Title: Effects of Pollution on our Environment

Subject: Science

Topic: Pollution
rd
Grade: 3
Stage 1-Desired Results

Established Goals

S3L2: Students will recognize the effects of pollution and humans on the
environment.
a. Explain the effects of pollution (such as littering) to the habitats of plants
and animals
b. Identify ways to protect the environment
1. Conservation of resources
2. Recycling of materials

S3L1 Students will investigate the habitats of different organisms and the
dependence of organisms on their habitat.
d. Explain what will happen to an organism if the habitat is changed.

S3CS5 Students will communicate scientific ideas and activities clearly.

c. Locate scientific information in reference books, back issues of
newspapers, magazines,
CD-ROMS, and/or computer databases.

1. Facilitate and Inspire Student Learning and Creativity

Teachers use their knowledge of subject matter, teaching and learning,
and technology to facilitate experiences that advance student learning,
creativity, and innovation in both face-to-face and virtual environments.
Teachers:
b. engage students in exploring real-world issues and solving
authentic problems using digital tools and resources
Big Idea: Pollution destroys the environment.

Understandings
Students will understand that …

 Pollution destroys a habitat.

  Pollution can appear in different forms.
 There are various causes of pollution.
 Human health can be affected by pollution.
 Habitats can be affected by pollution.
 Improper disposing of hazardous waste can harm the environment.
 Biodegradable material breaks down easily.
 Compost piles create organic fertilizers.
 Decomposers break down remains of once-living things.
 Recycling and reuse are different.
 Recycling creates room in landfills.
 Everyone can contribute to the recycling effort.
 Human change to a habitat can cause the plants and animals to become
extinct.
 Humans can cause changes that protect a habitat.
 Human enjoyment in nature can destroy or enhance a habitat.
 How reducing, reusing, and recycling can make a huge difference with very
little effort.

Essential Questions: Topical and Overarching

• What effect does pollution have on the environment?

• How do people affect ecosystems?
• How can ecosystems be conserved?
• How might pollution in a land habitat affect a water habitat or vice versa?
• What happens to biodegradable materials in a compost pile?
• How can the material from a compost pile be used?
• What are the benefits of using a compost pile?
• Does the material in landfills ever breakdown?
• What is the difference between reuse and recycling?
• How does recycling help protect our environment?
• How does recycling make a difference in your life?
• What would happen to our environment if all recycling efforts stopped?
• How can students improve our environment?
• How does pollution affect the health of humans?
• Does the expense of recycling really justify recycling?
 • What does “going green” really mean?

Knowledge Skills
Students will know… Students will be able to…

Key vocabulary-recycling, reuse, Create a compost pile

reducing, pollution, biodegradable, non-
biodegradable, decomposer, compost
pile, conservation, habitat, and
environment
Identify biodegradable materials
Use technology to solve real world
recycling and pollution issues
Identify and begin recycling materials in
their everyday lives

