Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Curriculum for Boston ......Fiona Bennie, Jake Foster, Pam...

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 i

Stormwater and Green Infrastructure Curriculum for Boston Public Schools

Grade5|DoesItReallyWork?InvestigatingClaimsaboutGreenInfrastructureThreeschoolyardinvestigationsinwhichstudentslookforevidenceintheirschoolyardtosupportorrefuteclaimsabouttheimpactofGreenInfrastructure.ForschoolswithGreenInfrastructureon‐site.Preparedby:KristinMetzandAnneKitchellPreparedfor:BostonWater&SewerCommissionApril2018

Preface

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum ii

ThesetwounitsweredevelopedaspartofapartnershipbetweentheBostonWater&SewerCommissionandtheBostonPublicSchoolsinwhichGreenInfrastructure(GI)wasinstalledatfive(5)BostonPublicSchool(BPS)sites.Thepartnershipcreatesnewopportunitiesforstudentstoexplorescience,technology,andengineering—andissuesofcriticalimportancetotheCityofBostontoday—inanauthenticcontextthatisimmediatelyrelevanttotheirlives.BothunitsalignscienceandengineeringconceptsrelatedtostormwaterandGreenInfrastructurewiththeMAScience,Technology/Engineering(STE)StandardsandScienceandEngineeringPractices.Thelessonsdrawontheideas,materials,andsuggestionsofengineersandscientistsworkingoninstallingGIattheBPSsites,aswellasfromBPSadministratorsandteachers.Thisisalivingdocument.Itisintendedtoengageteachersaspartnersinthinkingabouthowtheseconceptscanbetaughtinwaysthatwillbemostmeaningfulfortheirstudents.Theselessonsprovideaframeworkandasetofactivitiesforyoutotestinyourclassroomsandmodifyinthecontextofyoursciencecurriculum.

coverphotocredits:KristinMetzandwaterimage(modified):FlickrLamarGore/USFWS

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum iii

Acknowledgements

Specialthankstothemanypeoplewhoofferedinvaluablesupport,materialsandfeedbackonthisprojectincluding:KateEngland,BostonWater&SewerCommission;AnneKitchellandtheHorsleyWittenGroup;ElizabethCianciola,JulieWood,andtheCharlesRiverWatershedAssociation;KateKennan,Offshoots,Inc.;FionaBennie,JakeFoster,PamPelletier,andHollyRosa,BostonPublicSchools;andCaitlinDwyer‐Huppert.BostonPublicSchoolteachersMichaelClinchot,ChrisGrymonpre,andKathleenWrightgavecrucialfeedback;andteachersfromtheHernandez,Irving,andHorace‐Mannschoolshelpedshapetheinitialconceptattheearlieststagesoftheproject.

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum iv

Contents

Preface............................................................................................................................................................................................i

Acknowledgements...............................................................................................................................................................iii

Grade 5 | Does It Really Work? Three Investigations into Green Infrastructure ....................... 5

BeforeYouBegin—ANotetoTeachers..........................................................................................................................5

Grade5|Investigation1|CanGIGetMoreRainintotheGround?.....................................................................8

Grade5|Investigation2|IsGICool?..........................................................................................................................13

Grade5|Investigation3|CanGICleanStormwater?...........................................................................................18

Appendices  .............................................................................................. (attached separately)

AppendixA:BackgroundResourcesforTeachers

AppendixB:GIPilotSchoolResources

AppendixC:PrintMaterialsforLesson7.1—7.4

AppendixD:CaptionedSlideshow(MicrosoftPowerPointPresentation)

AppendixE:YourSchoolyardDataTables(MicrosoftExcelSpreadsheet)

