution control. There are also HEVs, or hybrid
electric vehicles, that combine the internal combustion engine of a conventional vehicle with the battery and
electric motor of an electric vehicle, resulting in twice the fuel economy. Two types are the Honda Insight
and the Toyota Prius.
Let’s Sock Car Exhaust
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Social Studies, Art
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:new white tube socks
a variety of motor vehicles (cars,
trucks, buses)
oven mitts or heavy gloves
marker pen
masking tape or small tags with safety
pins for labels
rubber bands
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VOCABULARY:carbon monoxide - toxic, invisible, odorless gas resulting from incomplete fuel combustion.
ozone - a form of oxygen containing three oxygen atoms. The ozone layer is a protective shield high in the
atmosphere that filters out the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
particulate matter - very small particles of soot, dust, or other matter including tiny liquid droplets
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Secure permission and keys from owners of the selected cars and trucks. Obtain information about engine
types and model year, if needed. (This is an excellent activity to involve community support.)
2 Make transparencies or copies of any of the attached information pages.
PROCEDURE:
Setting the stage1. In small groups, students should develop a concept map identifying community sources of air pollution.
2. Refer to the attachment, Major Man-made Air Pollutants, to discuss with students when a car burns
gasoline or diesel fuel. By-products of the process include heat and air pollutants that exit through the exhaust
system.
Activities1. Have the students assemble in the parking lot around pre-selected vehicles for a demonstration to test
exhaust fumes. (Choose vehicles that use a variety of fuels.) Cars using unleaded gasoline and diesel fuels
are the most common. You may be able to find vehicles using leaded gasoline or alternative fuels such as
alcohol or methane. Old and new vehicles can provide variation. Make arrangements to have a school bus
available for the experiment, if possible.
Cautions:The experiment should never be conducted in a closed building. The emergency brake should be set on each
vehicle. Use oven mitts or gloves when putting socks on and taking them off the exhaust tailpipes. Students
should stand away from the automobiles during the test. Exhaust tailpipes emit carbon monoxide gas and can
cause burns. Do not touch the tailpipes until the cars have cooled for five minutes.
2. Experiment
• Make a label for each sock that includes the following information about the vehicles: model, make,
engine type, model year, type of fuel being used. Also record this information on the Student Activity
Page.
• Place a white tube sock over the tailpipe of each vehicle and then start the engines. Caution: Make sure
the students are standing away from the vehicles before starting the engines. Note: The elastic sock tops
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Air Pollution
Sources
car exhaust
wood burning stoves
(fireplaces)
burning of yard waste
should fit snugly over the tailpipes. If not, secure them with rubber bands.
• After approximately five minutes, turn off the engines. Using extreme caution because of the possibility
of burns from the metal tailpipes, remove the socks (using mitts). Turn the socks inside out and attach
vehicle labels to the appropriate socks. Record data.
• Discuss the results with the students. Ask them to identify the vehicles that produced the most visible
pollution. Ask if the socks were dry or damp. Note: Remind the students that they are seeing particulate
matter pollutants and that cars also produce a great deal of invisible air pollutants.
Follow-Up1. Make a poster board or bulletin board display of socks and data collected.
2. Research air emission standards and tell how car design has met these standards.
3. Design bumper stickers concerning air pollution.
4. Have students role play as if they were Environmental Protection Agency representatives present at the
vehicle experiment.
EXTENSIONS:1. Divide the students into groups and assign each group one of the following tasks.
• Determine how many service stations within the city or county sell leaded, unleaded, and diesel fuel and
find out how much of each kind is sold per month. (If necessary, conduct a random survey.)
• Determine how many motor vehicles are registered in the county. Are emission inspections required?
How often?
• Contact local automobile and truck dealerships to collect information on what anti-pollution devices are
available as standard equipment and as optional equipment on vehicles they sell.
• Determine the number of employed persons in the city or county. Collect information from the local mass
transit company about how many people use that system per month.
• Contact the local or state government to obtain information on levels of air pollution in the area.
• Discuss alternative transportation. (Mass transit, biking, and walking could be discussed.)
2. Using the information collected by the groups, have the students prepare a class report on air pollution
from motor vehicles. Submit the report to the school paper or local newspaper for publication.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Brown, L. et al.. (1990). State of the world. New York, NY: Norton Worldwide Watch Institute.
Hammond, A.L. (Ed). (1990). World resources: A guide to the global environment. The World Resources
Institute. New York, NY: Oxford University Press.
National Wildlife Federation. (1987). We care about clean air. National wildlife week educator’s guide.
Washington: National Wildlife Federation.
Tennessee Valley Authority. (1991). Environmental resource guide: Air quality.
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106
Teacher
Major Man-Made Air Pollutants
Sources EffectsDescriptionPollutioncarbon monoxide
(CO)
• Colorless,
odorless gas
• Vehicles burninggasoline
• Indoor sourcesinclude: keroseneor wood burningstoves
• Headaches, reducedmental alertness
• Heart damage
• Brain & kidney damage• Contaminated crops and
livestock
• Lung damage• React in atmosphere to
form acid rain• Deteriorates statues &
buildings• Damage forests• Form ozone & other
pollutants (smog)
• Lung damage• Eye irritation• Respiratory tract
problems• Damages vegetation• Smog
• Lung damage• Eye irritation• Damage crops• Reduces visibility• Discolors buildings &
statues
• Lung damage• Eye irritation• Kills aquatic life• Reacts in atmosphere to
form acid rain• Damages forests• Deteriorates buildings and
statues
• Old paint• Metal refineries• Vinyl blinds
• Vehicles • Power plants
burning fossil fuels• Coal burning stoves
• Vehicle exhaust &certain other fumes
• Formed from otherair pollutants in thepresence of sunlight
• Diesel engines • Power plants• Industries• Windblown dust• Wood stoves
• Coal burning powerplants andindustries
• Coal-burningstoves
• Refineries
• Metallic element
• Several gaseous
compounds made
up of nitrogen &
oxygen
• Gaseous pollutant
• Very small
particles of soot,
dust, or other
matter, including
tiny droplets of
liquids
• Gaseous
compound made
up of sulfur &
oxygen
Lead
(Pb)
Nitrogen Oxide
(NOx)
Ozone
(O3)
Particulate matter
Sulfur dioxide
(SO2)
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Student Activity Sheet
Let’s Talk Car Exhaust
Fuel TypeModel YearEngine TypeMake Wet Dry StockDescribe
Particulate Matter
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Notes
108
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Distinguish three different kinds of lichens.
2. Determine the lichen coverage using grids.
3. Predict air quality based on types, size, and amount of lichens
present.
BACKGROUND:Lichens (pronounced like-ins) look like plants but are really a
combination of a fungus and an alga, growing so closely together
that they look like a single organism. Scientists still do not fully
understand the relationship between the fungi and algae that
make up lichens. They are considered symbiotic organisms
because they are mutually beneficial to each other. The
photosynthesizing algae provide food for both, while the fungi
appear to provide moisture, minerals, and support. However,
fungi and algae can live alone without their partners.
Whatever the relationship between the algae and fungi, it is a
highly successful one. Lichens can grow in locations where most
other plants cannot: bare rocks, tree trunks, bare soil. In some of
these locations, they play an important role helping soil
formation. By interacting with the bare rocks to help break them
down chemically and by trapping dust and organic matter from
the air, lichens often start to create and enrich soil where other
plants can eventually grow. Every natural habitat from deserts to rain forests has lichens. They are able to
survive extreme conditions of heat, cold, and drought. However, few species of lichens can even survive air
pollution, particularly acidic air pollution.
Lichens come in a variety of sizes, shapes, colors, and textures. Lichens are often divided into three
classifications: crusty, leaf-like, or shrubby. Crusty lichens usually grow flat on rocks and tree trunks and may
be embedded in these surfaces. Crusty rock lichens are colorful and range from oranges and yellows to
greens, browns, grays, and blacks. Leaf-like lichens have lobed surfaces that are only partially attached to
other surfaces. Leaf-like and shrubby lichens are usually some shade of green. Lichens are often confused
with moss, but real mosses are tiny plants with leaves and stems. Because lichens were once mistakenly
classified with mosses, some common lichens were named Reindeer moss, Oak moss, and Iceland moss.
Lichens are extremely sensitive to air pollution and sometimes can be used as indicators of air quality.
Scientists study both the type of lichens present and the size of lichens. Shrubby and leaf-like lichens can only
survive in clean air. Lichens are relatively rare in large cities. In areas of heavy air pollution, there are no
lichens of any type. The size of lichens is also important. Larger individual lichens generally mean better air
quality.
Lichens are also valuable for evaluating air quality in another way. Lichens accumulate metals and other
elements from rainwater and dust. By analyzing lichens that live near emission sources for chemicals,
scientists can determine how far the pollution has spread.
Don’t Take A “Lichen” To Pollution
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math, Social Studies
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:small marking flags (10 of one color
per group numbered 1-10)
envelope to store flags
masking tape
erasable felt-tip markers
lichen grid transparencies
pencils
graph paper (one per group of two)
clipboards (optional)
student activity sheets
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VOCABULARY:fungi - large group of plants not containing chlorophyll, roots, stems, or leaves; includes molds, mildews,
mushrooms, and bacteria
lichen - formed by two different organisms; fungus and alga living and growing together on a solid surface
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Locate a place where lichens are growing.
2. Make transparencies.
3. Prepare flags.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Share background information. Using “Types of Lichens”handout, introduce three different classes of
lichens.
2. Why are lichens used as air quality indicators? Accept all answers. Distribute Lichens as Pollution
Indicators.
3. Demonstrate using a grid to find area. Provide each pair of students with a transparency and a marker
(wipe off).
ActivityLichen Mapping
• Transport students or walk to the lichen site and describe the boundaries of the activity site.
• Challenge the students to locate all the places where lichens are growing. Students should work in pairs.
• Give each pair an envelope with 10 flags and masking tape. In 10 minutes, mark every location where
lichens are found.
• Have students map the area on a piece of graph paper and mark location of the flags. Allow 10-15
minutes. This should be a simple map. A tree trunk may be marked just with a circle.
• Have students write on the map, under each of their own lichen locations, the number and type of lichen
found (crusty, leaf-like, or shrubby).
• Have students trace several different lichens onto the transparency. Measure them, record the
approximate area, erase, trace other. Measure at least three.
Follow-Up1. Remove flags and return to the classroom.
2. Each pair should enter information on a large class map so the pattern of lichen growth may be studied.
3. Discuss results.
• What kinds of lichens were found? Make inferences about the air quality.
• What size are the lichens? Make inferences about the air quality.
4. What conclusions might be made about the air quality of the lichen site?
EXTENSIONS:1. Select several additional sites and repeat this study. Compare and contrast the results.
2. Create lichens from salt dough. Have students choose where their lichens live, classify them, and paint
them accordingly. Have students keep a diary for their lichen, and describe the lichen’s favorite
environment.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Tennessee Valley Authority. (1991). Environmental resource guide - Air quality.
Went, F.W. (1963). The plants. New York, NY: Time-Life Books.
110
111
Types of Lichens
Crusty
Shrubby
Leaf-like
112
Lichens As Pollution Indicators
113
Student Activity Sheet
Lichen Grid
Notes
114
POLLUTION PREVENTIONThe Great Garbage Caper
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OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Classify garbage by various criteria.
2. Apply math skills to a scientific study.
3. Find alternative uses for materials commonly thrown away.
BACKGROUND:America is a nation of consumers where many people purchase
much more than they need or want. Americans are still struggling
with developing an effective means of disposal for their
unwanted or surplus garbage. Alabamians generate an estimated
14,400 tons of municipal solid waste each day. That equates to
about 9.9 pounds of waste per person, per day. Most of this refuse
is taken to a landfill and buried. Landfills are reaching their
capacity faster than new sites can be acquired. Two ways that
students can help to fight the garbage problem are to become
wiser consumers and to find new uses for things they currently
throw away.
VOCABULARY:biodegradable - a compound that can be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms.
nonbiodegadable - a compound that cannot be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms.
volume - space occupied as measured by cubic units (length x width x height)
upcycling - the process of converting waste materials or useless products into new materials or products of
better quality or for better environmental value.
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather dry, clean, safe trash from your school’s wastebaskets.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Discuss how much trash the students believe they throw away every day.
2. Wearing plastic gloves, safely investigate the contents. Classify the items in several ways: biodegradable,
means of disposal, composition, nonbiodegradable.
Activities1. Estimate the amount of garbage that weighs 4 1/2 pounds (1.95 kg). Put it in the garbage bag.
2. Weigh the garbage. How far off were you? Measure in centimeters the length, width, and height. Multiply
these measurements to get the volume of space the garbage occupies in one week, one month, or one day.
Volume of Classroom (length x width x height)= Number of Days
Volume of garbage in 1 day
3 Calculate the volume of garbage produced each
day by students in class.
4. Estimate how may days it will take to fill up the classroom.
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Art, Math, Science
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:dry trash
scales (metric if possible)
large box
garbage bag
plastic gloves
V of 1.95kg x number of students = V of garbage
Follow Up1. Art: Explore materials in the collected trash to discover other possible uses for them. What can be recycled
or upcycled? What might be used again? Plan an art project using some of the discarded materials.
2. Prepare a hall or bulletin board display to inform others about what you have learned.
3. Complete an action plan: “You Can Make A Difference” (Student Activity Page).
EXTENSIONS:1. Suggest that students make a list of ways they might be better consumers.
2. Visit a local landfill or recycling center.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Braus, J. (1990). Nature scope of pollution: Problems and solutions. Washington, D.C.: National Wildlife
Federation.
Lewis, M.A. (1994). Kids CARE. Dayton, OH: Mead Corporation.
Savan, B.(1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems.Toronto: Canada Kids Can Press Ltd.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Alabama Solid Waste Study Report - August 21, 2012 -
http://www.eng.auburn.edu/files/acad_depts/civil/asws/annistonppt.pdf
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You Can Make A Difference
Action Plan Written by ___________________________
The Problem
People’s garbage habits are hurting the environment because _______________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Some of the problems caused by too much garbage are ____________________________
_________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________.
The Solution
I can help fight the garbage problem by:
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
Three good habits I can teach others:
1. ______________________________________________
2. ______________________________________________
3. ______________________________________________
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Notes
118
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Identify ways litter endangers wildlife.
2. Evaluate how harmful various types of litter are to wildlife.
3. Expand classification skills.
BACKGROUND:Recreational pollution affects many forms of life. It exposes
wildlife to possible injury, illness, and death. According to the
Center for Marine Conservation (2000), pollution along our
coasts and beaches appears to have become the rule rather than
the exception. In Alabama, 3,328 volunteers collected 179,536
pounds of trash during the 2012 Coastal Cleanup Day.
Many people are unaware of the injury, suffering, and death they
cause wildlife when they throw trash on the ground or in the
water. Plastic fishing lines, fish nets, and six-pack yokes often
trap the legs, wings, and beaks of water birds like geese, heron,
and pelicans. It may also interfere with swimming and flying.
Plastic accounts for most of the collected litter.
Some animals eat litter. It may get caught in their digestive
systems, and they die of starvation or illness. Half-open food and
soda cans cause numerous cuts, and small animals may become
trapped and die.
VOCABULARY:endanger - to put into danger
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Make a visual aid from the attached sheets.
2. Collect litter samples and put them into a display.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. Introduce the term endanger.
2. Share the hazardous litter display and discuss how these objects are harmful.
ActivitiesCreate a Ranking Scale (Day 1).
• Discuss how scales are used to rank or classify. Explain that each group will be creating a scale from 1-
10 with 10 representing litter that is most harmful to wildlife and 1 being the least harmful.
• Have small groups assign a rating to each piece of litter. Groups should be able to defend their decisions.
All Tied Up
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Language Arts, Science, Art
Time Needed:Two to three class periods
Materials:six-pack rings
fishing line
plastic wrap
plastic bags
gum wrappers
Styrofoam cups
aluminum cans
glass jar
posterboard
glue
markers
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A sample scale is shown, but allow students to create their own scale.
• Bring the class together and share the visual aids you made. Review the background information.
• Allow five minutes for each group to reevaluate its ranking system. Record the final product on poster
board and illustrate it.
Follow-Up1. Create litter collages. Walk around the playground and search through magazines for litter that endangers
wildlife.
2. Each group, using its scale, should total the litter portrayed on its collage.
3. Write an individual paragraph about the group’s collage and about how people can help to solve the litter
problem.
EXTENSIONS:1. Create math problems based on the ranking scale. Give them to another group to solve.
2. Invite a wildlife biologist to join the class for discussion.
3. Visit a wildlife preserve.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Aquatic project WILD. (1987). Boulder, CO: Western Regional Environmental Council.
Costa-Pau, Rosa. (1994). Conservation of the sea (The Junior Library of Ecology). www.amazon.com.
The Earthworks Group. (1989). 50 simple things you can do to save the earth. Berkeley, CA:Earthworks
Press.
120
Example Master Scale
Have students determine their own scale based on their discussions. This is
just a guide. There are no right or wrong ratings.
Plastic Six-pack Yokes 10
Monofilament (fishing line) 10
Gum Wrapper 1
Aluminum Can 8
Cigarette Butt 5
Plastic Bag 10
Glass Bottle 6
Styrofoam Cup 8
121
Litter Endangers Wildlife
Notes
122
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Use the scientific process to form an educated opinion.
2. Demonstrate the potential dangers of runoff from fertilizer.
3. Experiment to find the benefits of fertilizer.
BACKGROUND:Nutrients are required for plant growth. Fertilizer is an added
source of nutrients used for gardens, farms, and sometimes even
houseplants. The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) was created
in 1993 to assist farmers of the Tennessee Valley whose farms
were basically unproductive due to the erosion of nutrient-rich
topsoil. The TVA Act provided for a long-range program of
agricultural readjustment and development, watershed protection,
and fertilizer development.
Valley farmers did experience intensified production per acre of
land. In 1934 sales per harvested acre in the region were $15.27.
By 1976 sales per acre in the region had increased to $487. When
fertilizer is misused, it can be extremely harmful. Runoff can get
into Alabama’s waterways and speed the growth of algae and
plants that grow in the water. Microorganisms take in oxygen,
thus endangering the fish. Phosphates and nitrates are chemicals
found in synthetic fertilizer. They further deplete the oxygen
supply because they enhance the growth of microorganisms.
Animal waste used as fertilizer adds one more complication
because it contains bacteria (unless properly treated or composted) that may spread disease.
VOCABULARY:fertilizer - natural (manure) or chemical (synthetic) materials used for enriching soil
nitrate - a form of salt that enhances plant growth; found in animal wastes
nutrients - substances that provide nourishment and promote growth
phosphate - a chemical salt usually obtained from rocks and bones and used in fertilizers
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Separate plants into three pots if not brought in separate containers.
2. Copy Activity sheet.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage1. If possible, visit a local greenhouse or garden center. Ask them to share how they obtain maximum growth
and development of their plants.
2. Invite a speaker from your local garden center.
3. Examine a healthy plant and a dying plant. Discuss what is necessary for a green plant to grow: sunlight,
water, nutrient-rich soil, and air.
To Fertilize Or Not To Fertilize:
That Is The Question
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:One class period, extended several
weeks
Materials:sod (about 3 inches by 3 inches)
plastic box
large plastic container
red food coloring
sprinkling can
three small pots
three small plants - same kind and size
manure (composted manure product)
water soluble fertilizer
123 www.legacyenved.org
Activities1. Review the benefits of nutrient-rich soil. Point out that sometimes too much fertilizer can have harmful
effects on plants.
2. Demonstration:
Take a piece of sod with dirt attached and put it on an overturned plastic box and place inside a large
container. (See the drawing)
Pour “fertilizer” (a mixture of water and lots of red food coloring) over the grass.
Using the sprinkling/water can, create a heavy rainfall and observe the fertilizer flowing out of the soil,
down the plastic box, and into the collecting container.
Discuss: Where would the fertilizer go? What might be the results?
3. Experiment
Realizing that there are also positive results from fertilizer, set up this experiment and document the results
carefully.
Obtain three nearly identical plants; (geraniums work well). Measure them, draw them, and begin records.
Keep all conditions the same except water one pot with water, another with water and manure, and the
other with water and a chemical fertilizer. Place near a light source and water/fertilizer weekly.
Keep accurate growth graphs, about twice a week. Record growth to the nearest centimeter or millimeter.
Follow-Up1. Graph the plants’ growth over the next month and observe all other changes in the plants.
2. Examine labels and ads from different fertilizers. What benefits do they promote? What cautions do they
list?
EXTENSIONS:1. Research the history of TVA fertilizer development.
2. Design a garden for the school yard. How can the soil be enriched and still prevent the fertilizer from
running off or seeping into the groundwater?
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Henderson, R.A. (Undated). Developing tennessee valley agriculture. Division of Agricultural
Development, Tennessee Valley Authority.
Savan, B. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto: Canada. Kids Can Press Ltd.
Bellamy, David.(1988). The river: Our changing world. New York: Clarkson N. Potter Publishers.
Cherry, Lynne.(1992). A river ran wild. New York: A Gulliver Green Book, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
Publishers.
124
Clear Plastic Container
Sod
Dishpan
125
Student Activity Sheet
To Fertilize Or Not To Fertilize:That Is The Question
PLANT A: Water only once a week.
PLANT B: Water and manure once a week.
PLANT C: Water and chemical fertilizer once a week.
Illustrate:
PLANT CPLANT BPLANT A
PLANT A PLANT B PLANT C
BeginningBeginningBeginning
Date Measurement Date Measurement Date Measurement
EndEndEnd
Notes
126
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVE:The student will be able to:
1. Experiment to find a way to clean up an oil spill.
2. Gain an appreciation for the difficulties associated with
cleaning up the environment.
BACKGROUND:Oil spills, large-scale accidental discharge of liquid petroleum
products, are an important cause of pollution along shore lines.
One estimate is that out of every million tons of oil shipped, one
ton is spilled. Some of the largest spills recorded involved the
tankers “Amoro Cadiz” off the French coast in 1976 (1.6 million
barrels of crude oil) and the “Ixtoc 1” oil well in the Gulf of
Mexico in 1979 (3.3 million barrels). The largest spill in the
United States (240,000 barrels) was that of the “Exxon Valdez” in
Prince William Sound, Gulf of Alaska, in March 1989. Within
only one week with the assistance of high winds, this spill
became a 6,700 square kilometer oil slick. It endangered wildlife
and fisheries in the entire gulf area.
Oil spills in the Persian Gulf in 1983 and again in 1991 were the
results of military conflict. Significant damage was done to marine life.
Oil spills have proven to be incredibly difficult to clean up. Some of the methods used during the “Exxon
Valdez” clean up were:
1. chemical dispersants (detergents) - to break the oil slick into small particles.
2. burning - to eliminate up to 90% of fresh oil.
3. fertilizer - to cause marine bacteria that eat oil to multiply.
4. booms - to surround and contain an oil slick.
5. oil skimmers - to pick up oil on the surface of the water and store it in a tank.
Despite the many methods available, rarely is more than 10% of the oil recovered.
VOCABULARY:boom - long, floating, tube-like barriers
oil skimmer - a container that oil flows into, then is towed through the water, and is finally pumped or
vacuumed with a hose into a storage container
ADVANCE PREPARATION:Collect pictures of oil spills and the destruction caused by them.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage - Day 11. With pictures and background information, discuss results of oil spills.
2. Using a long, short-sided pan and cooking oil, create a model oil spill.
3. Using a concept map, brainstorm all possible ways to clean up this spill. (Guide them to include materials
such as paper towels, large spoons, dishwashing detergent, laundry detergent, vinegar, eye droppers,
cottonballs, cottonpads, sponges.) Accept all solutions.
Clean Up Your Act
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:jar with tight lid
water
cooking oil dyed with food coloring
household detergent
small shallow pan for each group
variety of cleaning materials
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4. In cooperative learning teams, choose a minimum of four materials the group wishes to test. After
checking with the teacher, divide up a list of needed supplies.
Activity - Day 2Experiment
• Add food coloring to oil to get a deep rich color.
• Add dyed oil to the shallow pan of water to create an oil slick.
• Test various materials to clean up the “oil slick”and record results on the attached sheet.
• At the end of the tests, discuss which materials and methods worked most effectively. Could this method
be used to clean a large ocean spill? Could it be modified to work?
How will the collected oil and oil-contaminated materials be disposed of in a way that will not continue to
pollute the Earth?
Follow-UpCompare and contrast your methods to those used by the Exxon Valdez.
• Write a paragraph about how some of these methods might do harm to the environment.
• Discuss the impact of an oil spill to the environment. Discuss the impact to the economy (lost natural
resources, local economy where the spills occur, and cost of clean up).
EXTENSIONS:1. Art Activity: Oil-Swirled Stationery
• Use a 9x12 cake pan for water and food-colored cooking oil. Place colored oil drops on the water in the
pan. Swirl gently with a knife.
• Lay paper lightly on the surface of the water. Lay it out to dry.
2. Compose an environmental poem and write it on the oil-swirled paper.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Braus, J. (1990). Nature scope of pollution: Problems and solutions. Washington, D.C.: National Wildlife
Federation.
Savan, Beth.(1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd..
Berger, Melvin.(1994). Oil spill! New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
128
129
Student Activity Sheet
Clean Up Your Act!
Rank your results in order of effectiveness.
1.
2
3
4
5
ObservationsOil Remover
Notes
130
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Observe the effects of oil on a feather and an egg.
2. Hypothesize and test ways to clean up oil from a bird.
BACKGROUND:Oil pollution can be a major problem for our oceans and our
coastal shores. Large tankers, carrying in excess of 5,000,000
tons of oil, sometimes have accidents. One such oil spill was
when the “Exxon Valdez” ran aground near Valdez, Alaska in
1989. Oil spills can also come from offshore oil rigs, ships
discharging oil, and city street runoff.
When oil forms a floating film on top of the sea, it is called an oil
slick. Oil slicks destroy marine life by poisoning them, their eggs,
and coating their feathers, fur, or scales. It depletes their food
supply by killing krill and plankton. The entire food chain then
suffers from the effects. Crude oil may even be ingested by land
mammals.
Seabirds suffer the most from oil spills. Their feathers become
soaked with oil, and they lose their buoyancy in the water.
Because they also cannot fly, they become easy prey. Because the
oil destroys the birds’ natural insulation, many of them freeze to
death. As the birds attempt to clean themselves, they are poisoned by swallowing the oil on their feathers.
Detergents used to remove oil from the feathers of the birds may also remove the natural oils that allow birds’
feathers to repel water. Thus, the birds are susceptible to drowning or to stress-related illnesses. Their food
and water sources are also adversely affected.
VOCABULARY:barbs - strands attached to the shaft of a feather
embryo - an animal in the earliest stages of development
environmental impact - the effect left on the environment
oil slick - a floating oil film on the water
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Take apart a feather duster.
2. Boil six eggs.
3. Divide students into small groups.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Show a picture of an oil spill or display a motor oil can.
2. Write the term environmental impact on the board and help the students develop a definition.
3. Divide into small groups.
You Dirty Bird
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:feathers (feather dusters)
six boiled eggs
cooking oil
container of water big enough to float a
feather (approx. 1 qt.)
powdered washing detergent
measuring spoon - teaspoon (5 ml)
pie pan
ruler or measuring tape
131 www.legacyenved.org
Activity 1. Examine a bird feather.
• Draw the feather.
• Measure it (Student Activity sheet 1).
• Zip the feather closed by running a fingernail between the barbs. Open and close the feather.
• Will the feather float?
• Why is it important for the barbs to close? (insulation, air resistance)
2. Examine a feather dipped in oil.
• Perform identical tests; record results.
3. What conclusions can be made about the bird’s ability to swim, to fly, and to survive?
4. Examine the effect of oil on eggs (total class activity).
• Place oil in a pie pan and add the eggs.
• Remove the eggs one at a time on the following schedule: 10 minutes, one hour, 24 hours, and 48 hours.
• Examine by peeling off the shell. Describe what you observe (Student Activity sheet 2).
• What consequences are resulting from oil penetration? What would happen to the embryo?
Follow-Up1. How do you think that this bird might be saved?
2. Experiment - Test the use of detergents on birds.
Pour one cup of water into a bowl.
Add one spoon of oil.
Observe water surface.
Sprinkle two spoons of powdered detergent over the water surface.
Gently mix.
Observe surface.
Float a feather.
Discuss results. (The oil spread out into large circles. When the detergent was added, the oil broke
apart and some of the oil sank. This happens because oil is lighter than water so it floats. Detergent
combines the molecules. Birds have oil in their feathers making them waterproof. The detergent
causes the feathers to absorb water. The bird can sink and drown.
EXTENSIONS:1. Investigate a big oil spill. What damages occurred?
2. Write a children’s book about a bird that is saved from an oil spill. Share it with another class.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Florida Department of Environmental Management. (Undated). 4 R’s project solid waste management
curriculum.
Whitney, D. 12 steps to cleaner water. Izaak Walton League of America, Inc., 1701 N. Fort Meyer Drive,
Arlington, Virginia, 22209.
Berger, Melvin. (1994). Oil spill! New York: Harper Collins Publishers.
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Student Activity Sheet
You Dirty Bird!
Conclusion: Describe how oil is hazardous to the health/life of a bird.
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
Wet
Feather
Oiled
Feather
Dry
Feather
SketchWidth/
LengthWeight
Will It
Zip?
Will It
Unzip?
134
Student Activity Sheet 2
Directions: At the given times, peel an egg and write a detailed description of what you observe.
Conclusions:
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
In two days
Next Day
40
minutes
30
minutes
20
minutes
10
minutes
You Dirty Bird!
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Simulate the dangers of swimming in polluted water.
2. Grow bacteria on a potato, representing unseen harmful
organisms.
3. Explore solutions that may reduce dangerous bacteria in
recreational waters.
BACKGROUND:When looking for a place to swim in Alabama’s lakes, streams,
and rivers, most people would check to see whether a lake was
filled with litter and covered with an oily film. The pollutants we
see that destroy the beauty of Alabama, however, are less harmful
than those we cannot see. Coliform bacteria is a tiny organism
found in human and animal excrement. This microorganism gets
in the water when animals come to drink, when fish and ducks
swim and eat, when rain drains off farmland, and when boats
flush their toilets into the water.
Although large boats sold since 1977 are supposed to have a
holding tank, or temporary place to hold the waste, there are few
places to dump this waste (pump-out stations receive this waste
and treat it before it goes on to a waste treatment facility). There
are also many older boats on the water, and people do not usually
recognize this dumping to be dangerous.
Fecal coliform bacteria in the water can cause illness. Coliform
bacteria can often act as an indicator of other pathogenic
organisms.
