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Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

Snapshot

Looking outside, this lesson explores waterways (streams, rainwater runoff, drainage pollution) with a focus on urban waterways. Students learn about the water cycle and how to keep pollution out of waterways. Mercury in fish is also addressed.

Preparation and Materials: •

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Poster 1, Take-Home Talk

Flip chart and markers

Black or white board

You will take your students on a walk to see the nearest road with a storm drain. Storm drains are used to allow excess water from paved roads to drain away. They take many shapes and sizes. If you do not have a storm drain close by, you will walk along a road or path that often has some trash scattered. You will focus on all of the items—trash, leaves, pet waste, etc.—that you see on your walk. Be sure to follow your organization’s guidelines on traveling with children and be cautious around roads.

Large sheets of paper for each child to make a poster

Markers or crayons

Objectives—Students will be able to: •

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define rainwater runoff, drainage pollution, freshwater, saltwater, and potable;

identify three different types of waterways;

explain three ways to stop drainage pollution; and

explain how keeping our waterways clean benefits the entire community.

Vocabulary: rainwater runoff, drainage pollution, freshwater, saltwater, aquifer, precipitation, evaporation, water cycle

Procedure:1. Introduction (8 minutes)

2. Water Cycle (10 minutes)Optional Online Interactive: EPA Interactive Water Cycle (5 minutes)

3. Drainage and Storm Drain/Community Walk (15–20 minutes)

4. Reducing Pollution in Our Water (5 minutes)Optional Activity: Coloring or Creating No Littering Signs (10 minutes)Optional Activity: Community Clean-Up Planning (10 minutes)

5. Close and Take-Home Talk (5 minutes)

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Children’s Health Protection

EPA-100-K-13-002April 2013

www.epa.gov

Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

1. Introduction (8 minutes)

Review

Askseveralstudentstosharesomethingthattheyrememberfromthepreviouslesson.

Prompts:Whatdidyoulearnthatyoudidn’tknowbefore?Whatdidwetalkaboutthatyoualreadyknew?Whatsurprisedyoufromourlastlesson?Whataresomeofthenewwordsthatyoulearnedfromourlastlesson?Whatcanyoudotopositivelyimpacttheissuewelearnedabout?

DoAsk

Closeyoureyes.Iwantyoutotravelbackintime,slowly,tothestartofyourday.Seeeverythingyou’vedoneupuntilnowinreverse.Thinkaboutallthethingsthatyoucameintocontactwith—allthepeopleyoutalkedto,thethingsyou’veeatenanddrunk,thestuffyou’veread,allofthethingsyou’vedone.Reversethroughthedoortothisroom,reversethroughcomingintothebuilding,slowlyreversethroughgettinghere,reversethroughbreakfast,slowlyreversethroughgettingdressed,andreverseallthewaybacktobeingasleep.Youarelyingdownandyou’reasleep.Now,let’splaybackyourdaywiththisquestioninmind:Whichofthethingsinyourdayrequiredwater?

Goaheadandopenyoureyes.Whocantellmethefirstthinginhisorherdaythatrequiredwater?

Prompts:Didanyofyougotothebathroomwhenyougotup?Brushyourteeth?Havesomethingtodrink?Whatwasthenextthing?Thevastmajorityofyouractivitiesrequirewater—fromthefoodyoueat(plantsneedwatertogrow,animalsthatbecomemeatneedwater)toexercising(yourbodiesneedwater),fromthebuildingyouarein(buildingsthataremadeofconcreterequirewatertobemixedwiththecementduringconstruction)toelectricity(whichisusedforlights,stoplights,walksigns,MP3players,TVs,radios,andcable)thatcomesfromhydropower,etc. [Relate the actions to water as much as possible.]

Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

2. Water Cycle (10 minutes)

About70percentoftheEarthiscoveredwithwater.That’salotofwater!Whereismostofthatwater?

Prompt:Ifwelookatamap,there’salotofwhatcolor?[Blue.]Bluerepresentstheoceans.

Butdidyouknowthatlessthan1percentofallthewateronEarthcanbeusedbypeople?Therestissaltwater(thekindyoufindintheocean)orispermanentlyfrozenandwecan’tdrinkit,washwithit,oruseittowaterplants.Asourpopulationgrows,moreandmorepeopleareusingupthislimitedresource.Therefore,itisimportantthatweunderstandwhereourwatercomesfromandhowtouseourwaterwiselyandnotwasteit.

