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