Lesson: Eutrophication
Unit: Direct and Indirect Effects
Materials: paper, markers or colored pencils, copies of handout, whiteboard
and markers or
chalkboard and chalk.
Age Level: 3rd-6th
Space requirements: classroom
Time: one hour
Objectives:
Students will learn the causes of eutrophication in lakes
Students will learn the effects that fertilizers have on our lakes
Students will reinforce their new knowledge through creating a flip
book, pamphlet, or other project of their choice
Plan: 20 minutes: discussion and handout
Through discussion, questions, and drawing on the board, help students
fill out the
eutrophication handout. Make sure that students understand the process,
and don't just fill in the blank. Ask them questions to get them involved
and thinking. Have them brainstorm answers to the questions, and give
them hints to guide their thinking.
35 minutes: individual project
Either on their own or with one other person, students are to complete
one of the following projects, or come up with their own that they propose
to the teacher.
flip book:
Students can make a flip book that shows the process of eutrophication
in a lake. Possible pages could be: 1) the lake, 2) a sewage pipe draining
in to the lake, 3) an algal bloom forming on the lake, 4) Some of the
algae dying and falling to the bottom, 5) Dead algae building up on
the bottom, 5) fish dying. Students can also have some pages showing
a fish swimming in the beginning. This is their chance to be creative.
pamphlet:
Students can take the information on the handout and make an pamphlet
thatinforms others about eutrophication. Encourage them to make it interesting
and easy to read. They should include pictures and other visually appealing
elements.
idea of their own:
If they don't like the other two projects they can come up with their
own idea.Make sure that it requires the same amount of work and will
reinforce their learning.
