The drain
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Overview
Using this Resource
Connecting to the Curriculum
Marking Student Responses
Working with Students
Further Resources
This task is about noticing things, and thinking about what you notice.
Look carefully at the picture.
Task administration:
Equipment
Digital recorder (optional); OHT, data show, interactive whiteboard or other IT tools to present photograph (optional).
Digital recorder (optional); OHT, data show, interactive whiteboard or other IT tools to present photograph (optional).
Carrying out the task
This task is intended to be an oral assessment. The intention is to encourage discussion between students so they can interact with, and build on, others' ideas.
The task can be carried out in small groups or as a class. Opportunities for all students to contribute should be provided.
The teacher asks students the questions on the task sheet and records the responses. The responses can be recorded directly on-line, in a digital format, or hand-written.
The photograph should be presented in colour and in such a way that all students can see it easily.
The teacher may prompt students to encourage them to further explain their ideas, e.g.:
- Tell me more about that.
- What else do you notice?
- Why do you say that?
Refer also to the prompts for Question c).
Teacher prompt (Question c)
The purpose of Question c) is to investigate students' concept of risk. To what extent do they weigh up the notion of severity with likelihood?
During their discussion, prompt students to think about the big picture, long term impact of a particular event. Encourage them to think about a chain of events set off by one event.
Some prompting questions might be:
- How likely is that to happen?
- What would happen next?
- What effect would that have on things that live in the stream?
Copyright:
All images copyright to PhotoKete are used under license and can be freely used for educational purposes in New Zealand Aotearoa.
Level:
2
Curriculum info:
Keywords:
Description of task:
Task: Make observations from a photograph, identify potential environmental problems giving reasons, decide which problem is the most important, and give reasons for the choice. Assessment focus: (1) observation, and (2) identifying and prioritising cause and effect relationships.
Curriculum Links:
Science capabilities
The capabilities focus is brought about by the conversations you have and the questions you ask.
Capability: Gather and interpret data
This resource provides opportunities to discuss gathering data from careful observations and the meaning made from these observations.
Capability: Engage with science
This resource provides opportunities to discuss making predictions about potential issues/problems in a real life situation.
Science capabilities:
Answers/responses:
| What to look for | |
| a) | Students notice the main features, e.g.,the drain, the stream and the surrounding area, and details of these (little water in the drain, some vegetation dying, state of water in the stream). |
| b) |
Students predict a problem or problems that the drain could cause the stream and what lives there, e.g.,
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| c) |
Students recognise that the drain can introduce unwanted substances into the stream and this can effect the water quality, plants and animals living in or near the stream, and people using the stream. See Diagnostic and formative information for more details.
Students can assess how severe and how likely the risk they suggest is.
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Teaching and learning:
The key ideas that are covered in this task are:
| Nature of science: Participating and contributing | Science knowledge |
| When making decisions about environmental issues, it is important to ask questions such as, “What could happen if …..” | An event could affect the environment and what lives there. |
Why are the ideas in this assessment task important for students to learn?
In making sound decisions about the environment and what lives in it, we need to be aware that changes potentially have a flow on effect to the environment itself and what lives there. Considering what effects an event might have, and deciding how likely and how serious the effects might be, assists decision-making about managing risk.
Noticing is an important prerequisite for making decisions. Students need to be aware of the different elements within any environment before they can think about how these things impact on each other. Noticing what is missing is also important.
Noticing is an important prerequisite for making decisions. Students need to be aware of the different elements within any environment before they can think about how these things impact on each other. Noticing what is missing is also important.
Diagnostic and formative information:
Based on a sample of 6 Year 4 students.
Question a): Noticing
Trial students noticed both obvious features, e.g. the stream, the drain, and details, e.g., the dead looking vegetation above the drain, the amount of water in the drain
Trial students noticed both obvious features, e.g. the stream, the drain, and details, e.g., the dead looking vegetation above the drain, the amount of water in the drain
There was some unresolved discussion about whether the water in the stream was dirty or not.
They had to be prompted to look at the drain before they made observations about this part of the picture. There was quite a discussion about what might happen if there was more water coming out of the drain, and they wondered what else might come out of the drain, e.g., sewage.
Although they later talked about effects on fish, none mentioned that they couldn't see any, or any other animal life.
Question b): Identifying problems
Problems identified included:
- pollution of the water supply, which could harm fish
- fast or rushing water coming out of the drain could destroy plants and animals
- polluted drinking water/ sewage in water supply could make people sick or kill them
- destroying plants and animals could cause an unbalanced ecosystem.
- not enough oxygen, because trees might get killed.
The only animals they identified specifically that could be affected were fish and humans. They did not show any awareness of the diversity of the animal and plant life in and around a stream
Question c): Which is the worst problem?
The worst problems identified by trial students were
The worst problems identified by trial students were
- destruction of the "ecosystem", although they didn't think it was very likely to happen; in particular it was unlikely that people would be "destroyed".
- global warming caused by water pollution (but not very likely)
These responses suggest that the trial students were aware of some environmental issues, but at a very superficial level. At Level 2 we would not be expecting a sophisticated understanding.
The problem they thought was most likely to happen was plants and animals dying.
