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= = =Environmental Engineering “Water Filtration” An OSU Improving Teacher Quality: Sustainability Engineering Lesson (6th Grade)=

Sources: Boston Museum of Science - Salila's Turtle, Amazon Mission Mission to Mars - Purdue University

**Problem Based Learning Scenario:** In the wake of the recent cyclone in Myanmar, millions of people are without clean water. The Myanmar government has been resistant to allowing aid organizations to come into the country. It has, however, asked for teams to propose efficient and effective ways to make the water potable. These proposals are to be submitted by email and will contain a formal letter of introduction, a design schematic, and an instructional video.

Research/ Design Phase** 1. Research the culture of Myanmar and the needs of the community following the cyclone. 2. Build a model of a water filtration system 3. Scale up the model size to the community needs 4. Create scale drawings of the filtration system 5. Instructional video—shows process of building the filtration system 6. Create a official letterhead stationary for your team and write an introductory letter to Myanmar government.
 * Here are your tasks:
 * Application Phase**

**Roles Guidelines:** **Mathematician-** your role is to help your team to correctly calculate flow rates and also to help them understand and perform appropriate conversions. You will also be in charge of the scale drawings for the completion of the proposal for the Myanmar government.
 * Scientist-** your role in this scenario is to help your team understand good experimental design as you test your potential filtration materials. You are also the expert on what materials make the best filter system and the order in which they are placed.
 * Language/Communication Specialist-** Your job is to help write the letter to the Myanmar government and make sure that the directions for assembly are clearly written and easily understood. You must create an official letter head stationary for your team to use when writing your letter.
 * Media/Technology Specialist-** Your job is to plan and produce the video for the Myanmar government.
 * Social Scientist-** Your job is to help the language and media specialist with the wording of the documents and script for the video so as to be culturally sensitive and appropriate. You must also become the expert on Myanmar and its resources to better inform the design of the filtration system.

Content Background Information Required:
Water purification may remove: particulate sand; suspended particles of organic material; parasites, giardia; Cryptosporidium; bacteria; algae; viruses; fungi; minerals such as calcium, silica and magnesium; and toxic metals like lead, copper, and chromium. Some purification may be elective in the purification process, including smell (hydrogen sulfide remediation), taste (mineral extraction), and appearance (iron incapsulation). Governments usually dictate the standards for drinking water quality. These standards will require minimum / maximum set points of contaminants and the inclusion of control elements that produce drinking water. Quality standards in many countries require specific amounts of disinfectant (such as chlorine) in the water after it leaves the water treatment plant (WTP), to reduce the risk of re-contamination while the water is in the distribution system. It is not possible to tell whether water is safe to drink just by looking at it. Simple procedures such as boiling or the use of a household activate carbon filter are not sufficient for treating all the possible contaminants that may be present in water from an unknown source. Even natural spring water - considered safe for all practical purposes in the 1800's- must now be tested before determining what kind of treatment, if any, is needed. Chemical analysis, while expensive, is the only way to obtain the information necessary for deciding on method of purification. Water of sufficient quality to serve as **drinking water** is termed potable water whether it is used for drinking or not. Although many sources of water are utilized by humans, some contain pathogens and cause long-term health problems if they do not meet certain water quality guidelines. Water that is not harmful for human beings is sometimes called safe water. The availability of drinking water is an important criterion in determining an ecosystem's carrying capacity.
 * Water purification** is the process of removing contaminants from a raw water source. The goal is to produce water for a specific purpose with a treatment profile designed to limit the inclusion of specific materials; most water is purified for human consumption (drinking water). Water purification may also be designed for a variety of other purposes, including to meet the requirements of medical, pharmacology, chemical and industrial applications. Methods include, but are not limited to: ultraviolet light, filtration, water softening, reverse osmosis, ultrafiltration, deionization, and powedered activated carbon treatment.
 * Drinking Water **

Typically, water supply networks deliver potable water, whether it is to be used for drinking, washing or landscape irrigation. One counterexample is urban China where drinking water can optionally be delivered by a separate tap. In the United States public drinking water is governed by the Safe Drinking Water Act (SDWA). As of the year 2006 (and pre-existing for at least three decades), there is a substantial shortfall in availability of potable water in less developed countries, primarily arising from industrial contamination and pollution. As of the year 2000, 27 percent of the populations of lesser developed countries did not have access to safe drinking water. Implications for disease propagation are significant. Many nations have water quality regulations for water sold as drinking water, although these are often not strictly enforced outside of the developed world. The World Health Organization sets international standards for drinking water. A broad classification of drinking water safety worldwide can be found in Safe Water for International Travelers. (ADD LINK)

Student Objectives:

 * Students will create a water filtration system from supplied materials.
 * Students will manipulate variables to create the most efficient water filter.
 * Students will create a letter to inform the Myanmar government of their system
 * Students will create an instructional video to show how to construct their water filtration system.

