THE INFLUENCE OF WASTE ON WATER AND SEA WATER

QUALITY

Pučišća elementary school, 2012.

Project participants - students from 7th and 8th grade

of Pučišća elementary school

Coordinator

Simona Širković Martinić, science and chemistry teacher

AIMES

• To increase students' learning motivation• To relate teaching materials to life and to

acquire permanent knowledge • To develop students' key competences• To develop student's personality through

persistence,resourcefulness, unity and cooperation

• To get to know the homeland, its past and present, to be aware of the need for planning the future

EXPECTED RESULTS • Increased students' learning motivation

• Improved educational results

• Increased students' key competences (especially learning and

problem solving)

• Socially and emotionally aware students: trained to face difficulties and failure, to interconnect, to be persistent and tenacious, to seek help when needed, to use their abilities in unity and cooperation with others in the group

• New knowledge about the homeland

• Project documentation: PP presentation on project realization

• Public display of students' work made during the project (written papers, eco-flyer)

THE MOST IMPORTANT

ACTIVITIES

1. Field trips, study and water sampling (water tanks, the sea water)

2. Research data from other sources: literature, the Internet, interviews with experts (visit HZJZ analysis of water and sea)

3. Conducting experiments – analyzing collected samples of sea and water

4. Conducting experiments that simulate different pollution of sea

5. Hypothesis making, argumentation, monitoring experiments, recording of events, describing and drawing conclusions about the consequences.

6. Noticing the consequences of human impacts on the living world

7. Noticing and commenting on damaging changes in the ecosystem

8. Encouraging students’ creativity - eco flyer and eco poster, mind map, conducting experiments ...

9. Systematizing acquired knowledge .

10. Systematizing and arranging project documentation

11. Public presentation of project results

METODOLOGY OF WORKProject will include 8 steps:

• Introduction to the subject, exploring the new science (ecology), introducing new concepts (environmental, waste, rubbish, waste separation, heavy metals ...), researching literature

• Field research - sites Podbrkata - Puddles ( Gornji Humac)• Observing, experimenting and conclusion about the quality of

water (for drinking, watering )• Field research - sites Sv. Rok (Pučišća) and Porat (Pučišća)• Field work - Visit HZJZ in Split (chemical and microbiological

analysis of water samples and sea)• Data processing and conclusion about the potential impact of

solid waste disposal on water quality and sea• Making PowerPoint presentations, posters and eco posters

Each step will include the same methodical pattern

• a) studying and collecting data• b) processing collected data (classroom)• c) connecting the new info with previous

knowledge (classroom)• d) Systematizing knowledge (classroom)• e) Applying acquired knowledge in problem

solving tasks in different subjects• f) Displaying the collected info (different medium:

written and oral expression, drawings, paintings, photo, chart...)

Learning process parts Encouraging questions

1. Noticing phenomena What did you notice? How do you explain it? Why?

2. Collecting the data What can't you explain? What data do you lack? Where can you find it?

3. Processing the info What does this reminds you of? What are the differences and similarities? What is the most important? What can it be connected with?

4. Making conclusions What can you conclude from these information? How can you check the conclusion?

5. Displaying solutions according to students' mental image

How to display it and pass it on to others (image, word, chart, images and words, number, model …)?

6. Encouraging students to use acquired knowledge

Where can I use the things I learned?

Project task:Project task:

To dTo determine whether the etermine whether the dumping of waste into the dumping of waste into the nature nature have have adverse effect adverse effect

on the ecosystemon the ecosystem!!

EXAMPLES OF METODICAL UNITS

Introduction:

What is waste ?

TITLETITLE WHAT IS WASTE?WHAT IS WASTE?

