Student Journal. Evaporation Observation: Time the towel was placed outside: My Prediction (time for the towel to evaporate):

Transcription

1 Observation Page 1 Evaporation Observation: Time the towel was placed outside: My Prediction (time for the towel to evaporate): Actual time when the towel is dry:

2 Observation Page 2 Condensation Observation: Draw some of the clouds that you see.

3 Observation Page 3 Rainfall Observations: Is the vegetation (plants) green? Do you see any puddles anywhere? Is the ground muddy? Any other observations that would point to recent rainfall?

4 Page 4 1. What is your definition of the environment? My Response: 2. Describe the environment where you live? (Example: Do you live in a city or the country? Do you live in a house or apartment? Is there a forest, or a river, or lake, or creek close to your home? What kinds of animals do you think live in your environment?) My Response: 3. How do you interact with your environment? (Do you drive to school on a road or highway? Do you live in a new house? Do you cut the lawn? Do you swim in the river or lake? Do you fish in the creek?) My Response: 4. Do you see any signs that your environment has been impacted or changed by the things that you do? (Do you see trash in the creek or lake? Has some of the forest been cut down to make way for new homes? Does the water smell bad or have a dirty color after a rainstorm?) My Response:

5 Page 5 5. Draw a picture of your environment. What is an Environmental Issue? Environmental Issue- A situation which involves an interaction between humans and the environment where something in that environment is threatened or at risk.

6 Page 6 These are the things that I will do this week to show that I am a responsible citizen: Monday I will Tuesday I will Wednesday I will Thursday I will Friday I will Put a star in the box when you have accomplished your citizenship goals for each day. Write a sentence on the back of this sheet about how it made you feel. Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

7 Observation Page 7 Rain Gauge Observations: Day 1

8 Observation Page 8 Rain Gauge Observations: Day 2

9 Observation Page 9 Rain Gauge Observations: Day 3

10 Page 10 The Tale of Candlelight Lane

11 Page 11 Site Map:

12 Observation Page 12 Rain Gauge Observations: Day 4

13 Page 13 Keeping a Journal Taking notes and writing down key information and details is an important process during an issue investigation. As you can imagine, you might get upset if you lost the name and phone number of an important person that offered to help you on a project. Most people can t remember everything without writing it down. So, here is your chance to do just that. Have your journal with you at all times. You never know when an idea or observation may come up. Write down any ideas you have or observations you make while at school, on the way home from school, at home, or at any other time an idea strikes you. Don t be afraid to journal your own first impressions of an observation you make. Write down any interesting thoughts or expressions that come to mind. Be as descriptive as possible. Sketch out pictures and maps if you need to. Express your opinions about something important to you. Write down memories you have that may be useful. Make lists of things that may be useful. May sure to write in your journal, not on little pieces of paper or on a separate tablet. Write a date by each entry so you know which information is the most recent. Use your journal to interview important contacts or write down quotes from experts. If you are quoting someone or interviewing someone, don t worry about writing down every word they say. Think like a reporter. Answer the most important questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How? Write down questions you have or things you wonder about. Look back over your notes as soon as you re finished writing to make sure you haven t left out anything important and that you can read your own writing.

14 Page 14 Attention to Detail Practice Worksheet: Slide One Observations: Slide Two Observations: Slide Three Observations: Slide Four Observations: IMPORTANT THINGS TO REMEMBER (a) -Don t get in a hurry. Take as much time as you need to see everything. (b) - Move around until you have made all of your observations. (c) -If you see something that just doesn t look right, go ahead and make note of it. (d) - There may be areas that your investigation leads you that may not be safe such as storm drains, overgrown creeks, or hazardous chemical buildings.

15 Page 15 Your School-Attention to Detail Quiz: 1. Does your school have a flagpole on campus? 2. If so, how many flags are hanging on the pole today? 3. How many steps lead up to the front door of your school? 4. What color is your school building? 5. Without counting, how many windows are in your classroom? 6. How many doors are there at the front of your school? 7. Is there a stage on your campus? 8. Are there trees on your playground? If so, how many? 9. Are there any trashcans on your playground? 10. What is your classroom number?