Materials:
This is a listing of all the materials to be used during the activities outlined in the lesson plan. The teachers should determine in advance the number of groups the class will be divided into, and purchase the required quantities as well as any spare materials that may be needed.


 * Various Handouts, included in this teaching kit
 * Thinking About Water (and teacher’s copy),
 * Engineering Design Process (and teacher’s copy),
 * The pH Scale,
 * Water flow rate worksheets
 * Terafil handout (and teacher’s copy),
 * Review Sheet,
 * The Water Cycle
 * Grading Sheet for the final project
 * Video News clip of Myanmar cyclone (preferably one that discusses the need for potable water) (youtube.com, h as several that could be used).
 * Large paper for students to draw on
 * Markers or Crayons
 * 1 bin/tray, per team, large enough to store each day’s materials
 * cups for water samples
 * pH testing strips,
 * Latex gloves and goggles (optional) for each student
 * Samples of grass, dirt, sand, or other physical contaminants
 * 10 wooden balls (or marbles, superballs etc.) to represent the materials used to remove heavy metals from water.
 * Supplies for the students to make filters. Use whatever you may have on hand, however here is a suggested list of inexpensive materials:
 * Coffee filters
 * styrofoam cups
 * sand
 * gravel
 * activated charcoal (available where aquariums are sold)
 * pieces of cloth
 * Straws
 * mesh screen
 * cotten balls
 * knee-high hose
 * coffee stir sticks
 * Wooden dowels
 * Duct tape (one roll should be enough for the entire class)
 * hole poking devices (nails of various sizes, pins, wooden dowels)

In addition, all students should bring pens or pencils and writing paper with them to take notes each day.

Lesson Preparation:
Copy necessary worksheets Collect materials needed. ..

While there is not much danger associated with any of the activities contained in this lesson, there are some precautions that should be made clear before beginning the unit: 1. It should be made clear that students should not drink contaminated water. 2. Latex gloves are not necessary, but can be worn by any student desiring additional protection while working with contaminated water. 3. Safety goggles are also not required, but can be worn for additional protection.
 * Safety Considerations:**

**Lesson Procedures:**

Introduction
Class opener: View news footage of Myanmar disaster Discussion Questions: Divide students into teams Read the scenario Go over the roles for each member- team members choose thier role. Team create fictitious company name/logo/letterhead stationary
 * What are some of the most pressing issues for the people of Myanmar at this time?
 * What are some ways that outsiders could help without upsetting the government?
 * etc.

Body
1.Students research (read background, handouts, internet etc). about the disaster in Myanmar to determine cultural norms, specific needs, and issues created by the cyclone. 2. Using the materials provided students construct a water filtration system that fits the following parameters:
 * It must filter a certain amount of water per second (see flow rate worksheet)
 * One of the chambers must hold the water for a certain number of seconds (see mercatron worksheet), in contact with the heavy metal removing objects (round wooden balls or marbles whatever you have...)
 * It must balance pH as closely as possible
 * There must be a color change
 * There must be an odor change

3. Students create a scale drawing of the filtration system

Conclusion
Students create the instructional video and letter to the Myanmar government Students present video, model and letter to the class.

Assessments/ Extensions:
Here are a few scenarios that can be used as assessments after completing this lesson. Combining this type of assessment along with EOI style questions will provide ample data to determine the depth of knowledge that the students have gained through the completion of this lesson. Remember that these are just one type of assessment that can be used. Also, the following scenarios could be extended into a two day activity incorporating and testing the outcomes from this lesson.
 * Science-** Students could add the element of purification to the scenario. This is more difficult however and may be more appropriate for an older group.

EOI Style Assessment Questions: [find more at http://www.sde.state.ok.us/home/defaaultns.html]

Math:
1. Extend and create patterns from tables, graphs, rules and number properties and generalize patterns algebraically. 2. Use substitution and order of operations to simplify and evaluate algebraic expressions (e.g., if x = 5 evaluate 2x + 3). ** ** Standard 4: Measurement - The student will use measurements within the metric and U.S. customary system to solve problems in a variety of contexts. ** 1. Compare and convert units within the same measurement system; express conversions using appropriate unit labels 2. Find reasonable estimates for measurements using measurements in standard and metric units. 1. Collect, organize, and interpret data to solve problems. 2. Construct and interpret graphs of statistical data (e.g., explain how different representations lead to different interpretations and may distort information).
 * Standard 1: Algebraic Reasoning - The student will use algebraic methods to describe patterns and simplify algebraic expressions in a variety of contexts. **
 * Standard 2: Number Sense - The student will use numbers and number relationships to solve problems.
 * Standard 5: Data Analysis and Statistics - The student will use data analysis and statistics to interpret data in a variety of contexts. **

Science:

 * Physical Science Standard 1**: Physical properties in matter- Students will describe and measure physical characteristics of matter.
 * Life Science Standard 4:** Populations and Ecosystems- Students will understand that organisms within an ecosystem are dependent on one another and on nonliving components of the environment. Students will understand that in all environments, organisms with similar needs may compete with one another for resources, including food, space, water, air and shelter.
 * Earth Science Standard 5**: Structures of the Earth and the Solar System- Water which covers the majority of the earth's surface, circulates through the crust, oceans and atmosphere in what is known as the water cycle.