OBJECTIVES a) understanding of concepts - waste, garbage, recycling, ecology, separation of waste, bio-waste, composting, ...

b) understanding of the consequences of uncontrolled disposal of garbage and waste in the nature

c) changing attitudes to waste and encouraging students to separate waste

d) developing and deepening students' concerns for nature

e) development of key competencies (communication, social, work and learning competences)

KEY WORDS Ecology, waste, garbage, recycling, composting,

waste separation, consumer society PLACE AND TYPE OF LEARNING Classroom / heuristic teaching

CROSSCURRICULAR POSSIBILITY Nature - Biology: ecology, plant and animal communities and the inland sea, amphibians, fishChemistry: Water, Calcium and its compounds, metals, heavy metalsPhysics: Energy, electronic waste and hazardous waste

Motivation:

PP presentation is presented to students, containing only images - wild landfills, legal landfills, national parks, environmental disasters at sea, the natural beauty of Croatia

The experience of the presentation - brainstorming

Noticing phenomena: • Are there such a waste disposal in your area?

How could such a pile of garbage affect the living world that lives there?Can one such landfill affect the quality of human life? Explain!Can this contaminate and pollute the sea and nearby cisterns and ponds?Which science studies the impact of waste on the environment?

• What else ecology studies?• Why is it, that we just now hear so much about

ecology, environmental impact on the environment and the like?Have you ever heard about some ecological association?

• After questions and answers students were given an independent task (work sheets 1A and 1B).

• They were divided into two groups. Group 1 is an ecological association from Pučišća Primary School and Group 2 represents the utility company for the collection and disposal of garbage. They dump waste in unsuitable place.

• Both groups have the option of exploring the Internet and other literature. Both groups have 30 minutes to gather information and prepare for debate. After preparation they begin to debate. Each represents their views and arguments. The debate lasts for 30 minutes.

Worksheet 1A

Group 1 - Ecological Association from Pučišća Primary School

'' Landfill near our place adversely affects the living world. Hazardous decomposition of waste compounds dissolve in water and seep through the soil thus polluting the water and the sea. This may change the structure of the living world, it violates the natural balance and damages the health of people!''

Find the information that substantiates your views in the literature / Internet.

Worksheet 1B

Group 2 - Smetlarko d.o.o. utility company for the collection and disposal of garbage

'' We have a utility company that transport waste. We solve garbage and waste problem and provide new jobs. We're doing everything according to the law!'‘

Find the information that substantiates your views in he literature / Internet.

CONCLUSION• Both groups made the conclusion after discussion.

Conclusion is written in the form of a mind map on the blackboard. The central term of mind map is WASTE.Students also suggest environmental activities they can perform for the future of their homeland.

• The task for the students 1. !Till the next meeting photograph and map the smaller dumps in your place of residence! Make a PP presentation!

•Task for students 2. !To prepare for field research - read the literature on the physical and chemical properties of water!

The second part:

Field research

Location Podbrkata – Puddles

TITLETITLE Puddles - Drinking water or not?

OBJECTIVES a) understanding the causes and consequences of human activities (waste, pesticides, fertilizers ...)

b) understanding of the consequences of uncontrolled disposal of garbage and waste in nature

c) developing and deepening students' concerns for nature

d) understanding the field methods of work (the new method, a new approach to work)

e) developing key competencies (communication, social, work and learning competences)

KEY WORDS Sample, sampling, physical properties of water, sterility,

living world of stagnant water PLACE AND TYPE OF LEARNING

Field research / heuristic teaching CROSSCURRICULAR POSSIBILITY Nature - Biology: plant and animal communities of

inland waters, amphibians, fish, arthropodsChemistry: Water, Calcium and its compounds, metals, heavy metals

Physics: Energy Water

Task - Watching, sampling, measuring, recording and Task - Watching, sampling, measuring, recording and

photographing photographing

Noticing phenomena:

• What kind of landscape is this? • What are the agricultural activities that people do

here?• Could that affect the composition of the soil?• Does water penetrate through the surface of the

ground? • What is the chemical composition of the Brač stone? • Can water saturated with chemicals contaminate

such water in the ponds? • One pool is deeper and surrounded by stone cairns

and the other is shallower and not fenced. Why are these two pools so different?

Tasks for research

• All students listen to teacher’s exposure• After establishing all the facts, students were

divided into two groups. Each group is given the same task (observation, sampling, measuring, recording, photographing). Group 1 investigates fenced pond and Group 2 unfenced.

• Tasks for research are on the Worksheet 2.