VOCABULARY:coliform bacteria - a group of bacteria predominantly living in the intestines and present in fecal waste
materials; also found in the soil; often are also indicators of other pathogenic organisms (disease-causing
organisms)
microorganisms - a living organism, such as bacteria, that cannot be seen with the unaided eye
pathogenic - a specific agent (as a bacterium) causing disease
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Reproduce the germ page for all the students (except three students)
2. Label two of the germs, coliform bacteria. Laminate, if possible.
3. Copy the Activity page 1.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Journal prompt: When was the last time a germ caught you? Write about your experience with the germ..
Share.
Swim Suitable
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Language Arts, Science,
Time Needed:One class period
on-going observation
Materials:masking tape or safety pins
cottonballs (4)
hot plate
plastic wrap
water
plastic knife
spoon
plastic gloves
tongs
4 glass containers with lids
potato
135 www.legacyenved.org
2. Introduce students to coliform bacteria by sharing background information. Use a germ puppet or a tape
recording to make it interesting.
Activity 1. Simulation
• Divide the class into groups. Group 1 will be the three swimmers, and Group 2 (everyone else in the
class) will be organisms. Give all the microorganisms a germ to wear (printed side down). Two germs
should be coded as coliform bacteria.
• Send off the swimmers to float around the classroom.
• Have each germ attach itself to one of the swimmers.
• When all the germs are attached, turn the germs over and see who caught the coliform bacteria. They
might have made the swimmer sick. The more coliform bacteria that are present, the more likely other
more deadly organisms are also present.
2. Brainstorm different ways to cut down on the amount of microorganisms in the water. With each answer,
allow one of the germs to go back to his or her seat. Remember that not all microorganisms can be
removed from water, but we can decrease their numbers. Record all answers.
3. Experiment: Simulate how sewage (animal waste) allows for the growth of bacteria. Grow bacteria on
potatoes.
• Boil 4 glass jars in hot water bath for 6 minutes. Also sterilize lids and a pair of tongs.
• Wash and slice one white potato in each jar. Seal one jar with a potato slice enclosed. (This is your
control jar.) Jar A
• Take a cottonball and wipe it on a student’s wrist. Place it in a jar on the potato slice and seal the jar
closed. Jar B
• Take a cottonball and wipe it on a desk (or any surface) and place it in a jar on the potato slice and seal
the jar closed. Jar C
• Take a cottonball and wipe it in the floor and place it in a jar on the potato slice and seal the jar closed.
Jar D
• Place the jars in a warm location but not in direct sunlight.
• Observe the jars for 1 - 2 weeks. Record on the Activity sheet 1.
Follow-Up1. Have students write and discuss whether they think the amount of coliform bacteria in the water has
increased or decreased over the past 100 years. Why/why not?
EXTENSIONS:1. Have someone from the health industry come and speak about some symptoms of illness caused by
bacteria and viruses.
2. Have a guest speaker talk about water quality in local swimming areas.
3. Visit a sewage treatment plant.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:TVA river pulse. (1993)
United States Department Of Agriculture. (1998). Water quality field guild. (SCS-TP-160).
136
Student Activity Sheet 1
Bacterial Growth Experiment
HYPOTHESIS:
_________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________
137
Results
Which jar contained the most bacteria? _____________________________________________
What can be concluded? ________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
Jar A
Jar B
Day of
Experiment
Date:
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Illustrate
Date: Date: Date:
4 days later 8 days later 12 days later
Jar C
Jar D
Swim Suitable
DIRECTIONS Have students color their germs. Cut out the circles and laminate them.
Provide each student with a pin or masking tape and redistribute the germs to play the game. If you
laminated the germs, collect them and save for the next class.
138
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Perform experiments to determine if a substance is an acid,
base, or neutral.
2. Infer the effect a given household cleaner will have on the
environment.
3. List characteristics of acids and bases.
BACKGROUND:Water supply systems are periodically tested for organic
chemicals. The organic contaminants for which testing is required
are commonly found in the environment as a result of widespread
use of solvents and degreasers in homes and industries. The most
commonly found contaminants are trichloroethylene, ethylene
dibromide, xylene, and toluene. For more information on where
these contaminants originate and their possible health effects, see
the included charts.
Acids and bases are two categories of chemicals. Acids are
usually sour and react with many metals. Some acids are harmful
as they can burn or are poisonous. Some are useful in fertilizers,
polishes, soft drinks, and car batteries. Most bases are bitter, feel
slippery, and can dissolve fat and oil. They can be found in
household cleaners, detergents, antacids, plasters, cements, and
some medicines. Some substances are neither acids or bases but are considered neutral.
For the procedure described here, red cabbage juice is used. Red cabbage juice is a natural indicator, meaning
that through its color it reveals the presence of certain chemicals. This juice can be used to determine whether
substances are acids or bases. When added to an acid, red cabbage juice will turn a range of colors from red-
pink to deep purple. When added to a base, the indicator will turn blue-green. When added to a neutral
substance, the red cabbage juice remains blue-purple.
VOCABULARY:acid - any compound that reacts with a base to form a salt; reddens litmus paper; tastes sour
base - a chemical compound, like ammonia, that reacts with an acid to form a salt; turns litmus blue; tastes
salty
carcinogen - an agent causing ar inciting cancer
compound - made up of two or more independent elements
neutral - neither acid nor base
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Prepare (boil) red cabbage or secure litmus paper.
2. Collect household cleaners and detergents
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Set up a display table of detergents, cleaners, and soaps. Read some of the ingredients on the detergents
Down It Goes - Where It Stops,
Nobody Knows
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:household cleaners and detergents
red cabbage juice
litmus paper
eye dropper
coffee filters
wax paper
safety glasses
plastic gloves
139 www.legacyenved.org
and cleaner containers and use the attached information sheets to determine whether or not they
correspond. Talk about their purpose and hazards.
2. Introduce pH scale. Most living organisms need a neutral environment. The pH scale tests for acids and
bases. Zero is a very strong acid. Fourteen is a very strong base. Seven is neutral. Chemicals that have a
very high pH are harmful to the environment.
ActivityExperiment--Note : Safety glasses are recommended when investigating any household cleaners. Many local
industries may donate these for the science center.
• Using an eye dropper, the teacher should place three drops of one of the cleaners or detergents onto a
piece of coffee filter. (Place wax paper underneath the coffee filter.)
• Put three drops of red cabbage juice onto the filter in the same area so that the two are mixed.
• Wait 15 seconds and compare to three drops of red cabbage juice dropped onto the paper in a clean area.
Record all the results on the Student Activity Page.
• Use the information about acids, bases, and neutrals in the background to discuss what type of chemicals
the detergents and cleaners might include.
Follow-Up1. Classify the tested chemicals into acids, bases, or neutrals.
2. Research correct disposal of household cleaners.
EXTENSIONS:1. Do some acid and base tests with foods (lemons, limes, oranges).
2. Explore how too much acid production can also hurt the human body. (The body becomes unable to carry
oxygen to the muscles).
3. Dry coffee filters and display as art.
4. Compare other chemicals found in these products. Use the Legacy Household Hazardous Materials Wheel.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Speakman, G. (Undated). Disposal of household chemical wastes. Auburn University, AL: Alabama
Cooperative Extension Service.
Household Hazardous Materials Wheel. Legacy, Inc., P.O. Box 3813, Montgomery, AL 36109,
www.legacyenved.or, 1-800-240-5115.
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141
Student Activity Sheet
Down It Goes - Where It Stops, Nobody Knows
What have you learned about the hazards and care of home chemicals?
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Substance
Tested
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Acid Base Neutral
Notes
142
POLLUTION PREVENTION
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Observe the relationship between groundwater and surface
water.
2. Simulate the effects of nonpoint source water pollution.
3. Experience the difficulty of cleaning up polluted waters.
BACKGROUND:Although about 80 percent of the Earth is water, only about one
percent of this water is available for our use. About 90 percent of
the water we use each day is stored in aquifers.
Water contaminants come from a variety of sources. The massive
extent of the underground water system makes contamination
difficult to trace. There are two ways to categorize sources of
pollution: point and nonpoint sources.
Point sources are easily identified. These might be industrial
waste, municipal waste, manufacturing waste, or household
waste. Nonpoint sources are not easily identified. They come
from agricultural runoff, logging, leaking pipes, underground
storage tanks, sewer systems, septic tanks, and chemical
discharges.
Surface waters and underground waters are connected in many
areas. What affects surface water also invades aquifers. Polluted
groundwaters may also discharge to the surface and enter clean streams. Because everything is interconnected,
it becomes much harder to clean up the results of pollution.
VOCABULARY:aquifer - the underground body of porous sand, gravel, and fractured rock filled with water and capable of
supplying useful quantities of water to a well or spring
groundwater - water found in the porous spaces of soil and rock
surface water - water on the Earth’s surface such as rivers, streams, and oceans
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Punch 8-10 small holes in the bottom of one of the paper cups for each group.
2. Provide each group a 266 ml plastic cup or cut the tops off 2-liter soda bottles (about 1/2 of the bottle) for
each group.
3. Provide each group with enough pea-sized gravel (#2) to fill each of the containers 3/4 full. Gravel can
usually be purchased where pet or aquarium supplies are sold.
4. Provide each group with one paper cup with no holes, one paper cup 3/4 full of water, and one pump
dispenser.
5. Make a transparency of the water cycle (hydrologic cycle).
Do You Get My Point?
Point And Nonpoint Source Pollution
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Art
Time Needed:One class period
small groups of two to four
Materials: (per group)266 ml plastic cup or plastic 2-liter
soda bottles
clean pea-size gravel to fill each cup
3/4 full
three small paper cups (app. 240 ml)
water
one bottle of red food coloring
pump dispenser from soft soap or hand
lotion containers
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PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Have students illustrate the hydrologic cycle; include
the surface water, groundwater, and aquifer.
Emphasize the interconnectedness of the entire
system.
2. Discuss point and nonpoint sources of pollution. Use
the background information as a basis for discussion.
ActivitySimulation
• Hold 240 ml cup with holes over the cup
containing the gravel. Add the water to the top cup
to simulate rain.
• Explain that rain enters the gravel and becomes
groundwater. This process is called infiltration.
• Make a hole in the center of the gravel to make a
lake or a pond. What happens to the water level in
comparison to the water in the ground?
• Add pollution (food coloring) to each pond (about
1-2 drops).
• Insert the pump into the ground and pump out
water. What do you notice about the color of the
water? Why?
• Begin adding clean water while the pump continues to work. Keep pumping and adding clean water until
the pump water is clear.
Follow-Up1. What happened to the groundwater?
2. Was the pollution easy to clean up?
3. How are sink holes related to underground water supplies? Research to find the answer.
EXTENSIONS:Create a mural of a small city showing the water table, the aquifer, the water systems, and pollution
contributors.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Alabama Cooperative Extension System. (Undated). Nonpoint pollution of Alabama waters. (Circular
ANR-319). Auburn University, AL.
American Institution of Professional Geologists. (1984). Ground water: Issues and answers.
Mikel, W. & Hariston, J. (Circular HE-620). (1974). Water, our most valuable resource: Keeping it clean.Auburn University, AL: Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
Vandas, S. (Undated). Water quality . . .potential sources of pollution. U.S. Department of the Interior.
Savan, B. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto: Kids Can Press Ltd.
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Cup of water
Soda bottle
Gravel
Soap/lotion dispenser
pump
Groundwater Model
INTRODUCTION TO WASTE
MANAGEMENT
Municipal Solid Waste Management
Waste Management in Alabama is as diverse as the state’s natural resources. Municipal solid wastes are
generated in homes, commercial establishments, institutions, and industries. Municipal solid waste varies from
yard waste to food scraps and from construction and demolition debris to office and classroom paper. In the
United States, each individual produces 2,555 pounds of garbage each year. In Alabama, each individual
produces approximately 4.5 pounds of municipal solid waste a day. Local governments, waste management
companies, and consumers have established methods of disposing of waste in an environmentally friendly
manner.
Recycling is the process by which used items are reconditioned and are adapted to a new use or function.
Recycling is a waste management method that can be a responsible, cost-effective way to help solve some of
Alabama’s waste disposal problems. Recycling helps preserve natural resources, reduce pollution, and save
energy.
Composting is a low-cost disposal method whereby organic material is accumulated in mounds or containers
to bring about decomposition by microorganisms such as bacteria or fungi. Composted items can be used as a
soil conditioner in landscaping and gardening.
Incineration is a disposal method involving the burning of solid waste to reduce volume, with or without the
recovery of energy.
Landfilling is the major disposal method of solid waste in Alabama. A landfill is a system of trash and garbage
disposal in which waste is buried between layers of earth in such a manner that minimizes environmental
hazards. New EPA regulations called subtitle D make landfilling more environmentally friendly than before,
but much more expensive.
Hazardous Waste Management
In addition to municipal waste management, Alabama also must manage hazardous wastes produced in the
state. Hazardous waste is any solid, liquid, or gaseous material that is no longer of use in its present form and
would cause injury or death to living organisms and would pollute land, air, or water if improperly disposed.
Some examples of hazardous wastes include oil, batteries, pesticides, and oil paints. Hazardous wastes may be
managed through minimization, resource recovery such as recycling or reuse, treatment, or disposal.
The Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) classifies hazardous waste into two categories:
characteristic hazardous waste and listed hazardous waste. Characteristic hazardous wastes exhibit one or
more of the following traits: ignitability, corrosivity, reactivity, or toxicity. Listed hazardous wastes are
incorporated into lists from the RCRA rules. They exhibit one of the previously listed characteristics or
contain any number of toxic constituents that have been shown to be harmful to health and the environment.
Household hazardous waste, unlike hazardous waste generated by industry, is not regulated in Alabama by the
Alabama Department of Environmental Management or the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The best
way to manage household hazardous waste is to avoid generating hazardous products.
Disposal may be reduced or eliminated by giving leftover products away, recycling materials when possible,
using less hazardous alternatives when possible, and buying only the amounts of products needed.
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146
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Analyze the components of garbage.
2. Collect and sort a few day’s worth of garbage.
3. Chart the results of an investigation.
BACKGROUND:Solid wastes are generated from activities in the home and in the
commercial establishments, industries, agriculture, and mining.
The wastes include food scraps, containers, plastics, textiles,
abandoned cars, dead animals, construction scrap materials, waste
treatment sludge, and individual items.
In 2012, U. S. residents, businesses, and institutions produced
more than 251 million tons of municipal solid waste (MSW),
which is approximately 4.38 pounds of waste per person per day!
Municipal solid waste is composed of the following components:
paper (27.4%); yard waste (13.5%); food waste (14.5%); plastics
(12.7%); metals (8.9%); rubber, leather, and textiles (8.7%); glass
(4.6%); and other (3.4%).
Currently, in the United States, 34.5 percent of municipal solid waste is recovered and recycled or composted,
11.7 percent is burned at combustion facilities, and the remaining 53.8 percent is disposed of in landfills.
VOCABULARY:composting - collecting and layering organic material, such as lawn clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, and
manure, in order to decompose into fertile humus
incinerate - to burn to ashes
landfill - an area set aside for burying waste under layers of dirt
municipal solid waste - garbage produced in homes and in the work place
recycling - the collection and reprocessing of manufactured materials for reuse either in the same form or as
part of a different product
sludge - a heavy, slimy deposit of mud and mire covering the ground or forming a deposit at the bottom of
bodies of water
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Reproduce the attached pie chart onto a vinyl tablecloth.
• Use an opaque projector for accuracy.
• Use permanent markers for durability.
2. Collect a sample of garbage from a kitchen wastebasket the night before this activity.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Discuss solid waste using the background information.
2. Describe the contents of the United State’s solid waste.
3. Brainstorm problems that exist about managing solid waste.
What A Waste!
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods, time lapse of about
two days
Materials:vinyl tablecloth
one garbage bag per student
student handout
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Activities1. Analyze the contents from a day’s worth of kitchen garbage.
• Place the tablecloth on the floor and organize the students around its perimeter.
• Display the contents from the garbage can.
• Sort the trash and place it on the tablecloth in the appropriate spot.
2. Collect the garbage each student uses for a predetermined amount of time (two days is suggested).
• Provide each student with a plastic garbage bag.
• Instruct students to place all the garbage they would throw away into the bag. Discuss any guidelines you
wish to impose. Consider asking them to carry the bag with them wherever they go.
• Complete the Student Activity Page.
• Provide scales to weigh the garbage.
Follow-Up1. Discuss the results of the activity.
• Share the completed student handouts.
• Develop a class chart displaying totals.
2. Compare individual results with the pie chart.
EXTENSIONS:1. Remove the garbage cans in the classroom. Do not allow anything to be thrown away for a few days!
Discuss the effects. Remind students that where to put garbage is an important issue that many
communities face.
2. Construct a bar graph using the data collected by students.
3. Classify collected garbage according to how it could be disposed (incineration, landfill, recycle, reuse).
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Cooperative Extension Service. (1989). Lessons in solid waste management: 3-R’s. Manhattan, KS: Kansas
State University.
Kraft General Foods. (1993). Solid thinking about solid waste.
www.epa.gov
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for
2012 - http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/2012_msw_fs.pdf
http://www.paperrecycles.org/
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Wood
6.3 %
Paper &
Paperboard
27.4 %
Metals
8.9 %
Food Waste
14.5 %
Plastic
12.7 %
Yard
Waste
13.5 %
Other
3.4 %
Rubber,
Leather &
Textiles
8.7 %
Glass
4.6 %
Composition of Municipal Solid Waste
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Student Activity Sheet
Name_______________________
What A Waste!Directions: Record the amount of trash you produce in ____________ days on the chart below.
ExamplesAmount
Paper
Yard Waste
Metals
Plastic
Food Waste
Glass
Miscellaneous
Total ___________lbs
___________lbs
___________lbs
___________lbs
___________lbs
___________lbs
___________lbs
___________lbs
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Describe ways solid waste was disposed in the past and the
present.
2. Survey an older citizen about solid waste disposal methods.
3. Discover solid waste practices from long ago.
BACKGROUND:According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA),
Americans generated about 152 million tons of trash in 2012.
This tremendous amount of materials represents either a large
waste disposal chore or a resource recovery opportunity,
depending on one’s viewpoint. Recycling is one way to manage
this waste. Recycling is not new. It was practiced extensively
during World War II to recover scarce materials and other
materials vital to the war effort. Even earlier than that, recycling
and reuse were practiced for similar resource conservation and
home economic reasons.
VOCABULARY:recycle - to separate a given waste material from other wastes and to process it so that it can be used again
reuse - to extend the life of an item by repairing, modifying, or creating new uses for it
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Make copies of student handouts.
2. Gather materials.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Display an old tin cup, a cola bottle, and a cola can.
2. Relate the change in product packaging and disposal throughout history.
3. Read the included story “Trash Flash Through Time” to the class.
Activities1. Immediately following the story, ask the class to consider these questions:
• Which of these items was tossed out the window and onto the streets of London 700 years ago? (cans,
glass, paper, aluminum, plastic containers, food wastes)
• What was the method of disposing of garbage 700 years ago?
• What is the composition of modern-day garbage? (food and yard wastes, cardboard and paper, metals,
plastic, glass, rubber, leather, textiles, wood and miscellaneous inorganic wastes)
• What is our method of disposing of garbage? (primarily land filling and incineration)
• What do you think was the first attempt to recycle? Did your grandparents recycle? How can we find
out?
• What can we learn about recycling from our past? Our grandparents and their parents recycled or reused
many materials that are commonly thrown away today.
Trash Flash Through Time
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts
Time Needed:One class period and survey
assignment
Materials:copy of “Older and Wiser Survey” for
each student
student handouts
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2. Have students interview a grandparent or other older person in their family or neighborhood using the
survey included with this lesson.
• Practice interview skills.
Follow-Up1. After students have completed their interviews, have them participate in this discussion.
• What items did your grandparents or friends recycle?
• How did they conserve resources?
• What materials were used for packaging then?
• How did they keep food items from spoiling?
2. Write an “I learned” statement regarding your grandparent’s use of resources. (Compile a class list on chart
paper.)
EXTENSIONS:1. Complete the questionnaire “Trash Flash Today”.
Answers to the questionnaire:
• 4.5 pounds (2kg) can be attributed to each person; 8 pounds (3.6kg) per person per day includes all
wastes such as manufacturing wastes combined with household wastes.
• Paper and cardboard make up 40 percent.
• In Alabama, 80 percent of garbage is land filled. In Huntsville, garbage is incinerated at a waste to
energy facility.
• No, sanitary landfills have liners to protect the soil and groundwater nearby; dumps are illegal.
• 34.8 billion. Imagine that each can is half-filled with gasoline because that’s how much energy is lost !
More than 55 percent of aluminum cans are recycled.
• 32 percent by weight and 30 percent by volume.
• True. Example: recycling newspaper into cardboard boxes or melting used glass jars to make new ones.
• Open discussion; explain why.
2. Have students write their own stories about trash in the past or in the future.
3. Encourage students to write “Thank You” notes to the people they interviewed.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Perez, K. (1990). Solid waste management in Alabama: Handbook for county extension agents. Auburn
University, AL: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Alabama Cooperative Extension
System.
Waste Disposal. (1988). World book encyclopedia. (Vol 21, pp. 112-113)
www.epa.gov
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for
2012 - http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/2012_msw_fs.pdf
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153
You are walking through a quiet, beautiful
forest. You feel happy to be in such a peaceful,
lovely place as this. You come to an opening
under a canopy of leaves; and in the rays of
sunshine, you see a strange and unexpected
sight. it looks sort of like a car, sort of like a
thing one would ride at a carnival. It looks like
a whole lot of fun, whatever it is, so you open
the door and step inside a most miraculous little
machine.
There are lights , buttons, levers, graphs,
clocks, dials, calenders, and computer
screens..and you know at once - This is a time
machine !
Carefully following the instructions on the
screen, you fasten your safety belt, set the clock
in reverse, and wait. Dials spin, buzzers sound,
and you feel yourself being thrust back into
your seat. On the big computer screen above
your head, you see events in time come to life:
the first trip to the moon; World War II planes
flying over Europe; George Washington
crossing the Delaware during a harsh winter
storm; the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria ships
heading westward. Wait ! It’s going too fast !
You’ve got to stop this thing ! Your finger
finally finds a button marked STOP. You press
it and the number 1250 flashes above. The
machine stops ! And the door opens slowly
behind you....
It is a misty morning on a cobbled stone street.
Fog is rolling in, and there is a chill in the air.
Signs hanging above the shops let you know
you’re in London, England. The clopping
hooves of a horse drawn cart can be heard in
the distance. Squealing piglets are being
joyfully chased by children running all about.
Then from above, SPLASH ! PLOP ! Out of an
open window comes a shout, “GARDY-LOO !”
followed by a heaving bucket of garbage.
Vegetable peels and table scraps fall right onto
the street below. It barely misses you ! And
now here come the pigs, rushing to the scene to
investigate the tasty morsels of garbage they
might eat.
Can you imagine people throwing garbage out
of their windows and onto the streets? Pigs run
freely about to eat whatever is edible.
“GARDY-LOO !” The call comes again. Oh !
No ! Look out. Running, ducking, jumping
over slippery, slimy garbage, you head back to
the time machine, set the dials to the present,
and hit the buttons again. You feel yourself
being flung forward in your seat. Dates fly past
on the dial; and before you know it, you’re
back, right where you were when you found
the machine.
WHEW ! What a trip ! The door opens behind
you, but you remain seated as your mind
continues to spin with the memory of your
adventure.
Just think of all the garbage ! It’s good to be
back home.
Let’s Take a
Trash Flash Through Time
154
Trash Flash Through Time
Older & Wiser Survey
Begin by explaining: We are conducting interviews with the older generations so we can learn how
people handled their garbage and resources in the past. Your stories are valuable to our research.
Thank you for agreeing to do this interview.
Please answer all of the questions for the time period when you were my age.
1. What is your full name?
2. Where were you born?
3. What was the year when you were my age?
4. What did you do for fun?
5. How old were you when you got your first TV?
6. What chores did you do?
7. How did you get to school?
8. What toys did you have?
9. What were they made of?
Food
10. How was your family’s food kept fresh?
11. How did store-bought food come packaged?
12. What did you do with the package or container when it was empty?
13. Did you pack your own lunch?
14. If you ever brought food home from a restaurant, how was it packaged?
Paper
15. What did you do with old papers, magazines, and books?
16. Did you use old papers, magazines, or towels?
If not, what did you use?
17. Did stores provide paper shopping bags?
Glass
18. What types of glass containers did you have? (jars, soda bottles, milk bottles)
19. Did you throw them away, reuse, or recycle them?
Aluminum
20. Did you have aluminum?
For what uses?
21. Did you throw it away?
Tin Cans
22. What kinds of food did you buy in cans?
23. What did you do with the cans when they were empty?
Plastic
24. Were there plastic containers?
What came in them?
25. What was in your first plastic bottle?
Garbage
26. Where was your garbage thrown?
27. Was any of it recycled or reused?
28. Did your community provide a curb-side pick-up service?
Wrap-up Questions
29. Did people talk about recycling and conserving resources then?
30. How do you think people today have changed in their attitudes?
31. Would you rather be a child in today’s times or the times when you were a child?
Thank You !
155
Older & Wiser Survey (continued)
Trash Flash Today !Can you answer these questions?
1. How much trash does each person in the Unites States throw away daily?
2. What material is thrown out more than any other?
3. Is most of our garbage
• buried in landfills?
• burned?
• reused?
• recycled??
4. Are dumps and sanitary landfills the same?
5. How many aluminum cans are thrown away each year rather than recycled?
6. How much of our trash is recycled?
7. To recycle means to process waste materials into new products. True or False?
8. If you could change something about the way you recycle, what would it be?
156
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Explain what happens to garbage.
2. Graph the amount of waste the school lunchroom produces.
3. Identify ways to reduce the amount of plastic, paper, and food
waste within the school lunchroom.
BACKGROUND:The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that over
250 million tons of municipal solid waste are generated in our
nation each year ! Many areas in Alabama currently face serious
problems in safely and effectively managing the garbage they
generate. As a state, Alabama is generating more trash than ever
before. As the waste continues to increase, capacity to handle it is
decreasing. Landfills are no longer the only answer.
Recycling saves energy, natural resources, and room in the
landfills. It provides raw materials for new products and helps
Alabamians move away from a “throw away” society. Alabama
law now requires that cities and counties develop and adopt
comprehensive solid waste management plans. Alabama law also
requires that all state agencies, K-12 public schools, state
universities, and post secondary schools implement their own
recycling programs.
VOCABULARY:data - facts or figures from which conclusions can be drawn
Environmental Protection Agency - the federal agency charged with the enforcement of all federal
regulations having to do with environmental pollutants
garbage - the organic or inorganic food waste thrown away
landfill - an area set aside for burying waste under layers of dirt
recycle - to separate a given waste material from other
wastes and process it so that it can be used again
reduce - decreasing the amount of waste generated
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Gather materials.
2. Make signs to put on garbage cans labeled “paper”,
“plastic”, and “food waste”.
3. Copy Student Activity Sheet.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Write the word garbage on the board.
• Ask students to give their own definitions.
• Write responses on the board.
Trash Patrol
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Social Studies, Math
Time Needed:One to two weeks
Materials:buttons or name tags labeled “TRASH
PATROL”
clipboard
paper
pencil
chart paper
poster board
colored pencils
rubber gloves
scales
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2. Ask students to recall where garbage goes. (garbage can, garbage trucks, landfill)
3. Write the word landfill on the board.
• Discuss what a landfill looks like.
• Allow students to share if they’ve been to a collection site.
4. Explain that the class is going to gather data about the amount of waste generated in the school lunchroom.
Activities1. Brainstorm items that are thrown away in the lunchroom. (napkins, milk cartons, paper or Styrofoam
plates, bowls, plastic utensils)
2. Divide students into groups of five or six and assign each group a particular date to work.
• Explain that one person will be the recorder, two students will collect lunch trays, and the remaining
team members will sort the trash into the appropriate container.
• Assign students to be on duty for the school’s entire lunch period. Make arrangements for the team to eat
earlier, if necessary. The recorder weighs the amount of each type of garbage and writes down any
unusual or interesting observations. (For example, one class noticed an unusual number of unused plastic
utensils still in their plastic bags, so they began to keep a count of these.)
• The team records its findings on a class chart and writes a brief entry about its observations.
• This process is continued until all groups have gathered their information. Daily reports and discussions
are important.
3. Upon completion, discuss the activity.
• Tape the class chart to the board and have each group choose a way to display the data. Give each group
poster board, colored pencils, and markers to complete the graphs.
• Have the groups analyze the data and suggest ways to reduce lunchroom waste.
• Write these suggestions on the board and have students brainstorm ways to implement the suggestions.
(For example, students notice a large number of unopened ketchup, mustard, and mayonnaise packets
being thrown away, so they develop a short commercial encouraging students to take only what they need
and perform the commercial on morning in-house television announcements, if system available.)
Follow-Up1. Collect charts and graphs.
2. Have students write one to two paragraphs discussing one area of waste in the lunchroom and possible
solutions.
EXTENSIONS:1. Invite a waste disposal company spokesperson or a recycling center representative to speak to the class.
2. Have students write down everything they throw away for one day and then determine how they could
reduce their amount of personal waste.
3. Visit a local landfill.
4. Compare daily menus to the amount of daily waste.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Be part of the solution recycle Alabama.
Plastic Bag Information Clearing House. (1994). Don’t let a good thing go to waste.
Alabama Department of Environmental Management. Get down to business...reduce, reuse, recycle - awaste management guide for small business and commercial firms.
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Student Activity Sheet
Trash Patrol
Recorder: _____________________ Sorters: _____________________
_____________________
Collectors: ____________________ _____________________
Time: ___________
Date: ___________
WeightObservationsType of Waste
Paper
Plastic
Food Waste
Notes
160
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Predict the life cycle of a piece of trash.
2. Explain the purpose of a landfill.
3. Classify the items found in a landfill.
4. Recognize the components in a landfill.
5. Reconstruct a model of a landfill.
BACKGROUND:Americans produce more and more garbage each year. More than
27 percent of this solid waste stream consists of the paper and
paper products we discard. Yard wastes make up another 13.5
percent of the total. Approximately 14.5 percent of our trash is
food waste. Plastic (12.7 percent), metal (8.9 percent), rubber,
leather and textiles (8.7 percent), glass (4.6 percent), wood (6.3
percent). and other (3.4 percent) items make up the rest.
Solid waste management is primarily a local responsibility. Most
communities collect their refuse either through a municipal
collections service or through one provided by a private
contractor. If the wastes are not recycled, composted, or
incinerated, they are deposited in a sanitary landfill.
In Alabama the number of landfills with available space is
decreasing. At the same time, the amount of municipal solid
waste is increasing. In 1989 there were approximately 142
sanitary landfill sites in Alabama. Currently, there are 32 sites. By
2007, 91.7 percent of Alabama’s wastes were landfilled. That
amount is very high compared to the amount of solid wastes that
were recycled, composted or incinerated.