Causes and types of pollution Create new ways to reuse materials

Materials that are recyclable

Human effect on habitats

Conservation methods

Myths or Misconceptions:
Recycling costs more than the benefits it provides to our environment.
Recycling takes too much time and effort.
Hazardous waste in small quantities does not affect the environment.
The effort of one person at a time to curb pollution does not make a real difference.
Week 1 Pollution and Vocabulary (E)
Conservation Pollution
Essential Questions(W) Conservation
• What effect does Natural Resources
pollution have on Reducing
the environment?
• How might
pollution in a land Knowledge: causes and
habitat affect a types of pollution
water habitat or
vice versa? Conservation methods
• How does pollution
affect the health of Human effect on habitats
humans?
Skills: identify and begin
• How can recycling things in their
ecosystems be
everyday lives
conserved?
• What are the Create new ways to reuse
different types of materials
pollution?
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5
1. Show pictures of 1.Review essential 1. Review questions and 1. How can ecosystems be
Pollution in your county on questions and vocabulary vocabulary (R) conserved? (W) 1. Students will
the Smart Board and get a that are listed above (W Vocabulary: Conservation present the results of
reaction from the students. and E) 2. Play this memory game Performance Task #1
(H) 2.Show vodcast of Causes on the Smart Board 2. Show (R,T)
2. Pretest to determine of Pollution to determine the top Conservation/Reducing
background knowledge of three types of litter. Vodcast (W)
pollution, recycling, reuse 3. Use the following Georgia Litter Control
and conservation (E) websites to discuss the http://www.litteritcostsyo Additional Conservation
3. Show vodcast reviewing three different types of u.org/playCards.aspx (R, Resources: 2. Introduce
the habitats of Georgia. pollution, human health, H) The Energy Story: Performance Task #2
After the presentation, and environmental effects Saving Energy and and assign (W,Eq,T)
3.Read pp. 130-133 in
review what an ecosystem of pollution. Energy Conservation can
interactive textbook
is in relation to a habitat. The first site is Third be accessed at 3. If time allows in
(ADHD and slower readers
Then remind them that the Grade Science http://www.energyquest.ca. class, continue
will use this text while the
environment includes it all http://fitzwater.awardspace. gov/story/chapter19.html or Conservation Projects
others will read the same
including the air. biz/pollution.html (E) printed for students to read
section in their hardback
on their own or with a
textbook that is written
3. Essential Questions (W) Tiki the Penguin partner. Some students
more on third grade level)
• What effect does http://tiki.oneworld.net/pollu may need this read to
and work on
pollution have on tion/pollution4.html (E) them. This could be
questions(Eq)
the environment? accomplished by the
• How might teacher reading it to the
http://tiki.oneworld.net/glob 4. Ticket out the Door-
pollution in a land small group or a peer
al_warming/climate3.html students will record an
habitat affect a assisting them. (Eq, T)
(E) answer to at least two of
water habitat or 4. Cause and Effect chart of the essential questions
vice versa? 3. Read The Lorax to the
examples of pollution and (slower learners will
• How does pollution students and discuss the
the effect on the answer one while the
affect the health of effects of deforestation and
environment. This will be others will need to answer
humans? conservation methods that
completed on large chart 2-3). (R)
• How do people should take place to protect
paper in group of 2-4 or
affect ecosystems? our forests and natural
independently on the
4. Vocabulary (E) resources or watch the
worksheet (R,T) 5. Homework:
Pollution video
Performance Task #1
http://www.fanpop.com/spot
5. Homework: Performance (Eq,T)
***Student textbooks are available in hardback and the interactive version (Georgia Science Grade Three by Houghton Mifflin
copyright 2009) which is a consumable text that has questions and activities to complete as the students read to reinforce
comprehension. It is also written in a more simplified version which tends to be at a lower reading level than the hardback
textbooks. It also does not have all of the experiments and extra activities that the textbook would have which helps keep some
of the struggling readers more focused on the content and not as overwhelmed. It is a great resource for students to take home
and get additional help with reading for information. At the third grade level, the students still tend to have difficulty inferencing
and finding information in a nonfiction text.

Name_________________________________

Pollution Pre-Test
1. __________________ material is material that has been broken down in a compost pile.
a. pollution
b. decayed
c. wood

2. A __________ is a way to recycle yard waste and table waste.

a. pollutant
b. compost pile
c. landfill

3. ____________ material will breakdown naturally in a landfill.

a. non-biodegradable
b. biodegradable
c. decomposer

4. Explain how litter can destroy ecosystems and habitats.

5. Give one example of a biodegradable material and one example of non-biodegradable.

6. What is hazardous waste and how does it harm our environment?

 7. Which is not a biodegradable material?
a. untreated wood
b. cardboard
c. paper
d. metal
8.

Recyclable
Non-recyclable
Materials
Materials

11. What are the three different types of pollution? _____________________, ______________________,
and________________________________

12. What happens to animals due to pollution?

13. What are our natural resources?

14. How do we conserve our natural resources?

15. A ____________________________is an organism that breaks down remains of dead organisms or materials
that are made from once-living things.

a. pollutant

b. decomposer

c. biodegradable

16. Trash that is thrown on the ground or in the water is known as ________________________.

a. pollution

b. hazardous waste

c. fertilizers

17. Matter that breaks down easily in the environment is _____________________________.

a. non-biodegradable

b. biodegradable

c. decomposer

18. Collecting materials, processing them, and making them into something new is the process known as
_______________________.

