Environmental Technology Activities

The following environmental technology activities—developed or suggested by ATEEC Fellows—are intended as examples of real-life applications of science and math concepts. The Fellows' goal has been, as often as possible, to integrate math, science, technology, communications, and environmental health and safety concepts. A number of activities also specify SCANS* employability skills.

The activities are briefly introduced below, and each one may be downloaded for free in the Products area of this web site.

Air Quality

• Air Pollution Concept: Explain the impact of pollutants on ecosystems.
• Particulate Matter - What's In the Air? Concepts: Sample air quality; trap and observe the appearance of particles of solid matter in air.
• Measuring Particulate Emissions from Autos Concepts: Explain the importance of pollutants in ecosystems; recognize potential hazards in testing.

Biodiversity

• Do Biotic, Abiotic Factors Determine Biodiversity? Concept: Draw conclusion, interpret data, discover rules, underlying relationships, etc.

Communications

• Hazardous Materials Spill Response: Observation and Communication Skills Practice. Concepts: Give clear, concise verbal instructions; develop and use active listening skills, draw graphic communications
• Task Analysis for Writing Instructions. Concepts: Give clear, concise verbal instructions, demonstrate technical writing skills, draw graphic communications.

Energy and Fuels

• Ethanol as a Fuel A Northwest Iowa Community College Curriculum

Environmental Health and Safety

• Noise Pollution Concepts: Calculate mean, median, mode, standard deviation, standard error, range; read and follow laboratory and field equipment; interpret and evaluate field analysis results, use scientific field equipment, design of field testing matrix, critical thinking, budgeting.
• Jurassic Park Safety Audit Concepts: Principles of safety in the workplace.
• Toxicity Testing Concepts: Explain the impact of pollutants on ecosystem. Define basic routes of entry and the toxicological effects of chemicals on the body, including acids, bases, solvents, carcinogens, etc.
• What Effect Do Over-the-Counter Drugs Have on Living Systems? Concepts: Define basic routes of entry and the toxicological effects of chemicals on the body, including acids, bases, etc.
• Effects of Radiation on the Germination and Growth of Radish Seeds Concept: Describe the effects of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation on body tissues.
• Egg-Sucking Snapple Bottle Concept: Understanding of gas laws
  Noise Pollution Concepts: Calculate mean, median, mode, standard deviation, standard error, range; read and follow laboratory and field equipment; interpret and evaluate field analysis results, use scientific field equipment, design of field testing matrix, critical thinking, budgeting
• Romance and Russian Roulette Concepts: Spread of epidemics; exponential growth; pH

Land Investigations

• Foul Fields Afoot Diagnose problems from a set of data and observations; identify solutions; identify, assimilate, integrate, and evaluate information from diverse sources.
• Let's Peak Under the Sod Concepts: Perform typical laboratory procedures, measure meteorological factors, locate positions on map, evaluate groundwater features, use survey data and technique.
• Soil Survey-Physical Concept: Perform typical laboratory procedures.
• Let's Talk Dirt! Concept: Take a sample of soil, determine the percentage of the different types of soil particles it contains and identify the soil, using the Ternary Chart and/or the Color identification chart.

Mathematics Applications

• Calories Out vs. Food Cost Concepts: Make comparative judgements from data; interpret data generated; identify, assimilate, and integrate information from diverse sources
• It's in the Mix Correlate results and plan action needed. Generate new ideas. Demonstrate problem solving skills.
• What Do You Do With Your Time? Concept: Accurate data collection, graphing, data prediction and interpretation
• Design a Container Concept: Translate real world problems into mathematical form. Use formulas to calculate perimeter, circumference, surface area, cross sectional areas, and volumes of three dimensional analysis.

Population Growth

• Modeling Exponential Growth Concept: Interpret and apply exponential relationships (math)

Radiation

• Effects of Radiation on the Germination and Growth of Radish Seeds Concept: Describe the effects of alpha, beta, and gamma radiation on body tissues.
• Understanding Natural Radiation Concepts: Multiple concepts from physics, math, and statistics. See activity for list.

Resource Depletion Resource Depletion Concept: Identify resource management practices.

Waste Management

• Comparative Landfills Concept: Explain solid and hazardous waste management.
• Pre-cycle, Then Recycle! Concepts: Principles of recycling, waste stream reduction
• Recycled Aluminum Ornaments Concepts: principles of recycling
• What Are We Throwing Away Around Here? Concept: Collect and analyze data.

Water Quality

• Acid Deposition Sampling Concept: Use analytical meters and instruments. Identify, calibrate, maintain and use lab and field equipment. Perform lab/field tests to determine the level of contaminants in a water sample. Appropriately label samples and reagents.
• Developing Water Quality Index Concept: Draw conclusion, discover rules; identify microorganisms, concept of indicator species.
• Evaporation In Florida's Water Budget Concepts: Use laboratory and field equipment (glassware, balances, meters, electrodes, etc.).
• Ground Water Monitoring & Sampling Concepts: Measuring, mapping, interpreting data, writing reports and plans.
• How Safe is My Groundwater? Concept: Perform lab and field tests to determine the level of contaminants in a water sample.
• I'm a Drop of Water Concept: Evaluate groundwater features, identify soil types, emonstrate an understanding of cross-sections.
• It's the Pits Concept: Interpret and evaluate laboratory analysis results, demonstrate problem solving.
• The Oiling of America Concepts: Demonstrate problem solving skills, interpret and evaluate laboratory analysis results.
• pH studies Concepts: Perform pH analyses according to standard procedural methods; Read and follow lab procedures; Appropriately label samples and reagents; Collect data.
• Serial Dilution & Parts Per Million Concept: Perform lab procedures
• Water Analysis-Physical Concept: Select, calibrate, and use sampling and onitoring equipment; Draw, read, or interpret blue prints, flow diarams, schematics, sketches, maps, and charts; apply ratios and proportions to sove problems; interpret and extrapolate data.
• Where Does All the Water Go? Concept: Using topographic maps and surveying equipment
• Dissolved Oxygen Testing/Water Quality Concept: Discuss the concept of indicator organisms/species.
•  Eutrophication: Too Much of a 'Good' Thing Concept: Describe the effect of phosphorus and nitrogen on surface water.
• Natural Arsenal Concept: Define basic routes of entry and the toxicological effects ofchemicals on the body, including acids, bases, etc.
• Ground Water Monitoring & Sampling Concept: Perform actual tasks associated with sampling a ground water well and preparing a report for a client.

For additional environmental activities and teaching/learning units, check the left-hand menu as well as the ATEEC Fellows Institute Themes and Outcomes.