AppendixF:AdditionalResources

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5 5

Grade 5 | Does It Really Work? Three Investigations into Green Infrastructure

Before You Begin—A Note to Teachers Stormwaterrunoffistheleadingcauseofwaterpollutiontoday.YourschoolishelpingtoreducepollutionintheCharlesRiverbyusinganewnature‐basedtechnologycalledGreenInfrastructure(GI).GIreplacestraditional“grey”infrastructure,includingcatchbasinsandstormdrains(pipes),withnaturalelements,suchasplants,soil,andgravel,tomanagetheenormousvolumeofstormwatergeneratedincities,andaddressrelatedissues.TheseGIfeaturesgivestudentsopportunitiestoinvestigateimportantinnovationsintechnologyrightintheirschoolyard.EachofthefollowinginvestigationsintroducestudentstoaproblemfacingtheCityofBostoninacontextthatrelatestotheireverydaylives.TheylearnthatGIisonesolutiontotheseproblems.Ineachcase,theyinvestigatespecificclaimsthatGIissolutiontotheproblembyapplyingthescienceconceptsandpracticestheyknowtomeasureormodelGI’simpactontheirschoolyard,andbyextensiontheCity.Considerbringingstudentsfromdifferentschools(orclasses)togethertosharetheirfindingsfromtheseinvestigationsinajointsymposium.HowdoestheirevidenceabouttheimpactofGIintheirrespectiveschoolyardscompare?Didtheygetthesame,ordifferentresults?Didtheyarriveatthesame,ordifferentconclusions?InthefollowinginvestigationsstudentsexplorethreeclaimsaboutGI:

GIhelpsgetmoreprecipitationintotheground.

GIhelpsreduceairtemperatures/andtheurbanheatislandeffectincities.

GIhelpspreventsediment(andotherpollutants)frombeingcarriedintostormdrainsandfromthereintorivers,streamsandBostonHarbor.

Eachinvestigationtakes3‐5classperiods.Theycanbedoneinanycombinationorasstand‐aloneunits.OPTIONAL:Helpstudentslocatethenearestreceivingwaterorwaterbodyonamap(theCharles,NeponsetorMysticriversorBostonHarbor).Takeawalktovisitthemifyoucan.

Science & Engineering Standards

7.MS‐LS2‐4.Analyzedatatoprovideevidencethatdisruptions(naturalorhuman‐made)toanyphysicalorbiologicalcomponentofanecosystemcanleadtoshiftsinallitspopulations.7.MS‐LS2‐6(MA).Explainhowchangestothebiodiversityofanecosystem—thevarietyofspeciesfoundintheecosystem—maylimittheavailabilityofresourceshumansuse.Resourcescanincludefood,energy,medicine,andcleanwater.

Science & Engineering Practices

Askingquestionsanddefiningproblems.Analyzingandinterpretingdata.Planningandcarryingoutinvestigations.Developandusemodelsthatexplainhowchangesinlandcovercanleadtochangesinpopulations.

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5 6

Investigation 1—Can GI Get More Rainwater into the Ground?

The Water CycleStudentsapplywhattheyknowaboutthewatercycleandmakingmodelstoinvestigatetheclaimthatbioretentionfeatureshelpreducestormwaterrunoff.Theyworktogethertodevelop,andthenimprove,amodelofthebioretentionfeaturesontheirschoolyardthatdescribesitscomponentpartsandfunctionsandexplainshowbioretentionhelpsprecipitationmovebackintothebiosphereandgeosphere.

Investigation 2—Can GI Make the City Cooler?

Earth and Human Activity Studentsapplywhattheyknowaboutmeasuringtemperature,planning,andcarryingoutinvestigationstoexploretheimpactofGI.TheyworktogethertoplanandconductaninvestigationthatinvolvescollectingdatatodeterminewhetherGIthatusesplants(e.g.,bioretentionfeatures,likeraingardensandtreepits)affectsthetemperatureintheirschoolyard,andbyextension,theentirecity.

Investigation 3—Can GI Clean Stormwater?

Earth and Human Activity Studentsapplywhattheyknowabouthowwatertransportssediment,roadsalt,nutrients(i.e.,phosphorusandnitrogen),anddebrisandworktogethertoplanandconductaninvestigationthatincludescollectingdatatodeterminewhethertheGIintheirschoolyardhelpsremovesedimentandothermaterialsfromstormwater.

Teacher Preparation

Beforeyoubegin: ReadBackgroundonStormwaterandGI(AppendixA)

PrintoutamapofyourschoolyardwithGIdiagrams(AppendixB)Walkthesitetolocatethesefeaturesonyourschoolyard.

ReviewtheGIFactSheets(AppendixC)tolearnmoreaboutspecificGIpractices.

Notes:

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5 7

Making a Difference in the Community

InadditiontoinvestigatingtheclaimsabouttheimpactofGI,theseactivitiesinvitestudentstodiscoverwaystheycanhaveapositiveeffectontheircommunities.Freshwaterisapreciousandlimitedresource.Stormwateratpresentistreatedasapotentiallydestructivebyproductofrainthatshouldbequicklyandefficientlygottenridof.Studentswillparticipateintheefforttotreatstormwaterasavaluableresource,returningrainwatertothenaturalcycle,whichreplenishestheearth’ssupplyoffreshwater.

