Driving Question
How does science inform a community’s response to an environmental justice issue?
NC Essential Standard
- EEn.2.3.1 Explain how water is an energy agent (currents and heat transfer).
- EEn.2.3.2 Explain how ground water and surface water interact.
- EEn.2.4.1 Evaluate human influences on freshwater availability.
- EEn.2.4.2 Evaluate human influences on water quality in North Carolina’s river basins, wetlands and tidal environments.
Background Info
Polluting industries have put our nation's waters in jeopardy by carving loopholes in the Clean Water Act, leaving 135,000 miles of North Carolina's streams open to pollution. From the chemical spill in West Virginia’s Elf River to Duke Energy’s Coal ash spill, our waterways can easily become in jeopardy due to waste disposal.
Many polluting industries and their trade associations oppose these and other safeguards for our waters and our environment. These entities are also entrenched in our political system. Many of the same industrial polluters who dump millions of pounds of pollution into waterways spend millions on elections and lobbying decision makers every year. The owner of Smithfield Foods spent $1.4 million on lobbying in a single year, according to a new report by Environment North Carolina. The enormous spending came after Smithfield Packaging dumped over 2.3 million pounds of toxic chemicals into North Carolina’s waterways in 2012. Right now, polluters are lobbying their allies on Capitol Hill to derail the EPA’s plan to restore Clean Water Act protections to 135,907 miles of streams in North Carolina. Loopholes in the law currently leave waterways feeding the drinking water at risk for 4.7 million North Carolinians.
Inform the public of NC’s safe water crisis. You and your colleague(s) will create a 30-60 second Public Service Announcement about NC’s water crisis. The public must be informed and driven to care about the issues. Remember, you must reach those who understand the science and facts behind the issues AND those who do not. Before you inform the public, you must research and find solid evidence to back up your claims. Without the evidence, your research company can be sued and jailed for propaganda.
Skills and Procedures
Follow the Blooms Taxonomy project outline. Choose one activity from each level first for a total of six activities. You then can go back and choose again. To receive a 100% on this assignment, the numerical indications of each level must add to 24 points. All papers and citations must be done in APA format.
ALL of your sources must be sited for each activity you complete. You cannot choose two activities on one row until you have chosen one off every single one first. . All of your activities need to add to 24 points. It is possible to receive more points. You will need to work on most of this project outside of school.
ALL of your sources must be sited for each activity you complete. You cannot choose two activities on one row until you have chosen one off every single one first. . All of your activities need to add to 24 points. It is possible to receive more points. You will need to work on most of this project outside of school.
Knowledge
Knowledge 3: Identify a NC watershed that provides food and fresh water for a town. Create a professional pamphlet notifying the town of the importance of the waterway. Include specific info on the food source, ecosystem, and usage. Include why we should protect and preserve this waterway.
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Knowledge 4:Identify and describe the 10 government agencies helping to protect NC oceans and waterways. Choose one agency that helps support your claims for your PSA and write a 500 word job description for the NC Observer.
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Knowledge 5: Identify how the water cycle affects NC’s coast. Create a large (22” by 28”) detailed and colored map of the coast portraying how each step of the cycle impacts the coast. Along with the water cycle, draw and identify the following effects on the map: beach nourishment, jetties, sea walls, surface currents, groins, salinity levels, salt water intrusion.
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Comprehension
Comprehension 3: Illustrate a colored map of NC and its waterways. Include and label all of NC’s watersheds, rivers, shoreline, and large lakes.
-Create a colored key to indicate the % of rainfall each major region received in 2015. - Identify and label 5 major waste water treatment plants. -Explain what a water table is and why it is important Do not forget to include a legend |
Comprehension 4: Imagine that you are a water drop in a puddle at JCC. Create a journal detailing your adventure that led you to that puddle. Your journal must include colored illustrations and your details of what took place. You need to have at least 7 entries. Entries should be one paragraph or more. The following terms need to be included and explained: Infiltration, permeability, impermeability, water table, aquifers, porosity, water cycle, ground/surface water, runoff, transpiration, respiration, evaporation, precipitation.