So,wheredowefindthe1percentofwaterthatwecanuse?Wheredowefindfreshwater?[In lakes, streams, rivers, and rain.]

Explain Let’stakealookatthelifecycleofadropoffreshwater—thekindwecandrink—whenitstartsasaraindrop.Rainisalsocalledprecipitation,somethingI’msureyou’veheardtheweatherreportersay.Well,precipitationhappenswhenthere’stoomuchwaterintheairanditcan’tholdontoitanymore.Itwillrain,sleet,snow,orhail.Howcantherebewaterintheair?

Prompts:Haveyouevergoneoutsideandnoticedthattheairfeltheavyorwet?Wecallthathumidity—thisisagoodexampleofwaterintheair.Whenthewaterintheairandthecloudsgetstobetooheavy,itrains.

DoAsk

[Show Poster #1 (life cycle of water).]So,therainorsnoworhailcomesdownandfillsupourlakes,streams,andoceans.Whereelsedoestheprecipitationgo?

Prompts:Doestherainjustfillupthestreets?Doesitstayontopofthesoccerfields?ItsoaksintotheEarthanddrainsthroughoursewersystems.

(continued on other side)

2. Water Cycle (continued – page 2)

OptionalOnlineInteractive:EPAInteractiveWaterCycle(5 minutes)

SharetheEPAInteractiveWaterCycle–InteractiveToolatwww.epa.gov/safewater/kids/flash/flash_watercycle.html

Thewaterthatsoaksintothegroundisstoredthereuntilitisneeded.Thewaterstoredwayundergroundiscalledanaquifer/groundwater.Manypeoplepumpwaterdirectlyfromtheaquiferthroughawellanduseitfortheirdrinkingwater.

ExplainSo,waterfallsandgetssoakedupbythegroundoraddedtolakes.Whathappensnext?

Rememberthosehumiddays,thedayswhentheairfeelsmuggy?Dothosedayshappeninthesummerorthewinter?Inthesummer.Asthesun’sraysheatupthelakesandstreamsandoceansandthegroundwherethewaterisstored,vaporisformed.

Thinkaboutwhenyou’recookingandyouboilapotofwater—asthetemperatureofthewaterincreases,whathappens?

Prompts:Howdoyouknowit’shot?Thewaterstartstoboilandsteamcomesoffofit.Thissteamisvapor.Andthevaporgoesintotheair.Thisiscalledevaporation.

Thesunisheatingupallthiswaterandthevaporistravelingupwardbecauseit’shot.Whenitcoolsandmoveshigherup,itturnsintoaliquidagainandgathersinclouds.

Whathappensnext?

Prompts:Thisisacycle:Westartedwithrain—sowehavetoendupthereagain.

Thecloudssenddownprecipitationandthecyclestartsalloveragain.

Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

Poster #1

U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyOffice of Children’s Health ProtectionEPA-100-K-13-002www.epa.govApril 2013

Printed on 100% recycled/recyclable paper with a minimum 50% post-consumer waste using vegetable-based inks.

Water Cycle

Precipitation asrain, snow, hail, fog

Evaporation fromlakes, rivers, oceans

Runoff and Groundwater

Condensation

Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

3. Drainage and Storm Drain/Community Walk (15–20 minutes)

Inacity,wheredoestheraingowhenitcomesdown?DoesitsoakintotheEarth?Whatiscoveringalotofcities?[Roads, asphalt, and concrete.]

Explain Watercan’tsoakintotheroadsandsidewalks,soitpoolsontheconcreteoritrunsalongthesurface.Afterareallyhardrainfall,whatdoyousee?Intheroads?

Prompt:Haveyouseenastormdrainbefore?

Review Stormdrainsareopeningsonthesidesofroadsthatallowwatertodrain.Thewatergoesdownthedrainandintoapipesystem,whichbringsthatwatertoabodyofwatercloseby.Stormdrainswilloftenhavepaintedonthem“[insert name of body of water]drainage.”Alloftherainwaterrushesdownthesestormdrains.Afterabigstorm,itsometimeslookslikeariverflowingtothedrain.

Whatisintheriverflowingtothedrain?

Prompts:Whathaveyouseen?Whatisintheroadthatcouldgetsweptintothedrain?