16 Page 16 Notes: Drawings/Sketches:

17 Observation Page 17 Rain Gauge Observations: Day 5

18 Page 18 Issue Investigation Journal Pages 1. When it rains at my school the rain water will flow to: (check all that you can find) Low points Ditches Storm drains Lakes/streams/rivers/ponds Name of lake, stream, river or pond? Other 2. As the rain water moves, it passes over: (check all that you can find) Bare soil Vegetation (grass/trees/shrubs) Streets Trash Playgrounds Parking lots Other Does anything look like a possible water issue here? Examples: Do you see any bare soil that could lead to erosion? When it is not raining, is water flowing or pooling in a location that could be a leak? Is the pooling water a place for mosquitoes to live? Is the flowing water carrying oil and gas from a parking lot or trash from the playground?

19 Page 19 Issue Investigation Journal Pages (cont.) 3. How many storm drains do you have on your campus? Remember, a storm drain is an opening in the street or parking lot where rainwater flows after it rains. The storm drain is usually covered with a large, heavy steel or iron covering. In some newer schools, the storm drain may be an open concrete channel. Most storm drains flow to the nearest waterway (lake, stream, river, pond). Does anything look like a possible water concern here? Examples: Are the storm drains covered up so water cannot get in? Is debris like grass or sticks clogging up the storm drain? Is there trash building up in the storm drains? Is any bare soil washing into the storm drain and eventually into the waterway? Is oil and gas washing into the storm drain? NOTES: **Mark all these locations on your site map. 4. Ask the students to find places where water has been carefully protected? Example: Is grass planted on paths to keep soil from washing away? NOTES: **Mark all these locations on your site map.

20 Page 20 Issue Investigation Journal Pages (cont.) Brainstorm a list of the ways that they can positively affect water. Make sure you think of activities inside and outside the school. See how many ideas you can come up with. Examples might include: Ensuring custodial staff is not sweeping or blowing grass clippings into the storm drains. Making sure to dispose of hazardous chemicals properly when finished with them. Have someone write down the actions you come up with in your journals. NOTES: Add any rain fall amount from Day 5 (if any) to the total number that you discussed in the classroom. How much rain have you measured over the last five days?

21 Page 21 Issue Investigation Journal Pages (cont.) Drawings/Sketches:

22 Page 22 School Site Checklist STEP III (Please check the appropriate boxes and fill in as much information as possible) KEY: A = This issue is very important to our group and we might like to do something to help solve this issue. B = This issue is important to our group and something should be done about it but there are other issue that are more important. C = This issue isn t really a big concern to our group and so we are not going to pursue it any further. Water Pollution 1. Does your school get rid of cleaning chemicals the proper way after they finish with them? Does your school staff dump leftover cleaning chemicals on the ground or in a storm drain? Does your school staff dump leftover cleaning chemicals in a sink or toilet? Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! Where do they get rid of the chemicals? We need more information about What we know How important is this issue to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important

23 Page Do students and teachers use chemicals or cleaning products on campus that won t hurt the environment like baking soda, vinegar, citrus cleaner, soap flakes and a little elbow grease? Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important 3. Does rainwater flow from the school parking lot into a grassy area or stream or does it flow into a storm drain? Remember, storm drains take the rainwater to the nearest creek, river, or lake untreated. Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important

24 Page After the grass at your school is mowed, are the grass clippings swept off the sidewalks and parking lots so that they do not wash into storm drains? Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important 5. Is there trash or cooking oil and grease running from the school dumpsters onto the ground? Remember that these could wash right into a storm drain. Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important

25 Page 25 Educating About Water 6. Does your school celebrate Earth Day, National Wildlife Week, Arbor Day, National Drinking Water Week, Wetlands Month, National Beach Clean-up Day or other environmental days? Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important 7. Is environmental education taught at your school? Are environmental topics covered in your classes? Are lessons on water included? Do you have a school nature area where you do experiments and study nature? Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B= Kind of Important C = Not Very Important

26 Page Does your school recycle? Doing well! This is or could be an issue! Not sure. We need more information! We need more information about What we know How important is this to us? A = Very Important B = Kind of Important C = Not Very Important

27 Page 27 Choosing a Project EXAMPLE SECTION A: Issue Selection Begin by writing out the very important issues that you identified on the school campus in the boxes marked Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4, and Issue #5. Issue #1 Issue #2 Issue #3 Issue #4 Issue #5 We found out that our school doesn t dispose of cleaning chemicals properly after finishing with them. We saw our school wasting water by turning on the sprinklers during the middle of the day. We are concerned that our school has many places where water is eroding away the playground when it rains. Most of the storm drains on our campus are clogged with trash and debris. When it rains, the storm water backs up on our campus creating puddles. We saw that the cafeteria staff leaves the water running in the sink when they are busy helping students. After voting as a group, what ONE issue would you like to do a project on? Issue SECTION B: Skills Write down each team member s name and ask them to give you five skills that could help the group complete a water issue project. Name: Skill: Skill: Skill: Skill: Skill: #4 Bradley Good at writing letters Good at typing on the computer Won best citizen award last year at school The best at using a camera Is very good at spelling Samantha Good at art Good at math Good at reading maps Likes to write papers Writes letters once a week to a friend Cesar Good at research Good at making up songs Loves science Was in a play last summer Loves to do science experiments Hope Good at art Good at talking Good at research Plays the guitar Is the best artist in the class

