Pollutants in the Pond is an engineering design-based STEM curricular unit. The unit aims to facilitate the learning of major science and mathematical concepts and skills within the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) and Common Core State Standards (CCSS) respectively. The unit includes teacher guides, class activities with solutions, and assessment guidelines. 

Grade Level: 4-5

Approximate Time Needed to Complete Unit: Thirteen 50-minute class periods

Unit Summary: Humans impact the environment in many different ways. Our impact on the environment may be
unintentional, but it can greatly change the surrounding ecosystem. Students will learn how the use of fertilizer and other runoff products impact local ecosystems. Additionally, students will learn how all organisms can be impacted by pollutants through developing knowledge of food chains and the effect of nitrates on pond ecosystems. Presented in the context of a local pond experiencing a decline in fish population, students will design and test solutions to prevent runoff pollution. They will connect their results back to the ecosystem and see how their solutions may help the local pond’s ecosystem.

List of Lessons:

• Lesson 1: Defining the Engineering Problem
  • Objectives: (1) Engage in problem scoping with the client letter; (2) Develop a list of questions to ask the client.
  Lesson 2: Humans and the Environment
  • Objectives: (1) Describe an ecosystem; (2) Differentiate between abiotic and biotic factors; (3) Discuss the role of phosphates and nitrates in an aquatic ecosystem; (4) Measure nitrate and phosphate levels; (5) Make and record qualitative observations; (6) Analyze graphical data.
• Lesson 3: Food Webs 
  • Objectives: (1) Define vocabulary relevant to pond and pond ecosystems; (2) Create a food web for a pond ecosystem; (3) describe how changes at one level of an ecosystem affect other related organisms.
• Lesson 4: Designing a Solution
  • Objectives: (1) Brainstorm methods and plan a strategy to prevent runoff pollution; (2) Communicate design ideas through drawing, including labels for materials and function of parts; (3) Select potential solutions through systematic evaluation of various solutions based on the problem; (4) Construct, test, and evaluate their design.
• Lesson 5: Redesigning a Solution
  • Objectives: (1) Evaluate their first prototype based on their initial testing; (2) Redesign their solutions based on their first design; (3) Apply science and mathematics to inform the redesign; (4) Build and test their second prototype.
• Lesson 6: Communicating with the Client
  • Objectives: (1) Collaborate and discuss their findings within their teams to report back to the client; (2) Connect the outcomes of their testing to the impact on the environment; (3) Communicate their solution to the client in the form of a poster and presentation; (4) Justify why their design solution is appropriate based on science and mathematics; (5) Justify why their design solution is appropriate based on their problem scoping; (6) Apply evidence gathered from testing to choose a solution.

Unit Standards:

• NGSS: 5-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1, 5-ESS3-1, 3-5-ETS1-A, 3-5-ETS1-B, 3-5-ETS1-C.
• CCSS: MP1, MP3, MP4, MP5, MP6, 4.MD.A.2, 5.G.A.2, 5.NBT.A.1.

This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant NSF DRL-1238140. Any opinions, findings and conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

Researchers should cite this work as follows:

• Sean Duncanson, Teresa Stevens, Drew Houland, Richard Lie, Corey Mathis, Angelina Constantine, Christina Miller, Kerrie Douglas, Tamara J. Moore (2022), "Pollutants in the Pond: An EngrTEAMS Curricular Unit," https://nanohub.org/resources/36152.

  BibTex | EndNote

1. biology
2. ecosystems
3. elementary school
4. engineering education
5. EngrTEAMS
6. environment
7. has CCSS
8. has NGSS
9. K-12
10. pollution
11. precollege
12. STEM
13. teaching and learning