In this inquiry students explore the relationship between their everyday lives and farming. The connections among human consumption, pollution, waste mitigation and agriculture are established through a number of varied activities arranged in four parts. While designed to be completed as a unit, each part can serve as a stand-alone lesson.
1. Waste and Pollution: Activities examine how resource consumption creates waste and how this waste can cause harm to the environment. Students will:
2. Wastewater Treatment and Bio-solids: The activities in this lesson focus on one type of waste- municipal sewage. Students will:
3. National Pollutant Release Inventory: The activities in this lesson will help students learn to use the National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI). Students will:
4. Journalistic Report: The activities in this lesson will help students integrate the knowledge they have gathered on the wastewater treatment process, pollutants, and the use of biosolids in agriculture. Students will:
This module will help build students' ability to formulate questions to find and filter information, to think critically and to present their findings to a specific audience.
In this resource, students will learn to use the National Pollutant Release Inventory and do a journalistic report. As well, students will build on their ability to formulate question, find and filter information, think critically, and present their findings.
This resource would be excellent to spark discussions around the topic of waste elimination in geography or science classrooms.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Very Good | This series of inquiry based activities helps students understand the less obvious connections between our everyday lives and farming, while developing critical thinking and research skills. These activities will help build students’ ability to to find and filter information so they can form their own opinion and take informed positions on different subjects based on the videos and information they've received on the topic. Student discussion on the subject is at the center of this lesson. Students research the various facets of this environmental issue and present the risks and benefits of using biosolids in agriculture in an informative media production. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | Considering the different activities of this resource, students will get to take a look at how these dimensions interplay in the issue of waste. |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Very Good | The resource informs how wastewater treatment technology, environmental pollution and sustainable agriculture are interconnected. Students will reflect on how our consumption of natural resources creates wastes and pollution, and explore the ways we try to re-use this waste. |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Poor/Not considered | No action opportunities are suggested |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Very Good | Students’ opinions and beliefs are at the center of this resource. They have many opportunities to share and express themselves. |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Poor/Not considered | This is not a focus of this resource |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Good | Students will take a look at the sewage waste coming from their home and how it could be helping a farmer grow food and therefore foster an appreciation and concern for the natural world. However, all activities are done inside the classroom. |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Good | Students will research their community's wastewater treatment facility as well as compare data of their wastewater treatment facility with that of another city. |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Very Good | |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Very Good | The module consists of four parts, arranged in a sequence that encourages students to ask questions and develop their knowledge on the topic before integrating it in a final product. Throughout this resource, students are asked to share their opinion and beliefs on the subject. |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Good | This resource would mostly be used in classes where we discuss waste and its affects on agriculture, however it could be used for certain outcomes in language arts. |
Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Good | The resource is a series inquiry based activities that help students understand the less obvious connections between our everyday lives and farming, while developing critical thinking and research skills. |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Good | This resource has a multitude of different activities for students to do and therefore addresses well the needs of visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners. However, strategies for learners with difficulties are not provided. |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Satisfactory | Students will take a look at wastewater treatments in their own community, however all learning happens within the classroom. |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | Students will work in groups. |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Poor/Not considered | Assessment tools are not provided in this resource. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | Students will present their findings on a pollutant of their choice, however they do necessarily teach one another. |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Very Good | Students will use the actual National Pollutant Release Inventory and look at their actual wastewater treatment facility. |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Good | |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |