 After completion of the ATEEC Recommended Core Curriculum Project, the Fellows suggested that teachers are often searching for teaching and learning activities. So the Fellows were invited to develop or identify a set of problem-based environmental technology activities, including applicable SCANS skills (i.e., skills necessary for employability) in each. The list in this section includes the entire list of SCANS employability skills, the blank template used by the Fellows, and activities for several environmental topics.
- SCANS Skills. As the Fellows developed the activities below, they incorporated skills addressed by the SCANS report (Secretary's Commission on Achieving Necessary Skills. U.S. Department of Labor, 1992.)
- Blank Activity Template. This blank template was the tool used by the 1998 Fellows during development of the activities below.
1998 Environmental Technology Activities
Air Quality Activities
Biodiversity Activities
Communications Activities
Energy and Fuels Activities
Environmental Health and Safety Activities
- 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
- Romance and Russian Roulette. Concepts: Spread of epidemics; exponential growth; pH
Land Investigations Activities
- Foul Fields Afoot. Concepts: 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.
- 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 Activities
- 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. Concepts: 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 Activities
Radiation Activities
Resource Depletion Activities
Waste Management Activities
Water Quality Activities
- 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, demonstrate 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 monitoring 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 of chemicals 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.
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