Science understandings
- The trial students were aware that there was some relationship between local events and environmental problems. They talked about ecosystems, pollution, water supply and global warming, showing they had picked up some global issue terminology, but could not explain the link between what happened in this drain and a global problem.
- In common with many students this age they had an unsophisticated understanding of scale. For example, they inferred that pollution from this drain could cause global warming (they were unable to explain how), and that trees dying from the drain flooding would mean there wasn't enough oxygen in the air.
- They knew that clean drinking water is a problem in some overseas countries, but had a sketchy understanding of where we get our drinking water from, and how water and sewage systems are managed in New Zealand.
- They mostly talked about pollution from the drain as a general non-specific term. The only specific form of pollution they mentioned was sewage.
Next steps:
Science Capability 1: Gather and interpret data
Close observation is an important skill to develop in science and is an aspect of Capability 1: Gather and interpret data. Noticing what is there is an important first step that may help students think about likely impacts of particular actions or events.
Capability 5: Engage with science
To be able to make informed decisions about environmental issues, students need to develop a sense of probability and risk. One strategy could be to get students to brainstorm all possible consequences, encouraging students to be as creative as they can, and then get the class to debate which are the most likely scenarios and explain why. The class could also debate which would be the most damaging scenarios. Are there any scenarios that appear near the top of both lists? A scenario that is both likely and damaging is serious. Science in the real world is rarely “black and white” and the ability to weigh up and consider various alternatives is an important skill for students to develop.
Close observation is an important skill to develop in science and is an aspect of Capability 1: Gather and interpret data. Noticing what is there is an important first step that may help students think about likely impacts of particular actions or events.
In this activity, students should be able to observe the photograph closely and give detailed descriptions of what they see. Students may need practice with this. Encourage students to carefully describe what they see, rather than just label it. For example, if students say they can see a drain, ask, “What does it look like? What do you notice about the water?”
Science knowledge.
If students are to make accurate predictions of likely consequences they also need knowledge about the particular context. In this context, finding out such things as what types of pollution might be introduced through the drain, and what might live in the stream, helps students to better assess risks.
If students are to make accurate predictions of likely consequences they also need knowledge about the particular context. In this context, finding out such things as what types of pollution might be introduced through the drain, and what might live in the stream, helps students to better assess risks.
Vocabulary
Students need the language to explain cause and effect relationships. Asking “Why do you think that?” can encourage students to form better explanations.
Students need the language to explain cause and effect relationships. Asking “Why do you think that?” can encourage students to form better explanations.
Capability 5: Engage with science
To be able to make informed decisions about environmental issues, students need to develop a sense of probability and risk. One strategy could be to get students to brainstorm all possible consequences, encouraging students to be as creative as they can, and then get the class to debate which are the most likely scenarios and explain why. The class could also debate which would be the most damaging scenarios. Are there any scenarios that appear near the top of both lists? A scenario that is both likely and damaging is serious. Science in the real world is rarely “black and white” and the ability to weigh up and consider various alternatives is an important skill for students to develop.
Key Competency: Thinking
This task provides opportunities for students to think at a “systems level”, an important skill to science and the environment. Before they can begin to consider how a particular action or event will affect a system they need some understanding of the individual parts of that system. The drain, the stream, animals and plants that live in or near the stream, the weather and people could be regarded as parts of a system in this context.
Discussing "what might happen if" particular scenarios are played out can support students to start developing systems thinking. Students need to think about the scenarios both immediately and into the future, Some examples of "what if" questions in this context are:
This task provides opportunities for students to think at a “systems level”, an important skill to science and the environment. Before they can begin to consider how a particular action or event will affect a system they need some understanding of the individual parts of that system. The drain, the stream, animals and plants that live in or near the stream, the weather and people could be regarded as parts of a system in this context.
Discussing "what might happen if" particular scenarios are played out can support students to start developing systems thinking. Students need to think about the scenarios both immediately and into the future, Some examples of "what if" questions in this context are:
- What might happen to the stream and what lives there if there is heavy rain?
- What might happen to the stream and what lives there if someone tips paint/oil down the drain?
- What might happen to the stream and what lives there if there is no rain for a long time?
Provide opportunities to discuss "what if" questions in a variety of contexts.
Cause and effect relationships can be explored in many different contexts.
The following table shows Building Science Concepts books that have a focus on cause and effect.
The following table shows Building Science Concepts books that have a focus on cause and effect.
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Living World
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Environment | Other |
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3 Birds 6 Soil animals 21 Life between the tides 22 Tidal communities 53 Moulds and fungi |
1 Waterways 2 Weathering and erosion 12 Volcanoes 40 Earthquakes 43 Spring 44 Spring is a season 50 Storms 52 The land changes |
8 The Moon 9 Shadows 16 Sand, salt and jelly crystals 23 Fresh food 24 Preserving food 32 Introducing metals 33 Working with metals 34 Parachutes 37 Floating and sinking 38 Understanding buoyancy 42 Marbles 46 Keeping warm 47 Insulation 56 Bread 57 Eggs 58 Ice 59 Bikes |
The following articles from ARB research may be helpful to teachers
- Inter-relationships - a really important idea in environmental science
- Common alternative ideas about inter-relationships
Similar ARB resources in other contexts: