Hands-on water drainage and underground water contamination
Dimitrios Sotiropoulos, Sarantos OikonomidisNikolaos Voudoukis, George Kalkanis
Science, Technology and Environment Laboratory,
Pedagogical Department P.E.,
University of Athens, Greece
In order to motivate the trainees participating in a
science laboratory and to cultivate through this,
environmental awareness we developed three
investigations
General AimsGeneral Aims
Investigations Investigations
During these investigations students :
construct a model
measure
hypothesize
estimate
discuss
suggest
First InvestigationFirst InvestigationDuring this process students are examine the
porosity and the permeability of ground soil and also they are encouraged to construct their own ground soil model
First Investigationstudents measure the time that water needs to
drain through different kinds of soil
Second Investigation
At the second investigation students realise that both too much and too little water cannot preserve a plant
And they seek out the appropriate soil combination in order to preserve plant’s life
Last Investigation
At the third investigation students realise how pollutants can travel through soil and they examine their suggestions about dealing with pollution through practicing
The Didactical / Educational Approach
Scientific Method
TRIGGERING
FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS
EXPERIMENTATION
CONCLUSIONS
GENERALIZATION
TRIGGERING
At TV news, newspapers, magazines etc there are many hints about contamination of underground water horizon caused by fertilizers, and chemicals used. These material can be used to trigger the students to discuss about the possible causes of contamination
FORMULATION OF HYPOTHESIS
The students in groups formulate their hypotheses about how the pollutants reach to the underground water
the ways of controlling the rate of the effusion, the appropriate methods which can prevent the pollutants entering the soil and the possible solutions for waste removal
EXPERIMENTATIONTo each group the following materials are provided:• A plastic cup• A plastic cup with small holes at the bottom • Ink• A basin full of soil• A small pump
EXPERIMENTATION
The students expected (and the teacher guides the students properly) to:
• create a small lake (L) pouring water to the soil
• pour ink at the surface of the soil near to the lake (A) (represent the pollutant)
• And pour water to the soil with the cup with the holes at the bottom (simulating the rain)
A
LL
EXPERIMENTATION
• then the students pumping water out from the opposite side of the basin (B) and they are simultaneously add fresh water
• they see that firstly the water is not clean (it is blue) and gradually becomes clear
• Thus they realize that the water can be decontaminate using the pumping method
A
BL
CONCLUSIONS
• They are driving to the conclusion that the pollutants can easily reach underground water without be purred directly into underground water
• And it is possible to remove the pollutants using the method of pumping.
Discussion
No specific instructions are given to the students and they are expected to draw up by themselves the experimental process knowing only the objectives of the experiments and the given materials
Inquiring Experimentation
Instructional Approach according to Scientific Method
General Conclusions
• Science Technology Society (STS) teaching umbrella
• the huge interest that students showed from the beginning of the experimental procedures enforces the learning process and motivate them
• students involved with measurement and instruments in a laboratory procedure
• Sensitization of the students concerning environmental issues and sustainable development
http://micro-kosmos.uoa.gr
EXPERIMENTATION