a. decomposer
 b. recycling

c. reuse

19. Finding a new use for something that would normally go into the trash is known as _______________.

a. recycling

b. reuse

c. pollutant

20. Decayed material from once-living things that is used to enrich the soil is _______________________.

a. trash

b. compost

c. decomposer

21. Protecting our natural resources and not using too much at a time ______________________________.

a. preservation

b. conservation

c. reuse

23. A_________________________ is the place where a plant or animal lives.

a. habitat

b. ecosystem

c. environment
Performance Task #1 (beginning of week 1 or just prior to the unit)
You have been hired by the mayor of your town to conduct research on pollution in your area. It will be your job to report back
what types of pollution you saw over a three to five day period. As you are driving in a car, observe pollution in your town and
record your findings. You are encouraged to include photographs or drawings of what you saw. If possible, record the location of
where this pollution was noticed. Remember to not enter private property or go without an adult. It may be possible for you to
complete this task in your own neighborhood.

This is an opportunity for you to find out what types of pollution are in your area and respond. After you have completed the log,
please include at least one written paragraph about the sources of pollution in your community. Be sure to include what
problems to the habitat might occur or are occurring due to the pollution? Why might someone have decided to pollute the area?
Could there be a good reason why this might have occurred?

(Facet 1, Facet 2, Facet 3, Facet 4, and Facet 5)

**Struggling students that have difficulty constructing sentences and/or paragraphs may orally explain to the teacher the
answers to the questions or present their findings in a video format. Advanced students may choose to present their material in
more of a written report including information they gained from contacting someone at the county level about our pollution in
Camden County. This could be accompanied by a video presentation of their findings along with a log.
Performance Task #1 Rubric
Category Excellent 4 Good 3 Satisfactory 2 Does Not Meet 1

Log The log is The log has at The log has at The log has 2 or
complete and has least 5 different least 3 different less examples of
at least 7 examples of examples of pollution.
different entries. pollution. pollution.

Pictures/Illustrati Pictures and/or Pictures or Pictures or Pictures or Student Score____________

ons illustrations are illustrations are illustrations are illustrations are Feedback:
included for each included for at included for at not included.
example. least 4 of the least 2 entries.
entries.

Students may
choose to present
in video format
(same rubric
would apply they Self Assessment of
would need to Pollution Log Task
include the same
number of events  Log includes
at least 7 complete
for each)
entries
Summary The summary Explains the Gives little detail Incomplete
 Pictures/Illus
thoroughly process used to about the process summary that
trations are
explains the gather pollution used to gather does not include included for at
pollution that was data and what the data and the the information least half of the
discovered and pollution was data that was that is required. entries.
the process used found. Includes a found. No
 I included
to gather the basic hypothesis hypothesis was
data I discovered
data. It also about what may included about about pollution.
includes a happen to the the effects of the
hypothesis about environment due pollution on the  I explained
what may to the pollution environment. the process used
happen to the to obtain the data.
Alternate environment due
Summary to the pollution. Student explains The student gives
The student
  I included a hypothesis about what problems the pollution may cause to the environment or the problems that are
already occurring.

Performance Task #2 (end of week 1 or beginning of week 2)

You will track the recycling habits of your family for a two week period. If you do not normally recycle in your home, it
will be your job to recycle over the next two weeks. Recycling has been a huge effort in many parts of the country.
Unfortunately, many people still refuse to recycle due to the extra effort it requires. Keep a log of the amount of
recyclable materials you use in your home versus the bags of trash that will head to the landfill. In your log, you will
need to include all of the items that you were able to recycle over the two week period. Include any problems that may
have occurred and/or how have the habits changed within in your household. Also, reference whether this activity cost
you any more money or time to complete. Be sure to assess whether you feel like this is something that has changed
you for the better. Also include what you have learned about recycling by completing this task. (Facet 2, Facet 3, and
Facet 6) **Struggling students may have their parents do the recording of the
information but they need to be a part of the recycling activity and dictate what is to be
written.

