Well, What Will We Drink?

1

• Well, What Will We Drink?
• Diana Larrabee
• Corcoran High School
• Syracuse City School District

2
Well, What Will We Drink?

• This environmental health learning experience
  encourages students to investigate the publicly
  available information on drinking water sources.

3
Well, What Will We Drink?

• This three day activity includes
• A directed case study
• A lab activity

4
Core Connections

• Introduction to solution concentration
• Parts per million (ppm)
• Serial dilution
• Data Analysis

http//www.epa.gov/safewater/kids/teachers_9-12.ht
ml
5
Before We Begin

• Ground Rules

• All group members are responsible for all group
  work.
• Everyone participates.
• Group process will be evaluated.

6
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

7
The Scenario

• Please read along while our volunteers read for
  us.

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8
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.

9
Resources
http//www.epa.gov/safewater/index.html
http//www.epa.gov/safewater/consumer/pdf/mcl.pdf
http//www.epa.gov/safewater/privatewells/booklet/
index.html
10
Resources

• http//www.epa.gov/safewater/index.html
• US Environmental Protection Agency Ground Water
  Drinking Water
• http//www.epa.gov/safewater/mcl.htmlmcls
• EPA List of Drinking Water Contaminants
  MCLs.
• 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 wells
• http//www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/main.ht
  m
• NYS Department of Health Drinking Water
  Protection Program
• http//www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/water/part5/a
  ppend5b/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_q
  uality_report_links.htm
• Links to required water quality reports for
  large NYS public water
• supplies.

11
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

12
Brief Reflection

• Student timeline will vary based on research
  method chosen.
• Answers will be used to prepare a presentation
  for the Alvarez family.

13
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?

14
Parts per Million

• Parts per million

grams of solute
X 1 000 000
grams of solution
15
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.

16
Lab

• Please clean up the materials before answering
  the questions.
• You have 10 minutes.

17
Check Your Understanding

• Homework Ideas
• - Review your research
• - Concentration practice problems

18
Day 3

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

19
The Presentations

• Review your research and the water quality report
  for the Alvarezs well.
• Your group will need to prepare a 3 minute
  presentation for the Alvarezs. You will need to
  take a position and defend the recommendation
  using information from your research.
• You have 15 minutes to prepare your presentation.

20
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