WORKSHEET 2Watching, sampling, measuring, recording and photographing

1. Look at the puddle! Do you see the living world in it?           A) plants – are there any plants in it?                          - What sort of plants are there (photograph it, harvest it , name it,

describe it)?                          - How many plants are there – minimum, optimum, maximum?

- What is the most common plant there?           B) animals – are there any animals in it?                          - What species of animals are there (photograph it, name it, describe it)?                          - How many animals there are - minimum, optimum, maximum?                           - What is the most common animal there?2. Look at the puddle!2. Look at the puddle!

   - Water color - green, yellow, brown ...        - The smell of water - yes (unpleasant, pleasant), no        - Transparency of water - transparent, untransparent3. Experiment!         A) Sample water from puddles in sterile glass bottles of ½ l (bottle label -             name of the puddle, date of sampling, water temperature)         B) Measure the temperature of the water in the paddle         C) Attempt to measure the depth of puddles         D) Determine the pH level of the water in the paddle l

Observing, recording, photographing

Collecting samples for analysisCollecting samples for analysis

Samples are collected Samples are collected in sterile glass bottles in sterile glass bottles ½½ ll

Third part:

Visiting the Institute for Public Health

TITLETITLE Microbiological AND Chemical analysis

OBJECTIVES a) introducing the manner and method of work in the laboratory

b) introducing the precautions during work

c) understanding of cause and effect relationships

d) developing opportunities of argumentative reasoning

e) developing of independence in their work

f) understanding of the causes and consequences of human activities (waste, pesticides, fertilizers)

g) development of key competencies (communication, social, work and learning competences)

KEY WORDS Sample, sampling, microbiology, microorganisms, pathogens

PLACE AND TYPE OF LEARNING Microbiological Laboratory / heuristic teaching

CROSSCURRICULAR POSSIBILITY Biology: bacteria, viruses, protozoaChemistry: chemical composition of water, metals, heavy metals

Visiting the Institute for Public Health

The task - Confirming the results and conclusions that were received after the field and independent laboratory research

Collected samples should be analyzed.

We used different methods:

          - Microbiological methods (the

existence of bacteria)

            - Chemical analysis (the existence of

harmful chemical substances)

Microbiological analysis of water

MEMBRANE FILTRATION

METHOD

1.1.

2.2.

3. 3.

4.4.

COLIMETRY

Establishes the existence of bacteria that cause intestinal diseases, usually found in animal feces.

It is performed in three phases:                 - Preliminary test                 - Confirmatory test                 - The final test

DETERMINATION OF TOTAL

COLIFORMS (causes intestinal

illness)

ACCESSORIES - micropipette,

burner

NUTRITION MEDIA(liquid and solid

surfaces)

BACTERIAL GROWTH ON SOLID MEDIUM (determination of certain types of bacteria)

Results of analysis

The water that we analyzed is not potable, but it can be used for watering plants.

Sea that we have analyzed is of exceptional quality, and is perfect for swimming.

The fourth part: 

Presentation of project results

TitleTitle PRESENTATION OF PROJECT RESULTSPRESENTATION OF PROJECT RESULTS

OBJECTIVES

a) Introducing the different ways of presentation of the same results

b) Developing independence

c) Stimulating creativity

d) Deepening awareness of nature conservation

e) Developing key competencies (communication, social, work and learning competences)

KEY WORDS Eco flyer, poster eco, environmental actions,

research paper PLACE AND TYPE OF LEARNING Classroom / heuristic instruction

CROSSCURRICULAR POSSIBILITY Art - composition, posters, collageBiology - EcologyInformation Technology - PowerPoint presentations, wordNative language (Croatian) - scientific writing style

• After months of work on the project, the students share their impressions.

• They comment on what they experienced while working on the project, what was the most interesting and the least interesting to do.

• They also talked about the results of research on the possibility of improving environmental conditions.

• The students will choose the way they will present their results.

• They opted for an eco poster, eco flyer, PPT presentation and writing of scientific paper.

• Four groups have been formed depending on how students want to display the results.

Eco fleyer

PowerPoint presentations

Scientific paper