Recycling Log Scoring Rubric for Performance Assessment #2

Level 4

 All entries are dated

 Two week period

 Amount of recyclables versus the amount of trash produced is recorded or illustrated

through drawings or pictures

 Problems are included (if any)

  Explains changes (if any) of behaviors about recycling that have taken place in their home

 Amount of time or money that it costs to recycle are included

 Thorough explanation of what the student learned about recycling during this project.

 Examples of items that have been recycled including any new revelations of items that are
recyclable.

Level 3

 All entries are dated

 Two week period

 Amount of recyclables versus the amount of trash produced is recorded or illustrated

through drawings or pictures

 Problems are included (if any)

 Explains changes (if any) of behaviors about recycling that have taken place in their home

 Amount of time or money that it costs to recycle are included

 Examples of items that were recycled are included.

Level 2

 Some entries are dated

 Amount of recyclables versus the amount of trash produced is recorded

 Problems are included (if any)

 Examples of items that were recycled are included.

Level 1

 Entries are lacking dates

 Amount of recyclable materials versus the amount of trash produced is not recorded
  Examples of items that were recycled

Student Self-Assessment of Performance Task #2

___________ All of my entries are dated

___________The time period included at least a two week period.

___________The amount of recyclables versus the amount of trash produced is recorded or illustrated through drawings or pictures
in my log.

___________Any problems I encountered are included in my log.

___________I explained the changes of behaviors about recycling that have taken place in my home or discussed how we have
always recycled in our home.

___________The amount of time or money that it costs me to recycle are included or I noted that it did not cost me any time or
money.

___________I explained what I learned about recycling during this project.

___________ I gave examples of items I recycled.

__________ I included any new information I learned about recycling.

Performance Task #3 (last week of the unit)
The landfill in your county is reaching its capacity and will have to open a new landfill within the next 5 years if
the amount of garbage continues. They have asked students in grades 3-5 to develop a presentation showing the
types of materials that can be recycled and how this would help conserve our land. The top three winners will have
their presentation used throughout the county.

Include information that you have learned throughout the unit and resources you have found online. In your
presentation, you should include the amount of trash versus the amount of recycling that takes place in your town
(county). This should be available online or by contacting your local landfill and recycling center. They may even offer
tours which will help you understand the severity of the problem. Along with that information, you need to be sure to
include the materials that can be recycled and how you are implementing this in your home. Include the differences
between biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials. In many communities, yard waste is handled through a
separate truck or company. You may want to find out if anything like that takes place in your area. Be sure to show
how recycling will conserve our land. Be prepared for opposition to your ideas from the community. (facet 1, facet 2,
facet 3, facet 4 and facet 5)

Goal: Your goal is to determine the challenges faced by the local landfill in your community.

Role: It is up to you to provide some solutions and ways the people of the community can help to improve the
situation. You will be creating a power point or commercial showing the problems as well as possible solutions.
 Audience: The audience will be members of the board at the landfill, members of the community, and your
classmates.

Situation: This project involves you presenting to members of the community that may not be open to hearing
your ideas on helping to improve the situation at the landfill. Your study will determine the problems faced by
the landfill and ways that you feel the situation at the landfill can be improved with the help of the community.

Product: You will design a power point, commercial, or booklet that shows some ways you personally can
improve the situation at the landfill. Include some misconceptions people may have about recycling and provide
some statistics of how much garbage is produced in your town (county) alone versus how much is being
recycled.

Standards: Review the self-assessment as well as the scoring rubric to make sure all of the elements have been
included in your presentation. Test out your presentation on a friend or family member prior to submitting it to
be scored.

Scoring
Rubric for
Performance
Assessment
#3
Category Excellent 4 Good 3 Satisfactory Does not
2 meet 1
Information Facts and Facts and Few facts or No real facts
content are content are some of the are included.
correct. The accurate. information is
presentation not correct.
includes more
information
than what
was required.
Details Problems Necessary Few details No details or
faced by details were were included little details
landfills are included to about the were given.
addressed. understand problems
Recycling was
Extra the faced by the
not addressed.
examples of problems landfill.
how we can faced by the Recyclable
each make a landfill. materials were
difference Recyclable not properly
were materials identified.
included. were
Recyclable identified.
materials
were
addressed
and
identified.