Sanitary landfills consist of a series of cells or sections. Wastes are deposited on a certain area of one cell at a
time. They are spread and compacted throughout the day. At the end of each day, a layer of soil about six
inches thick is laid down and compacted over the wastes. This cover controls vermin and prevents fires from
starting in the refuse pile. When a sanitary landfill is filled to capacity, it is covered with material of low
permeability, such as clay soil, to keep rainwater out of the refuse. If no cover were provided, the rainwater
would seep down through the materials to the bottom, leaching pollutants on the way and carrying them into
groundwater or surface water.
VOCABULARY:landfill - an area set aside for burying waste under layers of dirt
leach - to pass a liquid (as water) through to carry off the soluble components
monitoring wells - pipes in a landfill used as a means of controlling and measuring methane escape
permeate - to penetrate or diffuse through something
solid waste - any of a wide variety of solid materials that are discarded or rejected
We’re Down In The Dumps
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts, Social Studies
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:poster board
sentence strip
litter (collected from students)
baggies (three per student)
clear cups (one per student)
spoons (one per student)
graham crackers (two per student)
fruit roll-up (one for every four
students)
vanilla pudding w/chocolate chips
oreo cookie crumbs (three cookies per
student)
coconut, colored green
licorice (one per student)
optional: garbage can, Plexiglass
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ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Make pudding. Add chocolate chips right before class, or they will dissolve. Color coconut green.
2. Assemble journals.
3. Optional: Create a visual of Figure 3 out of a garbage receptacle and Plexiglass (obtained from a hardware
store)
• Cut receptacle in half.
• Apply Plexiglass cover with clear caulk.
• Make labels
• Allow students to fill with “real” trash according to the percentages on the chart.
4. Optional: Make poster of Figure 3. have students cut pictures of different items from magazines and glue
onto chart according to percentages.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stagePass out a piece of candy for the students to eat or display a candy wrapper.
• Distribute garbage can journals.
• Ask students to respond to this journal prompt: Predict the life cycle of the candy wrapper.
• Collect wrappers.
Activities1. Using the background information, discuss the main ideas with the students.
• Ask students to predict which of the following solid waste products compose the largest amount in a
landfill. List products - either Figure 3 or 4.
• Explain the make-up and percentages of solid waste according to Figure 4.
2. Reconstruct a model of a landfill.
• Give each student a durable clear cup, a spoon, a baggie with two graham crackers, a baggie with three
oreos, and a baggie of green coconut.
• Allow students to crush the graham crackers and oreos.
• Layer the ingredients from the bottom up.
Licorice pipes - represent monitoring wells
Coconut, colored green - represents ground cover/grass
Oreo crumbs - represent dirt cover
Vanilla pudding with chocolate chips - represents garbage
Graham cracker crumbs - represent gravel
Fruit roll-ups - represent the plastic liner (cut in pieces first)
Graham cracker crumbs - represents a clay liner
Bottom of cup - represents solid ground.
• Explain the purpose of each layer as you go along.
162
Licorice pipes Groundcover, green coconut
Oreo crumb, dirt layerGarbage, vanilla puddingGravel, graham crackerPlastic liner, fruit roll-upClay liner, graham crackers
Follow-UpConclude the lesson.
• Summarize main ideas.
• Emphasize the fact that landfills are similar to Egyptian mummies. They both are wrapped tightly and
stored in cool dark places. there is little air or sunlight in a landfill, so things do not break down.
• Discuss the 3 R’s of waste management: Reuse, Reduce, Recycle.
• Ask this question for thought : What kind of legacy are we leaving future generations?
EXTENSIONS:1. Create a rap in small groups.
2. Use the Student Activity Page “My Garbage Can Journal” for composing a story.
3. Graph the information given in Figure 4.
4. Illustrate the amount of land needed for a landfill.
• Have four students stand at four points, 209 feet apart, in a square.
• Relate landfill size to a football field. A sanitary landfill seven feet deep and one acre in surface area is
needed each year for every 10,000 people in a community.
• Form a scale model of a landfill using saltdough or clay.
5. Visit a local landfill.
6. Create a large poster using pictures cut from magazines (Figure 3 as an example).
7. Read Recycle. by Gail Gibbons.
8. Read Cleaning Up: How Trash Becomes Treasure. by Eve and Albert Stwertka.
RESOURCES:Perez, K. (1990). Solid waste management in Alabama: Handbook for county extension agents. Auburn
University, AL: Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Sociology, Alabama Cooperative Extension
System.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (February, 1989). The solid waste dilemma: An agenda for action.
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES:Municipal Solid Waste Generation, Recycling, and Disposal in the United States: Facts and Figures for
2012 - http://www.epa.gov/waste/nonhaz/municipal/pubs/2012_msw_fs.pdf
Alabama Solid Waste Management Plan, May 2008 -
http://www.adem.state.al.us/alEnviroReglaws/files/FinalSWMP_08.pdf
163
164
Permitted Sanitary Landfills In Alabama
Figure 1
Landfill Name Landfill City County
1. Magnolia Sanitary Landfill Bay Minette Baldwin
2. Chilton County Clanton Chilton
3. Coffee County NewBrockton Coffee
4. Cullman Env. Waste Mgmt. Ctr. Cullman Cullman
5. Ft. Payne Sanitary Landfill Fort Payne Dekalb
6. Timberlands Brewton Escambia
7. City of Dothan Dothan Houston
8. Scottsboro Balefill Scottsboro Jackson
9. Valley View Stevenson Jackson
10. Mt. Olive Jefferson
11. New Georgia Jefferson
12. Eastern Sanitary Landfill Birmingham Jefferson
13. Turkey Creek Birmingham Jefferson
14. Florence Sanitary Landfill Florence Lauderdale
15. Lawrence Coutny Moulton Lawrence
Landfill Name Landfill City County
16. Salem Waste Disposal, Inc. Opelika Lee
17. Athens/Limeston County Athens Limestone
18. Huntsville Huntsville Madison
19. Bishop Sanitary Landfill Alberville Marshall
20. Chastang Sanitary Landfill Mobile Mobile
21. North Montgomery Montgomery Montgomery
22. Trinity (Decatur) Decatur Morgan
23. Brundidge Waste Disposal Ctr. Brundidge Pike
24. Highway 70 Columbiana Shelby
25. Harmons Sanitary Landfill Cropwell St. Clair
26. Acmar Regional Landfill Moody St. Clair
27. Tuscaloosa Balefill Tuscaloosa Tuscaloosa
28. Pine View Dora Walker
2002, U.S. EPA
Match the sanitary landfill to the appropriate county.
165
Solid Waste Generation, Alabama 1989
Numbers are in thousand tons. From : ADEM, 1989
5000
4500
4000
3500
3000
2500
2000
1500
1000
500
0Landfill Incineration Recycle
Figure 2
166
PAPER - 38%
YARD WASTE - 12%
GLASS - 5.5%
METAL - 7%
FOOD WASTE 11%
PLASTIC - 10.5%
OTHER - 16%
Figure 3
167
Figure 4
11%
12%
5.5% 10.5%
5.3%
38% 2%
7% 2%
2%
9%
Notes
168
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Identify legal dumping sites.
2. Understand the effect of illegally dumping waste.
BACKGROUND:Illegal dumping is discarding garbage along roadsides or in the
woods, where it degrades the beauty and health of nature. Illegal
dumping can be considered a deliberate, malicious act.
People dump wastes illegally to avoid fees at landfills or to avoid
traveling to landfills. The hours that a landfill is open may be an
inconvenience to some people.
Illegal dumping occurs more often in rural and undeveloped
suburban areas than urban areas. The penalty fees that a county
charges for illegal dumping is higher than landfill charges.
VOCABULARY:degrade - to lower in quality
illegal dumping - disposing of waste in an unofficial location
urban - in, relating to, or characteristic of a city or town
suburban - a district lying immediately outside a city or town
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Gather materials.
2. Hide a nerf ball labeled garbage in one of the student’s desk.
3. Obtain copies of county maps.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Tell students that garbage is hidden in one of their desks. It is like a hot potato. The idea is to make it
someone else’s responsibility by giving it to him or her. Above all, the student should not be caught with it.
2. Define illegal dumping on the board.
3. Prepare copies of the Student Activity Page.
Activities1. Supply the students with paper money - ten $10.00 slips each (pattern is found on activity sheet). The
money will be used to pay a $30.00 fine if someone is caught illegally dumping the garbage.
2. Call for each student to pay $10.00 to cover the community cost of cleaning up illegal dumps. Collect this
fee periodically throughout the game.
3. Allow the game to continue for a predetermined amount of time, usually when everybody has had a chance
to participate.
4. Help students identify the locations of recycling centers and legal waste disposal programs in the
community.
Dump It
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Social Studies, Math
Time Needed:One class period, on-going game
Materials:nerf ball
paper money
county map
student activity page
169 www.legacyenved.org
Follow-Up1. Discuss the activity.
• Ask, “Why do people dump waste illegally?”
• Ask, “In what ways does illegal dumping degrade the environment?”
2. Have students do the student activity page and then discuss it with the class.
3. Brainstorm ways that illegal dumping affects public health.
EXTENSIONS:1. Take pictures of illegal dumping sites around the community.
2. This game can be played like hot potato with music. Whoever is caught when the music stops must pay for
the garbage.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Adapted with permission from activity, “Out of sight but not out of mind.” p. 12, Alabama PALS: People
Against a Littered State, April, 1987. Alabama PALS litter education guide.
170
Student Activity Sheet
NAME _____________________________
If Bagging Trash Is Your Game,
This Match Is For You
Match each word on the left with the phrase that best describes it.
171
Trash
Litter
Reuse
Natural Resources
Landfill
Recycling
Paper
Reduce
Compost
A. To find a new use for something instead
of throwing it away.
B. A recyclable material made from trees.
C. To buy less and throw away less trash.
D. Leaves and grass clippings broken down
by natural forces, used on gardens.
E. Our garbage, all things we throw away.
F. Trash in the wrong place such as on the
ground or street.
G. A process that makes something new
out of something old.
H. A special place where trash is buried.
I. Things found in nature that we must
have to live.
172
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Collect organic material and set up an experiment.
2. Observe gas formation during the decaying process.
3. Measure heat production during the decaying process.
BACKGROUND:When buried garbage decays at a landfill or dump, it produces
gas, similar to natural gas, called methane. A crude but workable
method of producing gas from waste involves tapping directly
into landfills to collect the methane gas produced by anaerobic
digestion (decomposition without oxygen). The methane is
collected through an automatic collection system, processed,
piped to homes and businesses, and used in the same manner as
natural gas. Methane is also being produced from municipal
sludge and from animal manure at some feedlot operations.
These methods of obtaining methane are becoming increasingly
popular because they help to solve the problems of waste
disposal as well as to meet increased energy needs.
VOCABULARY:bioconversion - changing matter from once-living things into a
source of energy
compost - a mixture of decayed organic matter; to decay organic
wastes partially decomposed by aerobic bacteria
decay - rot
landfill - an area set aside for burying waste under layers of dirt
methane - an odorless, flammable gas produced by decaying organic matter
natural gas - gas from the Earth’s crust; a fossil fuel
organic - relating to living or once living material
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Gather materials.
2. Prepare copies of student activity pages.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Show students the picture on the attached sheet, “Images and Explorations.”
• Discuss what is happening in the picture.
• Ask students the following questions.
How can the energy from garbage be changed into useful energy? (Answers will vary; accept all answers.)
How is garbage like traditional fuels?
2. Have students read the paragraphs at the bottom of “Images and Explorations.”
• Give students the list of terms (see background information) and their definitions.
• Ask students to circle the terms in the paragraphs.
It’s A Gas
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:Two class periods, several days
observation
Materials:a few pounds of raw manure (caution:
when handling be sure to wearprotective covering)
two plastic bags per student (1 gallon
size)
thermometer
small light or lamp and box (may need
several depending on numbers of
students participating)
student activity pages
173 www.legacyenved.org
Activities1. Give each student a copy of the included student activity page “Making Methane.”
2. Have necessary materials ready for the activity.
• If Bag “A” is filled almost full, expansion will be easier to detect.
• Temperature must be about 90 degrees Fahrenheit to produce desired results. Place the light or lamp
inside the box to produce a warm atmosphere.
• Bag “A” will expand if the bag is completely sealed and if methane gas is produced by the decomposing
organic matter.
• Temperature rising above 90 degrees Fahrenheit inside the material indicates a chemical reaction is
taking place during decomposition.
3. After several days, direct students to think about the questions on the second part of “Making Methane.”
Ask students how we could use our garbage as a source of energy. (Encourage many creative ideas.)
4. Have students draw an illustration of a possible methane-producing operation in the community.
Follow-Up1. Have students complete the evaluation activities on the included Student Activity Page “Thinking About
It.”
2. Answers are as follows:
• Word Find - (1) organic, (2) methane, (3) natural gas, (4) compost, (5) landfill, (6) decay,
(7) bioconversion.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Energy from waste. (1979). The new book of popular science. (Vol. 2). Danbury, CT: Grolier.
Tennessee Valley Authority, Consumer Outreach Section, Office of Power. The energy sourcebook sixthgrade unit.
174
Student Activity Sheet 1
Making Methane
1. Ask the teacher for a small amount of manure (organic matter).
2. Place half the manure in a plastic bag (one gallon size), labeled A.
3. Remove as much air from Bag A as you can.
4. Seal the bag completely.
5. Put the bag in a warm place - about 90 degrees.
6. Place the other half of the organic matter in another plastic bag, labeled B.
7. DO NOT SEAL Bag B.
8. Put Bag B in a warm place - about 90 degrees.
9. Every day for several days, use a thermometer to measure the temperature in the middle of the
material in Bag B. Record the temperature. (NOTE: Be careful - do not disturb the material.)
175
A
B
176
Student Activity Sheet 2
Making Methane(continued)
After several days, answer the following questions.
1. Does Bag A appear to have expanded a little? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
If the answer is yes, why has it expanded? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2. Compare the daily temperature readings of Bag B.
Day 1 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Day 6 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Day 2 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Day 7 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Day 3 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Day 8 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Day 4 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Day 9 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Day 5 _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Day 10_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Was there a change in temperature? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
If the answer is yes what is causing the change? _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
A
B
177
Student Activity Sheet 3
Thinking About ItWord Find
Find and circle these words.
Bioconversion Decay Natural Gas Methane
Landfill Compost Organic
Word Define
Match the words in the list above with their definitions listed below.
Write each word on the line next to its definition.
1. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: relating to living or once-living material
2. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: an odorless, flammable gas from manure
3. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: gas from the Earth’s crust
4. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: a mixture of decayed organic matter
5. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: an area set aside for burying waste
6. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: rot
7. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _: changing once-living matter into methane
178
Student Activity Sheet 4
Images And Explorations
When manure, vegetation, or any organic materials decay, a gas is given off. This
gas is called methane. Methane can be produced from decaying matter in home
garbage (if it sits long enough) or in a compost heap. It also takes place in the
landfills where we bury our trash and garbage. Methane produced in landfills can
be carried through pipes to places where the gas will be used.
Today, some companies are producing methane from waste. They change city
sewage, garbage, and animal manure to energy sources. The process of changing
matter from once-living things into methane is called bioconversion.
This same process takes place in nature, producing natural gas. Methane is the
main element of natural gas. The organic part of our trash and garbage is an
important energy resource !
179
The Recycling Process
Notes
180
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Describe recycling.
2. Illustrate the recycling logo.
3. Identify recyclable materials.
4. Present information.
BACKGROUND:Recycling is the collection of waste materials to process them
into new, usable products. The recycling logo represents the three
steps of the recycling process: separating materials to be
recycled; processing the materials by sorting, washing, drying,
grinding, or heating, and re-manufacturing products to be
purchased.
People must sort their household trash and either take recyclables
to a collection site, place their recyclables on the curbside, or
deliver them to buy-back recycling programs.
To make sorting easier, different plastics are identified by codes
(SPI-Society of Plastics Industries-Codes.) These codes are
usually located on the bottom of plastic containers.
VOCABULARY:recyclable - a material that can be recycled
recycling - the collection and reprocessing of manufactured materials for reuse either in the same form or as
part of a different product
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Gather materials.
2 Copy information cards and glue to index cards for durability and uniformity.
3. Copy student activity page.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Display recyclable materials.
• Discuss the steps of the recycling process using the background information and the attached sheet, “The
Recycling Process”.
• Have students look for the recycling logo on the plastic materials.
2. Inform students of the three ways items are collected (or deposited) for recycling.
Activities1. Create a presentation about a recyclable material.
• Divide the class into four groups.
• Distribute the information cards.
• Use other sources to create songs based on a familiar tune.
What Goes Around Comes Around
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:examples of recyclable items:
aluminum cans
plastic milk jugs
newspapers
jars
plastic containers (several)
art paper
markers
small jar of M&M candy for rewards
181 www.legacyenved.org
• Choose a song that everyone knows.
Rewrite the words using facts about the assigned recyclable material.
Name your group.
Optional - design a CD cover, dress in a costume, make a backdrop for the presentation.
Example - (Sing to the tune of “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.”)
Crush, crush, crush the cans
As many as you may
Put them on the curb outside
To be used another way
2. Allow the students to vote on their favorite presentation or give each group an award for The Best
Workers, The Best Research, etc. Present them with an award, for example, a jar of M&Ms.
Follow-Up1. Complete the student activity page.
2. Review the diagram of “The Recycling Process” in the previous activity.
EXTENSIONS:1. Visit a recycling center.
2. Survey school officials to determine the school’s recycling policies.
3. Read Recycle ! by Gail Gibbons.
4. Read Cartons, Cans, And Orange Peels - Where Does Your Garbage Go? by Joanna Foster.
Read Series - How On Earth Do we Recycle Metal? Paper? Plastic? Glass? published by Millbrook Press.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Kraft General Foods. (June, 1993). Solid thinking about solid waste.
United States Environmental Protection Agency. (October, 1988). Recycle. (EPA/530-SW-88-050)
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs. Kids can help recycle (coloring sheet); Be partof the solution...recycle Alabama (brochure); Handling and disposal of home medical waste (brochure);
Household hazardous waste (booklet); Managing Alabama’s municipal solid waste (poster); Get down tobusiness...reduce, reuse, recycle (booklet).
182
Student Activity Sheet
Name: ____________________________
What Goes Around Comes Around
1. Describe the process of recycling.
2. Draw the recycling logo.
3. Create a plan for your family to implement a recycling program.
• How will you sort the garbage?
• How will your recyclable materials get to the recycling center?
• How will you change your purchasing habits in order to support products that
have been recycled?
183
Save! Sort! Recycle!
Color the recyclables in the boxes on this page. Then cut them out and paste them
into the proper recycling bins.
184
185
COMPOST PLASTIC
METALSSECOND
HAND
SHOP
PAPER GLASS
Notes
186
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Evaluate the importance of recycling.
2. Simulate a city recycling program.
3. Tally exchanges in the recycling simulation.
BACKGROUND:Aluminum comes from bauxite. Most of the new aluminum used
in the United States is imported. By reusing aluminum, we reduce
air pollution, water pollution, and damage to the land.
• Making aluminum from recycled cans uses 90-95 percent
less energy than making it from raw materials and reduces
related air pollution by 95 percent.
• Enough aluminum is thrown away every three months to
rebuild the entire United States commercial air fleet.
• Approximately 50-60 percent of aluminum cans used in the
United States are recycled.
• Recycling reduces litter and slows the filling of landfills.
VOCABULARY:aluminum - a silvery, lightweight, metallic, chemical element
bauxite - a claylike ore, the source of aluminum
ore - a natural combination of minerals from which metals or other valuable substances can be mined
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Gather materials.
2. Make a set of signs for each city stating landfill, bank, recycling center, and grocery store.
3. Prepare copies of student activity page.
4. Make 24 recycling certificates from the teacher handout.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Give the journal prompt: Why is recycling important?
2. Discuss the benefits of recycling using the background information.
Activities1. Conduct a simulation that shows the benefit of recycling.
• Divide the class into two groups. They will act as the citizens of two cities. One Cycle City will recycle.
The other Waste City will not recycle. Each city will contain a grocery store, landfill site, a bank, and a
recycling center (Cycle City only). Assign each student a post.
• Give each grocery store 24 aluminum cans and 24 pebbles (represent bauxite).
• Allow one citizen at a time to go to the grocery store to buy four canned drinks. Trade one piece of
bauxite for each can.
• Allow Cycle City to take its cans to the recycling center. They are given a certificate for every four cans.
Waste City throws away its cans in the landfill.
A City “Can”
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:48 aluminum cans
48 pebbles
187 www.legacyenved.org
• Return to the grocery store to buy four more drinks. Cycle City uses its certificates to buy one drink and
three pieces of bauxite to buy three drinks. Waste City uses four pieces of bauxite to buy four drinks.
• Continue the activity until one city runs out of bauxite.
2. Compare the student activity page.
Follow-Up1. Discuss the activity reviewing the benefits of recycling for a community.
2. Present the results of each city’s simulation.
EXTENSIONS:1. Build a can crusher using lumber and a heavy duty door hinge.
2. Compile a list of recyclable items used during the school day and
at home.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Roa, M. Environmental science activities kit. The Center for Applied Research in Education.
Schultz, R (1982). Environmental experiments..from Edison. Michigan: Thomas Alva Edison Foundation.
188
189
A C
ity “
Can
”
Cro
ss o
ff a
peb
ble
eac
h t
ime
your
city
purc
has
es a
can
.
Cro
ss o
ff a
can
eac
h t
ime
your
city
del
iver
s one
to t
he
landfi
ll o
r
recy
clin
g c
ente
r.
Cro
ss o
ff a
rec
tangle
eac
h t
ime
your
city
coll
ects
a c
erti
fica
te.
I am
a c
itiz
en o
f C
ity _
______________ .
Gro
cery
Sto
re w
ork
ers
are
_______________,
_______________,
and _
______________ .
Lan
dfi
ll w
ork
ers
are
_______________ a
nd
_______________ .
Rec
ycl
ing C
ente
r w
ork
ers
are
_______________,
_______________,
and _
______________ .
What
did
yo
u l
earn
fro
m t
his
act
ivit
y?
190
A City “Can”
Certificate of Receipt. Redeem at grocery store for one canned drink.
Certificate of Receipt. Redeem at grocery store for one canned drink.
Certificate of Receipt. Redeem at grocery store for one canned drink.
A City “Can”
A City “Can”
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Illustrate how steel mills use steel cans, cars, and appliances.
2. Describe a material recovery facility and how steel is
separated.
3. Locate the major steel mills in Alabama on an Alabama map.
BACKGROUND:For many years, Alabama was one of the leading producers of
steel. Steel-can recycling is made easier because steel is
magnetic. Steel cans may be magnetically removed from other
recyclables in the solid waste stream. Empty steel cans may be
collected for recycling through any recycling collection program
that accepts them. For curbside collection, steel cans should be
emptied and rinsed. Steel cans are also collected through
voluntary drop-off programs and material recycling centers.
After collection, steel cans and other steel products, such as
appliances, are sent to steel mills to be made into new products.
There are two types of furnaces used to make steel, depending on
the product into which the steel will be made. One type is the
basic oxygen furnace, which consumes about 25 percent scrap.
The electric arc furnace consumes about 100 percent of scrap to
make new products. In either case, some of the scrap is still left
over from steel making and product manufacturing, but none is wasted. Even if molten steel overflows, it can
be used again.
Today in America, no steel is new. Virtually all steel contains old steel. It always maintains its integrity by
keeping the same quality after recycling as before.
VOCABULARY:scrap - the old steel that will be recycled into new steel
solid waste stream - the variety of solid materials that are discarded or rejected from homes and businesses
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
2. Copy group directions cards.
3. Copy the Alabama map for each student group.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Display items made from steel such as utensils, pots, soup cans, paint cans, nails, aerosol cans, bandage
boxes, and cookie tins.
2. Discuss the difference between recycled steel and other products.
Heavy Metal
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Geography
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:Alabama map
art paper or half sheets of poster board
crayons or markers
magazines
aluminum cans
steel cans
various items made of steel
magnets
scales
191 www.legacyenved.org
3. Remind students of the importance steel has played in the state of Alabama. Use an Alabama history book
to locate specific details about the importance of steel production in Alabama. Steel was produced in areas
where iron ore, coal, and limestone were found in the soil. Since steel is now being made from recycled
steel, it is no longer necessary to have steel mills located close to these natural resources.
Activity1. Locate these major steel mills that are in operation in Alabama.
• Write the name and location of the steel mills on the board. They are:
Nucor Steel Birmingham, Birmingham, AL
Nucor Steel Decatur, Decatur, AL
USX-US Steel, Birmingham, AL
Nucor Steel Tuscaloosa, Tuscaloosa, AL
• Divide the students into six groups. Give each group of an outline map of Alabama (included).
• Have groups work together to locate these steel mills on their maps.
2. Work in groups to illustrate the steel recycling process.
• Provide each group with one direction from the Teacher Handout.
• Allow students to work for about 15 minutes on their assignment.
• Ask a representative from each group to bring the poster to the front of the classroom.
• Assist the students in putting the posters in order: (1) store; (2) home; (3) empty cans; (4)sorted garbage;
(5) trucks; (6) magnet; (7) area of various steel products.
• Place posters in a circular order on a bulletin board or the chalkboard.
3. Use magnets to experiment separating steel cans from aluminum cans. Compare the weight of steel
containers to aluminum cans.
Follow-UpDiscuss each step of the recycling process.
• Steel products come in many shapes and sizes, from food cans to aerosol cans or bandage boxes to
cookie tins.
• Consumers use many steel products in their daily life. Some examples include vehicles, appliances,
containers and nails.
• Steel products can be sorted for recycling along with other materials.
• Steel materials can be placed in bins along the curb for collection, or residents take recyclables to
collection sites.
• Steel products are recycled at the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). Steel products are magnetically
separated from other recycles.
• Recycled steel (scrap) is made into new products.
EXTENSIONS:1. Sculpt a replica of the Vulcan statue (located in Birmingham) using soap or clay. In Roman mythology, he
is the God of Iron.
2. Have students create a flow chart depicting a steel product going through the recycling process.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Steel Can Recycling Association, Inc., Two Gateway Center, Suite 720, Pittsburgh, PA 15222, (412) 281-
5655.
192
193
Teacher Handout
Group Directions
Use art supplies to illustrate
empty steel cans.
Use art supplies to illustrate
large trucks such as garbage
trucks.
Use art supplies to illustrate a
large area filled with various
steel materials (appliances,
cans, cars.
Teacher Directions -
Cut apart and give each group
one assignment.
Use art supplies to illustrate a
neighborhood of homes.
Use art supplies to illustrate
sorted garbage cans (a box of
steel) at the end of the
driveway or basement.
Use art supplies to illustrate a
large magnet.
Use art supplies to illustrate
paint cans or food cans on the
shelves in the stores.
194
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Observe the neutralization process of toxic wastes.
2. Identify common toxic wastes.
3. Identify safe ways to dispose of hazardous materials.
4. Construct “ugly jars” - containers that stored toxic wastes
during Colonial times.
BACKGROUND:Toxic wastes consist of wastes that contain poisons and, when
improperly managed, can pose a great threat to human health or
the environment. Toxic wastes include inorganic toxic metals,
acids, salts, or bases. They include synthetic organic chemicals
such as the insecticides DDT and DDE as well as herbicides.
One method for dealing with toxic wastes is to neutralize them.
Their effectiveness is counteracted by the application of
chemicals that change their toxic state.
In the present day, toxic materials are labeled with a specific sign.
Poisonous materials existed in Colonial times as well. During that
historical period, hazardous materials were stored in “ugly jars”.
These “ugly jars” were constructed with clay and had hideous
faces.
VOCABULARY:acid - any compound that reacts with a base to form a salt
base - a chemical compound, like ammonia, that reacts with an
acid to form a salt
chemical reaction - chemicals are changed into different substances
herbicide - a plant killer
insecticide - an insect killer
neutralization - the process in which toxic wastes react with another chemical to produce a harmless
substance
toxic waste - poisonous waste
ugly jars - containers that stored toxic wastes during Colonial times
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. The day before:
• Stir a teaspoon of cornstarch into one quart of water.
• Bring the cornstarch to a boil.
• Allow the mixture to cool.
• Add a few drops of iodine until the liquid is a dark, blue-black color.
• Crush 500 mg of ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) tablets into a powder.
• In a separate container, dissolve the powder in several ounces of water
NOTE: Try the demonstration yourself using some of the solutions. If the color does not disappear from
the iodine/starch solution, add more Vitamin C.
Seeing Is Believing
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, History
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:cornstarch
water
several drops of tincture of iodine
500 mg of ascorbic acid (vitamin C),
crushed
a large clear jar
baby food jars or pimento jars (one per
student)
materials to decorate “ugly jars”
poisonous symbols sheet
Legacy Hazardous Household
Materials Wheel
195 www.legacyenved.org
2. Gather materials for the “ugly jars”.
3. Construct an “ugly jar” to display as an example.
4. Copy student activity page.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Display containers that hold toxic wastes. Include the example of the “ugly jar” you crafted.
2. Discuss the importance of properly identifying containers of dangerous materials.
3. Brainstorm ways to deal with the disposal of toxic wastes.
4. Use Legacy Wheel to learn appropriate methods of disposing of toxic wastes.
Activities1. Demonstrate the neutralization process.
• Show the starch/iodine solution (made in advance).
• Explain that the dark color represents a toxic chemical.
• Remind the students what a chemical reaction is.
• Add the Vitamin C solution to the starch/iodine solution.
2. Discuss what happened, focusing on the process of neutralization.
3. Create “ugly jars” by decorating baby food jars, or pimento jars, with craft materials.
• Discuss the purpose of “ugly jars” using the Background information.
• Show the class an example.
4. Share modern day symbols (see sheet included) used to indicate hazardous substances including toxic
ones.
Follow-Up1. Have the students survey their homes for hazardous wastes using the checklist included. (Include a waste
wheel or related publication for proper handling and disposal).
2. Display the “ugly jars”.
3. Have students describe the neutralization process.
EXTENSIONS:1. Research other methods of waste disposal throughout history.
2. Brainstorm ways that the “safe” waste produced by the neutralization process can be safely disposed.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Tennessee Valley Authority. A world of resources. TVA/ONRED/L & ER/86/52.
The Education Center, Inc. (Feb/Mar 1993). Wising up about waste. The intermediate mailbox, (Vol. 15, p.
43).
Hazardous Household Materials Wheel, Legacy, Inc., P.O. Box 3813, Montgomery, AL 36107,
www.legacyenved.org, 1-800-240-5115.
196
Student Activity Sheet
NAME: ___________________________________
Is Your Home a Hazardous Waste Site?
Some substances in your home should not be poured down the drain or toilet, placed
in the trash, dumped out on the ground, or poured in the water because they are
toxic. Look for the following substances in your home. Check whether they will be
used up or thrown away.
197
Location Substance Found in Home To be used up To be thrown away
anti freeze
auto wax
car battery
gasoline
motor oil
paint
paint thinner/remover
insecticide
weed killer
ammunition
artist’s painting supplies
bathroom cleaner
batteries
fire extinguisher
floor care products
fluorescent lights
furniture polish
lighter fluid
moth balls
nail polish remover
oven cleaner
rat poison
Others
Household
Lawn
Workshop
Garage
198
Tab
le O
f P
laca
rds
An
d T
he
Init
ial
Res
pon
se G
uid
es
To U
se O
n S
cen
eU
se t
his
tab
le o
nly
if
mat
eria
ls c
annot
be
iden
tifi
ed b
y u
sing s
hip
pin
g p
aper
s, n
um
ber
ed
pla
card
, or
ora
nge
pan
el n
um
ber
.
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Discover containers that are safe for storing corrosive
materials.
2. Observe the corrosive effects of salt and vinegar.
BACKGROUND:Toxic wastes are often stored over a period of time to await safe
disposal. However, corrosive toxic waste is sometimes put in
containers that can be dissolved or eaten away. Then the toxic
waste can leak out. Strong and corrosive toxic materials must be
stored in the correct kind of container.
VOCABULARY:corrosive toxic waste - waste that can eat away or chemically
react to corrode and dissolve other substances
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
2. Use the screwdriver to make several deep scratches on the
inside of the steel can and the aluminum can.
3. Copy the students activity page for each student.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Discuss the effect of storing corrosive materials over a long
period of time.
2. Display the different containers and ask students to predict
which containers would best store a corrosive chemical.
3. Use the student activity page to answer questions l and 2.
Save pages.
Activity1. Show how corrosive substances can be safely stored.
• Dissolve two tablespoons of salt in a quart of vinegar.
• Place all six containers in the plastic tray.
• Pour some of the vinegar/salt solution into each container.
• Cover each container with plastic wrap and secure it with a rubber band to prevent evaporation.
• Place the containers in a safe place where they will not be disturbed.
2. Inspect the containers periodically for any signs of corrosion. (This could take as long as two weeks.)
3. Explain that the solution of vinegar and salt is an acid. Acids react with metals causing them to corrode.
Corrosive chemicals often leak through the steel drums used for storage.
4. Complete the student activity page.
Roll Out The Barrels
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period (with a one to two
week time lapse)
Materials:steel can (soup)
aluminum can (soda)
plastic jar
glass jar
screwdriver
paper cup
Styrofoam cup
plastic wrap
plastic tray
vinegar
rubber bands
tablespoon
measuring cup
activity page
beads
tag board
199 www.legacyenved.org
Follow-Up1. Collect and review for understanding.
2. Discuss the results of this activity.
EXTENSIONS:1. Demonstrate the corrosive effects of soaking copper wire in vinegar for a couple of days.
2. Investigate the rates of corrosion depending upon the climate. (Salt causes corrosion at the beach.)
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Tennessee Valley Authority. Waste: A hidden resource. TVA/ONRED/L&ER/87/14.
The Education Center, Inc. (Feb/Mar 1993). Wising up about waste. The intermediate mailbox, (Vol. 15, p.
45).
Cash, T. Parker, S. & Taylor, B. (1989). 175 More science experiments to amuse and amaze your friends.
New York: Random House.
200
201
Ste
el C
an
(S
ou
p)
Dra
w a
pic
ture
.
Pre
dic
tion
(Ch
eck
wh
ich
con
tain
ers
wil
l
safe
ly s
tore
corr
osi
ve
wast
e.)
Lab
el e
ach
as
corr
osi
ve
wast
e
or
non
-
corr
osi
ve
wast
e.
Gla
ss J
ar
Pla
stic
Jar
Alu
min
um
Can
Pap
er C
up
Sty
rofo
am
Cu
p
Roll
Ou
t T
he
Barr
els
Student Activity Sheet
202
Student Activity Sheet
Roll Out The Barrels
1. Draw a picture of the six containers.
2. Circle the containers that you predict will safely store corrosive waste.
3. What changes occurred over a period of time?
4. What did you learn from this experiment?
5. Use the chart below to compare and contrast vinegar/salt solution with corrosive waste.
Salt or Vinegar Solution Both Corrosive Waste
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Discover how groundwater can become contaminated.
2. Record observations and data.
BACKGROUND:Groundwater can be contaminated by chemicals poured on the
ground, landfill seepage, and leaking underground tanks. Since
groundwater is used for drinking water, it is important to keep it
clean.
VOCABULARY:groundwater - water found in the porous spaces of soil and rock
well - a hole sunk into the Earth to get water
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
2. Soak the sponge in dark food coloring (at least 30 drops) and
let it dry overnight.
3. Fill the dishpan half full of sand.
4. Use the nail to punch holes in the bottom of the large paper
cup.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage Discuss groundwater using the background information.
Activity1. Demonstrate how groundwater can be contaminated.
• Place the tube upright in one corner of the dishpan so that it is partially buried.
• Use the cup to sprinkle water on the sand until it is visible in the tube.
• Explain to students that this is groundwater.
• Tell them the tube represents a well.
• Demonstrate how water can be removed from the well using the baster or paint brush and put some of it
in one of the clear jars (control).
• Bury the sponge in a shallow spot at the opposite end of the tray. It represents toxic waste that is to
buried in a landfill.
• Pour water onto the landfill site (the sponge) one cup at a time.
• Draw water from the well periodically and examine it in the other clear jar. Compare it to the control jar.
Compare the following school day. (The well should appear more saturated than first observed.)
2. Complete the student activity page during the demonstration.
Follow-Up1. Discuss how the water might be restored to a clean condition.
2. List ways groundwater can be contaminated.
Fetch A Pail Of Water
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:large dishpan
sand: enough to fill half of a dishpan
clear plastic tube about 6” long
large paper cup
two identical clear jars
1” x 1” sponge
food coloring
turkey baster or small paint brush
nail
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EXTENSIONS:1. Conduct an experiment using different types of soil in the dishpan.
2. Research different types of wells.
3. Write a story centered around a well.
4. Invite a County Extension Agent to speak to the class.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:The Education Center, Inc. (Feb/Mar 1993). Wising up about waste. The intermediate mailbox, (Vol. 15, p.
45).
Watt, F. (1991). Planet Earth: Usborne science and experiments: A practical introduction with projects and activities. London: Usborne Publishing Ltd.
204
205
Student Activity Sheet
Down The Drain
Fetch A Pail Of Water1. What do each of the materials in the experiment represent?
2. Predict what will happen if it “rains” and the well continues to be used.
3. How many cups of “rain” will it take the contaminated groundwater to reach the well?
4. Describe how the well might be restored to a clean condition. Create a practical plan.
Draw a Picture. Tell what it represents.List the material.
Tube
Sand
Sponge
Prediction
Actual
# of cups
Notes
206
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Predict the filtration process of contaminated water.
2. Observe a simulation of sedimentation and filtration.
BACKGROUND:Toxic chemicals can get into public water supplies. Polluted
water appears cloudy when it contains suspended solids. These
particles can be removed by sedimentation. If the water still
contains tiny solid matter, another treatment method called sand
filtration can be used.
VOCABULARY:contaminated - impure and corrupt
sand filtration - the process of straining out solid particles
through sand
sedimentation - when wastewater is allowed to stand in pools so
that particles will settle
suspended solids - particles floating in a liquid
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
2. Copy student activity sheet.
3. Collect pictures of water sources.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Display pictures of bodies of water. Try to include examples of rivers, puddles, lakes, and a variety of
sources.
• Discuss the unhealthy habit of drinking from these water sources.
• Ask students to predict how the water goes from unclean to drinkable when it comes out of a house’s
faucets.
• Share answers.
2. Tell students that they will learn how to remove solid matter from water.
Activity1. Demonstrate the sedimentation process. (This may be done as a teacher demonstration or as individual
activities.)
• Fill a jar(s) half full with water.
• Add two teaspoons of soil to the jar(s).
• Secure the lid on the jar(s).
• Shake the jar(s) vigorously.
• Allow the jar(s) to stand undisturbed for one hour.
• Help students notice that the large particles have sunk to the bottom.
• Remind students that the process of sedimentation allows wastewater to stand in pools so that particles
will settle.
Filtration Sensation
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One or two class periods (this is an
activity with a one-hour time lapse)
Materials:two glass pint jars (for teacher
demonstration)
one jar lid or two baby food jars per
student
funnel
paper towel or coffee filter
clean white sand
soil
water
teaspoon
207 www.legacyenved.org
2. Using the jars of settled sediment, demonstrate the process of filtration.
• Remind students that the water in the jar(s) may still be cloudy because very fine particles have not
settled on the bottom. These particles are removed by filtration.
• Line a funnel with a paper towel or coffee filter. A construction paper funnel may be made instead of
obtaining a class set of funnels if each student is participating.
• Fill funnels about 2/3 full of sand.
• Stand the funnel in the empty glass jar.
• Pour the water slowly from the first jar through the funnel. As the water passes into the empty jar, it
should be mostly clear.
Follow-Up1. Complete the student activity page.
2. Remind students that even though water may look clean, it can contain harmful substances.
EXTENSIONS:1. Take photos of the dirty water and then the filtered water for a visual reminder of the success of this
treatment process.
2. Take a field trip to a water treatment facility.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Cole, J. The magic school bus waterworks.
The Education Center, Inc. (Feb/Mar 1993). Wising up about waste. The intermediate mailbox, (Vol. 15, p.
45).
Savan, B. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto Kids: Can Press Ltd.
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209
Filtration Sensation
1. Write a hypothesis for this experiment. What do you think will happen to the soil in the water?
2. Record the data observed and collected during your experiment on the chart.
3. Look at your data and draw a conclusion about sedimentation and sand filtration.
4. How would you rate the success of the experiment? Check one below.
5. Draw a picture of another experiment you might like to try concerning the treatment of contaminated
water.
What I observedWhat was done
Student Activity Sheet
Notes
210
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Observe the method used for removing dissolved chemicals
from waste.
2. Predict ways to dispose of harmful solid wastes safely.
BACKGROUND:Many harmful chemicals cannot be filtered out of the water
supply because they are dissolved. If poisonous chemicals are
dumped into the streams and rivers, living things could be
harmed. The chemicals must be separated from the water.
VOCABULARY:chemical - a substance used in factories, farms, and homes for a
variety of purposes such as cleaning, painting, killing pests,
and helping maintain vehicles
dissolve - to break down and become a liquid
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Collect supplies.
2. Fill a clear glass with water.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 1. Hold up the clear container containing water.
2. Ask the students if it is possible that invisible poisons could exist in the water without our knowledge.
3. Using the background information, discuss dissolved chemicals in water.
4. Inform students that they will observe a simulation of how dissolved substances are removed from water.
ActivityDemonstrate the removal of dissolved chemicals from water.
• Dissolve three tablespoons of salt in a pint glass container of water to represent poisonous chemicals.
• Add about ten drops of blue food coloring to the water to represent poisonous chemicals.
• Pour 1/4 cup of the water solution into a shallow dish.
• Allow the water to stand undisturbed in a warm spot for several days. As the water evaporates, blue salt
crystals will be left behind.
• Explain to students that the remaining chemicals (the blue salt crystals) are still dangerous. They now
must be disposed of in solid form.
• Demonstrate this by carefully placing the crystals in the sealed container.
• Brainstorm ways that this chemical can now be disposed of safely.
Follow-Up1. Create a picture depicting hazardous waste disposal solutions.
2. Share the pictures.
Crystallizing The Problem
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:One class period; daily maintenance
and observation for three or more days
Materials:water
salt
pint jar
shallow nonmetal dish
blue food coloring
small sealed container
tablespoon
drawing paper
clear glass with water
211 www.legacyenved.org
EXTENSIONS:1. Investigate ways local companies safely dispose of chemicals that easily dissolve in water.
2. Visit a water treatment plant.
3. Ask an Extension Agent to test the school’s water for chemicals.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:The Education Center, Inc. (Feb/Mar 1993). Wising up about waste. The intermediate mailbox, (Vol. 15, p.
43).
Mandell, M. (1989). Simple science experiments with everyday materials. New York: Sterling Publishing
Co., Inc.
Savan, B. (1991). Earthcycles and ecosystems. Toronto Kids: Can Press Ltd.
212
WASTE MANAGEMENT
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Understand that many items can have more than one use.
2. Create toys from common household trash.
3. Construct a bird feeder from common household trash.
BACKGROUND:Many people discard products and materials in the trash that
could be reused. Common household trash can be reduced by
extending the life of some products. Finding creative ways to use
discarded containers can be an enjoyable challenge and provide
useful items. Encourage students to be creative as they learn to
reuse waste and save money!
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather supplies.
2. Copy student handout.
3. Ask students to bring in a commercially produced ring toss
game and a scoop ball set.
4. Construct an example of each toy.
PROCEDURE:Setting the Stage 11. Display the commercially produced toys and the toys you
made from household trash.
2. Discuss the cost effectiveness of making your own toys.
Setting the Stage 21. Discuss the importance of reusing materials.
2. Develop a list of common items that can be reused and the
new use(s) for each.
Activity 11. Make a ring catch according to the picture. 2. Make a scoop ball game according to the picture.
Activity 2Construct bird feeders using the drawing for models. Remember to punch small drain holes in the bottom of
the containers for drainage.
Playing With Rubbish
Grades:3-5
Subject:Art
Time Needed:One or two class periods
Materials:ring catch (per person)
one pencil
one lid from any plastic container
scissors
string
scoop ball (per person)
plastic detergent scoop
ball (ping pong or one made from foil)
clean household containers (milk
cartons, bleach bottles, coffee cans)
jar lids
sticks, dowels, or the cases from old
plastic markers (for perches)
wire
string
wire cutters
bird seed
www.legacyenved.org213
Follow-Up1. Brainstorm other toys that could be made from trash.
2. Discuss the proper locations for hanging a bird feeder.
3. Inform students of their responsibility for:
• Maintaining a continuous supply of food once feeding is initiated.
• Keeping the feeders clean.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:The University of North Alabama Environmental/Energy Education Center. (April, 1991). The
environmental awareness activities guide for grades K-6.
214
215
Home, Tweet Home
ONION SACK SUET FEEDER
MILK CARTON FEEDER
DETERGENT BOTTLE
FEEDER
COFFEE CAN FEEDER
PIE PLATE FEEDER
MILK JUG FEEDER
Notes
216
INTRODUCTION TO NATURAL
RESOURCES
What Are Natural Resources?
A good working definition of Natural Resources requires defining the two words, natural and resources,
separately and combining those definitions. “Natural” can be defined as something present or produced, in
nature. “Resource” can be defined as that which is useful and for which there is an available supply. By
combining these two definitions, “natural resources” can be defined as something present in, or produced by,
nature with an available supply that can be drawn upon when needed. Natural resources also can be
categorized as earth materials and as all life forms. Those natural resources include air, water, soils, natural
vegetation, and all rocks and minerals.
Who Uses Natural Resources?
People use natural resources. Every aspect of life requires that we use natural resources. When one gets up in
the morning and eats breakfast, one is using natural resources. The electricity that turned on the lights, the
water in the shower, and the food that is on the table came from natural resources. All day long we use natural
resources. Sometimes they are used in other ways, such as enjoying one’s surroundings by visiting a state or
national park or forest.
Alabama’s Natural Resources
Alabama is fortunate in that it has an abundance of many natural resources. Farmers use the soil to produce
many products, such as cotton, potatoes, tomatoes, and peanuts. On some areas of land, trees are grown to
produce wood to build houses and to make paper for many purposes. In recent years, oil (a product that we
use every day) has been found, and drilled, for in Mobile Bay. Across the state, people use water to produce
electricity (hydroelectric dams) and to fish for food and sport. As one can see, Alabama has an abundance of
natural resources, BUT we must manage them correctly so that they will last for generations to come.
Conserving Our Natural Resources for Future Generations
It is important for Alabamians to pay close attention to the ways they manage natural resources. There are
many public and private organizations that work to assure that our natural resources are adequately
maintained, but, in the end, it is up to the individual citizen to do his or her part. Whether it is by picking up
trash, recycling, planting trees, or volunteering with an environmental organization, everyone makes a
difference, and everyone must help to insure that generations to come have the necessary natural resources.
217
218
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Construct salt dough maps to show the geophysical regions of
Alabama.
2. Describe the natural resources found in each region.
BACKGROUND:Alabama can be divided into five land regions: the Coastal Plain,
the Piedmont Upland, the Alabama Valley and Ridge, the
Cumberland Plateau, and the Highland Rim. The East Gulf
Coastal Plain is the largest land region with most of its land less
than 500 feet above sea level. The East Gulf Coastal Plain has
been considered the Timber Belt and is a major agricultural area.
The Piedmont is made up of low hills and sandy valleys. The
Ridge and Valley is rich in iron ore, coal, and limestone. The
Cumberland Plateau is sometimes called the Appalachain Plateau
and has tree-covered mountains. The Highland Rim is located just
north of the Tennessee River and is sometimes called the Interior
Low Plateau.
VOCABULARY:geophysical regions - the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, the Ridge
and Valley, the Cumberland Plateau, and the Highland Rim
East Gulf Coastal Plain - largest land region with most of its land less than 500 feet above sea level. It
covers most of the central and most of the southern parts of the state, and contains pine forests and rich
brown land.
Cumberland Plateau - sometimes called the Appalachian Plateau and has tree-covered mountains, flat land
and rolling hills, has excellent fauna
Highland Rim - located just north of the Tennessee River and is sometimes called the Interior Low Plateau.
The land is flat and is good for growing soybean, cotton and corn
Piedmont Upland - made up of tree-covered rolling hills and sandy valleys. These hills contain iron ore,
limestone and marble.
Alabama Valley and Ridge - rich in iron ore, coal, and limestone. The mountains are part of the Appalachian
Mountain range, contains limestone valleys and sandstone mountain ridges
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
PROCEDURE:Activity1. Place approximately four students in each group for this activity. Assign responsibilities before beginning.
• Have students label the geophysical regions on a blank paper map and discuss characteristics and
resources of those regions.
• Place the paper map on top of the cardboard. Secure the map with pins.
• Trace over the paper map outline, pressing hard to transfer the outline to the cardboard.
• Have students from each group measure one cup of flour and one cup of salt and place these ingredients
into sealable plastic bags. Shake bags to mix the contents. Students should have just enough water for
Salty Mapping
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Social Studies
Time Needed:Two 45-minute class periods
Materials:cardboard 8 1/2” x 11” or larger
plastic bags
map of Alabama per group
geophysical map of Alabama
paints
one cup of flour per group
one cup of salt per group
219 www.legacyenved.org
each bag of ingredients to moisten the contents. They should begin mixing the dough in the bag until it
forms a ball. When a ball is formed, students should take the ball out and knead it.
• The dough can then be applied to the cardboard and spread out into the shape of Alabama.
• Allow the dough to dry for several days and then paint, using different colors for the different regions.
Follow-UpMaps should be checked for accuracy in labeling the geophysical regions.
EXTENSION:Students can prepare reports on the different regions including wildlife, plant life, and other resources
indigenous to the region.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Owsley, F. & Stewart, J. (1961). Know Alabama. Northport, AL: Colonial Press.
220
221
General Physiography
Notes
222
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVE:The student will be able to:
Discuss environmental issues and decisions concerning the use
and conservation of natural resources.
BACKGROUND:Many natural resources including iron ore, limestone, bauxite,
and coal are mined in Alabama. Mining these natural resources
may have environmental impacts such as pollution, erosion, and
the disturbance of the land. Though these environmental
problems may result, natural resources provide many benefits.
VOCABULARY:mineral - an inorganic substance found in nature such as gold,
silver, or iron ore
nonrenewable resource - a natural resource that, in terms of
human time scales, is contained within the Earth in a fixed
quantity and cannot be replaced
ore - a natural combination of minerals from which metals or
other valuable substances can be mined
reclaimed - returned to original condition
renewable resource - a natural resource, such as sun, wind, trees
(forestry), and fish (aquaculture), in abundance that is
continually produced.
strip mining - mining from an open mineral mine (coal, copper, zinc) where the topsoil is removed to expose
and extract the mineral
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Obtain all listed materials.
2. Prepare shoe box mining sites by putting sand, dirt, peanut M&M’s, and other natural material in the box.
The M&M’s should be buried in the dirt, and the dirt should then be slightly packed down. Add sand,
leaves, or grass. Note: If potting soil is used, add some water to moisten and leave overnight before mining
the M&M’s. Also, be aware of the number of M&Ms in each box - you might want to write the correct
number on the bottoms of the boxes and make certain each box contains the same number of candies.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stageDiscuss the mining process with the students.
Activities1. Put them into groups of four and assign them a mining site.
2. Tell students they represent a mining company and will do the following:
• Name their mining company.
• Find the ore (M&M’s) using skewers.
• Get the ore out of the ground using the tweezers.
• Get the mineral from the ore. (Get the candy coating off the peanut.)
• Dispose of the waste.
Mining
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:shoe boxes or plastic containers
sand
dirt
peanut M&Ms
leaves or grass
wooden skewers
tweezers
graph paper
play money
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3. Describe the process and how the materials are to be used.
• One person is in charge of the probe (skewer).
• One person is in charge of the tweezers.
• One person is in charge of getting the mineral from the ore.
• One person is in charge of keeping track of the amount of mineral.
4. Tell the students that this is not a race with the other mining companies. The goal of the activity is to
remove the ore from the ground without excessive, negative environmental impacts. Each company will
theoretically get $3,000 for each piece of mineral. They will be fined $2,000 each if:
• The mining site is not neat.
• The candy is in the sand.
• The site is not reclaimed.
5. Give the student 10 minutes to mine the ore, 10 minutes to process the ore, and 15 minutes to clean up.
6. Assign profits and fines. Use play money.
7. Allow each company to share its results, including how much money it earned.
8. Have the class plot the data from each mining company on a piece of graph paper. Students should tell
what they did to disrupt the environment, and what they did to reclaim the environment.
EXTENSION:Talk about how recycling things like aluminum (which Alabama manufactures) can help the environment.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Owsley, F. & Stewart, J. (1961). Know Alabama. Northport, AL: Colonial Press.
224
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Define appropriate cave terms.
2. Create stalactites and stalagmites from washing soda.
3. Discuss the formation of a limestone cave.
BACKGROUND:A cave is a natural hollow in the ground. The caves in Alabama
are in limestone rock.
The formation of a cave takes thousands of years and starts when
surface water trickles down through tiny cracks in rock. Since the
water contains carbon dioxide that has been absorbed from the
air, it forms a mild acid that eats away at the limestone. Traveling
underground, the water continues to eat away some rock
(limestone), thereby forming passages and caves.
As the water seeps through the cracks in limestone, it dissolves a
mineral called calcite that builds up in small layers. The odd
shaped rock formations that are formed are called speleothems.
The best-known ones are stalactites, which hang from the ceiling
like icicles, and stalagmites, which rise from the floor like pillars.
Sometimes they join and form a column.
The longest stalactite is about 23 feet long (in Ireland). The tallest
stalagmite is 98 feet tall (in France). The tallest known cave
column is 128 feet tall (in China).
Hundreds of cave painting sites have been discovered all over the world. Early artists began to engrave and
paint on cave walls over 30,000 years ago. They mixed their paints using charcoal, clay, plant juices, and
animal blood. Their four basic colors were black, white, red, and yellow. Some paint was rubbed on the
surface of the rock. Some was brushed on with animal hair or vegetable fiber brushes. Some was blown onto
the rock using hollowed-out bones.
Historians believe that the paintings were used during special ceremonies, which early people performed for
success in hunting the animals painted. Many paintings are high up on the cave walls and ceiling. Therefore,
the artists must have had ropes, ladders, or tree trunk scaffolding to reach them.
VOCABULARY:speleothem - an unusually shaped rock formation formed over thousands of years from built-up layers of a
mineral called calcite
spelunking - the sport of exploring caves and underground caverns
stalactite - a speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of a cave
stalagmite - a speleothem that builds up from the floor of a cave
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Obtain books and pictures about caves to make available to students.
What’s The Point?
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Social Studies, Art
Time Needed:Two class periods, ongoing project
Materials:thick yarn
two jam jars
saucer
teaspoon
clothes detergent
water
brown construction paper
tempera paint (black, white, red,
yellow)
straws
paint brushes
books and pictures about caves
225 www.legacyenved.org
2. Collect supplies.
3. Make copies of student activity pages.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stageHave students close their eyes in the darkened classroom and imagine what it would be like to be in a cave.
Then write the first 10 words describing how they
would feel.
Activities1. Fill the jam jars with warm water.
2. Dissolve as much washing soda as possible in
each, a little at a time. Arrange the jars side by side
with the saucer in between.
3. Arrange the yarn so that each end is in one of the
jam jars and the middle is hanging over the saucer.
4. Put a small mound (one teaspoon) of washing soda
on the saucer and leave the jar for several days.
Note: The water and washing soda solution in the
jars will drip onto the crystal in the saucer forming
a column.
Follow-Up1. Observe the formation of the speleothem.
2. Do cave painting (see background information).
• Have students pretend that they are early
Alabama Indians preparing for a big hunt. Use
fingers and paint brushes. Also, blow through
straws to paint on the construction paper cave
wall.
3. Decorate the student activity page.
4. Tell students an easy way to remember which
directions the speleothems grow is the following:
Stalactite has a C so it comes from the ceiling. Stalagmite has a G so it comes from the ground.
EXTENSIONS:1. Create a story about spelunking and getting lost among the speleothem.
2. Take a field trip to a commercial Alabama cave in the area.
3. Make a cave in the classroom out of a large cardboard box (such as a refrigerator box) and papier mache’.
Have students decorate the inside to look like a cave.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Wood, J. (1990). Caves. New York, NY: Scholastic, Inc.
226
Name: ____________________________
Label stalagmite, stalactite, and developing column.
Decorate the cave to complete the habitat.
Include bats, spiders, and a hibernating bear.
227
Notes
228
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Demonstrate how organisms leave traces.
2. Locate regions of the state that contain rock units formed
during three geological eras including the Mesozoic era (the
Age of the Dinosaurs) on a map of Alabama.
3. Discuss the uses of limestone rock.
BACKGROUND:Living things have existed on the Earth for at least 3,800,000,000
(3.8 billion) years. To give an idea of how much time this is,
imagine this time period shrunk to one year. To do this, one
would have to compress 120 years into one second.
The creatures that have lived in the past have left evidence of
their former existence. These include fossils or imprints of bones,
shells, leaves, and other body parts. Another kind of evidence of
former life is not part of the organism itself. Everywhere you go,
you leave evidence of your passing; footprints are a prime
example. Some other examples are seat marks where you sit on
the ground, broken branches where you walk through the woods,
tire tracks where you and your family drive off pavement.
Animals leave other kinds: alligators make tail-dragging grooves,
and bears leave resting marks where they lie in the mud.
Fossils are often found in limestone, a sedimentary rock. Sedimentary rock is used to make cement, building
materials, and glass. It is an ingredient in agricultural lime used on soil by farmers. Chalk, a type of
sedimentary rock, is formed from pure limestone. Gas and petroleum may be found in large limestone
deposits.
Many fossils can be found across Alabama, but only the Black Belt area contains dinosaur fossils. Dinosaur
means terrible lizard; however, the word is a bit of a misnomer because dinosaurs are more closely related to
birds.
The Age of Dinosaurs actually occurred during the age of reptiles, the Mesozoic Era (245-65 million years
ago). This was an era when life on Earth evolved quickly to cover the land with a wide array of plants and
animals. For much of the preceding era, the Paleozoic life existed primarily in the sea, and the land was
relatively sparsely settled. The most recent era, the Cenozoic Era, witnessed the flourishing of mammals and
Homo sapiens (people).
Across Alabama, surface rocks can be found representing each of these eras including the amazing Mesozoic
Era, The Age of Dinosaurs. Rock regions of Alabama separate the state into regions of similar surface
appearance and geologic history. The northern half of Alabama is composed of Paleozoic rocks more than 225
million years old--too old for dinosaurs but with many other fossils. At the Fall Line begins the Mesozoic
rocks of dinosaur age. Since the Jurassic and Triassic rocks are missing, there are no fossils in Alabama from
these periods; but the Cretaceous is well-represented, especially in the fossil-rich Black Belt, an old sea
bottom.
Down Home Dinosaurs
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Geology, Paleontology
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:waxed paper
tape
clay
seashell
petroleum jelly
small milk carton
water
plastic spoon
plaster of paris
229 www.legacyenved.org
VOCABULARY:Cenozoic Era - the time in the history of the Earth, about 65 million years ago to present, when recent life
evolved on the Earth
fossil - trace or remains of an organism that was once alive
Mesozoic Era - the time in the history of the Earth, about 65 to 250 million years ago, during which reptiles
were the major life form; the Age of the Dinosaurs
Paleozoic Era - the time in the history of the Earth, about 250 to 570 million years ago, when many new life
forms appeared; the Age of Invertebrates
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Make a transparency of the enclosed map.
2. Gather all materials.
3. Mix plaster of Paris according to the package directions.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Discuss the difference between mold and cast fossils. A mold forms when an object falls on sediment such
as clay. If the clay remains undisturbed and hardens, the shape of the object is preserved. As the object
decays, the shape fills with new sediment that hardens, forming a cast.
2. Read background information to the class and use a transparency of the Alabama map to discuss
Alabama’s rock regions.
ActivityHave students follow this procedure.
• Tape wax paper to your desk for the work
surface. Press a ball of clay into a circle about 1/2
inch thick. Coat the clay with petroleum jelly.
• Press the outside of a shell into the clay. Cup the
clay around the shell.
• Remove the shell. This forms the mold, leaving
the shape of the shell in the clay.
• Carefully remove the plaster shape from the clay.
This is the cast. A cast fossil forms when a mold
fossil fills with sediment and hardens.
• Ask the students if preserved prehistoric bones
and shells are fossils. (They are.) Now ask them
if they know another kind of fossil. If necessary,
help them to realize that footprints can be fossils,
too. Ancient footprints, including dinosaur
footprints, are trace fossils. They are preserved
when fine sediment covers a layer containing
footprints and fills the footprints. In this
experiment, the plaster of Paris functions as the
covering sediment.
• After the casts have hardened (consult package,
but this will take almost an hour), the students
may pick up and keep their trace “fossils.”
230
Follow-Up1. Have students share their fossils with the class.
