Well, What Will We Drink?

Diana Larrabee

Corcoran High School

Syracuse City School District

Well, What Will We Drink?

This environmental health learning experience encourages students to

investigate the publicly available information on drinking water sources.

Well, What Will We Drink?

This three day activity includes:

• A directed case study

• A lab activity

Core Connections

• Introduction to solution concentration

• Parts per million (ppm)

• Serial dilution

• Data Analysis

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/teachers_9-12.html

Before We Begin

Ground Rules

• All group members are responsible for all group work.

• Everyone participates.

• Group process will be evaluated.

Group Roles

• Facilitator - moderates discussion, keeps the team on task

• Recorder - takes the official notes of the groups discussion

• Spokesperson - answers oral questions and acts as spokesperson for the group

• Technician - makes sure group has all needed materials, organizes work area

The Scenario

Please read along while our volunteers read for us.

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Your Task

Your group will find information on well water and the public water supply.

From this information you will prepare a presentation for Jim and Norma to help them decide what they will drink.

Resources

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/booklet/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/consumer/pdf/mcl.pdf

Resources

http://www.epa.gov/safewater/index.htmlUS Environmental Protection Agency Ground Water & Drinking

Water http://www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.html#mcls

EPA List of Drinking Water Contaminants & MCL’s. http://www.epa.gov/safewater/wot/index.html

“Water on Tap: What You Need to Know http://www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/booklet/index.html

Online booklet on private wellshttp://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/main.htm

NYS Department of Health Drinking Water Protection Programhttp://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/part5/append5b/

fs3_water_quality.htm“Individual Water Supply Wells-Fact Sheet 3, Recommended Residential Water Quality Testing”

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/water_quality_report_links.htmLinks to required water quality reports for large NYS public water supplies.

Research Time

Please answer questions numbered 4,6 and 14 on the “Your Task” handout, using the resources

that have been provided in the folders.

You have 3 minutes

Brief Reflection

Student timeline will vary based on research method chosen.

Answers will be used to prepare a presentation for the Alvarez family.

Lab Activity

Ppm, ppb and Serial Dilution

• How concentrated is a part per million?

• How can we make a solution with that concentration?

• How concentrated is a part per billion?

Parts per Million

Parts per million =grams of solute

grams of solutionX 1 000 000

Start the Lab

Technicians should acquire the lab materials.

You may proceed as soon as you have read the information and procedure.

If you have questions, please ask before you act.

Lab

Please clean up the materials before answering the questions.

You have 10 minutes.

Check Your Understanding

Homework Ideas:

- Review your research

- Concentration practice problems

Day 3

Students will use the information from their research to prepare their presentations.

The Presentations

Review your research and the water quality report for the Alvarez’s well.

Your group will need to prepare a 3 minute presentation for the Alvarez’s. You will need to take a position and defend the recommendation using information from your research.

You have 15 minutes to prepare your presentation.

Extensions

• Students research of bottled water standards

• Use the serial dilution technique to prepare solutions with a series of pH values

• Compare concentrations to hormone levels, often as small as parts per trillion