Module 6: LIFE BELOW WATER (SDG14) - Vifin Course Creator

With this tool, students are expected to:

- Develop opinions on how chemistry affects life in water

- Understand that conservation of natural resources and life in water are essential for our future

- Raise awareness of simple measures to be taken to reduce water pollution

- Examine household plastic packaging and chemicals found in detergents

- Develop cooperative, presentation, and assessment skills

Materials:

see annex

Length:

2 hours

Target audience:

8th grade students (20-30 students)

What can we do to solve the problem/situation?

Group work: students make mind maps with key words “Life Below Water” (for example, sea pollution, coastal ecosystem, oceans, fishing, small islands, etc.). They compare mind maps and evaluate them, after that, students develop one common mind map.
Students watch a few films about water life, and water pollution.
Students make a table that will be competed at home, conducting research on the plastic used at home and chemical detergents.
At home, students complete the table mentioned in stage 3 above, and take photos of labels of various detergents used at home.
Students work in groups with the tabled they have completed at home: compare components of detergents, mark blue the components which other students also have, and mark green the components which other students do not have. Students make 2 lists: 1. the list of often and rarely used components; 2. the list of less harmful and more harmful (dangerous) detergents.
Work with photos taken at home: the study of danger symbols and eco labels; making presentations about danger symbols and eco labels.
Students discuss the following issues:

Pros and cons of washing detergents.
Which type of products will be preferable in the future? Why?
How can we reduce the use of plastic at home or at school?
What measures should be taken to gradually abandon plastics and chemicals, replacing them with other materials and substances?
What will I teach my parents about detergents and plastic packages?

Students make e-posters and e-newspaper on the topics “Sort waste!”, “How to abandon using plastic?”, “What detergents are environment-friendly?”, “Danger symbols and eco labels”

What do we know about the problem / situation? What should we know? How can we know about it? How can we organize our research?

The teacher encourages students to talk about the most important things without which it is impossible to imagine our life, guiding students’ responses to water pollution which negatively affects life in water.
The teacher shows a few films about the life in water and water pollution (see annex).
The teacher gives homework, presents the information given in the table, and explains how to complete the table (see annex)
The teacher organizes work in groups, inviting students to compare information in the tables completed at home. The teacher coordinates the development of 2 lists, encourages comparisons and supports designing of schemes.
The teacher suggests saving the photos on the same computer, grouping them and creating a presentation. It is important for the teacher to get prepared for the lesson in advance – to study the danger symbols and eco labels!
The teacher involves students in the discussion on the following topics:

Pros and cons of washing detergents.
Which type of products will be preferable in the future? Why?
How can we reduce the use of plastic at home or at school?
What measures should be taken to gradually abandon plastics and chemicals, replacing them with other materials and substances?
What will I teach my parents about detergents and plastic packages?

The teacher encourages students to make e-posters and e-newspaper on the topics “Sort waste!”, “How to abandon using plastic?”, “What detergents are environment-friendly?”, “Danger symbols and eco labels”.
The teacher encourages students to get their family and friends acquainted with the opportunities to keep water clean in the city, district, country, Europe, in the world.