2. Have students write essays describing how traces are formed and what they can teach us.
3. Plan an imaginary dig or expedition and share ideas about what the class discovers.
EXTENSIONS:1. Dampen and flatten sand in a sand box and walk across the sand, leaving footprint tracks. Pour plaster of
Paris into prints and discuss how tracks can be preserved. Repeat the experiment with pets or by manually
moving objects over or pressing them into sand. Compare results of dry versus wet sand.
2. Borrow some fossil traces from a geologist, the Geological Survey of Alabama, natural history museum, or
possibly a guest speaker and show the students traces like the ones they made can be preserved as fossils
in rock for millions of years.
3. Have the students brainstorm all the ways they can think of that animals (and plants) can create traces.
(Some examples are listed in the background section.)
4. Take a field trip to a museum to view fossils or go on a fossil dig.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Alabama Museum of Natural History in Tuscaloosa. www.museums.ua.edu
Baylor, B. (1984). If you are a hunter of fossils. New York, NY.: Aladdin Books, Macmillan Publishing
Company.
Geological Survey of Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
Mankiewics, C. & Mendelson, C. (1993). On the rocks. Society for Sedimentary Geology.
Pearce, Q.L. (1989). Quicksand and other earthly wonders. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Silver Burdett Press,
Inc.
231
Alabama Rocks
232
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Determine the amount of water used or misused daily in a
home.
2. Identify certain ways to conserve the use of water.
3. Discuss why water is essential for day-to-day living and how
water contributes to the standard of living for Americans.
BACKGROUND:Water conservation is important in all states and for all
individuals. Because water has so many uses, the more water we
conserve, the more water there is available for other uses.
Many homes waste water daily. This can be prevented with a
simple method as well as becoming water conscious. We use
water in everyday life. If you thought water was just for bathing,
drinking, and swimming, then you’re wrong!
Water Facts:
• It takes 1,800 gallons of water to produce cotton in one pair of jeans.
• It takes 400 gallons of water to produce cotton for one shirt.
• It takes 4,000 gallons of water to grow a bushel of corn.
• It takes 11,000 gallons of water to grow a bushel of wheat.
• It takes 1,000 gallons of water to grow enough wheat to make two one-pound loaves of bread.
• It takes 4,000 gallons of water to produce one pound of beef, so it takes 1,000 gallons of water for a
Quarter Pounder at McDonald’s.
• It takes 16.5 gallons of water to manufacture a 12-ounce Coke.
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Copy five pages of the water dollars for each student. Label a cardboard box Water Bank and place it
where the students can see it. Fill the two-liter soft drink container with water and place it next to the
Water Bank.
2. Make a water-use poster. See attachments.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Discuss the useful and wasteful practices of water use.
2. Explain to the students that they are going to examine how they each use water by playing a water game.
To learn about water use, each student will be required to pay for the water he/she uses with the water play
money.
Activities1. List on the chalkboard as many uses of water as possible. The poster provides some general categories.
Have students identify the type of water use for each item on the list--in water, on water, and with water.
Example: Students swim in water, boat on water, and wash with water.
2. Pass around the two-liter soft drink container. Explain that the soft drink container contains two liters of
water.
The Value Of Water
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods, ongoing
Materials:collection box
a two-liter soft drink container
233 www.legacyenved.org
3. Give each student one sheet of water dollars. Have each one cut out the play money and write his/her
name on each dollar. Note that on each page there are three one-liter, three five-liter, four ten-liter, and two
twenty-liter water dollars - a total of 98 liters of water dollars per page. Each student will start with a total
of 490 water dollars. They will be required to make change for certain water uses.
4. Pass out the Water Tally Worksheet and have students use it at school and at home for one 24-hour day to
determine if their homes conserve or waste water.
5. Each time a student uses water at school or at home, it will cost the listed amount of water dollars
specified on the Water Use Chart. If a family chore is done using water the student must pay the Water
Bank for those activities. Have students pay before using water at school and in the morning after using
water at home. Place payments in the cardboard box labeled Water Bank.
6. Have students keep a record of how their dollars are spent by writing on the back of the dollars.
7. Discuss water usage and pay the Water Bank.
Follow-Up1. After students do their home tally, combine student results and graph. Brainstorm how homes could
conserve water use. Examples could include:
• Not running water while brushing teeth.
• Not filling the bathtub completely when bathing.
• Running a full load of dishes in a dishwasher.
• Installing flow restrictors in showers and faucets.
• Fixing leaky toilets.
• Installing water conservation devices in toilets.
2. Evaluate the graph and tally worksheets for completeness and accuracy.
3. Play the water game for two more days. Follow the same procedure, except do not list the water uses on
the chalkboard. This time, at home and at school, have the students try the water-saving ideas identified by
the class. Each time a student uses water at school or at home, this usage will cost the student the dollar
amount identified on the Water Use Chart. If a family chore is done requiring water, a $5 payment must
also be paid to the Water Bank. If water saving measures are introduced, refund to the students the dollar
amounts listed in the column titled Potential Savings in Dollars. Each student begins with 1000 water
dollars (10.2 water dollar sheets). On the third day, have the students compare the water dollars they had
remaining after playing the water game the first time with the water dollars remaining after playing the
game the second time.
4. Discuss the possible consequences of running out of water dollars. Use the following questions for
discussion:
• What if there are no water dollars left?
• What can you do to get more water dollars?
• Is it fair to share water dollars with someone who used all of theirs?
• How could you have saved water dollars? If you played the game again, would you play any differently?
• Who used the fewest water dollars and why?
5. Have the students identify the uses of water they feel are the most important and then discuss ways to
conserve water. Other water-saving ideas not on the Water Use Chart include:
• Sweep patio or driveway instead of washing it.
• Install water-saving shower heads.
Install water-saving toilets.
• Only get water in restaurants when you are going to drink it.
EXTENSIONS:1. Make an appointment to meet the public service director or community affairs director of a local TV
station or radio station. Then create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) about the importance of
conserving water and ways homeowners can conserve.
2. Take a field trip to a local water sewage treatment plant or recycling center.
234
3. Determine the amount of water out of a faucet, shower head, or hose by using a calibrated bucket. Watch
and measure the volume of water that flows out in one minute. Your actual figures may differ from those
listed on the Water Use Chart.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Goodman, Billy. (1990). A kids guide to how to save the planet. New York: Avon Books.
Kids for saving earth. (1994, May). Chemtology magazine. (Vol 23. p.3).
The Earthworks Group. (1989). 50 simple things you can do to save the earth. Berkeley, CA: Earthworks
Press.
235
236
Water Use Chart
Water-saving suggestions
**
Water dollarsrequired
**AssumptionAmount in
liters
Use Category
Drinking Dailyrequirement
Per flush
Leave water onfor 2 minutes
Leave water onfor 1 minute
5-minute shower
1 load
1 load, automaticdishwasher
5 minutes tocomplete
Apply 2.5centimeters to 10
square meters
3
20
40
20
100
120
100
100
250
Toilet device
Brushing teeth
Washing hands
Shower
Washing clothes
Washing dishes
Washing car
Lawn watering
Water used* Potentialsavings
(in liters)
3
20
40
20
100
120
100
100
250 150
60
17
20
40
15
35
5 Tank displacement
Turn off water whilebrushing
Turn off water whilesoaping hands
Take a 3-minute shower
Washing full loads couldsave as much as 17%
Washing full loads couldsave as much as 17%
Turn off water when notwashing
Use native plants orplants that thrive on littlewater. Save as much as
60%
* Chart is based on the flow of water from a faucet, shower head, or hose of 20 liters per minute.
** Students give 1 water dollar for each trip to the drinking fountain. Five water dollars are required for 5 liters of water used, 20 water dollars are required for 20 liters of water used, etc. Saving 5 liters of water saves 5 dollars, saving 35 liters saves 35 water dollar, etc. Savings are given back to the students as refunds.
Source : Denver Water Department, Colorado River Water Conservation District
237
Wate
r T
all
y
238
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVE:The student will be able to:
Collect data on visits of insects, spiders, and birds to native
plants.
BACKGROUND:Many students do not realize the importance of native plants to
wildlife. When an area is disturbed for development, such as
constructing a building or a road, almost all the existing
vegetation needed by wildlife is removed. Often the displaced
wildlife will eventually return to take advantage of native plants
that regrow naturally or are replanted. The numbers and types of
animal visitors can be counted, tabulated, and analyzed to help
determine the relationship between native wildlife and native
plants.
VOCABULARY:endemic - regularly found in a particular locality; restricted or
indigenous to a certain locality
exotic - a species not native to the place where it is found
native - originating, grown, or produced in a particular region
pollination - when an insect or other agent pollinates plants by
carrying pollen from one plant to the stamen of another plant
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Gather materials.
2. Prepare copies of the survey sheet.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stageSurvey school ground to determine area to be used for outdoor
activities.
Activities1. If desired plants or trees are not readily available, obtain potted native plants from local nurseries. (Note:
Collecting or digging plants on public land is prohibited.) It is best to use several different species with at
least one plant for each cooperative learning group. (See included list.) Use field guides for groups to
identify plants and animals. The Planting Natives for Native Wildlife page is a general guide. Add local
wildflowers, shrubs, and trees on the school grounds as needed for observation.
2. Observe and record wildlife visits to native plants. (See Survey Sheet: Use a specific time period.
(Example: 8:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. each day for two days.)
3. Collect data over a period of time for compilation and analysis. Questions to be answered include: Which
plants hosted the most or fewest visitors? What types of birds, insects, or spiders visited? What times of
the day did plants receive the most or the least visitors?
Follow-Up1. Check data collection and graphing.
Gardening With Natives For Natives
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math, Language Arts
Time Needed:Weekly half-hour to one-hour sessions
during growing season for observation
and calculation; time to complete and
gather project data including graphing
and analysis -- could require two to
three hours
Materials:native plants (in pots or planted in
garden) such as those from attached
list
watering can
trowel
organic fertilizer
shovel and rake if planting
survey sheets for tabulating wildlife
visits
outdoor thermometer
any other weather monitoring
equipment available (humidity,
wind speed/direction, barometer)
field guides
239 www.legacyenved.org
2. Assign grade for analysis.
EXTENSION:Establish a native plant garden on school grounds.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Alabama Department of Conservation. Project WILD. Developing an outdoor classroom.
Field guides for plants, trees, insects, butterflies, and birds.
National Wildlife Federation. Developing a backyard wildlife habitat.
240
Planting Natives for Native Wildlife
241
WILDFLOWERS AND SHRUBS
Violets
Chickweed
Daisy fleabane
Oxeye daisy
Salvia
Oak leaf hydrangea
Queen Anne’s lace
Jewelweed
Trumpet creeper
Black-eyed Susan
Butterfly milkweed
Wild sunflower (Helianthus sp)
Viburnum
Hawthorne
Wild lettuce
Buttonbush
Mountain mint
Sumac (non-poisonous sp)
Burdock
Ironweed
Liatris/Blazing star
Canada thistle
Cardinal flower
Goldenrod
Bee balm
Butterfly bush
Wild rose
TREES
Oaks (champion wildlife tree)
Pines
Dogwood
Redbud
Hollies (Ilex sp)
Sourwood
Maple
Wild black cherry
Sweet gum
Black gum
Magnolia
Beech
Sassafras
Hickories
242
Day 1
Day 2
Vis
it
(Tim
e S
tart
ed -
En
ded
)C
om
men
ts /
Ob
serv
ati
on
s (I
ncl
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ild
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)
Su
rvey
Sh
eet
For
Wil
dli
fe V
isit
s
Gro
up
/Nam
e____________________________________
__
__
_
Date
________________________P
lan
t____________________
Wea
ther
Con
dit
ion
s
Tem
per
atu
re_________________H
um
idit
y________________
Win
d_______________________P
reci
pit
ati
on
_______
__
__
__
Air
Pre
ssu
re_________________C
lou
d C
over
__
__
__
__
__
__
_
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Identify ocean mussels as a source of food.
2. Identify and label the parts of a mussel.
3. Identify Alabama rivers and the Gulf of Mexico.
BACKGROUND:The mussel in a bivalve animal found in water. It is found in
many places in Alabama. The body of the mussel is covered by a
hard shell made from calcium carbonate. The two shells are
connected by a hinge that assists the mussel in opening and
closing. Inside the hard shell is the soft body of the mussel that
consists of a foot, stomach, heart, and gills.
Fresh water mussels are found in streams and lakes. On the inside
of mussel shells is a hard substance called mother-of-pearl.
Mother-of-pearl is used to make jewelry and buttons. Sea mussels
live in the ocean and several types may be eaten. The sea mussels
use the foot to spin a long thread called a byssus. This anchors
the mussel to a rock.
VOCABULARY:mussel - an ocean or freshwater animal covered by a hinged shell
byssus - a long, thin thread used by mussels as an anchor
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Purchase blue mussels from a seafood store or some grocery stores. Ask for the byssal threads to be left
attached.
2 Run off student activity page.
3. Make two overhead transparencies of the mussel. One transparency should list the parts of the mussel and
another without parts. Make transparency of the Alabama Rivers map.
4. Pass out plastic knives and paper towels to students.
5. Mix up a basic batter recipe.
6. Obtain an electric skillet, oil, and cooking utensils.
7. Copy the Bivalve Model.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Students should discuss and list known ocean and freshwater animals used for food. Use the Alabama
Rivers map transparency to locate Alabama rivers and the Gulf of Mexico which boarders 53 miles of
Alabama’s coastline.
2. Provide students with the activity page and discuss the mussel parts. The teacher should assist using the
overhead transparency.
3. Guide students in discussing differences between freshwater and saltwater mussels. (Freshwater mussels
have thicker shells than saltwater mussels. Saltwater mussels are attached by threads they produce.
Freshwater mussels are not attached. Freshwater mussels are partially buried in sand and gravel. Saltwater
mussels are fully exposed.)
How Strong Are Your “Mussels”?
Grades:3-5
Subject:Science
Time Needed:one to two class periods
Materials:blue mussels
plastic knives
paper towels
batter ingredients
electric skillet
oil
cooking utensils
plastic gloves
243 www.legacyenved.org
Activities1. Purchase mussels from a seafood store or some grocery stores.
2. Provide groups of students with a blue mussel (saltwater mussel).
• Give out one glove for each student.
• Direct students to examine the shell. The outer shell and inner shell have different textures. The inner
shell does not irritate the soft tender body of the mussel.
• Use a knife to open shells or microwave for 2 minutes until mussels pop open.
• Ask students to locate the byssal threads, foot, growth lines, edge of mantle, umbo, and excurrent siphon
on the exterior of the mussel.
• Using the plastic knives, disect the mussel.
• Locate and identify the inside parts named on the student activity page.
3. Open mussels saved for eating.
• Dip into batter and fry.
• Eat and enjoy.
Follow-UpUsing an overhead transparency of the mussel, have the students identify the parts. Cut and assemble Bivalve
Model.
EXTENSIONS:1. Compare mussel shells to other types of shell fish. Use reference books on shells to compare and contrast.
2. Use the mussel shells for an art project.
• Paint pictures inside the shell.
• Drill a small hole at the top and hang by a string.
3. Have students bring in jewelry made from mother-of-pearl.
RESOURCES:Butzow, C. (1989). Science through children’s literature. Englewood, CO: Teacher Ideas Press.
Jablonsky, A. (1991). Discover ocean life. Lincolnwood, IL: Louis Weber, C.E.O. Publications
International, Ltd.
Talbot, F. H. (1995). Under the sea. San Fransisco, CA: The Nature Company Discoveries Library.
The world book encyclopedia. (1987). (Vol. 13). Chicago, IL: World Book, Inc.
244
245
Excurrent Siphon
Mussel Exterior
Posterior
Adductor Muscle
Gront Lines
Pallial Lines
Mantle Edge
Mantle
Foot Retractor Muscles
Mussel Interior
Hinge Ligament
Umbo
Foot
Byssal Threads
Byssal Threads
Anterior
Adductor Muscle
Mighty Mussels
246
Fold
Foot
Siphon
Long side
Glue Foot
Glue Siphon
Shells
Directions:
1. Cut out shells, Foot, and Siphon.
2. Color them.
3. Glue the Foot inside the bottom
shell at the longer side of the
shell.
4. Glue the Siphon on the opposite
side of the shell.
5. Fold Siphon and Foot at middle
lines so that the dotted lines meet.
Bivalve Model
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Explain how individuals, industries, and organizations can
help protect environmental quality.
2. Describe how land-use decisions affect river quality.
3. Create an improved community by developing a city plan for
future development.
BACKGROUND:Land-use decisions in a community affect the quality of the
environment. Many land-use decisions, although appearing
positive for today, may have long-range negative effects. Before a
community makes any major decisions, it should carefully study
the possible positive and negative results. Although many land-
use decisions are complicated, effective compromises can often
provide for community needs and protect the quality of the
environment.
VOCABULARY:gabions - rock-filled wire baskets that are placed along stream banks to prevent erosion
runoff - water, including rain and snow melt, that runs into a larger body of water such as a river or a lake
ADVANCE PREPARATION:1. Prepare a set of fact cards for every group of four to six students. Laminate the cards for future use.
2. Divide students into groups of four to six.
3. Run two copies per group of the activity sheet 3, “Sunshine City.”
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Brainstorm the way community decisions concerning land use affect the environment.
• Explain that decisions made today must consider long-term results for the entire community.
• Record responses on the board.
2. Distribute “Sunshine City” Fact Sheets 1 and 2.
• Read Fact Sheet 1 together and locate the mentioned places on the drawing.
• Would you like to live here? Why or why not?
3. Explain that the City Council of Sunshine City is experiencing difficulty making decisions because of the
town’s rapid growth. You are the City Council and you must make wise, informed decisions.
Activities1. Meeting of the city council
• Distribute Fact Cards. Students should classify them as Postive for the city, Negative for the city, or both
Positive and Negative.
2. Historical perspective
•Draw what you believe Sunshine City looked like before people were there. Use student activity page 4,
pre “Sunshine City.”.
The Development Of Sunshine City:
Simulation Activity
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts, Social Studies
Time Needed:two class periods
Materials:pencil
colored pencils
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3. Planning for the future
• You cannot change the development that has already occurred, but it is your job to control the future
development of Sunshine City.
• Develop a plan for the next 10 years. What laws or rules would you make? What would you change?
What would you add to the community? Would you build a dam?
• Draw how you think Sunshine City looked about 100 years ago. Draw it 100 years in the future. Be able
to defend your decisions.
Follow-Up1. Each group will present its project to the class.
2. Discuss what problems were encountered by the group in making its decisions. How were disagreements
solved?
EXTENSIONS:1. Creative writing- You are the owner of Bailey Lumbering, Textiles Plus, the farm, or the recreation area.
Write a letter to the local newspaper about your views concerning the future plans for Sunshine City.
2. Design a new “Welcome” sign for Sunshine City.
3. Research the effect Wilson Dam or Wheeler Dam had on the Tennessee Valley region of Alabama.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:National Wildlife Federation (1988). Conserving America: Rivers resource guide. Washington, DC.
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Student Activity Sheet 1
Sunshine City Fact Sheet 1
Farm fertilizers increase crop yields.
Logging along streams decreases the
stream nutrient supplies because leaves
don’t fall into the water.
Logging may increase the silt in the
stream.
Dams provide electric energy, recreation
opportunities, flood control, increased river
transportation, and irrigation.
Many communities use sea walls or
gabions (baskets of wire filled with rocks)
along stream banks to prevent erosion.
If there is too much fertilizer in a stream,
plants may grow too fast and block or slow
the flow of the stream.
Public transportation (taxi, bus) decreases
traffic, oil, and grease on highways and
should lower accidents.
Farmers can do rotation farming (different
crops each year) and cut down on their
need for fertilizers.
Leaving woodlands along a river acts as a
buffer zone and limits runoff, erosion, and
protects animal habitats.
Activities upstream affect water quality
downstream.
Irrigation runoff often carries toxic
substances.
New industries can build retention ponds to
catch runoff and allow pollutants to settle
out before entering a local stream.
Logging, farming, and industry create
many job opportunities.
Fish ladders may be built at dams to allow
fish to move upstream.
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Student Activity Sheet 2
Sunshine City Fact Sheet 2
Many communities have recycling centers
for oil, paper, plastic, and glass.
Pesticides get into streams and may kill
aquatic plants and animals.
Nitrogen and phosphorous cause growth of
algae. Bacteria feed on algae and multiply.
They use up oxygen in the river.
Farmers may plant a grassy or wooded
buffer zone. They slow runoff and protect
the waterway.
When a dam is built, river habitats are
flooded. Plants and animal homes are
destroyed.
Some sewage treatment plants remove
nitrogen and phosphorous from the water
before it is released.
Many cities landscape their river banks to
prevent erosion and beautify their city.
Livestock, cows, and horses may trample
vegetation and cause erosion problems.
They may also drink, swim, and deposit
waste in the water.
Some communities are using non-polluting
energy sources such as wind and solar
power. This decreases oil and hydroelectric
use.
Some communities discourage pesticides
and fertilizer use in city lawns.
Many recreation areas spray for insect
control.
Boats with motors leave oil and grease on
the water.
Litter is a problem in many picnic and
recreation areas.
Some companies install special pollution
devices to cut down on air emissions.
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252
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVE:The student will be able to:
Make paper from pulp.
VOCABULARY:couching - taking a new sheet of paper from the mold and
allowing it to adhere to a blotter.
deckle - a frame that fits over the mold
mold - a frame covered with screening
pulp - the ground-up material, moistened with water, from which
paper is made
sizing - a substance added to give paper a certain surface or
finish
slurry - pulp mixed with enough water to make a liquid
wet leaf - the newly formed sheet of paper (before it is dried)
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Collect pulp materials.
• Recycle paper of all kinds.
• Experiment with plant fibers such as weeds, leaves, grasses,
sawdust, cornhusks, and straw. Cut them up and mix in a
blender with water.
2 Make the mold and deckle from two rectangular wooden
frames of the same size (the size wanted for the sheets).
• Staple fine screen on one frame for the mold.
• Use the empty frame.
3. Obtain a large container for the slurry.
4. Collect sponges, cloths, and other absorbent materials.
5. Gather other materials.
PROCEDURE:Activities1. Make new paper from recycled paper.
• Fill the blender about 3/4 full with water. Add the shredded paper (and perhaps other fibers). A bleaching
agent may be added at this stage. One tablespoon of starch for every two cups of water may be added for
sizing. If colored paper is desired, add dye (diluted with water) to the mixture. You may add a tablespoon
of colored latex paint instead. Blend until the mixture is finely ground and smooth.
• Hold the mold so the screen side is up. Place the deckle on top of the mold.
• Pour the slurry from the blender into the dishpan. Stir it to keep the particles from settling out. Holding
the mold and deckle firmly, scoop them down and under the water. Hold them level as you once again
stir the slurry (to get an even distribution on the screen). Avoid touching the screen since it will cause
matting of the particles. Gently shake the frames from side to side; and in one motion, lift the frames out
of the slurry. Keep them level at all times. Keep them over the dishpan. The water will run through the
screen and leave a thin layer of pulp (the wet leaf) on the screen. If the pulp is not smooth and even, the
paper will not be either. Wash off the screen and dip again until you get a good wet leaf. This takes some
practice. Finally, allow the mold and deckle to shed the excess water. Once most of the water has dripped
through, turn them vertically to drain. (The wet leaf will leave water marks, however.)
Start Shredding The News
Grades:3-5
Subject:Art
Time Needed:One to two class periods
Materials:large tub
dishpan or sink
two wooden frames (same size - one
with fine wire screening)
blender
blotters (cotton cloth, felt, or paper
towels)
rolling pin
iron
sponges
waste paper
bleach (optional)
colorant (optional)
gelatin or acrylic spray (optional)
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• Set the mold and deckle on a pad of dry cloths or paper towels.
Remove the deckle. Place a blotter of cotton cloths or paper towels
over the wet leaf and smooth gently. Then turn over the frame and
blotter (face down) on the table.
• Sponge excess water from the screen. Then carefully remove the
mold. If done correctly, the sheet will adhere to the blotter.
• Place more blotters on top of the new sheet. Use a rolling pin to
squeeze out any excess water. Flat cloths placed on top and wrung out
each time work well.
• Now decorate the paper by either of these optional techniques:
a. Brush a diluted dye solution on the damp sheet for a water color
effect.
b. Imprint a leaf, twig, or some other design by pressing it into the
sheet. Remove it when the imprint is made.
• When the sheet has been blotted thoroughly, iron the sheet between
several sheets of paper or cloth. Use the cotton setting on the iron.
2. Finish the sheet.
• After being ironed, the sheet may be sprayed with a clear acrylic
spray. Allow this to dry thoroughly.
• You may wait a day or two and press the sheet directly (with no cloth
or paper covering it) with the iron for a glossy surface.
• You may “size” your paper with gelatin. Heat 1-1/2 ounces of clear gelatin with one pint of water. Pour
the dissolved gelatin and water into a dishpan. Add a pint of cold water to the mixture. Slide a sheet of
dry handmade paper quickly into and out of the sizing mixture. Blot it and press it dry with an iron. This
will make the paper less absorbent.
• You may further decorate the paper with silk screening or block printing.
OTHER HINTS/SUGGESTIONS:• Paper should be finely shredded before mixing in the blender.
• Food coloring may be used as colorant.
• Screen splatter guards, such as those used over skillets, may be used to pour slurry through. Allow the
paper to drain overnight, then remove the screen. It can then be blotted and ironed using spray starch as a
sizing and finish. This paper is thicker and less smooth than using the deckle/mold method.
EXTENSIONS:1. Make a matching envelope.
• Choose a ready-made envelope of the size and shape you wish to make. Separate its glued seams and
spread it out flat.
• Use it as a pattern by laying it down on a sheet of the homemade paper and tracing it.
• Cut the traced pattern out of the sheet. Fold it to match the original envelope and glue it together at the
seams.
2. Visit a paper mill.
3. Invite a guest speaker from the paper industry.
4. Obtain pulp samples from a local paper mill. These can be frozen to preserve them.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:The University of North Alabama Environmental/Energy Education Center. (April, 1991). Environmental
awareness activity guide for grades K-6.
254
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Understand the effects of dye on the environment.
2. Make natural dyes using organic materials.
BACKGROUND:The products we purchase are often colored or printed with
synthetic dyes and inks. Some of the inks and dyes that are used
contain materials that could become hazardous to the
environment. As these harmful elements are extracted, toxic
residues could remain. It is important to look at natural ways to
dye materials and lessen the impact that synthetic dyes and inks
have on the environment.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Gather materials.
2. Store hard-boiled eggs in the refrigerator.
The night before :
3. Prepare the dyes.
• Boil a small amount of a source (see materials list) in two
cups of cold water.
• Simmer for 10 minutes, then turn off heat.
• Cover and steep for 30 minutes.
• Remove residues.
• Place in containers and refrigerate.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Ask students where the colors in their clothes come from. Do they know any sources for colors?
2. Discuss how things were colored in the past and what might have been used for inks and dyes.
3. Tell them that many of the colors used to make products today are derived from heavy metals.
Activities1. Show students the dyes that you prepared along with their source materials.
2. Assemble dyes, eggs, and recycled containers.
3. Dye the eggs in small groups. Coloring time varies according to the source used and the intensity of color
desired.
Follow-UpReview the benefits of using natural dyes.
EXTENSIONS:1. Have students experiment with making other natural dyes.
2. Use dyes for water coloring.
3. Use dyes for tinting while making paper from recycled paper.
Color My World Natural
Grades:3-5
Subject:Art, Science
Time Needed:One class period
Materials:chilled hard-boiled eggs
containers for heating, storing, and
dyeing
a choice of dyes from some of the
following sources:
walnut shells (lt. brown)
red cabbage (blue)
orange peels (yellow)
carrots (yellow)
fresh cranberries (dk green)
spinach (greenish gold)
portable electric burner
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ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:The University of North Alabama Environmental/Energy Education Center. (April, 1991). Environmental
awareness activities guide for grades K-6.
256
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Identify different types of regions and landforms unique to
Alabama.
2. Decorate a cake depicting Alabama’s regions and landforms.
BACKGROUND:The Coastal Plain covers the southern two-thirds of the state and
the western corner to Tennessee. It is an important farming
region.
The Black Belt is a narrow strip of rolling prairie. It was named
for its sticky black clay soils.
The Appalachian Ridge and Valley Region is an area of sandstone
ridges and limestone valleys. The region has coal and iron ore.
The Piedmont is an area of low hills. The soils have been badly
eroded. Most of the land is forest.
The Cumberland Plateau varies from flat to rolling land. The land
is used to raise poultry and grow cotton.
Alabama’s coastline extends for 53 miles (85 km) along the Gulf
of Mexico. It is an important harbor area.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Bake a sheet cake for each group according to the directions.
2. Precut each cake into the shape of Alabama. The map of
Alabama included may be enlarged. (You may also draw the
shape of Alabama onto the cake using a tube of frosting gel.)
3. Copy the region map for each group.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Review the background information about Alabama’s land
regions.
2. Share the ingredients used to illustrate the regions and products
of Alabama.
Activities1. Divide students into groups of four.
2. Instruct students to frost their cakes.
3. Apply the ingredients to show the regions and products using the map provided.
Follow-UpEat the cake and enjoy !
Home Sweet Home
Grades:3-5
Subject:Geography
Time Needed:45 minutes
Materials:one sheet cake for each group (may be
precut into shape of state)
light chocolate frosting to cover each
cake
landform and region ingredients as
follows :
mountains - chocolate chips or
Hershey’s Kisses
cornbelt - candy corn
grasslands - green coconut
Coastal Plain - cinnamon sugar
forests - mint tea leaves
waterforms - light blue icing
Black Belt - crushed chocolate or
chocolate sprinkles
soybeans - green jelly beans
iron ore - silver cake decorating
balls
peanuts - peanuts
poultry - yellow jelly beans
coal - licorice or miniature
chocolate chips
cotton - popcorn
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EXTENSIONS:1. Create Alabama sugar cookies.
2. Make a puzzle of the state out of empty cereal boxes.
3. Learn the Alabama State Song.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Alabama. (1988). World book encyclopedia. (Volume 1). Chicago: World Book, Inc.
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259
BLACK BELT
Regions And Products Of Alabama
Notes
260
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Draw and label the basic stages of the water cycle.
2. Recognize that flowing water provides energy.
3. Build a model showing that moving water provides energy.
BACKGROUND:The water cycle, powered by the sun, provides an endlessly
recycled energy resource: flowing water. Water evaporates as the
sun’s rays shine down on the Earth’s surface. The water vapor
condenses in the air, forming clouds and causing rain to fall.
Falling rain keeps rivers flowing. Flowing water can provide
energy for people to use.