DoExplain Allofthethingsthatpooltogetherwhenitrainsandgodownthestormdrainendup

flowingintothestreamsandlakesthatweuseforourdrinkingwater.Andtheycancontaminateit.Wecallthisrainwater runoff.We’regoingtotakeawalkdowntothecloseststormdrainandtakealookateverythingwespotalongthewaythatmightendupinthe[insert name of closest body of water (could be a dam, river, etc.)].Aswe’rewalking,callouttheitemsthatmightbesweptintothestormdrainasyouseethem.

Notallcommunitieshavealotofstormdrains.Butthesamewaythattrashgetssweptintostormdrainsitgetssweptotherplacesaswellbyrainandwind.Trashandoilfromcarsandhouseholdchemicalswilloftenmakeitintothewatersystemthroughstormdrainsorstreams.

TeacherNote:Besuretotakeapenandpaperwithyoutonoteeverythingthatthechildrensee.Dependingonhowbusytheareabythestormdrainis,youcanfinishthelessonoutsideorresumeitwhenyoureturntotheclassroom.

(continued on other side)

3. Drainage and Storm Drain/Community Walk (continued – page 2)

DoAsk

Reviewthelistofitemsnoted.Askwhatelseisofteninthestreetthatthestudentsdidn’tseetoday.Besurethattheynotethefollowing:cans,bottles,papertrash,cigarettebutts,foodtrash,oilfromcars,andpetwaste.Remindstudentsthatpeoplesometimesdumpchemicalslikepaintoroilontheroadandthosethingscanbeaddedtotherainwaterrunoffaswell.

Explain Imagineabathtubfullofallthesethingsthatyoujustsawonthestreet—wouldyouwanttogetintothebathtubtowash?Orwouldyouwanttodrinkthatwater?Whilemuchofthewaterwedrinkgoesthroughatreatmentprocesstomakeitsafeforus,let’sthinkabouttheriversandlakesandbaysthatthesestormdrainsfeedinto.Howwouldallthisgarbageimpactthelifeinthatlake?

Prompts:Howwouldthisimpactfishandplants?Theanimalsthatdrinkthatwater?Whatanimalswouldbeimpacted?Mightweendupeatingfishfromthatlake?

Explain Oneofthebigconcernswithwaterpollutionismercury.Whatismercury?Mercuryisatoxicmetalthatisfoundnaturallyincoalandisreleasedwhencoalisburnedbypowerplants.Whenit’sreleased,itfallstothegroundandentersourwaterways.Whenmercurymixeswithwater,itbecomesverytoxicandcanendupinthefishthatweeat.Ifweingestmercury,incanharmusbyimpactingourbraindevelopmentandfunctioning.Pregnantwomenhavetobeespeciallycarefulaboutmercurybecauseitcanimpactthebabytheyarecarrying.

So,shouldweavoidfishaltogether?No!Fishisagreatpartofahealthydiet.So,whatdowedo?

Ifyouarebuyingfish,beawareofwhichfishyourlocalhealthdepartmentrecommendsthatyouavoidinyourarea.Ifyouarecatchingyourownfish,checktomakesurethatthewatersyouarefishinginareclean—again,yourlocalhealthdepartmentwillknow.Whenyoucookthefishyoucaught,removetheskin,head,tail,andorgansbeforecooking.Mercurycanbeconcentratedintheseareas.Avoidfryingfishoreatingfriedfish—fryinglocksinthepollutants.

We’vetalkedabouteverythingbeingconnectedandaboutbalance.Howdoespollutedwaterimpactourhealth?

Prompts:Ifthewaterispolluted,willittakemoreworkatawatertreatmentplanttocleanit?We’lltalkaboutthewatertreatmentprocessinournextlesson.Willittakemoreenergytodothis?Wherewillwegetthisenergy—willweneedtoburnmorefossilfuelsandthuscreatemoregreenhousegases?Willthisimpactairqualityandclimatechange?Alloftheseelementsareinterconnected.Howwillitimpactyou?

Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

4. Reducing Pollution in Our Water (5 minutes)

Howdowekeepthesethingsoutofourwaterways?Whatcanwedo?

Putgarbagewhereitbelongs.Neverpourchemicalsorpesticidesontheground.Pickupafterourpets.Pickuplitter.Don’tthrowthingsdownthestormdrain.Recycleusedcaroilatlandfillsorgarages.Educatepeopleabouthowlittercanhurtourwaterways.