Language Arts:
Standard 1: Vocabulary- Students will develop and expand knowledge of words and word meanings to increase vocabulary. Standard 5: Research and Information- Students will conduct research and organize information.

Social Studies:
Standard 2- The student will use geographic representations to draw conclusions. Standard 3- The student will analyze selected cultures which have affected our history.

Information Literacy:
**Standard 1: The student who is information literate accesses information efficiently and effectively.** (American Association of School Librarians [AASL], Information Power)

1. The student will demonstrate he/she understands the need for information. 2. The student will demonstrate he/she knows that in order to make decisions accurate information is needed. 3. The student will be able to identify and use a range of information sources. 4. The student will demonstrate he/she knows how to access information from a variety of sources – print, nonprint and electronic. 5. The student will demonstrate he/she knows how the library media center is arranged, how to locate materials using the catalog, and how to retrieve information from print, nonprint and electronic materials in order to solve a problem or answer a question. **Standard 2: The student who is information literate evaluates information critically and competently.** (AASL, Information Power) 1. The student will make distinctions between fact, fiction and biased information. 2. The student will be able to determine accuracy and credibility of authorship and content of a document. 3. The student will be able to determine relevancy of information to his/her needs. **Standard 3: The student who is information literate uses information accurately and creatively.** (AASL, Information Power) 1. The student will be able to organize the information in a manner that meets the need of the assignment or problem. 2. The student will assimilate new information into his/her existing knowledge. 3. The student will know how to use the information to communicate ideas and take appropriate action. Instructional Technology:

**Standard 4: The student will demonstrate knowledge of technology communication tools.** 1. Design, develop, publish, and present products (e.g., Web pages, videotapes) using technology resources that demonstrate and communicate curriculum concepts to audiences inside and outside the classroom. 2. Collaborate with peers, experts, and others using telecommunications and collaborative tools to investigate curriculum-related problems, issues, and information, and to develop solutions or products for audiences inside and outside the classroom.

Math:
1. Develop and test strategies to solve practical, everyday problems which may have single or multiple answers. 2. Use technology to generate and analyze data to solve problems. 3. Formulate problems from situations within and outside of mathematics and generalize solutions and strategies to new problem situations. 4. Evaluate results to determine their reasonableness. 4. Use oral, written, concrete, pictorial, graphical, and/or algebraic methods to model mathematical situations. 1. Discuss, interpret, translate (from one to another) and evaluate mathematical ideas (e.g., oral, written, pictorial, concrete, graphical, algebraic). 2. Reflect on and justify reasoning in mathematical problem solving (e.g., convince, demonstrate, formulate). 1. Apply mathematical strategies to solve problems that arise from other disciplines and the real world. 2. Connect one area or idea of mathematics to another (e.g., relate equivalent number representations to each other, relate experiences with geometric shapes to understanding ratio and proportion). 1. Use a variety of representations to organize and record data (e.g., use concrete, pictorial, and symbolic representations). 2. Use a variety of representations to model and solve physical, social, and mathematical problems (e.g., geometric objects, pictures, charts, tables, graphs).
 * Process Standard 1: Problem Solving **
 * Process Standard 2: Communication **
 * Process Standard 4: Connections **
 * Process Standard 5: Representation **

Language Arts:
**Writing Process Standard 1**: Writing Process-The student will use the writing process to write coherently
 * Writing process Standard 2-** Modes and forms of writing- the student will write for a variety of purposes and audiences using narrative, descriptive, expository, persuasive, and reflective modes.
 * Writing Process Standard 3-** Grammar/Usage and Mechanics- The student will demonstrate appropriate practices in writing by applying the Standard English conventions to the revising and editing stages of writing.
 * Oral Language Process Standard 1**- Listening- The student will listen for information and for pleasure.
 * Oral Language Process standard 2**- Speaking- the student will express ideas and opinions in group or individual settings.

Social Studies:
===Standard 1- The student will develop and practice the process skills of social studies. (Locate, gather and analyze information from primary and secondary sources. Identify, evaluate and draw conclusions from maps, graphs, charts, diagrams, and other representations) ===