Thousands of years ago, ancient people invented water wheels -
devices that harnessed the energy of flowing water for tiring and
time-consuming work, like grinding grain. As more machinery
was developed, water wheels became used for many more
purposes (milling lumber, finishing textiles, operating bellows in
metal-working factories, and others). Eventually, the refinement
of water wheels led to the development of turbines, which are
more efficient and powerful.
With the development of devices that use electricity and the
increased demand for it, turbines were used to generate electricity.
In order to generate commercial (large) quantities of electricity, turbines must spin very rapidly. This means
that the water must strike the turbines with great force. Constructing dams across rivers allows water to be
stored so that it can be used to generate power whenever needed and creates the force needed by the turbines.
To generate electricity, a control gate in the dam is opened, allowing water to rush through a tunnel-like
passage before striking the turbine. As the turbine spins, it, in turn, spins the generator. Within the generator,
the spinning causes electricity to be generated. This hydroelectric power (electricity from flowing water) is
then sent through the power system to be used for the many ways in which electricity makes our lives easier.
Hydroelectric generation is, in many ways, the best way to generate the amounts of power we demand. No
fuel is required, so it is both cleaner and cheaper than other conventional ways of generating electricity (fossil
fuel-burning plants and nuclear plants). In the Tennessee Valley where rivers are abundant, hydroelectricity is
an important part of the energy picture.
VOCABULARY:dam - a structure built across a waterway to block the flow of the waterway
generator - a machine that changes mechanical energy into electrical energy
hydroelectricity - electricity produced using the energy of flowing water
turbine - a device in which a bladed wheel is turned by the force of jets of water (or steam); connected by a
shaft to a generator
Energy From Water -
Free For The Taking
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Language Arts
Time Needed:Two to three class periods
Materials:milk cartons (half gallon)
scissors
razor/knife
compass
ruler
pencil
long thin nail
button
string
stapler
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water cycle - the natural cycle in which water evaporates from the surface of the Earth, rises through the
atmosphere, condenses, and returns to Earth as precipitation
water wheel (turbine) a wheel having blades or buckets and mounted on an axle; water striking the blades or
buckets causes the wheel to turn and powers the machinery attached to the axle.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Share the background information, as appropriate, with the class.
2. Show the students a glass of water and ask the following questions:
• Do you think this water can produce energy? How could it do this? (Lead the students to realize that the
energy of moving water could be used.)
• Does using water use it up? (Lead the students to recognize that we do not consume water when we use
it; water is continuously recycled.)
3. Make a transparency of the Teacher Sheet “The Water Cycle”, and use it to review the water cycle with
students.
4. Discuss the fact that using water’s energy requires no fuel and produces no pollution.
Activities1. Investigate how the energy of falling water is used.
• Share with the students the following information:
Today we are going to learn about the energy of falling water. We will do this by making and using a
waterwheel or turbine. Some power plants use falling water for energy to make electricity. Water held
behind a dam is released through large pipes down to a nozzle. The water squirts out of the nozzle with
great force, hitting a water wheel (turbine) and making it spin. This spinning turbine drives the generator
that makes electricity. This is how we get electrical energy from falling water. Electricity from falling
water is called hydroelectric power.
• Give each student a copy of the student sheet “How To Make A Water Wheel”. Give each student the
materials listed on the Student Sheet. (student activity sheet 1)
• Have each student demonstrate how the water wheel works at a sink or by holding it over a pan and
having a helper pour water onto it.
2. Investigate how hydroelectric dams work.
• Some electricity comes from dams. There are about 40 hydroelectric dams in the Valley region. Ask the
students if they can name the seven states that are part of the Valley region. (Tennessee, Alabama,
Georgia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Virginia, and North Carolina)
• Make a transparency of the Teacher Sheet “How A Dam Works”. Discuss with the students how a dam
uses the energy of falling water to produce electricity. A dam is used to store water. A gate in the dam
releases water through the dam as it is needed to generate electricity. The water rushes down a long
tunnel with tremendous force. It hits the turbine at the bottom of the tunnel and spins it around rapidly.
This spinning drives the generator that makes electricity.
• Divide the students into groups of three or four. Give each group a copy of “A Homemade Dam”
(student activity sheet 2) and the materials needed to build the models of dams. Have them build the
models.
• Have the students demonstrate how the energy of falling water spins turbines by holding the models
above the turbines they built and releasing water onto the turbines.
Follow-Up1. Have each student draw and label the basic stages of the water cycle.
2. Ask the following questions:
• How did we prove that flowing water provides energy? (Discuss the student activity.)
• What is another word for water wheel? (turbine)
262
• What do we call the electric power that we generate using falling water? (hydroelectric power or
hydroelectricity)
• What is the name of the machine that changes the energy of the spinning turbine into electrical energy?
(generator)
• What is one reason we build dams? (to use water energy to produce energy)
• Name three advantages of using falling water to produce electricity. (pollution-free, uses no fuel, no cost
for the water)
3. Have the students write a paragraph describing how flowing water is used to produce electricity in a dam.
A second paragraph describing the advantages of using water energy to produce hydroelectricity should
also be written.
EXTENSIONS:1. Have the students make a collage of magazine pictures showing ways to use electricity.
2. The students may write haiku poems about the water cycle. A haiku has three lines, the first has five
syllables, the second has seven syllables, and the third line has five syllables.
3. Have the students make posters of the water cycle.
4. Have the students research careers related to hydroelectric power.
5. Plan a field trip or encourage students to visit a dam that is a hydroelectric generating plant.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Fritz, S. (1984, March 30). Power from the ocean tides. Science world. pp. 12-14.
Gutnik, M. (1975). Energy: Its past, its present, its future. Chicago, IL: Children’s Press.
Hall, M.Y. (1972). Flowing water. Simple science experiences. (p. 8).
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The Water Cycle
EVAPORATION
GROUNDWATER
CONDENSATION
PRECIPITATION
SURFACE WATER
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POWERHOUSE
CONTROL GATE
WATER OUT
WATER IN
DAM
LAKE
GENERATOR
TURBINE
How A Dam Works
Student Activity Sheet 1
How To Make A Water Wheel
Materials: milk carton, scissors, compass, ruler, long nail, piece of string, button.
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1. Cut a side out of a milk carton.
2. Use a compass or a pattern to draw a circle
on the side of the milk carton. Cut it out.
3. Use a ruler to draw two dotted lines that
divide the circle into fourths. (Be sure the
lines go through the center of the circle.)
Cut along the dotted lines but not through
the center.
4. Fold down the edge of each fourth.
(See the picture)
5. Put a nail halfway through the center of
the circle. (Leave about half of the nail on
each side of the circle.)
6. Make your water wheel do some work.
attach a button to one end of a piece of
string. Tie the other end to the nail. Now,
hold the water wheel under running water.
The water will turn the wheel. The string
will wind around the nail and lift the
button.
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Student Activity Sheet 2
A Homemade Dam
Materials: milk carton, scissors or razor/knife, ruler, stapler
1. Cut out one side of the carton.
2. Cut two pieces (2”long x 1” wide) from
the side you cut out of the carton. Keep the
piece that is left over; you will use it too.
3. Cut a square hole about 1/2” wide and 1/2”
high out of the bottom of the carton. It
should be closer to the back of the carton
than to the side you cut out.
4. Staple the two strips onto the inside of the
carton on either side of the square hole.
5. Use the leftover piece to cut a strip that
will fit snugly between the two stapled
pieces. Tuck its edges between the stapled-
on strips and the carton’s bottom. Slide it
up and down to make sure it covers the
little square hole and it moves.
6. Cover the square hole and fill the carton
with water. Now you have a model of a
lake and a dam.
7. Pull up the strip. It acts as the gate on the
dam. What happens when you open and
close the gate?
Notes
268
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Describe many uses for solar energy.
2. Construct a solar water/soup cooker and evaluate the design.
3. Predict new uses of solar energy in the future.
BACKGROUND:One of the benefits of living in the South is that there are very
few days without sunshine. Solar energy, which is the cleanest
source of energy, has become a very important source of
alternative energy. Its light and heat are free as well as unlimited
in supply. There are many ways we use this energy source. Solar
greenhouses, home heat, and hot water heating are just a few of
the ways it is used.
The potential of solar power is still far from understood. In only
15 minutes, the sun sends more energy to Earth than we consume
in every other form in one year. Of all the uses, perhaps the most
beneficial and least heard about is in the field of space satellites.
Solar energy is converted to electricity for powering instruments
and transmitters. The sun has powered some of these instruments
for over six years without any stoppages or difficulties.
VOCABULARY:solar energy - the energy of heat or light received from the sun.
ADVANCE PREPARATION: 1. Collect cardboard boxes.
2. Spray outside of soup cans with flat-black spray paint.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Early humans from many cultures worshiped the sun as a god. Why do you think people would worship
the sun?
2. Have you heard people say, “It is hot enough to fry an egg?” Can we really use the sun’s power to cook?
ActivityBuilding a Solar Soup Cooker
• Using a serrated knife, cut out the corner of a corrugated grocery carton.
Fold in any open flaps and tape them down.
• Spray the outside of soup can flat black.
• Cover the entire corner of the box with aluminum foil. Avoid taping; cover smoothly and completely.
• Place the can in the corner; do not let the can touch the sides of the box. Fill half full with water or soup,
cover with plastic wrap, and place a thermometer in the can. This gives the can a greenhouse effect.
• Take the box outside and use a mirror to help position the can in the box so that it faces the sun.
• Take the temperature and record the data. Recheck the temperature every 15 minutes. On a bright sunny
Some Like It Hot
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math
Time Needed:Two class periods
Materials:heavy cardboard boxes
soup cans
clear tape
scissors
serrated knives
water or soup
plastic wrap
flat-black spray paint
aluminum foil
thermometers
hand mirror
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day, soup can be cooked in about one hour. Water can heat even on cool days when the sun is bright. The
sun’s rays are most effective between 10:30 am, and 2:00 pm.
Follow-Up1. Compare the rates of temperature increase among the different heaters.
2. Have students redesign their solar cooker to make it more efficient.
3. Predict four uses for solar energy in the year 2025.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT EXTENSIONS:1. Investigate solar water heaters in homes. Do they operate on a similar principle?
2. Your opinion please: Is solar energy free?
3. SOLAR ENERGY: Use these letters to form an acrostic about the sun and solar energy. Note: An acrostic
is a series of written lines or verses in which the first, last, or other particular letters form a word or phrase.
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Tennessee Valley Authority. (1990). The energy source book, grades 3-5. Communications Power Group.
Environmental Education Resource Development Group.
Wilson, M. (1967). Energy. New York: Time Incorporated.
270
NATURAL RESOURCES
OBJECTIVES:The student will be able to:
1. Compare and contrast traditional row farming to contour
farming.
2. Examine the contents of runoff.
3. Expand knowledge of TVA agricultural programs.
BACKGROUND:In 1933 Congress created the Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA)
and charged the agency “with the broadest duty of planning for
the proper use, conservation, and development of the natural
resources of the Tennessee River drainage basin and its adjoining
territory for the general, social, and economic welfare.” The Act
also provided for “proper use of marginal lands..agricultural and
industrial development...promoting the prevention of soil erosion
and otherwise..to use such products in cooperation with practical
farmers..for the general, social, and economic welfare.” The
intent of Congress was that TVA agricultural development
activities be a part of a total united development and be directed
toward promotion of long-range agricultural adjustment and
development.
There were about 349,000 farms in 1934 primarily depending on
natural forces of rainfall, sunlight, and air. In the Tennessee
Valley, the land had been ravaged by flooding. This resulted in
the loss of nutrients and valuable topsoil. Poor land use practices
intensified this problem. The main thrust of the TVA plan dealt
with demonstrating to all farmers the effects of improved crop and
farm management skills. Among the farming skills taught were crop rotation and contour farming.
VOCABULARY:contour farming - plowing perpendicular to the slope or at a constant elevation (example: Plow around a hill
instead of up and down the hill).
ADVANCE PREPARATION: If using a whole-group presentation, prepare the milk cartons before class.
PROCEDURE:Setting the stage1. Show pictures of badly eroded lands, flooded areas, and plowed fields.
2. Discuss the background information.
ActivityExperiment
• Cut off one side and the top of the milk cartons. Then cut the remaining sides and bottoms so they are
four inches high.
How Are You Gonna Keep It
Down On The Farm?
Grades:3-5
Subjects:Science, Math, Social Studies
Time Needed:60-90 minutes
Materials:(For each group)
two half-gallon milk cartons
two books - each 1” thick
scissors
two sprinkling cans or spray bottles
two buckets (identical)
dirt or potting soil
ruler
water
measuring cups
filter paper (can use old pantyhose)
kitchen scales
271www.legacyenved.org
• Fill the cartons with dirt (equal amount in each) and shape them into mounds that taper down at the open
end of the cartons. Set the cartons at the edge of a table, the back ends on books, and place the two
buckets below to catch the runoff.
• In carton 1, furrow three parallel lines down the length of the dirt mound. In carton 2, furrow four
parallel lines crossways in the dirt.
• Now the miniature farms are ready for a rainstorm. Simultaneously trickle a pint of water from the
sprinkling cans or spray bottles.
• Make and record observations. Filter the runoff and weigh solid particles. Measure the remaining runoff
water.
• May also weigh both cartons (after runoff is complete) to show which farm holds more moisture.
• Draw conclusions about farming practices.
Follow-Up1. Each group should report its results.
2. Calculate the mean, median, mode, and range of the data. Why do the results differ so greatly?
3. As a group, answer the following question: What difference does contour farming make for water quality,
crop production, the farmer, and beauty of the country-side?
EXTENSIONS:1. Research other specific ways TVA helped agriculture and the environment.
2. Use the farm models to investigate other ways to prevent erosion (plant grass, build a retaining wall,
mulch, diversion ditches).
ORIGINAL DEVELOPMENT RESOURCES:Henderson, R.A. (Undated). Developing tennessee valley agriculture. Division of Agricultural
Development, Tennessee Valley Authority.
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Glossary
acid - any compound that reacts with a base to form a salt; reddens litmus paper; tastes sour
adaptation - the behavior, or the part, of a living thing that helps it live in a certain environment
aerate - to expose to the circulation of air
aerobic - requires oxygen to live
air pollutant - anything that makes the air impure
Alabama Valley and Ridge - rich in iron ore, coal, and limestone. The mountains are part of the AppalachianMountain range, contains limestone valleys and sandstone mountain ridges
aluminum - a silvery, lightweight, metallic, chemical element
anal fin - grows on the underside near the tail and is responsible for keeping the fish erect
aquifer - underground body of porous sand, gravel, and fractured rock filled with water and capable ofsupplying useful quantities of water to a well or spring
arachnid - classification for spiders, mites, ticks, harvest men, scorpions, and king crabs, all of which havefour pairs of walking legs
arid - very dry, not having adequate rainfall for a particular area
arthropods - invertebrate organisms that include insects, spiders, and crustaceans
bacteria - living organisms so small they need magnification to be observed
barbs - strands attached to the shaft of a feather
base - a chemical compound, like ammonia, that reacts with an acid to form a salt; turns litmus blue; tastessalty
barren - land not producing plant life
bauxite - a claylike ore, the source of aluminum
bioconversion - changing matter from once-living things into a source of energy
biodegradable - a compound that can be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms
biome - community of plants and animals that covers a wide geographical area
boom - long, floating, tube-like barriers
bubble - a round space filled with air retained by a non-rigid membrane
camouflage - the ability to blend in with the surroundings
carbon - a substance that occurs in any living organism
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carbon monoxide - toxic, invisible, odorless gas resulting from incomplete fuel combustion
carcinogen - an agent causing or inciting cancer
carnivore - an animal that eats only other animals
caudal fin - located at the end of the tail, swings back and forth, thus propelling the fish forward
Cenozoic Era - the time in the history of the Earth, about 65 million year ago to the present, when recent lifeevolved on the Earth
chemical - a substance used in factories, farms, and homes for a variety of purposes such as cleaning,painting, killing pests, and helping maintain vehicles
chemical reaction - chemicals are changed into different substances
coliform bacteria - a group of bacteria predominantly living in the intestines and present in fecal wastematerials; may also be found in soil; often are also indicators of other pathogenic organisms (disease-causingorganisms)
colony - a community of social insects
community - all the populations living together in the same place
compost - a mixture of decayed organic matter; to decay organic wastes partially decomposed by aerobicbacteria
composting - collecting and layering organic material, such as lawn clippings, leaves, kitchen scraps, andmanure, in order to decompose into fertile humus
compound - made up of two or more independent elements
concrete - a mixture of cement, sand, or gravel with water that hardens as it dries
coniferous - cone bearing trees
consumer - an organism that obtains energy by eating other living things
contaminated - impure and corrupt
contour farming - plowing perpendicular to the slope or at a constant elevation
couching - taking a new sheet of paper from a mold and allowing it to adhere to a blotter
corrosive toxic waste - waste that can eat away or chemically react to corrode and dissolve other substances
Cumberland Plateau - sometimes called Appalachian Plateau, has tree-covered mountains
dam - a structure built across a waterway to block the flow of the waterway
data - facts or figures from which conclusions can be drawn
decay - rot
deciduous - trees that shed leaves during a particular season
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deckle - a frame that fits over the mold
decomposer - an agent that breaks down the bodies of dead organisms
degrade - to lower in quality
desert - dry land with few plants and little rainfall
dissolve - to cause to pass into solution, reduce to liquid form, melt
dome - a large rounded roof on a circular, or many-sided, base
dorsal fin - grows along the back of the fish and is responsible for keeping the fish erect
East Gulf Coastal Plain - largest land region in Alabama, with most of its land less than 500 feet above sealevel. It covers most of the central and most of the southern parts of the state and contains pine forests andrich,brown soil
ecology - the relationships living things have with each other and their environment
ecosystem - all the communities that live together in an area including the water, soil, and climate
elevation - the height above sea level
embryo - an animal in the earliest stage of development
endanger - to put into danger
endangered - a species faced with danger of extinction
endemic - regularly found in a particular locality; restricted or indigenous to a certain locality
environment - all the surrounding living and nonliving things that affect another living thing
environmental impact - the effect left on the environment
Environmental Protection Agency - the federal agency charged with the enforcement of all federalregulations having to do with environmental pollutants
erode - wear away
exotic - a species not native to the place where it is found
extinct - animals or plants no longer in existence
fertilizer - natural (manure) or chemical (synthetic) materials used for enriching soil
food chain - the sequence in which energy is transferred from one organism to the next as each organism eatsand is eaten by another
food web - two or more food chains that overlap, connecting plants and animals through the plants andanimals they eat
fossil - trace or remains of an organism that was once alive
freshwater - water that is not salty
275
fungi - large group of organisms not containing chlorophyll, roots, stems, or leaves; important asdecomposers; includes molds, mildews, mushrooms, and bacteria
gabions - rock-filled wire baskets that are placed along stream banks to prevent erosion
garbage - the organic or inorganic food waste thrown away
generation - the average time between the birth of parents and the birth of their offspring
generator - a machine that changes mechanical energy into electrical energy
geophysical regions - the Coastal Plain, the Piedmont, the Ridge and Valley, the Cumberland Plateau, and theHighland Rim
geotropism - a bending movement of living things due to gravity
groundwater - water found in the porous spaces of soil and rock
habitat - the area in which an animal resides
herbicide - a plant killer
herbivore - a plant-eating animal
Highland Rim - located just north of the Tennessee River and is sometimes called the Interior Low Plateau
hue - shade or tone, often refers to color
humankind - people
humus - decayed organic material used to improve gardening or soil
hydroelectricity - electricity produced using the energy of flowing water
illegal dumping - disposing of waste in an unofficial location
incinerate - to burn ashes
insecticide - an insect killer
lake - a large standing body of freshwater
landfill - an area set aside for burying waste under layers of dirt
leach - to pass a liquid (as water) through to carry off the soluble components
legacy - something left for the next generation
legume - growing in a pod, such as a bean
lichen - formed by two different organisms; fungus and alga living and growing together on a solid surface
life cycle - the stages of growth and change in an organism
Mesozoic Era - the time in the history of the Earth, about 65 to 250 million years ago, during which reptileswere the major life form; the Age of Dinosaurs
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metamorphosis - series of changes that occur as an egg develops into an adult including the four stages ofegg, larva, pupa, and adult
methane - an odorless, flammable gas produced by decaying organic matter
microorganisms - a living organism, such as bacteria, that cannot be seen by the unaided eye
microscopic - exceedingly small, minute; too small to be seen with the naked eye
mineral - an inorganic substance found in nature such as gold, silver, or iron ore
mold - a frame covered with screening
monitoring wells - pipes in a landfill as a means of controlling and measuring methane escape
municipal solid waste - garbage produced in homes and the workplace
mussel - an ocean or freshwater animal covered by a hinged shell
native - originating, grown, or produced in a particular region
natural gas - gas from the Earth’s crust; a fossil fuel
natural resource - the actual and potential forms of useful wealth supplied by nature; valuable, naturallyoccurring items such as plants, animals, minerals, water, and air, which are used by people to help makethings such as electricity, food, clothes, and buildings
neutral - neither acid nor base
neutralization - the process in which toxic wastes react with another chemical to produce a harmlesssubstance
nitrate - a form of salt that enhances plant growth (found in animal wastes)
nitrogen - a substance plants need to survive
nocturnal - active at night
nonbiodegradable - a compound that cannot be broken down into simpler compounds by microorganisms
nonrenewable resource - a natural resource that, in terms of human time scales, is contained within the Earthin a fixed quantity and cannot be replaced
nutrients - substances that provide nourishment and promote growth
oil slick - a floating oil film on the water
oil skimmer - a container that oil flows into, then is towed through the water, and is finally pumped orvacuumed with a hose into a storage container
omnivores - animals that eat both plants and animals
ore - a natural combination of minerals from which metals or other valuable substances can be mined
organic - relating to living or once-living material
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ozone - a form of oxygen containing three oxygen atoms (The ozone layer is a protective shield high in theatmosphere that filters out the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation)
Paleozoic Era - the time in the history of the Earth, about 250 to 570 million years ago, when many new lifeforms appeared, the Age of Invertebrates
particulate matter - very small particles of soot, dust, or other matter including tiny liquid droplets
pathogenic - a specific agent (as a bacterium) causing disease
pectoral fins - these are paired fins on either side of a fish, help to stop and turn
permeate - to penetrate or diffuse through something
pheromone - chemical secreted by an animal to communicate
phosphate - a chemical salt usually obtained from rocks and bones and used in fertilizers
Piedmont Upland - made up of low hills and sandy valleys
pollination - when an insect or other agent pollinates plants by carrying pollen from one plant to anotherplant
pollutant - a substance that can harm air, water, soil, and living organisms
population - a group of the same species living in a certain place
prism - triangular shape that when light passes through it, the light is broken into the spectrum
producer - an organism that makes its own food and is the beginning of a food chain
pulp - the ground-up material, moistened with water, from which paper is made
reclaimed - returned to original condition
recyclable - a material that can be recycled
recycle - to separate a given waste material from other wastes and to process it so that it can be used again
recycling - the collection and reprocessing of manufactured materials for reuse either in the same form or aspart of a different product
reduce - decreasing the amount of waste generated
relationship - how one thing or things interact with another thing or things
renewable resource - a natural resource in great abundance that is continually produced such as sun, wind,trees (through forestry) and fish (through aquaculture)
reuse - to extend the life of an item by repairing, modifying or creating new uses for it
Ridge and Valley - area in Alabama rich in iron ore, coal, and limestone
river - a large natural stream of freshwater that flows across land in a definite channel
river mouth - the place where a river empties into a large body of water such as a lake or ocean
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river system - a river and all of its tributaries
runoff - water, including rain and snow melt, that runs into a larger body of water such as a river or a lake
sand filtration - the process of straining out solid particles through sand
scrap - the old steel that will be recycled into new steel
secretion - substance produced by some part of a plant or animal
sedimentation - when wastewater is allowed to stand in pools so that particles will settle
sizing - a substance added to give paper a certain surface or finish
sludge - a heavy, slimey deposit of mud and mire covering the ground or forming a deposit at the bottom ofbodies of water
slurry - pulp mixed with enough water to make a liquid
smog - a thick haze caused by the action of sunlight on air polluted by smoke and automobile exhaust fumes
solar energy - the energy of heat or light received from the sun
solid waste - any of a wide variety of solid materials that are discarded or rejected
solid waste stream - the variety of solid materials that are discarded or rejected from homes and businesses
species - a group of organisms that have the same characteristics and are able to reproduce
spectrum - a series of colors formed when a beam of white light is dispersed so that its parts are arranged inorder of their wavelengths
speleothem - an unusually shaped rock formation formed over thousands of years from built-up layers of amineral called calcite
spelunking - the sport of exploring caves and underground caverns
stalactite - a speleothem that hangs from the ceiling of a cave
stalagmite - a speleothem that builds up from the floor of a cave
stevedore - one whose work is loading and unloading a ship
stomata - tiny openings in the underside of leaves on a plant that control the amount of water in a plant’s
tissues by releasing water vapor in the air
strip mining - mining from an open mineral mine (coal, copper, zinc) where the topsoil is removed to expose
and extract the mineral
succession - the process of continuous change
surface water - water on the Earth’s surface such as rivers, streams, and oceans
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suspended solids - particles floating in a liquid
taiga - a swampy, coniferous, subarctic forest extending south from the tundra
threatened species - a species abundant in parts of its range but severely depleted in others
toxic waste - poisonous waste
transpiration - the loss of water through openings in a leaf (stomata) through which gases and water enter
and leave
tributary - a stream or river that flows into a larger body of flowing water
tundra - a cold, windy, dry area just south of the polar ice caps in Alaska, Canada, Greenland, Iceland,
Norway, and Asia
turbine - a device in which a bladed wheel is turned by the force of jets of water (or steam); connected by a
shaft to a generator
ugly jars - containers that stored toxic wastes during Colonial times
vermi - indicates a worm or worms
visibility - the clarity of the air, how far one can see
volume - the space occupied as measured by cubic units (length by width by height)
water cycle - the natural cycle in which water evaporates from the surface of the Earth, rises through the
atmosphere, condenses, and returns as precipitation
watershed - an area of land from which rainfall and melted snow drain into nearby streams and rivers
water wheel (turbine) - a wheel having blades or buckets and mounted on an axle; water striking the blades
or buckets causes the wheel to turn and powers the machinery attached to the axle
well - a hole sunk into the Earth to get water
wet leaf - the newly formed sheet of paper (before it is dried)
withered - dried out and lifeless
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Internet Resources
What is the Internet?
The Internet is a network of networks. In many ways, it is no one thing and resides in no one place. Teachers
can use the Internet to communicate and share information. Research suggests that use of electronic
networking can help teachers (especially new teachers) reduce their sense of isolation, connect with peers, and
increase their sense of professionalism and autonomy. This section explores the uses of the Internet for the
purposes of Environmental Education.
Electronic mail (E-mail) is the most frequently used of the Internet networks. Users are able to participate in
discussion groups, contact particular people, and access information. The most helpful of sources of
information are usually your own colleagues. E-mail provides another way to keep in touch with them within
your school or around the world.
Internet discussion groups are an extension of electronic mail and provide an opportunity to be part of an
electronic community made up of individuals with common interests. Mailing list capability may also provide
online courses, which are often advertised on discussion lists.
General discussion groups for the grade level that you teach are very useful for a wide range of information.
During some times of the year, such as the period near Earth Day, there will be some discussion on
environmental topics and curriculum that you may find useful. You can also pose questions to these discussion
groups; and your colleagues will answer, providing information about where to find resources and how other
teachers at your level handle particular issues and opportunities. These general discussion groups are called
‘listservs”.
Listservs can be found on the world wide web at:
http://www.list.com
This list may provide you with a forum that most nearly meets your specific interests. You can enter keyword
terms and get information about any list that would meet that interest. Information is provided on how to
subscribe to the many diverse listservs that are available,
Once you have found am interesting listserv, send an E-mail message to subscribe. On the address line, type
in listserv@listserv.net
On the message line, type in Subscribe, the name of the list, and your name. A sample message would read:
Subscribe ECEOL-L Jane Doe
(ECEOL-L is a listserv that serves members of the early childhood profession)
Once you have subscribed, it is appropriate to send a message to the list identifying yourself and your major
interest.
EENETS is a moderated forum for people interested in the development and operation of electronic networks
for environmental education. It does not post all messages sent to the group but only selected messages that
will be of interest to all subscribers. The volume of mail you receive is, therefore, much lower and much more
focused than on a general discussion group. The creation of this list was suggested at the Eco-Ed conference
in Toronto in 1992. This list is an attempt to help coordinate information about projects and networks that are
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of interest to educators. It is useful to subscribe to EENETS in order to obtain information about other
discussion groups, on-line journals, and environmental meetings.
AskERIC is an internet answering service sponsored by ERIC (the database of the Educational Resources
Information Center). AskERIC can provide information about specific resources for parents, teachers, and
children. Requests for information should be sent by E-mail to:
askeric@ericir.syr.edu
The GreenDisk Paperless Environmental Journal is a comprehensive guide to the use of computers for
environmental research. It contains over 1,000 listings of World Wide Web sites, listservs, on-line databases,
bulletin board services, software, and educational programs. It is available on disk for IBM or Macintosh
format and includes keyword searching as well as a six-month on-line subscription to updates for the guide. It
can be ordered for $25.00 from :
The GreenDisk Paperless Environmental Journal
P.O. Box 32224
Washington, D.C. 20007
or by internet from greendisk@igc.apc.org
World Wide Web
There are many information collections on the World Wide Web (WWW) that contain full text of articles,
lesson plans, and documents. There is often information on projects for children to participate in with their
peers in other parts of the world, information from many government documents, and information from many
cultures. Many sites have interesting graphics and interactive activities.
The following sites have specific information that is of interest to environmental educators. In each case,
teachers should check out the site beforehand to decide which of the many resources available might fit into a
lesson and ways to use them. Since the WWW is developing rapidly, these resources are only a suggested
starting point and will contain links to many other interesting sites.
ALABAMA RESOURCES
AlaWeb - AlaWeb, the official state home page, has information on campgrounds, golf courses, tours, and
other helpful information about the state. Available at:
http://alaweb.asc.edu/ or www.state.al.us
Alabama Information Resources - This is an electronic information guide to “The Heart of Dixie, Alabama.”