TheylearnthattheirschoolishelpingtosolveaseriouswaterqualityissueinBostonandthattheycanactivelyparticipate.

Theydiscoverthatwherewateriscomingfrom/goingtoisveryimportant—somethingrealscientistsandengineersdoeverydayaspartoftheirjobs.It’salsofunandexciting.

Theylearnthatpeoplecanhelpmitigateproblemslikewaterpollutionandclimatechangebyusingnewideas,technologies,andpractices.

Tosolvetheseproblems,peopleinawiderangeofjobshavetoworktogether.Theycouldbeoneofthem!

Curriculum Connections

CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.W.5.2.Writeinformative/explanatorytextstoexamineatopicandconveyideasclearly.CCSS.ELA‐Literacy.SL.5.4.Reportonatopicortextorpresentanopinion,sequencingideaslogicallyandusingappropriatefactsandrelevant,descriptivedetailstosupportmainideasorthemes;speakclearlyatanunderstandablepace.

Notes:

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation1 8

Grade 5 | Investigation 1| Can GI Get More Rain into the Ground?

Studentsapplywhattheyknowaboutthewatercycleandmakingmodelstoinvestigatetheclaimthatbioretentionfeatureshelppreventstormwaterrunoff.Theyworktogethertodevelop,andthenimprove,amodelofthebioretentionfeatureontheirschoolyardthatdescribesthecomponentpartsandfunctionsofbioretentionfeaturesandexplainshowbioretentionfeatureshelpprecipitationmoveintothebiosphereandgeosphere.TheProblem:ThelandBostonsitsonusedtobecoveredbyplants,forestandwetlands,butisnowmostlycoveredbyconcreteandpavement.Thesechangeshave“broken”thewatercyclebecausemostoftherainthatfalls,insteadofbeingabsorbedintothesoil,orbeingtakenupbyplants,justrunsofftheroads,sidewalksandrooftopsintostormdrains(called“stormwaterrunoff”).TheClaim:Anewnature‐basedtechnology,calledGreenInfrastructure(GI),isbeingusedaroundtheCity,includinginsomeschoolyards—andoursisoneofthem.TheclaimisthattheuseofGIcanhelprainwaterintheschoolyardgetbackintothebiosphereandgeosphere.TheTask:WearegoingtobeinvestigatingonetypeofGI(bioretentionfeatures)sometimescalled“raingardens”totestthatclaim.Canwefindevidencethatthebioretentionfeatureinourschoolyardcanslowdownstormwaterrunoffandhelp“repair”thewatercycleintheCity?

Teacher Preparation

Beforeyoubegin:

PrintoutamapofyourschoolyardwithGIdiagrams(AppendixB)Walkthesitetolocatethesefeaturesonyourschoolyard.

ReviewtheGIFactSheets:BioretentionFeatures(AppendixC)tolearnaboutGIfeaturesthatrelyonthepropertiesofplants.

IdentifytheGIfeatureonyoursitethatyouwilluseforthisactivity—abioretentionfeature/raingarden,bioswale,vegetatedswale,treepit,orstormwaterplanter.

PrintadiagramofthefeatureyouhavechosentousefromtheGIFactSheets:BioretentionFeatures(AppendixC),makecopies(andlaminate)foreachstudentgroup.

ReviewtheGuidetoOutdoorTeachingandLearning(AppendixA)fortipsonteachingoutdoors.

Alertstudentsthattheclasswillbegoingoutsideforthisinvestigation.Likeallfieldscientists,theywillneedtowearappropriateclothing.(Discusswhatthismeansgiventheseason.)

Science & Engineering Standards: The Water Cycle

ESS2‐1.UseamodeltodescribethecyclingofwateronEarthbetweenthegeosphere,biosphere,hydrosphere,andatmospherethroughevaporation,precipitation,absorption,surfacerunoff,andcondensation.

Science & Engineering Practices

Studentsworkwithotherstomakeorimproveamodelofabioretentionfeature.

TEACHER NOTE

Trythesamelessonwithinfiltrationfeatures(porousplaygroundsurfaces,orpavers)ifyouhavethemonyoursite,usingappropriatematerialsformodels.