Optional Activity: Coloring or Creating No Littering Signs (10 minutes)

ColororcreateNoLitteringsignsforuseintheteachingspaceorathome.Nowthatweknowhowimportantitistokeepourroadwaysandparksclean,wewanttosharethatknowledge.Eachofyou(orinpairs)willmakeaposterthatletsothersknowhowimportantitistocleanupafterpetsorputtrashwhereitbelongs.

Passoutlargesheetsofpaperandmarkersorcrayons.

(continued on other side)

4. Reducing Pollution in Our Water (continued – page 2)

Optional Activity: Community Clean-Up Planning (10 minutes)

Wejustsawallthetrashandpetwasteandleavesonourwalkandthatwasarelativelysmallareawecovered.Nowthatweknowhowharmfultheseitemscanbetoourwaterways,Ithinkweshoulddosomethingaboutit.

Whatcanwedo?

Prompts:Notlitter,tellothersnottolitter,pickuptrash.

Whatifweorganizedacommunityclean-updayof[insertlocalparkorroadthatneedstobecleanedup]?Howwouldwedoit?

Prompts:Whowouldwewanttoinvolve?Howwouldwetellfolksaboutit?Whenshouldwedoit?

Guidethestudentsthroughtheprocessofplanningaclean-updayforthenearfuture.

Lesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

(5 minutes)

DoExplain

Closeyoureyesandtakeanicedeepbreath.We’vecoveredalottoday.Wetalkedaboutthewatercycle.Raiseyourhandifyoucantelltheclassaboutthefourstepsofthewatercycle—wheredowestart?[Call on a student. Go through all four steps: precipitation, runoff and groundwater, evaporation, and condensation]

Explain Wealsodiscussedstormdrainsandwentonatriptoseewhatgetsintoourwaterwaysthroughthestormdrains.Whataresomewaysthatwecanstopthepollutionofourwaterways?Youcanopenyoureyesnow.

Thecoolestpartaboutlearningsomethingnewissharingtheknowledge.Tonight,whenyougethome,Iwantyoutotalkwithyourfamilyaboutthethingsthatwelearnedtoday.Lookaroundyourneighborhoodtoseeifthereistrashbythestormdrains.Besurenottolitter,andpickuptrashandputitinthegarbagewhenyouseeit.Challengeyourfamilytothinkofwaysthatyoucanallhelptoprotectthewaterwaysaroundus.

DoExplain [Pass out Take-Home Talk.]ThisTake-HomeTalksheethassomethingsthatyoucan

sharewithyourfamilyandsomeactivitiesthatyoucandoathome.Seewhatyoucanaccomplishonthesheetandwe’lltalkaboutitthenexttimewemeet.

5. Close and Take-Home Talk

Recipes for Healthy Kids and a Healthy EnvironmentKids Building a Safer and Healthier Community

Take-Home TalkLesson 6: Keeping All of Our Waterways Clean

To Share:

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About70percentoftheEarthiscoveredwithwater!Mostofthatwaterisintheoceans.

Butlessthan1percentofallofthewateronEarthcanbeusedbypeople.Therestissaltwater(thekindyoufindintheocean)orispermanentlyfrozenandwecan’tdrinkit,washwithit,oruseittowaterplants.

Asourpopulationgrows,moreandmorepeopleareusingupthislimitedresource.Therefore,itisimportantthatweunderstandwhereourwatercomesfromandhowtouseourwaterwiselyandnotwasteit.

WaterCycle

Precipitation asrain, snow, hail, fog

Evaporation fromlakes, rivers, oceans

Runoff and Groundwater

Condensation

(continued on other side)

To Do:

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Rescuing Rainwater Runoff!Youlearnedthatallofthetrashthatweseeonthestreetsandinourneighborhoodscantooeasilyendupinourlakesandourstreams,hurtingfishandplantsandanimals.Youandyourfamilycandoyourparttostopthispollution!Asafamily,walkaroundyourneighborhoodandpickuptrash.Besuretowearprotectiveglovesandgowithanadult.

Wheredidyoufindthemosttrash?Whatwasthetrash—foodwaste?Bottles?Cans?Paper?

Getting the Word Out!Howcanyouletothersknowthattheyshouldn’tlitter?Wouldalettertoyourlocalnewspaperbehelpful?Whataboutpostingsignsinyourcommunity?Howcanyouspreadtheword?

To Take Back:

• Whatwasthecoolestthingthatyoulearnedfromtalkingaboutthistopicwithyourfamilyandfriends?