Presentation The presenter The The presenter The presenter

(commercial) could be presenter was difficult to was almost
heard and could be hear and/or impossible to
clearly heard and understand. If understand or
understood. understood. props were hear.
Props or Some type used, they did
photographs of prop or not connect
were photograph with the topic.
included. was used.
Presentation
hooked the
viewer.

Presentation The slides Slides were Slides were Presentation

were attractive difficult to was not well
(power point) attractive and and easy to read or there presented.
 had smooth read with was a problem The slides
transitions. smooth with the were difficult
Photographs transitions. transition of to read and
were included slides. the slides did
of pollution, not transition
recycling, or properly.
landfills.

Presentation The booklet The book The text and The booklet
was neatly was neat or illustrations was
(booklet) and creatively and included were not incomplete
constructed. some completed and/or difficult
It included illustrations. neatly. The to read.
illustrations overall project
or lacked
photographs creativity.
of pollution,
recycling, and
landfills.

Length Power point- Power point- Power point-at Power point-3

at least 7 at least 5 least 4 slides slides or less
slides were slides were were included
included. included
Commercial-
Commercial-1
Commercial- Commercial- less than 2
minute or less
at least 3 at least 2 minutes but
minutes long minutes more than a Booklet-at
long minute least 3 half
Booklet-at
page sheets or
least 7 half Booklet-at Booklet-at
less
page sheets least 5 half least 4 half
page sheets page sheets
Student
Score______________

Feedback:

Self Assessment for Performance Task #3

Information

• The facts included in the power point, commercial, or booklet are

accurate.

• There are interesting facts included in my project.

• I included additional information I found online.

Details

• The problems that landfills face are explained in great detail.

• The types of recyclable materials are presented.

• The difference recycling can make is shown in my project.

Presentation

Power Point

• The slides transitioned correctly.

• There are photographs of pollution, recycling and

landfills.

• The slides are attractive and easy to read by the viewers.

Commercial

• I was confident and easy for the audience to hear and

 understand.

• I included photographs or props that were relevant to

my presentation.

• I used a creative way to hook my audience.

Booklet

• My illustrations are neat or clear pictures are

included.

• The pages are presented in an organized sequence.

Name_____________________________________

Causes and Effects of Pollution

Name___________________________________________________

Conservation Project

Directions: You may choose one of the following assignments to complete the conservation project. It is your job to show ways to
conserve our natural resources.

Narration: Write an ad Research: Research History: Research how Aesthetic: Focus on Plan: Focus on ways
convincing the readers online and find statistics the conservation the ways that not you can impact the
to conserve 1 or more about how much of our movement got started conserving effects how conservation of our
natural resources. The natural resources are and how has it changed the area looks and how natural resources. You
ad should contain being used each year the habits of people. Be conservation can make will develop a plan and
examples on what the and how much we can sure to include an area look better. You present it through a
readers can do to save by making an conservation methods may want to choose a poster, power point, or
conserve the resources. effort to conserve that and which natural community in our area commercial to the class.
specific resource(s). resources are being or a specific location
conserved. you are personally
aware of in the state of
Georgia. You may also
want to show how it can
affect our health. The
project will be
presented through a
poster.
 Ticket out the Ticket out the
Door Door
(Questions and/or instructions will be posted for the
students each time this activity is used.)

Ticket out the Ticket out the

Door Door
Name_________________________________________

Directions: You will need to include at least 4 recyclable and 4 non-recyclable products to get a score of a 3. If you want to get a
4, you will need at least 6 in each area and they must be correct.

Recyclable
Non-Recyclable
Name_________________________________________

Directions: You may choose one of the following projects for your reuse project. Read each of them carefully and
discuss your choices with the teacher.