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Comprehension 5: You are taking over as CEO of Smithfield Foods. The company has a reputation of disposing waste into the city’s waterways. The government is getting ready to shut down the company for further environmental investigations. Write a 750 word descriptive paper on how you will fix and address the company’s waste issues. Include a strategy to improve the local watershed, damaged environment and people affected. Your plan should have details about the future workings of the company and why the government should not shut you down.
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Application
Application 3:Create a line graph depicting NC water pollution levels for the last 10 years.
-Create a bar graph indicating human NC water usage in 2013-2014 of wells, aquifer depletion, agriculture, dams, and industrial uses. Each bar should be a different color. |
Application 4:Research how various forms of water pollution being implemented by JCC and surrounding businesses impact water quality for humans, animals and the environment. Write a 500 word proposal detailing and indicating your concerns. Must include information on: Non point sources: sedimentation, storm water runoff, agriculture run off, arsenic, ground water, estuary/wetland degradation
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Application 5:Record a phone or in person interview with a government official whose career is connected with our water ways. Explain your project and get their opinion on the PSA you’re creating and how their job impacts the environment. Can they aid in your efforts? How do they plan on making a difference in our water quality? Must include Name, email, phone number and job description.
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Analysis
Analysis 3: Write 20 questions about the future of Johnston County’s Watershed. From your questions, choose one to investigate further. Create an art project of the topic you researched and present it to the class.
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Analysis 4: Volunteer to help clean up a local waterway (river, watershed, pond, lake, etc) Take pictures and record your volunteer hours. Write a 1 page reflection on your volunteer work that addresses what you learned through your service. How did your work impact the water quality and health of the waterway? (500 words)
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Analysis 5: Write a persuasive, detailed proposal letter to the President of JCC. Explain to them your stance on good quality water and your feelings about the quality of water here on campus. Let them know what YOUR plan is to start making a difference. What are the benefits? Downsides? How could it impact the local environment? (500 words-800 words). Be sure to site all your facts.
Depending on your letter and proposal, there is a chance it will be submitted to JCC. |
Synthesis
Synthesis 3: Design a large picture postcard. Write to a friend describing a vacation to a river in Colorado. Name the river and describe the differences it has in ecosystem compared to those here in NC.
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Synthesis 4: Create a diagram of the surface ocean currents both warm and cold currents for the entire earth and label and name the currents. Describe the Coriolis Effect, Global Conveyor Belt, Gyres, and the temperature of surface currents. Picture must be in color and on a large sheet of paper.
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Synthesis 5:Research and tour Smithfield’s Waste Water Treatment Plant. Create a digital/hard copy layout of the plant. Describe and show how the water gets to the plant (where does it come from) and the very detailed process and steps it goes through. Illustrate and describe each step. Show how the water is distributed back to the community.
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Evaluation
Evaluation 3:Create a colored poster detailing why it is important to conserve water. The poster needs to be visually appealing and grab others attention. The poster should follow along with the topic of your PSA.
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Evaluation 4: Barrier islands are fragile and vulnerable to the storms that hit NC. Should NC help homeowners on barrier islands to rebuild after storms like Hurricane Isabel? Take into consideration the nature preserve and habitats in that area. Defend your position in a short essay, 500 words.
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Evaluation 5:You are part of a volunteer program that is responsible for cleaning the world’s most polluted water ways. In a podcast, state your location and the conditions of the waterway. Describe the types of pollution, negative effects, and solutions. Explain the impact you and your group had. 3-5min. (must have music, interviews)
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Project Schedule:
Thursday October 6th: Introduce and work on in class (60 minutes) Friday October 7th: Full project work day (90 minutes) October 10th-October 14th: Fall Break Monday October 17th: Teacher workday Tuesday October 18th: Class notes/activity (45min), work on project (45min) Wednesday October19th: Project work day Thursday October 20th: Case Study (45min), work on project(45min) Friday October 21st: Project work day Monday October 24th: Water Lab Tuesday October 25th: Research should be complete Thursday October 27th: PSA video due/ presented to class |