Allows users from anywhere in the world to access information about the history, sites, and culture of
Alabama. Available at:
http://www.secis.com/home/ala.html
Official Alabama Pages - These include pages for individual cities, Alabama conventions, visitor bureaus,
travel and tourism offices. Available at:
http://www.scescape.com/cityweb/Alabama.html
Alabama Game and Fish Homepage - Conservation Education Programs; clickable map of public hunting
areas; hunter education program. Available at:
http://www.mindspring.com/~spinson/ag&f.html
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OTHER RESOURCES
Explorer, a searchable catalog of curricular resources for math and science education; TEXT files on energy,
water, and waste management; Energy Education Resource Guide, School Nature Area Project Bibliographies
with separate lists for primary and secondary school resources for investigating schoolyard ecology; Water
Quality Curricula. Available at:
http://www.nceet.sure.umich.edu/classes.html
Many environmental resources can be found at:
http://www.webdirectory.com/Education/
EE-Link - Provides a keyword search, classroom resources, and regional information. Provides table of
contents and monthly updates. Also the EnviroLink Education Network and the Environmental Education
Network
Commonwealth of Learning - Includes Teacher In-service on Environmental Education; Video on sustainable
development; Professional Development. Available at:
http://www.col.org/envir.html
Econet Environmental Education Directory - Provides a Global Action and Information (GAIN), which
supports and encourages actions for a sustainable society. Available at:
http://www.igc.apc.org/igc/www/enved.html
Scroll down to find these sites:
Dodo Land in Cyberspace: an interactive, educational centre for kids: “Protect the Environment and
Expand Your Imagination.” There are lots of images here, soyou may want to use it with a fast
connection.
The Environment and Natural Resources Policy and Training Project Resources for teachers. You can
find the latest information about energy, industry, forestry, and watershed management.
Two interesting project sites for children at this address are :
The Global Thinking Project, which is a world-wide E-mail project for students and teachers to work
with scientists to understand the global environment.
The International Education and Resource Network (I*EARN) is a site for teachers and youth (ages 6
to 19) to undertake projects via E-mail.
Ranger Rick of the National Wildlife Federation is also available from this site, or www.nwf.org
Environmental Organizations and Projects - There is a listing at http://www.ncet.snre.umich.edu/ that has
electronic brochures for many organizations related to environmental education.
Institute for Global Environmental Strategies - EarthRISE is under development at this site:
http://www.strategies.org/
Internet Resources for Outdoor Recreation Research - This has many on-line resources and many links to
others. It includes Tourism, Ecological Aspects of Outdoor Recreation, Recreational Issues on Public Lands.
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Available at:
http://www.vt.edu:10021/Y/yfleung/recres.html
Learning Webs - This is a consulting service in the field of environmental education specializing in Arizona.
Services available are fund raising (t-shirts, note cards, pens with environmental themes) educational
resources, and an AzEENet Magazine, a look at environmental publishing on the web. Available at:
http://www.nwf.org/nwf/prog/things.html
Nationwide School Weather Network - Your children can keep track of the weather across the nation at this
site. Available at:
emailatinfo@aws.com
or go to http://www.webdirectory.com/Education/and choose the Automated Weather Source
The Plastic Bag Information Clearinghouse - This has much information about recycling, teaching aids, an
essay contest. Available at:
http://www.plasticbag.com/
or by email at pbainfo@aol.com
Regional Environmental Education Resources - This site has information about environmental programs and
curricula listed by state. It includes a wealth of valuable information for teachers. Available at:
http://www.nceet.snre.umich.edu/regionalEE.html
State Education and Environment Roundtable - This is working to improve learning by incorporating
environmental curricula into K-12 education. “A major part of our work relates to gathering and disseminating
research about systemic approaches to incorporating environmental education into education reform.”
Available at:
http://millennianet.com/round
Stay up-to-date with what’s new in environmental education on the World Wide Web at EE-Link. Available at:
http://www.nceet.snre.umich.edu/new.html
The Wild Ones Home Page - This will post your children’s art work, writings and experiments related to the
environment on the Internet web pages. Send work by fax to (212) 222-2191 or regular mail to:
The Wild Ones
c/o Wildlife Preservation Trust International
3400 West Girard Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19104
Windows on the Wild - or WOW, is an environmental education program of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF).
The program educates the public about biodiversity issues and helps to stimulate critical thinking on behalf of
the environment. It includes many activities for teachers to use in the classroom.
www.worldlife.org
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Directories
ECOLOGY
285
Federal Government Organizations
Advisory Committee on Atmospheric Carbon
Dioxide
U.S. Dept. of Energy
Washington, D.C. 20585
Bureau of Reclamation (U.S.)
Main Interior Building
18th and C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-4662
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.)
401 Mst., SW
Washington, D.C. 20460
202-382-2080
Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.)
Public Information Center, PM-211 B
401 Mst., SW
Washington, D.C. 20460
Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
Department of Energy
815 N Capitol Street
Washington, D.C. 20426
202-357-8118
Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S.)
Department of the Interior
Main Interior Building
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-5634
House Energy and Commerce Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2927
House Agricultural Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2171
National Marine Fisheries Service
Department of Commerce (U.S.)
1335 East-West Highway
Silver Springs, MD 20910
301-427-2370
National Park Service
Main Interior Building
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-4747
Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy
1000 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20585
202-586-9220
Save Our Streams Program
Izaak Walton League of America
707 Conservation Lane
Gaithersburg, MD 20878
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-224-6176
Topographic Maps
U.S. Geological Survey
Box 25286
Denver Federal Center
Denver, CO 80225
Topographic Map Symbols
U.S. Geological Survey
National Center
Reston, VA 22202
EPA Regional Offices
U.S. EPA - Region 1
JFK Federal Building
Boston, MA 02203
617-565-3715
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U.S. EPA - Region II
26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
212-264-2525
U.S. EPA - Region III
841 Chestnut St.
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-597-9800
U.S. EPA - Region IV
345 Courtland St., NE
Atlanta, GA 30365
404-347-4727
U.S. EPA - Region V
230 South Dearborn St.
Chicago, IL 60604
312-353-2000
U.S. EPA - Region VI
First Interstate Bank Tower
1445 Ross Ave.
Dallas, TX 75270-2733
214-655-6444
U.S. EPA - Region VII
726 Minnesota Ave.
Kansas City, KS 66101
913-551-7050
U.S. EPA - Region VIII
One Denver Place
999 18th St.
Denver, CO 80202-2405
303-293-1603
U.S. EPA - Region IX
1235 Mission St.
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-744-1468
U.S. EPA - Region X
1200 Sixth Ave.
Seattle, WA 98101
206-442-5810
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
SE Regional Office
Richard B. Russell Fed. Building.
75 Spring St., SW, Room. 1200
Atlanta, GA 30303
Alabama State Agencies/Organizations
Alabama Audubon Council
2616 Mountain Brook Parkway
Birmingham, AL 35223
205-879-1935
Alabama Department. of Education
50 N. Ripley
Gordon Persons Building.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-9700 or 334-242-8154
Alabama Energy Extension Service
Box 6282
University, AL 35486
1-800-452-5901
Alabama Power Company
Educational services
P.O. Box 2641
Birmingham, AL 35282-9984
Alabama Waterfowl Association
P.O. Box 67
Guntersville, AL 35768
205-259-2509
Alabama Wilderness Alliance
P.O. Box 223
Moulton, AL 35650
205-974-7678
Alabama Wildlife Federation
P.O. Box 2102
46 Commerce St.
Montgomery, AL 36102
334-832-9453 fax: 334-532-9454
Alabama Wildlife Society
118 Extension Hall
Auburn, AL 36849
205-844-5670
287
Alabama Zoological Society
2630 Cahaba Rd.
Birmingham, AL 35223
Audubon Society
749 Eastern Manor Lane
Birmingham, AL 35215
205-849-9202
Bankhead Watershed Project
P.O. Box 117
Moulton, AL 35650
205-974-7678
Center for Environmental Research and Service
Troy State University
Troy, AL 36081
334-566-4424 or 1-800 642-2377
Environmental Education Association of Alabama
Troy State University
Box 596
Troy, AL 36082
Department. of Conservation and Natural Resources
64 N Union St.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-261-3486
Department. of Environmental Management.
1751 W.L. Dickinson Dr.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-271-7700 fax: 334-271-7950
Geological Survey of Alabama
Sate Oil and Gas Board
420 N. Hackberry Lane
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-9780
205-349-2852
Johnson Research Center - AL Solar Energy Center
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Research Institute/Annex D
Huntsville, AL 35899
1-800-228-5897
Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium
Dauphin Island Sea Lab
Attention: Dr. George Crozier, Director.
P.O. Box 369-370
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
334-861-2141
Perdido Bay Environmental Association
P.O. Box 573
Lillian, AL 36549
334-962-2879
Science, Tech. and Energy Division.
Dept. of Eco. and Community Affairs
P.O. Box 205347
Montgomery, AL 36125-0347
334-284-8952 or 1-800-392-8098
Shoals Audubon Society
1612 Sheffield Dr.
Sheffield, AL 35660
205-383-6338
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Drawer 1197
Daphne, AL 36526
334-690-2181
Water Resource Res. Institute
Hargis Hall, Room 202
Auburn University, AL 36849
205-826-5075
Other Environmental Agencies/Organizations
Abundant Life Seed Foundation
P.O. Box 772
Port Townsend, WA 98368
206-385-5660
Acid Rain Foundation
1410 Varsity Dr.
Raleigh, NC 27606
919-828-9443 fax: 919-515-3593
288
Alliance for Environmental Education
P.O. Box 368
The Plains, VA 22171
703-253-5812 fax: 703-253-5811
Alliance to Save Energy
1725 K St. NW, Suite 509
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-857-0666 fax: 202-331-9588
American Fisheries Society
5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110
Bethesda, MD 20814-2199
301-897-8616 fax: 301-897-8096
American Forests - Global Releaf Program
P.O. Box 2000
Washington, D.C. 20013
202-667-3300 fax: 202-667-7751
American Forests - Global Releaf
Coordinator
1516 P St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
American Forest Foundation
1250 Connecticut Ave., NW
Suite 320
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-463-2462 fax: 202-463-2461
American Geographical Society
156 Fifth Ave., Suite 600
New York, NY 10010-7002
212-242-0214 fax: 212-989-1583
American Meteorological Society
45 Beason Street
Boston, MA 02108
617-227-2425 fax: 617-742-8718
American Nuclear Society
555 N. Kensington Ave.
LaGrange Park, IL 60525
708-579-8265 fax: 708-352-0499
American Society for Environmental Education
P.O. Box 800
Hanover, NH 03755
Americans for Energy Independence
1629 K St., NW, Suite 602
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-466-2105 fax: 202-466-2108
Americans for the Environment
1400 16th St., NW, Box 24
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-797-6665 fax: 202-797-6646
American Nuclear Energy Council
410 First St., NE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-484-2670
American Rivers
801 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-547-6900 fax: 202-543-6142
American Society for Environmental History
Center for Tech. Studies
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ 07012
201-596-3334
Americans for Nuclear Energy
2525 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703-528-4430
Animal Protection Institute of America
2831 Fruitridge Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-731-5521 fax: 916-731-4467
Animal Welfare Institute
P.O. Box 3650
Washington, D.C. 20007
202-337-2332 fax: 202-338-9478
Association for Environmental and Outdoor
Education
Attention: Roger D. Morrow
9616 Verhudson
Gig Harbor, WA 98335
289
Biomass Energy Res. Association
1825 K St., NW, Suite 503
Washington, D.C. 20006
1-800-247-1755
Center for Environmental Education, Inc.
1725 Desales St., SW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20036
Environmental Action, Inc.
1525 New Hampshire Ave. NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Environmental Education Coalition
R.D.2 Box 1010
Dingsman Ferry, PA 18328
Global Tomorrow Coalition
1325 G St., NW, Suite 915
Washington, D.C. 20005
Greenpeace USA, Inc.
1436 U St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Institute for Earth Education, The
Box 288
Warrenville, IL 6055
International Ecology Society
1471 Barclay St.
St. Paul MN 55106-1405
Keep America Beautiful
9 West Broad St.
Stamford, VCT 06902
Living Lightly
Schilitz Audubon Center
1111 East Brown Deer Rd.
Milwaukee, WI 53217-1999
414-352-2880
National Association for Environmental Education
P.O. Box 569031
Miami, FL 33156
National Clearinghouse on Dev. and Envir. Edu.
American Forum on Global Education
45 John St., Suite 908
New York, NY 10038
National Consortium for Envir. Edu. and Training
School of Natural Resources and Environment
University of Michigan
430 East University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
National Wildlife Federation
1400 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036-2266
National Geographic Society
17th and M St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Nature Conservancy, The
1815 North Lynn St.
Arlington, VA 22209
North American Assoc. for Environmental Education
Box 400
Troy, OH 45373
(NAAEE Membership and Publications Office)
Oceanic Society, The
Executive Offices
1536 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Office of Environmental Education
U.S. EPA
401 M St., SW (A-107)
Washington, D.C. 20460
Population Institute, The
110 Maryland Ave., NE
Washington, D.C. 20002
Project WILD
Attention: Project WILD Director
Western Region. Environmental Education Council
4014 Chatham Lane
Houston, TX 77027
Public Citizen
2000 P St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-833-3000
290
Science, Mathematics, and Environmental Education
Analysis Center
Information Resource Center
1200 Chambers Rd., Room. 310
Columbus., OH 43212-1792
Wilderness Society, The
1400 I St., NW 10th Floor
Washington, D.C. 20005
Wildlife Conservation International
New York Zoological society
Bronx, NY 10460
Wildlife Society, The
5410 Grosvenor Lane
Bethesca, MD 20814
World Resources Institute
1709 New York Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
World-Wide Fund - Conservation Foundation
1250 24th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Worldwatch Institute
1776 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Zero Population Growth, Inc.
1601 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Directory
POLLUTION PREVENTION
291
Federal Government Organizations
Environmental Protection Agency
401 M St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20460
202-260-2090
House Agriculture Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2171
House Energy and Commerce Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2927
Nuclear Regulatory Commission
Washington, D.C. 20555
301-415-7000
Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-224-6176
Tennessee Valley authority
400 W. Summit Hill Dr.
Knoxville, TN 37902
615-632-2101
United Coast Guard
Department of Transportation
2100 2nd St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20593
202-267-2229
United States Department of Energy
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
P.O. Box 44375
Washington, D.C. 20026
1-800-225-NWPA
United States Department of the Interior
Interior Building, 1849 C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-208-1100
United States Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr
Reston, VA 22092 7
03-648-4000
EPA Regional Offices
See Ecology Directory
Alabama State Agencies/Organizations
Alabama Bottle and Can Coalition
307 Shooting Star Trail
Gurley, AL 35748
205-776-4015
Alabama Department of Education
50 N. Ripley
Gordon Persons Building
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-9700 or 334-242-8154
Alabama Lung Association
900 18th St., South
Birmingham, AL 35020
205-933-8821
Alabama PALS: People Against a Littered State
46 Commerce St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-263-7737
Alabamians for a Clean Environment
P.O. Box 1526
Livingston, AL 35470
205-652-9854
Center for Environmental Research and Service
Attention: Information and Public Relations
Coordinator
Troy State University
Troy, AL 36082
334-566-4424 or 1-800-642-2377
292
Other Environmental Agencies/Organizations
Acid Rain Foundation, Inc.
1630 Blackhawk Hills
St. Paul, MN 55122
Air and Waste Management Association
P.O. Box 2861
Pittsburgh, PA 15230
412-232-3444 fax: 412-232-3450
Air Pollution Control Association
P.O. Box 2861
Pittsburgh, PA 15230
American Nuclear Energy Council
410 First St., SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-484-2670
American Petroleum Institute
1220 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
202-682-8000
American Rivers
801 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-547-6900 fax: 202-543-6142
Amoco Teaching Aids
P.O. Box 1400K
Dayton, OH 45414
Asbestos Information Association of North America
1745 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Suite 406
Arlington, VA 22202
703-412-1150 fax: 703-412-1152
Center for Environmental Information
46 Prince st.
Rochester, NY 14607-1016
716-271-3550 fax: 716-271-0606
Center for Marine Conservation
1725 DeSales St., NW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-429-5609 fax: 202-872-0619
Chevron Chemical Company
Educational Materials
Public Affairs Department
P.O. Box 3744
San Francisco, CA 94119
Ciba-Geigy Corporation
Attention: Corporation Relations Department
Ardsley, NY 10502
Clean Air Working Group
818 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
Clean Water Action
1320 18th St., NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-457-1286 fax: 202-457-0287
Clean Sites
1199 N. Fairfax St.
Alexandria, VA 22314
703-683-8522
Dow Chemical U.S.A.
Ag Products
P.O. Box 1706
Midland, MI 48640
Environmental Action
6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 600
Takoma Park, MD 20912
301-891-1100 fax: 301-891-2218
Friends of the Sea Otter
140 Franklin St., Suite 309
Monterey, CA 93940
408-373-2747
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Educational Services
133 Peachtree St., NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Greenpeace, U.S.A.
1436 U St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
202-462-1177 fax: 202-462-4507
293
Hazardous Materials Control Research Institute
7237 Hanover parkway
Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-982-9500 fax: 301-220-3870
Household Hazardous Waste Project
1031 E. Battlefield, Suite 214
Springfield, MO 65807
417-889-5000
Inform
381 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10016
212-689-4040 fax: 212-447-0689
ICI Americas, Inc.
Ag Chem Division
Attention: Lorraine Smith
Wilmington, Delaware 19897
Institute for Environmental Education
18554 Haskins Rd.
Chagrin Falls, OH 44023-1823
212-543-7303 fax: 216-543-7160
International Bird Rescue Research Center
699 Potter St.
Berkeley, CA 94710
510-841-9086
Keep America Beautiful, Inc.
99 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10016
LaMotte Company
P.O. Box 329
Chestertown, MD 21620
410-778-3100 fax: 410-778-6394
Manufacturers of Emission Controls Association
1707 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-296-4797 fax: 202-331-1388
National Agricultural Chemicals Association
1155 15th St., NW
Madison Building Suite 900
Washington, D.C. 22005
202-296-1585
National Association of Noise Control Officials
53 Cubberly Rd.
Trenton, NJ 08690
609-586-2684
National Coalition Against the Misuse of Pesticides
701 E St., SE, Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-543-5450
National Geographic Society
17th and M St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
1424 16th St., NW, Suite 601
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-328-0002 fax: 202-462-2183
Smithsonian Institution
Office of Environmental Awareness
S. Dillon Ripley Center., Suite 3123
Washington, D.C. 20560
202-357-4797 fax 202-786-2557
Southwest Research and Igrass Roots Information
Center.
P.O. Box 4524
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-262-1862
Toxicant Program/HHWD Project
METRO M/S 81
821 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98104
Water Environment Federation
601 Wythe St.
Alexandria, VA 22314-1994
1-800-666-0206 fax: 703-684-2492
Directory
WASTE MANAGEMENT
294
Federal Government Organizations
Federal Highway administration
400 7th St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20590
202-366-0600
House Energy and Commerce Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2927
United States Department of Energy
Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management
P.O. Box 44375
Washington, D.C. 20026
1-800-225-NWPA
EPA Regional Offices
See Ecology Directory
Alabama State Agencies/Organizations
Alabama Bottle and Can Coalition
307 Shooting Star Trail
Gurley, AL 35748
205-776-4015
Alabama Department of Education
50 N. Ripley
Gordon Persons Building
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-9700 or 334-242-8154
Alabama PALS: People Against a Littered State
46 Commerce St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-263-7737
Environmental Education Association of Alabama
Troy State University
Box 596
Troy, AL 36082
Other Environmental Agencies/Organizations
Aluminum Association, Inc., The
Attention: Manager of Educational Services
818 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
American Nuclear Energy Council
410 First St., NE
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-484-2670
American Nuclear Society
555 N. Kensington Ave.
LaGrange Park, IL 60525
708-579-8265 fax: 708-352-0499
American Plastics Council
1730 D St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-737-8300
Americans for Nuclear Energy
2525 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22201
703-528-4430
Association of Foam Packaging Recyclers
1025 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 515
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-822-6424 fax: 202-331-0538
A-Way With Waste
Washington State Department of Ecology
4350 150th Ave., NE
Redmond, WA 98052
Center for Environmental Information
46 Prince St.
Rochester, NY 14607-1016
716-271-3550 fax: 716-271-0606
Center for Renewable Resources
Publications Department
641 S. Pickett St.
Alexandria, VA 22304
295
Department of Environmental Management
Hazardous Waste Branch, Land Division
1751 Cong. W.L. Dickinson Dr.
Montgomery, Alabama 36130
334-271-7700
Dow Chemical U.S.A.
Ag Products
P.O. Box 1706
Midland, MI 48640
Hazardous Materials Control Research Institute
7237 Hanover parkway
Greenbelt, MD 20770
301-982-9500 fax: 301-220-3870
Hazardous Waste Management and Resource
Recovery Program
University of Alabama
HAMMARR
P.O. Box 1968
University, AL 35486
Household Hazardous Waste Project
1031 E. Battlefield, Suite 214
Springfield, MO 65807
417-889-5000
Inform
381 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10016
212-689-4040 fax: 212-447-0689
National Clearinghouse on Dev. and Envir. Edu.
American Forum on Global Education
45 John St., Suite 908
New York, NY 10038
National Geographic Society
17th and M St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
National Solid Wastes Management Association
1730 Rhode Island Ave., NW, Suite 1000
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-659-0708 fax: 202-775-5917
Nuclear Information and Resource Service
1424 16th St., NW, Suite 601
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-328-0002 fax: 202-462-2183
Polystyrene Packaging Council, Inc.
1025 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 515
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-822-6424 fax: 202-331-0538
Reynolds Aluminum Recycling Company
Attention: Public Relations Manager
P.O. Box 27003
Richmond, VA 23261
Smithsonian Institution
Office of Environmental Awareness
S. Dillon Ripley Center., Suite 3123
Washington, D.C. 20560
202-357-4797 fax 202-786-2557
Southwest Research and Igrass Roots Information
Center.
P.O. Box 4524
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-262-1862
Steel Recycling Institute
680 Andersen Dr.
Pittsburgh, PA 15220
1-800-876-SCRI or 412-922-2772 fax: 412-922-3213
Toxicants in Consumer Products
METRO Exchange Building
821 2nd Ave.
Seattle, WA 98104
206-447-5875
Washington Citizens for Recycling
157 Yesler Way
Seattle, WA 98104
206-343-5171 fax: 206-624-2110
Directory
NATURAL RESOURCES
296
Federal Government Organizations
Army Corps of Engineers
Department of Defense
20 Massachusetts Ave., NW
Washington, D.C.
202-272-0010
Bureau of Land Management (U.S.)
Main Interior Building
18th and C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-5717
Bureau of Land Management
Department of the Interior (U.S.)
Anasazi Heritage Center
27501 Hwy. 184, P.O. Box 758
Dolores, CO 81323
303-882-4811 fax: 303-882-7595
Bureau of Mines (U.S.)
Motion Pictures
Cockrans Mill Road
P.O. Box 18070
Pittsburgh, PA 15236
412-675-4338
Bureau of Reclamation (U.S.)
Main Interior Building
18th and C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-4662
Coast Guard (U.S.)
Department of Transport
2100 2nd St., SW
Washington, D.C. 20593
202-267-2229
Department of Agriculture
12th and 14th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20250
202-477-8732
Department of Defense
The Pentagon
Office of the Secretary
Washington, D.C. 20301-8000
Department of Justice
Environment and Natural Resources Division
10th St. and Constitution Ave., Room 2143
Washington, D.C. 20530
202-514-2701
Department of the Air Force
Washington, D.C. 20330
Department of the Interior
Interior Building
1849 C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-208-1100
EPA Regional Offices
See Ecology Directory
Federal Hwy. Administration
400 7th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20590
202-366-0600
Fish and Wildlife Service (U.S.)
Department of the Interior
Main Interior Building
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-5634
Forest Service (U.S.)
P.O. Box 96090
Washington, D.C. 20090
202-447-3957
Geological Survey (U.S.)
12201 Sunrise Valley Dr.
Reston, VA 22092
703-648-4000
297
House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2761
House Energy and Commerce Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2927
House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-4047
Minerals Information Office Bureau of Mines (U.S.)
Department of Interior Building
19th and C St., NW MS 2647-MIB
Washington, D.C. 20240
National Marine Fisheries Service
Department of Commerce (U.S.)
1335 East-West Hwy.
Silver Springs, MD 20910
301-427-2370
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
14th St. and Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20230
202-343-4747
National Park Service
Main Interior Building
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-4747
Office of Conservation and Renewable Energy
1000 Independence Ave., SW
Washington, D.C. 20585
202-586-9220
Office of Surface Mining
1951 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-4953
Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry
Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-224-2035
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-224-5115
Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-224-4917
Soil Conservation Service
Department of Agriculture (U.S.)
14th St. and Independence Ave., SW
P.O. Box 2890
Washington, D.C. 20013
202-447-4543
U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Lab
P.O. Box 9005
Champaign, IL 61826-9005
217-352-6511
Alabama State Agencies/Organizations
Agriculture and Industries
Attention: Information Director
P.O. Box 3336
Montgomery, AL 36109
334-242-5872
Alabama Audubon Council
2616 Mountain Brook Parkway
Birmingham, AL 35223
205-879-1935
Alabama BASS Chapter Federation
3717 Sola Cr.
Fort Payne, AL 35967
205-845-1441
Alabama Conservancy, The
2717 7th Ave., S. Suite 207
Birmingham, AL 35233
Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
109 Duncan Hall, Auburn Hall
Auburn University, AL 36849-5612
205-844-4444 fax: 205-844-5544
E-mail: athompso@acenet.auburn.edu
Alabama Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research
298
Unit
331 Funchess Hall,
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849
205-844-4796
Alabama Department of Education
50 N. Ripley
Gordon Persons Building
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-9700 or 334-242-8154
Alabama Energy Extension Services
Box 6282
University, AL 35486
1-800-452-5901
Alabama Forest Owner’s Association
P.O. Box 104
Helena, AL 35080
205-987-8811
Alabama Forestry Association
555 Alabama St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-265-8733
Alabama Forestry Commission
513 Madison Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-240-9300
Alabama Natural Heritage Section
State Lands Division
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
64 Union St.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-3484
Alabama Surface Mining Commission
P.O. Box 2390
Jasper, AL 35502
205-221-4130
Alabama Waterfowl Association
Rt. 2, Box 179
Scottsboro, AL 35768
205-259-2509
Alabama Wilderness Alliance
P.O. Box 223
Moulton, AL 35650
205-974-7678
Alabama Wildflower Society
3914 S. River Circle
Birmingham, AL 35243
205-967-0304
Alabama Wildlife Federation
46 Commerce St.
Montgomery, AL 36104
334-832-9453
Alabama Wildlife Society
Auburn University, Department of Zoology
331 Funchess Hall
Auburn, AL 36849-5414
205-844-4850 or 205-844-9247
Alabama Zoological Society
2630 Cahaba Road
Birmingham, AL 35223
Audubon Society
Birmingham Chapter
749 eastern Manor Lane
Birmingham, AL 35215
205-849-9202
Bankhead Watershed Project, The
P.O. Box 117
Moulton, AL 35650
205-974-7678
Bass Anglers Sportsman Society
5845 Carmichael Rd.
Montgomery, AL 36117
334-272-9530
Cahaba River Society
2717 7th Ave., S., Suite 207
Birmingham, AL 35223
Department of Agriculture and Industries
P.O. Box 3336
Montgomery, AL 36193
334-261-2650
299
Department of Conservation and Natural Resources
64 Union St.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-3486
Department of Environmental Management
P.O. Box 301463
Montgomery, AL 36130-1463
Ducks Unlimited
7706 Shadow Bend Dr., SE
Huntsville, AL 35802
205-881-6895
Ducks Unlimited
3413 Old Woods Lane
Birmingham, AL 35243
205-322-8636
Ducks Unlimited
305 4th St., #408
Decatur, AL 35601
205-350-5557
Environmental Education Association of Alabama
Troy State University
Box 596
Troy, AL 36082
Forestry Commission
513 Madison Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-240-9304
Geological Survey of Alabama
State Oil and Gas Board
P.O. Box 0
Tuscaloosa, AL 35486-9780
205-349-2852
Gulf Coast Conservation Association
P.O. Box 16897
Mobile, AL 36606
334-478-3474
Johnson Research Center/Alabama Solar Energy
Center
University of Alabama In Huntsville
Research Institute, Annex D
Huntsville, AL 35899
1-800-228-5897
Marine Environmental Sciences Consortium
P.O. Box 369-370
Dauphin Island, AL 36528
334-861-2141
Montgomery Zoo
P.O. Box ZEBRA
Montgomery, AL 36109-0313
334-240-4900
National Forests in Alabama
USDA Forest Service
2946 Chestnut St.
Montgomery, AL 36107
334-832-4470
Nature Conservancy of Alabama, The
2821 C 2nd Ave., S.
Birmingham, AL 35233
205-251-1155 fax: 205-252-4444
Sea Grant program
Gulf Coast Research Laboratory
P.O. Box 7000
Ocean Springs, MS 39566-7000
601-875-9341 fax: 601-875-0528
Shoals Audubon Society
1612 Sheffield Dr.
Sheffield, AL 35660
205-383-6338
Soil Conservation Service
P.O. Box 311
Auburn, AL 36830
205-887-4523
The Bankhead Monitor
(A publication about the Bankhead National Forest)
P.O. Box 117
Moulton, AL 35650
The Talladega Monitor
(A publication about the Talladega National Forest)