Narrative: Compose a Research: You will find a History: You will research Aesthetic: Decide on a Plan: You will create
journal entry about a reuse for one of the items online how products have reuse of a product that will something from the
reuse idea of a particular at your table and research been reused and the be used for decoration or “trash” at your table that
item that is in the center how much money will be impact it has made over in a way that it is can be demonstrated or
of your table group. saved by reusing this item time. providing something modeled for the class to
Explain how the item will in the way you have appealing for you to see. see. You should try to
be reused in another way determined for it to be reuse more than one item.
and you may choose to used.
include an illustration.
Pollution Test Name_____________________

1. What is decayed material that is used to give nutrients to the soil called and how does it decay?

2. Explain how litter can destroy ecosystems.

3. Complete the chart below with examples of biodegradable and non-biodegradable materials.
Biodegradable Non-biodegradable

4. Explain how hazardous waste and litter are alike and different. Give at least one way they are the same and one
way they are different.

5. Farming that helps preserve ecosystems is called

a. zero waste
b. green agriculture
c. ecotourism
d. pollution
 6. Which will most likely harm a coastal habitat?
a. building fences around sand dunes
b. green agriculture
c. an ocean oil spill
d. recycling plastic

7. Which is not a biodegradable material?

e. untreated wood
f. cardboard
g. paper
h. metal

8. & 9.

Recyclable
Non-recyclable
Materials
Materials

10. Based on what you have learned in class and through your research for the performance tasks, explain the importance of
recycling, conserving our land, and maintaining our landfills. Also include reasons to downplay the perspective of someone not
wanting to waste their time on recycling.
11. What are the three different types of pollution? _____________________, ______________________,
and________________________________

12. What are the effects on humans due to pollution?

13. What are the effects on animals due to pollution?

14. Give at least three examples of how humans do not conserve our natural resources.

15. Explain three examples of how people are making efforts to conserve the natural resources.
Vocabulary Section

compost ecosystem habitat conservation decomposer

pollution biodegradable environment recycling reuse

16. A ____________________________is an organism that breaks down remains of dead organisms or materials
that are made from once-living things.

17. Trash that is thrown on the ground or in the water is known as ________________________.

18. Matter that breaks down easily in the environment is _____________________________.

19. Collecting materials, processing them, and making them into something new is the process known as
_______________________.

20. Finding a new use for something that would normally go into the trash is known as _______________.

21. Decayed material from once-living things that is used to enrich the soil is _______________________.

22. Protecting our natural resources and not using too much at a time ______________________________.

23. An______________________________ is all the living and nonliving things that surround an organism.

24. A_________________________ is the place where a plant or animal lives.

25. An _________________________ is a system of all the living and nonliving things that exist and interact in one
place.

26. What have you learned throughout the tasks and the information presented in class about pollution and
your community?
Additional Resources for Students and Teachers –some for teacher background knowledge and some that has
resources for students and teachers

The Energy Story: Saving Energy and Energy Conservation

http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter19.html

Pictures and information on how energy can be conserved is addressed on this site.

Litter in Georgia

http://www.litteritcostsyou.org/

This site gives factual information about what it does cost us for the littering across the state. There are fun interactive games for the kids. There is also
information for teachers to use in the classroom with links to special programs or challenges that are available. This particular site also tells what the
punishments are for littering in the state.

St. Marys EarthKeepers

http://www.stmarysearthkeepers.com/recycling.html

This site will assist students living in St. Marys, GA with determining what is recyclable in our area. It also keeps us up to date on
what our EarthKeepers group is doing to keep the Go Green challenge alive.

Tiki One World

http://tiki.oneworld.net/pollution/pollution4.html

This site explores the different types of pollution and is kid friendly. They will enjoy following Tiki on the adventures while learning about Pollution.
Wastebuster
http://www.wastebuster.co.uk/kids/

This site has incredible adventures or not so adventures in a landfill. It is very entertaining and gets its point across. Along with
the kids portion,

the site offers teacher supplements and information about landfills.

Keep Georgia Beautiful

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/environmental/kgb/recycling_in_ga.html

The recycling effort going on across the state of Georgia

http://www.dca.state.ga.us/environmental/kgb/education.html

Educator resources for recycling in Georgia

Air Pollution in Georgia

http://www.georgiaconservancy.org/mothersandothers/airpollutioningeorgia.htm

This site gives a report of a study that was conducted on air pollution. It claims our air is really unsafe in 50% of the areas. Many
of us are living in areas where the air quality is below what it should be to be considered safe.