28 Page 28 SECTION C: Project Thinking about the skills your group has, create a list of three to five project ideas that you would like to do to address the water issue your group selected. Project Idea We can go out to the storm drains and unclog them ourselves. Potential Challenges or Worries 1. The storm drain covers do not come off without the use of tools. 2. More trash and debris will clog the storm drains later even after we unclog them. Best person in our group to help out None We can make up a song about how trash gets into the storm drain and sing it to the school. 1. Embarrassment of who will perform 2. Enough time to complete song? Cesar, Hope We can write a letter to the principal letting them know of the problem. We can set up a table in the cafeteria at lunch letting people know to stop putting trash in the storm drain. We can make posters and put them all over campus letting people know how to keep the storm drains clear. None 1. Getting permission from teachers and principal to stay in cafeteria for three lunches. 1. Getting permission. 2. Enough time to get the posters done. 3. Will the students read them? Bradley, Samantha Hope, Bradley, Samantha, Cesar Samantha, Hope

29 Page 29 What project have you decided to select? We have decided to have a Storm Drain Day where we will write a song about pollution on our campus and sing it during the morning announcements. We will then set up a table in the cafeteria handing out flyers about pollution and keeping our storm drains clean. Finally, we will have posters around the school during the day to remind students to pick up trash and keep our storm drains clear. What resources do you need to complete the project? -Permission from our principal -Poster board and markers -Paper and crayons to make flyers or get flyers from a local water company -Table and chairs set-up in cafeteria

30 Page 30 SECTION D: Work plan Steps: Action: Person(s) Assigned: Day or Date Step One Talk to Mrs. Daisy (our teacher) about our project and get permission from her. Talk to Mr. Smith (principal) to make sure we can hang posters around the school and set up a table in the cafeteria. Bradley Mrs. Daisy on Monday and Mr. Smith on Tuesday Step Two Get together after school to make up song about pollution and our storm drains. Cesar and Hope Tuesday after school Step Three Get five pieces of white poster board from Mrs. Daisy this week. Samantha Tuesday Step Four Get together this weekend to make the posters. Samantha and Hope Saturday Step Five Call San Antonio Water System to get flyers on pollution Bradley Wednesday Step Six Talk to Ms. Johnson (Cafeteria Supervisor) about setting up table next week. Hope Wednesday Step Seven Hang posters Samantha and Hope Monday, April 3 Step Eight Staff table Bradley and Cesar Wednesday, April 5 Step Nine Sing song at morning announcements Cesar and Hope Wednesday, April 5 Step Ten Celebrate what we did Everyone Thursday, April 6

31 Page 31 CHOOSING A PROJECT SECTION A: Issue Selection Begin by writing out the very important issues that you identified on the school campus in the boxes marked Issue #1, Issue #2, Issue #3, Issue #4, and Issue #5. Issue #1 Issue #2 Issue #3 Issue #4 Issue #5 After voting as a group, what ONE issue would you like to do a project on? Issue SECTION B: Skills Write down each team member s name and ask them to give you five skills that could help the group complete a water issue project. Name: Skill: Skill: Skill: Skill: Skill:

32 Page 32 SECTION C: Project Thinking about the skills your group has, create a list of three to five project ideas that you would like to do to address the water issue your group selected. Project Idea Potential Challenges or Worries Best person in our group to help out

33 Page 33 What project have you decided to select? What resources do you need to complete the project?

34 Page 34 SECTION D: Work plan Step One Steps: Action: Person(s) Assigned: Day or Date Step Two Step Three Step Four Step Five Step Six Step Seven Step Eight Step Nine

35 Page 35 My Story On these pages, write your story about this entire project. Answer questions such as: What did you learn? What did you like? What didn t you like? How has this experience changed you? How will this experience make you a better member of the community? Anything else you want to write about?

36 Page 36 My Story (continued)