P.O. Box 117
Moulton, AL 35650
U.S. Forest Service
1765 Highland Ave.
Montgomery, AL 36107
334-832-7630
300
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
P.O. Drawer 1197
Daphne, AL 36526
334-690-2181
Water Resource Research Institute
Hargis Hall, Room 202
Auburn University, AL 36849
205-826-5075
Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge
T. 4, Box 250
Decatur, AL 35603
205-353-7243
Wildlife Action of Alabama
P.O. Box 949
Point Clear, AL 36564-0949
334-479-1098
Wildlife Rescue Service
2107 Marlboro Ave.
Birmingham, AL 35226
205-663-7930
Hotline: 205-320-6189
Wildlife Sanctuary
9344 County Road 59
Troy, AL 36081
334-735-2950
Wildlife Society, Alabama Chapter
Route 7, Box 131
Andalusia, Alabama 36420
334-222-7779
Other Agencies/Organizations
Alliance to Save Energy
1725 K St., NW, Suite 509
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-857-0666 fax: 202-331-9588
Alternative Energy Resource Organization
25 S. Ewing, Room 214
Helena, MT 59601
406-443-7272 fax: 416-442-9120
American Association of Zoological Parks and
Aquariums
Oglebay Park
Wheeling, WV 26003
304-242-2160
American Cave Conservation Association
American cave and Karst Center
P.O. Box 409
Horse Cave, KY 42749
502-786-1466 fax: 502-786-1466
American Cetacean Society
P.O. Box 2639
San Pedro, CA 90731
310-548-6279 fax: 310-548-6950
American Coal Foundation
918 16th St., NW, Suite 404
Washington, D.C. 20006-2902
American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy
1001 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 801
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-429-8873 fax: 202-429-2248
American Fisheries Society
5410 Grosvenor Lane, Suite 110
Bethesda, MD 20814-2199
301-897-8616 fax: 301-897-8096
American Forest Foundation
1250 Connecticut Ave., NW, Suite 320
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-463-2462 fax: 202-463-2461
American Forests - Global Releaf program
P.O. Box 2000
Washington, D.C. 20013
202-667-3300 fax: 202-667-7751
American Gas Association
1515 Wilson Boulevard
Arlington, VA 22209
American Geographical Society
156 5th Ave., Suite 600
New York, NY 10010-7002
212-242-0214 fax: 212-989-1583
301
American Geological Institute
5220 King St.
Alexandria, VA 22303
703-379-2480 fax: 703-379-7563
American Humane Association
63 Inverness Dr., E.
Englewood. CO 80112
303-792-9900 fax: 303-792-5333
American Institute of Professional Geologists
7828 Vance Dr., Suite 103
Arvada, CO 80003
303-431-0831
American Iron and Steel Institute
attention: Education Cooperation Services
1000 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
American Mining Congress
1920 N St., NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20036-1662
202-861-2800 fax: 202-861-2846
American Nature Study Society
5881 Cold Brook Rd.
Homer, NY 13077
604-749-3655
American Petroleum Institute
1220 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
202-682-8000
American Rivers
801 Pennsylvania Ave., SE, Suite 400
Washington, D.C. 20003
202-547-6900 fax: 202-543-6142
American Society for Environmental History
Center for Technology Studies
New Jersey Institute of Technology
Newark, NJ 07012
201-596-3334
American Society of Agricultural Engineers
2950 Miles Rd.
St. Joseph, MI 49085
616-429-0300 fax: 616-429-3852
American Society of Agronomy
Crop Science Society of America
Soil Science Society of America
677 South Segoe Rd.
Madison, WI 53711
608-273-8080 fax: 608-273-2021
American Society of Mammalogists
Bell Museum of Natural History
University of Minnesota
Minneapolis, MN 55455
Americans for Energy Independence
1629 K St., NW, Suite 602
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-466-2105 fax: 202-466-2108
Amoco Teaching Aids
P.O. Box 1400K
Dayton, OH 45414
Animal Protection Institute of America
2831 Fruitridge Rd.
Sacramento, CA 95822
916-731-5521 fax: 916-731-4467
Animal Welfare Institute
P.O. Box 3650
Washington, D.C. 20007
Appalachian Mountain Club
5 Joy St.
Boston, MA 02108
617-523-0636
Biomass Energy Research Association
1825 K St., NW, Suite 503
Washington, D.C. 20006
1-800-247-1755
Caretta Research Project
Savannah Science Museum
4405 Paulsen St.
Savannah, GA 31405
912-355-6705 fax: 912-355-0182
Center for Environmental Information
46 Prince St.
Rochester, NY 14607-1016
716-271-2550 fax: 716-271-0606
302
Center for Holistic Resource Management
5820 Fourth St., NW
Albuquerque, NM 87107
505-344-3445 fax: 505-344-9079
Center for Marine Conservation
1725 Desales St., NW, Suite 500
washington, D.C. 20036
Children’s Rainforest, The
P.O. Box 936
Lewsiton, ME 04240
Climate Protection Institute
5833 Balmoral Cr.
Oakland, CA 94619
510-531-0100
Conservation International
1015 18th St., NW, Suite 1000
Washington D.C. 20036
202-429-5660 fax: 202-887-5188
Defenders of Wildlife
1244 19th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-659-9510 fax: 202-833-3349
Delta Waterfowl Foundation
102 Wilmot Rd., Suite 410
Deerfield, IL 60015
708-940-7776
Earthtrust
25 Kaneohe Bay Dr., Suite 205
Kailua, HI 96734
808-254-2866 fax: 808-254-6409
EARTH WATCH
Office of Public Affairs
P.O. Box 403N
Watertown, MA 02272
617-926-8200 fax: 617-926-8532
Energy Research Institute
6850 Rattlesnake Hammock Rd.
Naples, FL 33962
813-793-1922 fax: 813-793-1260
Environmental Action
6930 Carroll Ave., Suite 600
Takoma Park, MD 20912
301-891-1100 fax: 301-891-2218
Environmental Education project
19600 S. Molalla Ave.
Oregon City, OR 97045
Environmental Media Corporation
P.O. Box 1016
Chapel Hill, NC 27514
919-933-3003 fax: 919-942-8785
Florida Solar Energy Center
300 State Road 401
Cape Canaveral, FL 32920
Friends of the Sea otter
140 Franklin st., Suite 309
Monterey, CA 93940
408-373-2747
Fund for Animals, The
200 W. 57th St.
New York, NY 10019
212-246-2096 fax: 212-246-2633
Georgia-Pacific Corporation
Educational Services
133 Peachtree St., NW
Atlanta, GA 30303
Hawk-Watch International, Inc.
P.O. Box 35706
Albuquerque, NM 87176-5706
505-255-7622 fax: 505-255-1755
Inform
381 Park Ave., South
New York, NY 10016
212-689-4040 fax: 212-447-0689
Institute for Environmental Education
18554 Haskins Rd.
Chagrin Falls, OH 44023-1823
212-543-7303 fax: 246-543-7160
Marine Technology Society
2000 Florida Ave., NW, Suite 500
Washington, D.C. 20009
303
Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium
Caylor Building
Gulf Coast Research laboratory
Ocean Springs, MS 39564
Missouri Botanical Garden
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166
National Audubon Society
801 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, D.C. 20003
National Clearinghouse on Dev. and Env. Education
American Forum on Global Education
45 John St., Suite 908
New York, NY 10038
National Council for Geographic Education
16A Leonard Hall
Indiana University of Pennsylvania
Indiana, PA 15705
National Consortium for Environmental Education
and Training
School of Natural resources and Environment
University of Michigan
430 East University Ave.
Ann Arbor, MI 48109
National Energy Foundation
5160 Wiley Post Way, Suite 200
Salt Lake City, UT 84116
801-539-1406
National Food and Energy Council
409 Van Diver W., Suite 202
Columbia, MO 65202
314-875-7155
National Geographic Society
17th and M St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
National Parks and Conservation Association
1015 31st St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20007
202-223-6722
National Wildflower Research Center
2600 FM 973
North Austin, TX 78725
National Wildlife Federation
1400 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036-2266
National Wildlife Refuge Association
10824 Fox Hunt Lane
Potomac, MD 20854
301-983-1238
National Zoological Park
Smithsonian Institute
Washington, D.C. 20008
Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc.
40 West 20th St.
New York, NY 10011
North American Bluebird Society
P.O. Box 6295
Silver Spring, MD 20906
Oceanic Society, The
Executive Offices
1536 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Rainforest Action Network
450 Sansome, Suite 700
San Francisco, CA 94111
Resources for the Future
1616 P St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
Smithsonian Institution
Office of Environmental awareness
S. Dillon Ripley Center, Suite 3123
Washington, D.C. 20560
202-357-4797 fax: 202-786-2557
Soil Conservation Society of America
7515 N.E. Ankeny Rd.
Ankeny, Iowa 50021-9764
304
Southwest Research and Igrass Roots Information
Center
P.O. Box 4524
Albuquerque, NM 87106
505-262-1862
Student Conservation Association
P.O. Box 550
Charlestown, NH 03603
603-543-1700 fax: 603-543-1828
Tennessee Valley Authority
Division of Land and Economic Resources
1A16 Old City Hall Complex
Knoxville, TN 37902
615-632-6449
Trout Unlimited
501 Church St., NE
Vienna, VA 22180
703-281-1100
Union of Concerned Students
26 Church st.
Cambridge, MA 02238
617-547-5552 fax: 617-864-9405
Wildlife Conservation International
New York Zoological Society
185th St. and Southern Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10460-1099
718-220-5141
World Resources Institute
1709 New York Ave, NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
410-516-6963
World Society for the Protection of Animals
P.O. Box 190
Boston, MA 02130
617-522-7000 fax: 617-522-7077
World Wildlife Fund/Conservation Foundation
1250 24th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
Directory
OTHER ENVIRONMENTAL SOURCES
305
Federal Government Agencies/Organizations
Army Corps of Engineers
Department of Defense
20 Massachussets Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20314
202-272-0010
EPA Regional Offices
See Ecology Directory
House Appropriations Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2771
House Interior Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-2761
House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-4047
House Public Works and Transportation Committee
U.S. House of Representatives.
Washington, D.C. 20515
202-255-4472
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
U.S. Department of Labor
200 Constitution Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
202-343-4953
Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation
Committee
U.S. Senate
Washington. D.C. 20515
202-224-5115
State Agencies Organizations
Alabama Cooperative Extension Service
State Headquarters
Auburn University, AL 36849
205-826-4444
Alabama Farmers Federation P.O. Box 11000
Montgomery, AL 36191-0001
334-288-3900
Alabama Handicapped Sportsmen
44 Huntington Place
Northport, AL 35476
205-339-2800
Alabama Hiking Association
P.O. Box 4311
Birmingham, AL 35206
Alabama Solar Association
Route 3, Box 160
Decatur, AL 35603
Alabama State Museum of Natural History
University of AL, Department of Archeology
13075 Moundville Archaeological Park
Moundville, AL 35474
205-371-2266
Bureau of Tourism and Travel
401 Adams Ave., Suite 126
Montgomery, AL 36104
Dothan Landmarks Foundation, Inc.
P.O. Box 6362
Dothan, AL 36302
334-794-3452
Exploreum Museum of Discovery
1906 Springhill
Mobile, AL 36607
334-476-6873
306
Friends of Little River
P.O. Box 111
Mentone, AL 35984
205-634-4510 or 205-634-4066
Ruffner Mountain Nature Center
1214 South 81st St.
Birmingham, AL 35206
205-833-8264
Sierra Club, Alabama Chapter
22 Hilltop Estates
Northport, AL 35476
205-339-4692 or 205-348-6695
Sierra Club, Alabama Chapter
Montgomery Group
P.O. Box 70031
Montgomery, AL 36107
Vulcan Trail Association
Attention: Office Central
P.O. Box 19116
Birmingham, AL 35219-9116
205-933-4170
Other Environmental Agencies/Organizations
American Association for the Advancement of
Science
133 H St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20005
202-326-6640 fax 202-371-9526
American Camping Society
Bradford Woods
5000 State Road 67, North
Martinsville, IN 46151-7902
American Chemical Society
1155 16th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-872-4600 fax: 202-833-7732
American Litteral Society
Highlands, NJ 07732
908-291-0055 fax: 908-872-8041
American Nature Study Society
5881 Cold Brook Road
Homer, NY 13077
607-749-3655
American Red Cross
1730 D St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-737-8300
American Society of Agricultural Engineers
2950 Niles Road
St. Joseph, MI 49085
616-429-0300 fax: 616-429-3852
American Society of Civil Engineers
345 East 47th St.
New York, NY 10017
1-800-548-2723 fax: 212-705-7300
Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.
Department of Consumer Awareness and Education
One Busch Place
St. Louis, MO 63118
Call your local distributor
Asbestos Information Association/North America
1745 Jefferson Davis Hwy., Suite 406
Arlington, VA 22202
703-412-1150 fax: 703-412-1152
Association for Experimental Education
P.O. Box 4625
Denver, CO 80204
Association of Interpretive Naturalists, Inc.
Central Business Office
6700 Needwood Rd.
Derwood, MD 20855
Bureau of Outdoor Recreation
DEpartment of Interior
18th an C St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20240
Center for Emergency response Planning
Workplace Health Fund
815 16th St., NW, Suite 301
Washington, D.C. 20006
202-842-7833 fax 202-393-0623
307
Center for Safety in the Arts
5 Beekman St.
New York, NY 10038
212-227-6220
Citizens for a United Earth
1880 Route 64
Ionia, NY 14475
716-624-3673
Coalition for Education in the Outdoors
Box 2000, SUNY College at Cortland
Cortland, NY 13045
607-753-4971
Council on Economic Priorities
30 Irving Place
New York, NY 10003-2386
212-420-1133 fax: 212-420-0988
Council on Outdoor Education
1900 Association Dr.
Reston, VA 22091
Cousteau Society, Inc., The
870 Greebrier Cr., Suite 402
Chesapeake, VA 23320-2641
804-523-9335 fax: 804-523-2747
Development Education Program
Office of the Publisher
The World Bank
1818 H St., NW, #T8082
Washington, D.C. 20433
Earth Island Institute
300 Broadway, Suite 28
San Francisco, CA 94133
415-788-3666 fax: 415-788-7324
Edison Electric Institute
Education Service Department
701 Pennsylvania Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20004
Epcot Teachers Center
Walt Disney World
P.O. Box 10000
Lake Buena Vista, FL 32830
Friends of the Earth Foundation, Inc.
1045 Sansome St.
San Francisco, CA 94111
Humane Society of the United States
2100 L St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20037
202-452-1100 fax: 202-778-6132
International Council for Outdoor Education
P.O. Box 17255
Pittsburgh, PA 15235
Izaak Walton League of America, Inc., The
P.O. Box 824
Iowa City, IA 52244
League of Conservation Voters
1707 L St., NW, Suite 550
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-785-8683 fax: 202-835-0491
Monitor
1506 19th St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
National Association of Biology Teachers
11250 Roger Bacon Dr., #19
Reston, VA 22090
National Council for Social Studies
3501 Newark St, NW
Washington. D.C. 20016
National Education Association
1201 16th St, NW
Washington, D.C. 20036
National Science for Youth Foundation
130 Azalea Dr.
Roswell, GA 30075
National Science Teachers Association
1742 Connecticut Ave., NW
Washington, D.C. 20009
Outdoor Biology Instructional Strategies
Lawrence Hall of Science
University of California
Berkeley, CA 93305
308
Planetary Society, The
65 North Catalina Ave.
Pasadena, CA 91106
818-793-5100
Project ROSE
University of Alabama
Box G
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
1-800-452-5501 or 205-349-4878
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
1400 16th St., NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20036
202-797-5400 fax: 202-797-5411
Safari Club International
4800 West Gates Pass Rd.
Tucson, AZ 85745
Seventh Generation
Catalog Requests Department
Colchester, VT 05446-1672
1-800-456-1177
Thames Science Center
Gallows Lane
New London, CT 06320
401-849-5952
Union of Concerned Students
26 Church St.
Cambridge, MA 02238
World Food Day
1001 22nd St., NW, Suite 300
Washington, D.C. 20437
World Game Institute
University City Science Center
3508 Market St.
Philadelphia, PA 19104
215-387-0220
Worldwise Schools
United States Peace Corps
1990 K St., NW
Washington, D.C. 20526
Discovering Alabama Program GuideDiscovering Alabama, a public television series, highlights the natural features and environmental issues of
the state. Host Dr. Doug Phillips explores natural features on location by means of backcountry hiking and
canoeing. Produced for general audiences, Discovering Alabama is also designed as an interdisciplinary
teaching. Teachers’ Guides have been published for several of the videos, and others are being developed.
The series is a production of the Alabama Museum of Natural History in cooperation with Alabama Public
Television.
Mobile-Tensaw Delta
Just south of Mobile Bay lies Alabama’s Mobile-Tensaw Delta, named for the juncture of the Mobile and
Tensaw Rivers. Among U.S. river deltas, the Mobile-Tensaw is second in size to the Mississippi River Delta.
It, like other major river deltas of the world, has served as a natural attraction to early adventurers and as a
globally significant wetland. Host Dr. Doug Phillips canoes the delta to examine its historical role in the
exploration and settlement of the New World and its present status as a remarkable natural resource
increasingly subject to competing human uses.
Cheaha Mountain/Talladega National Forest
The Talladega Division of the Talladega National Forest contains the southernmost reaches of the Appalachian
mountain chain, which extends approximately eighty miles into northeast Alabama and includes the state’s
highest peak, Cheaha Mountain, elevation 2,420 feet. Host Dr. Doug Phillips hikes several miles along the
Chinnabee Silent Trail, a footpath constructed in the Talladega National Forest by scout troops from the
Talladega School for the Deaf. Along the way, Phillips describes local history and explores many of the
natural features of the area. He is joined by a group of elementary school students who climb Cheaha
Mountain with him and discover the value of learning in the wondrous classroom of the outdoors.
Cahaba River
Host Dr. Doug Phillips canoes a segment of the Cahaba River in northern Bibb County where the Cahaba lily
grows, describing many natural features of the river and stopping for a close-up look at the rare lily. Joined by
a fisheries biologist from the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Dr. Phillips
discusses a number of concerns about environmental changes along the river. This program is the first of two
Discovering Alabama programs featuring the Cahaba River. A second program, entitled the Cahaba River
Watershed, explores the full length of the Cahaba and examines changes affecting the entire watershed.
Southeast Alabama/Wiregrass Region
Because southeast Alabama lacks prominent features like the mountains of north Alabama or the beaches of
coastal Alabama, it is a region that is sometimes overlooked by those seeking such natural attractions.
However, in this program, Dr. Doug Phillips reveals that the southeast part of the state is quite rich in natural
qualities with their own special wonder. Phillips travels across several southeast Alabama counties exploring a
variety of unique features from the historically and biologically significant wiregrass region to the caves and
sinkholes of adjoining limestone areas and visits the Conecuh National Forest.
309
Oakmulgee Division/Talladega National Forest
Host Dr. Doug Phillips sets out from his own tract of Tuscaloosa County farm and forestland into the
adjoining Oakmulgee Division of the Talladega National Forest. With camera crew in tow, Phillips invites
viewers on a casual interpretive walk across the Oakmulgee to the National Forest Recreation Area, Payne
Lake. Along the way, he examines a variety of plants and animals that live in the Oakmulgee and discusses
the importance of maintaining such forestlands.
Lake Guntersville State Park
Few places can match Alabama’s Lake Guntersville State Park for its combination of mountainous natural
setting and full scale accommodations for recreation. Dr. Doug Phillips explores both of these and other facets
of the park’s popular appeal, giving particular emphasis to the potential of the area’s natural surroundings for
helping to recover the endangered bald eagle, America’s national symbol. Included is a visit with the park
naturalist, who leads a group of children on an interpretive nature walk and discusses the importance of
environmental education for America’s youth.
Coastal Alabama-Natural Diversity
Alabama’s coastal area, though relatively small in size, is diverse in natural qualities. Series host Dr. Doug
Phillips journeys across most of Alabama’s coastal region exploring the area’s rivers, bays, swamps, marshes,
and beaches, together with numerous resident plant and animal species. He is joined at various points by local
naturalists and wildlife officials to discuss environmental change in the region.
Coastal Alabama-Environmental Issues
Host Dr. Doug Phillips highlights a range of primary environmental issues when he revisits coastal Alabama
and examines several of the leading causes of environmental change in the region. Included are interviews
with local experts who add their perspectives to the discussion of activities such as farming, forestry,
commercial fishing, and overall growth and development on the coast of Alabama.
Tannehill State Park
Tannehill Ironworks Historical Sate Park has one of Alabama’s best displays of buildings, tools, and other
lifeway artifacts dating from the period of early European settlement to the time of the first iron making in the
state. Host Dr. Doug Phillips presents many of these important cultural features in the context of the park’s
natural features. Phillips explores Alabama history through visits with teachers at the park’s “living history”
classroom, discussions with craftsmen who have reconstructed historical log buildings, and visits to the park’s
unique Iron and Steel Museum of Alabama.
Little River Canyon
Host Dr. Doug Phillips hikes the seventy-mile length of the Little River from its northeast origins near the
Alabama-Georgia state line into the final fifteen-mile segment of Little River Canyon. Along the way Dr.
Phillips describes the river and the canyon, discusses various features of the area, and recounts several points
of local history. The show’s opening segment recreates the mid-19th century experience of Union troops who
encountered the impassably deep Little River Canyon by surprise as they hurried through Alabama with
Confederate troops in pursuit.
310
Caves of Alabama
With almost 3,000 caves, Alabama ranks among only a few states that have such an abundance of
subterranean wonder. Host Dr. Doug Phillips takes viewers on an actual exploration of an unmapped cave in
north Alabama. During the journey, Phillips and an accompanying caving expert encounter many common
features of caves and discuss how caves are formed, the diversity of geological and biological features that
occur in caves, and the history and location of caves in Alabama.
Oak Mountain State Park
More than 10,000 acres in size, Oak Mountain State Park is Alabama’s largest state park. The park also
happens to be located only minutes from Alabama’s largest city, Birmingham. Host Dr. Doug Phillips leads
viewers on a hurried escape from the crowded urban scene of downtown Birmingham to the serene setting of
Oak Mountain with its forested ridges, valleys, streams, and abundant wildlife. Phillips discusses the
geological origin of Oak Mountain, its early history, and the natural attractions of the area as he hikes through
the remote reaches of the the park. Later, he is joined by a Birmingham area teacher and her students who
regularly visit the park for nature study.
Locust Fork River
Dr. Doug Phillips takes a personal journey when he canoes part of the Locust Fork River in a nostalgic return
to the site of his childhood home. But as Southern writer Thomas Wolfe observed in his novel, You Can’t GoHome Again, things change - for better or worse. On this journey, viewers will learn of the river’s past and
explore crucial questions about its future. For much of this century, the Locust Fork was familiar only to the
residents of its immediate watershed. In recent times, the river has gained attention as more Alabamians
recognize its uncommon appeal and as more citizens have grown concerned about changing land practices
that pose environmental threats to the river.
Moundville
This video features Moundville Archaeological Park and the mound-building Indian culture of the prehistoric
Mississippian Period that lasted from around A.D. 1000 to 1550. The program examines the symbols, beliefs,
and the lifeways of this once dominant southeastern culture and traces two centuries of archaeological study
attempting to understand these early Native Americans and the significance of their earthen mounds. This
video links the science of archaeology with the timeless human quest to understand the meaning of life. The
story of Moundville offers a unique opportunity for interdisciplinary instruction in history, social studies,
science, geography, and environmental education.
Alabama’s Natural Diversity
Alabama often has been viewed as a backwoods region without sophistication. Yet many high-growth urban
areas in our country have become synonymous with a stressful lifestyle often associated with noise, traffic,
pollution, and crime. In comparison, Alabama’s backwoods are no longer equated with being backward. This
video presents an overview of Alabama’s natural qualities from the state’s Appalachian highlands to its coastal
wetlands. Alabama’s great variety of terrain, of wild habitats, and of native plants and animals ranks the state
among the most naturally diverse in the nation. As other parts of our country lose their native natural qualities,
Alabama’s wildlands help to make our state exceptional.
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Geological History of Alabama
This video presents a brief overview of the geological history of Alabama and describes natural resources in
the state. As far back as the 18th century, geologists from other countries were attracted to Alabama by reports
of the region’s diverse geology. Since then, researchers have pieced together the history of how the landscape
and life forms found in Alabama have changed over time. This video follows those changes, from the Earth’s
formation through the major geological eras (Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic) of the fossil record, and
concludes with the recent scientific question of whether industrial societies cause environmental changes that
may accelerate geological change.
A Walk in the Woods
The fields, streams, and woods that once surrounded our schools are being replaced rapidly by shopping areas
and adjoining parking lots, while bulletin boards, overhead projectors, and computers are now the primary
sources of information. In this video, viewers take a walk in the backwoods and encounter nature on a basic
level, a theme which runs throughout the video using quotations from famous Native Americans. Even with
the many material advances of our industrial society, we remain dependent upon fundamental processes in
nature. The program does not seek to deny the value of technology; rather, the video’s essential purpose is to
underscore the importance of remembering that our natural environment is the basis of life.
Alabama Forests
Alabama is one of the most forested regions in the world. The state contains scores of forest communities that
provide an abundance of natural habitats, home to a great variety of native plants and animals. A healthy
forest is more than merely a collection of trees. It is a setting in which the whole is greater than the sum of its
parts because its parts - soil, water, wildlife, various plants and trees - work together to form a self-
perpetuating natural community, or ecosystem. This video describes the importance of forests in Alabama
while also exploring forest history and key concerns for the future of Alabama’s forests.
Dauphin Island
Dauphin Island is unique among barrier islands because of its special natural qualities and its important role in
the history of American settlement. The island has a diversity of natural habitats including marshlands, forests,
and lakes. The island also attracted a variety of early explorers including the Spanish, the French, and the
English. This video presents both the natural and the human history of Dauphin Island and describes the
forces of geological change to barrier islands. The video concludes by looking at environmental changes
occurring to the island from modern growth and development and examines the question of how to manage
such activities for the island’s future.
Black Warrior River
The Black Warrior River has been prominent in the history and development of Southeastern societies since
the emergence of prehistoric cultures many thousands of years ago. In fact, the river’s name was taken from
the famous Native American Chief Taskalusa (derived from the words tasska and luska meaning black
warrior) who encountered the De Soto expedition in 1540. This video recalls the history of the Black Warrior
River from the time of early human settlement to the present. We examine the river both in terms of its
environmental role and its economic importance, with special focus given to the river’s changing status since
the construction of a series of dams and locks completed earlier this century.
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The Sipsey Wilderness
This video explores Alabama’s Sipsey Wilderness Area and tells about the environmental controversy
associated with a citizen campaign to preserve the Sipsey in the 1970s. Efforts to gain federal protection for
the Sipsey Wilderness sparked an angry national debate revealing society’s conflicting desires both to subdue
nature and to preserve nature. The video traces this duality from early civilizations to the present, giving
particular focus to the rapid settlement of the American frontier. Dr. Phillips recalls the influence of 19th-
century romanticism and the emergence of a national movement for the preservation of American wilderness
regions.
Village Creek
One of the South’s earliest industrial cities is Birmingham, Alabama, a place known for its history of iron and
steel production. Often forgotten, however, is the history of Birmingham’s natural features that were essential
to the establishment of this city. One of those features is Village Creek which flows through the heart of the
Birmingham area. Village Creek was originally a pure stream extending across a fertile valley that attracted
settlers to the region for the purpose of farming in the early 19th century. As the Industrial Age advanced,
Village Creek changed dramatically and has now become a prime example of how uncontrolled urban growth
can change the native landscape. This video traces the history of Village Creek and examines the value of
urban planning as a means of maintaining a high quality of life in urban areas and preventing environmental
degradation.
Wildlife History
Our nation is rooted in a rich, natural heritage that helped define our national identity. Central to this heritage
is the history of our society’s changing relationship with wildlife. This video gives an overview of Alabama’s
role as a national leader in wildlife conservation and restoration.
Red Hills Salamander
This video follows a team of research scientists as they go on an actual search for the Red Hills salamander
and examine the ecological significance of this threatened species. Private landowners, along with wildlife
officials, develop strategies to conserve the salamanders’ habitat.
Horse Pens 40
Located atop Chandler Mountain in St. Clair County, this site is a unique ring of large rocks forming a natural
corral, used by Indians and settlers for gathering horses, and today operated as a commercial attraction. This
video shows the cultural values and natural beauty of historical Horse Pens 40.
Alabama Adventure
Using beautiful nature footage from throughout Alabama, this special presentation is a visual feast
accompanied accompanied by a continuous musical background for viewers who delight in Alabama’s forests,
beaches, fields, mountains, rivers, flora and fauna.
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Long Leaf Ecosystem
Experts now believe that the Long Leaf ecosystem was at one time the single largest forest ecosystem in the
south. This video highlights on-going efforts to better understand and perpetuate the Long Leaf Ecosystem.
Wetumpka Impact Center
In an 1891 report, state geologist, Professor Eugene Allen Smith, noted that the area around Wetumpka was
“structurally disturbed”. In this video, Dr. Phillips, along with expert geologists, examine evidence that
suggests the altered landscape around Wetumpka is the result of an ancient asteroid collision.
Alabama Trees
In this program, host Dr. Doug Phillips takes an autumn stroll through Alabama woods to introduce viewers to
individual members of the forest community and answer the commonly asked question, “shat kind of tree is
this?”
Native American Festival
This show reflects on Alabama’s native heritage as we learn the importance of the Native American Festival
held each year at Moundville Archeological Park. The show features Native Americans as they demonstrate
arts and crafts unique to the Indian culture, play games from long ago and listen to stories about primary
tribes, tribal territories, and basic lifeways.
Arboretums
Highlighted in this video are four of Alabama’s arboretums and their significant contribution to the
preservation of our native plants and trees.
Mobile River Basin
Few places boast such an abundance of freshwater as our state of Alabama. Join host Dr. Phillips for a
journey across 44,000 square miles of the Mobile River Basin, a freshwater drainage encompassing most of
Alabama.
Fort Morgan
Visit historic Fort Morgan and witness an active archaeological dig, take a trek through an ancient maritime
forest and witness the capture, banding, and release of migratory birds. Fr. Phillips talks to local residents in
presenting the past and considering the future of Fort Morgan Peninsula, one of Alabama’s best coastal
wonders.
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Fort Toulouse/Jackson
Take a journey back in time for a visit to Fort Toulouse/Jackson State Park and the park’s annual Frontier
Days Festival. Meet Alibamous Indians, French soldiers, Davey Crocket, Andrew Jackson’s regiment, and
converse with 18th century botanist William Bartram while also learning about the natural appeal of the
location.
Sipsey River Swamp
Launch a canoe with Dr. Doug and discover the wild allure of the Sipsey River Swamp. The 100-mile long
Sipsey River is one of Alabama’s few remaining unimpounded rivers, much of it surrounded by river-bottom
swamp.
Forever Wild
Alabama’s “Forever Wild” land conservation program is recognized nationally for its effectiveness in
protecting significant wildlands. This video reflects on the history of how the “Forever Wild” program was
established and tells how Alabamians can participate in promoting such land conservation.
Dugger Mountain Wilderness
The Dugger Mountain Wilderness contains Alabama’s second highest peak, Dugger Mountain, and is one of
several federally designated “wilderness areas” in the state. In this program, Dr. Phillips hikes through the
wilderness as he follows the Pinhoti Hiking Trail. Along the way, he encounters many natural wonders while
considering the citizens, scientists, and government officials interested in protecting the area.
Earth Day
This video visits Selma, Alabama to join the local school system’s annual celebration of Earth Day.
Interviews with teachers, students, parents and various officials highlight the significance of this national day
of environmental appreciation and give special emphasis tot the importance of environmental education
throughout the school year.
Tuscaloosa County
The era of “new south” progress has brought important improvements to the southern region. However, parts
of the South are also experiencing rapid growth and development that could threaten such traditional southern
qualities as abundant natural surroundings and a comfortable pace of life. This video examines Tuscaloosa
County, Alabama as an example of a southern community affected by accelerating new-south growth and
faced with the challenge of managing this change so as to protect local rural and environmental values.
Alabama Soils
Host Dr. Doug and faithful companion Turkey journey across Alabama to examine the seven major soil areas
of the state and learn about the more than 300 soil types associated with these areas. Guest experts discuss
the vital ecological function of healthy soil and highlight the importance of Alabama soils to the state’s
economic and environmental health.
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