What is your favorite kind of

water?
rd

3 grade
Ms. Mattic

Scientific Concept
Water pollution
The Earth is made up of over 70% of water and is very important for people and the
environment. Water is used for many things including keeping living things alive! Water
pollution is when waste, chemicals, or other particles cause a body of water to become harmful
to the fish and animals that need water to survive. Everyone and everything needs water, whether
it is used for nourishment, to create a substance or to clear a substance away. Water is used by
animals but more importantly it is used by us!
How Humans use Waters
As humans our bodies are composed of more than 50 % of water. We constantly sweat
and release water every day and to replace the lost water we need to drink water to remain
healthy. Humans use water for other reasons such as bathing. Whether we are taking a shower or
bathing water is used to clean our bodies and hair to have a healthy lifestyle. Bathing is
important because it removes excess dirt, oils and dead skin cells that may clog pores or cause
odor. Water is used to water crops for human and animal consumption, which will feed us. Water
is needed to create medicine and other chemicals that help improve the quality of life, even
though all chemicals may help us directly, some chemicals such as bleach which is harmful by
consumption or application to human skin; it allows us to whiten our clothes.
Natural Causes of water Pollution
Volcanoes and animal waste can create water pollution through natural causes. All areas
do not have volcano, but the ashes and magma does create pollutants to the bodies of water that
travel to other bodies of water. Animals live and die in all bodies of water constantly, their
wastes and deceased bodies do affect the water quality.
Human Causes of Water Pollution

Sewage: Sewers can put harmful bacteria into bodies of water that can make people and
animals sick.

Farm animal waste: Waste from large herds of farm animals such as cows can affect the
water supply from the runoff of rain: the flow of water over land.

Pesticide and herbicides: Pesticides which are sprayed on crops to kill bugs and
herbicides are sprayed to kill weeds may runoff into the water supply and release strong
chemicals.

Construction, floods, and storms: Silt from construction, earthquakes, floods and storms
can lower the oxygen in the water. Fish breath using the oxygen in the water, lowering
the oxygen in the water will suffocate a fish.

Factories: Sometimes factories may use water to process chemicals, keep engines cool,
and for washing things away. The water accidently or on purpose may be dumped into
rivers or the
Effects of Water pollution
Polluting the water with solid items such as plastic is just as harmful as chemical
pollutants. Having man made materials in the water can cause death to aquatic animals,
fish and birds. An animal can get stuck in it or it can try to consume the material.
Chemical or oil spills can also cause death to aquatic animals. Killing different species of
animals from chemical pollutions can cause even more animals to die because of the
disruption of food-chains. If the pollutants greatly affect the krill population in the water,
it will also affect what eats the krill, whales. Taking away part of the food change will
change the habits of the animal that either consumes it or the animals that gets eaten by it.
Having different pollutants in the water can also cause disease to those who drink it.
Water needs to be purified before drinking, but in some areas people do not have the
proper materials to throughrouly clean the water.
Prevention/Solutions

Reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing

Do not keep the tap running when not using it.

Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints or medicines down the sink, drain or the toilet.

Ask your parents to buy environmentally safe cleaning liquids for home and public
places.

Try not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers.

GLCEs
E.ES.03.51 Describe ways humans are dependent on the natural environment (forests, water,
clean air, Earth materials) and constructed environments (homes, neighborhoods, shopping
malls, factories, and industry).
First the students will review on why humans need to take care of the water supply by
reviewing how humans are so dependent on the water supply.
E.ES.03.52 Describe helpful or harmful effects of humans on the environment (garbage, habitat
destruction, land management, renewable, and non-renewable resources).
This benchmark is seen in the project part of the kit. The students will see the effects of
chemicals on water. Even though the bowl of water is a small model of a body of water, students
will see the impact of chemicals on in the water. If dish detergent, which is a common household
cleaning product is released into the environment it will negatively wildlife. Detergent is a
chemical substance used to remove dirt, oil, and grease from other materials. If the detergent
enters a water supply it can make birds feathers less water repellent. Water birds have water
repellent feathers that help them to float, if the detergent makes their feathers less water repellent
they will have a difficult time floating. This activity teaches students how minor chemicals can
negatively affect animals, and also whenever the students are outside they should use
environmentally safe products.
Science Process Skills
Observing: Students will observe what happens in each cup of water during the experiment after
the material has been added. They will observe what is occurring with words in a table. They
will observe for 5 minutes then use those observations to make an inference.
Predicting: Students will make an educated guess before doing the experiment about what they
believe will happen. This is done before the experiment is started, after reading the instructions
the student will tell what they believe will happen with the wax paper.
Inferring: The students will also make an educated guess on why the wax paper sunk in some
cups and did not sink in the other cups, after the 5 minutes.
Communicating: Students will create a table to document the changes over time between the
three cups.
Measuring: Students will use a nonstandard measurement when measuring one squirt of dish
soap and two squirts of dish soap.

What is your favorite kind of Water?

Purpose:
Determine the effects, if any, of dish detergent (chemicals) on wildlife.
Materials:
Large Bowl
Wax Paper
Dish detergent
Water
3 plastic clear cups
Instructions:
1. Read the book.
2. Do the activity
a. Fill each cup to the line with room temperature water.
b. Cut 3 equal squares from the wax paper (the wax paper will
represent a baby duck), small enough to fit inside the cup but
big enough to see!
c. Label the cups, one with no soap, one with 1 squirt of soap,
and one with 2 squirts of soap.
d. Add one square to each cup.
e. Observe and record the data for every minute, starting after
you first add the wax squares, for 5 minutes.
3. What happened to the pieces of paper in each cup? Why do you
think this happened?

Name: __________________________________________
Prediction: (What do you think will happen to the baby ducks in
each cup?)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.
Observation:
Time

Cup 1
( no dish
detergent)

0 minutes

1 minute

2 minutes

3 minutes

4 minutes

5 minutes

Cup 2

Cup 3

(1 squirt of dish (2 squirts of dish

detergent)

detergent)

Inferences: (Why do you think the baby duck acted in such way
for each cup?)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.
Birds have special water repellant feathers that allow them to
float on top of the water. How is the wax paper like a bird?
(Hint: feel the wax paper)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.
What effect do chemicals such as dish detergent have on bird
feathers? (What happened to the wax paper?)
____________________________________________________
____________________________________________________
___________________________________________________.

Create a flyer that you would hang near your local pond for
campers in this area. Tell what materials you would not like
them to use and why. Draw a picture to illustrate what a
pollutant free beach may look like.

Name: ____________________________________________________________.

Peters Place by Sally Grindley

1. Describe Peters place?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
2. What kinds of animals live in Peters place?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
3. What happened when the boat leaked oil into the beach?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
4. Name more animals that may have been affected at the beach. How do you
think the oil affected them?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.

5. How do you think the animals felt when their homes were covered in oil?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.
6. Besides oil do you know of any other types of pollution that can happen in
the water?
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________.

Resources
From a Book:
Grindley, S., & Foreman, M. (1996). Peter's place. San Diego: Harcourt
Brace.
Pearce, Q. L., & Sheppard, S. (1999). Backyard science experiments. Los
Angeles: Roxbury Park/Lowell House Juvenile.
From a website:
The Environment. (n.d.). Environment for Kids: Water Pollution. Retrieved
November 12, 2013, from http://www.ducksters.com/science/environment
Water Pollution | Kids Ecology. (n.d.). Kids Ecology RSS. Retrieved
November 11, 2013, from http://www.kidsecologycorps.org/ourenvironment/natural-cycles/water-pollution

Science Curriculum Package: Grading Rubric

Student Name__________________________________________________

A science-oriented literature book

5-7 challenging questions about the content of the book
o Presentation of these questions must show guidance

Materials and detailed instructions for a

hands-on science activity that generates data.
o Guidance questions must be evident

Max. Pts

Pts Earned

5
5

_________
_________

12

_________

An assessment tools
12
o Presentation of the assessment must show guidance
o Assessment must show inquiry based evaluation of knowledge

_________

_________

A sturdy and secure container

A sufficient set of step-by-step instructions
taped to the inside lid of the container, simple and brief
A product reflecting scientific inquiry and creativity

1
8

_________
_________

Write a Report that includes: 36 points

_________

15
10

_________
_________

5
3

_________
_________

Title Page: title of your Curriculum Package (be creative)

and grade level it is intended for
An overview of the science concepts emphasized
(1.5 pages, 12-font, Times New Roman, 2.0 spaced)
Science Process Skills students will use
(List the Skills plus add a brief explanation for each)
Michigan Science Benchmarks/GLCEs addressed
List of all references used in the preparation of the kit.
Total points out of 80 possible

_________