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation1 9

Materials Needed

For the class 

LaminatedpicturesofBostonin1630andToday(AppendixC) Materialsfordemonstration:asponge,sheetofhardplasticor

otherimpervioussurface Watertopouronsurfaces

For each student group 

Materialsforbuildingbioretention/raingardenmodels A2‐literbottle Somethingtorepresentplants Soil Gravelofdifferentsizes Newspaper Strawsorothermaterialtorepresentroots Laminateddiagramofthebioretentionfeatureinyour

schoolyardthatyouareusingforthisactivity

For each student 

Clipboardsornotebookandwritingutensils

Investigation

Setting Up the Challenge Letstudentsknowthattheywillbeconductinganinvestigationintheirschoolyard,andwillbeworkingoutdoorsasfieldscientists.Introduceorremindthemoftheoutdoorclassroompracticesyouhaveestablished.

INTRODUCETHEPROBLEM.

ShowstudentsthelaminatedphotosofBostonof1630andToday(AppendixA).Discuss:Whatdoyounotice?What’sthesame?What’sdifferent?(Thegroundthatusedtobecoveredwithvegetation/plantsisnowalmostcompletelycoveredwithconcrete.)Howdoyouthinkthatchangeisaffectingthewatercycle?Whenthegroundwasmostlycoveredwithplants,whathappenedtorainthatfellontheEarth’ssurface?WhathappenstorainthatfallsontheEarth’ssurfacetoday?(Somegoesintothegroundwhereit’sabsorbedbysoilandwhererootsdrinkthewater.Somerunsoffthesurface,flowingoverrockorcompactedsoiluntilitfindsitswayintothegroundandfromthereintoastreamorlake.Butwhenrainhitspavementitisalmostalldivertedintostormdrains(pipes)thatdeliveritalltotheCharlesRiver).

SeeWaterFiltrationActivityRoleofPlantsinWaterFiltrationhttps://www3.epa.gov/safewater/kids/pdfs/activity_grades_4‐8_plantsinwaterfiltration.pdf

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation1 10

Ifprecipitationisn’tabsorbedintotheground,whatdoesthatmeanfortheplants?(theplantswilldie).Riversalsodryupwhennotenoughrainwaterhasinfiltratedintothegroundtorefillthem.(In2016theIpswichRiverbecame“bonedry”).Howwouldariverdryingupaffectanecosystem?

INTRODUCETHECLAIMTHATGI IS HELPINGTOSOLVETHISPROBLEM.

Scientistsandengineershavedevelopedanewnature‐basedtechnology(GI)thatBostonandothercitiesareusingtohelpsolvethisproblem.OnegoalofGIistohelpmorerainabsorbintothegroundwhereitfalls—insteadofbeingchanneledawayinstormdrains.

INTRODUCETHETASK.

Thisisanewnature‐basedtechnologythatmostpeopleinBostondon’tknowaboutanddon’tunderstand.BostonneedshelpexplainingtoeveryonewholivesintheCityhowGIworksandwhyitisimportant.OurjobisgoingtobetoinvestigatehowoneGIfeatureworks—thebioretentionfeature(“RainGarden”)inourschoolyard,andtomakeamodelthatexplainshowitworkstohelppeopleunderstandit.Youwillbeworkinginteamstodevelopamodelofabioretentionfeatureandthenworkingtogethertoseehowyoumightwanttoimprovethatmodel.

Student Investigation

1. STUDENTSDRAWAMODELTOPREDICTHOWABIORETENTIONFEATUREWORKS. (OUTDOORS)

Asademonstration,pourwateron2materials:asponge,andahardsheetofplastic.Elicitobservationthatwaterbehavesdifferentlyondifferentsurfaces.Somesurfacesshedwater(impervious),someabsorbwater(porous).Discusswhatmightcausethisdifference.

Pourwaterononepermeable/poroussurface(thesoilinalandscapedarea)andoneimpervioussurface(asphalt,concrete)intheschoolyard.Whatdoyounotice?Discussthedifferenceinwhathappenstothewater.

Allowstudentstopourwateronbothsurfacesontheirowntohaveanotheropportunitytomakeobservationsbeforetheydrawtheirmodels.

Sitwithyourgroupanddrawamodelasapredictionforwhatyouthinkishappeningtothewaterunderneaththesurfaceinbothcases:undertheconcreteandunderthesoilinthebioretentionfeature.

Notes:

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation1 11

2. GROUPSCHOOSEONEMODELFROMTHEIRGROUPTOSHAREWITHTHECLASS.

Lookatthemodelstogether.Astheclasslooksatthemodelsthatareshared,whatdotheynoticeabouteachother’sthinking?Aretheymostlyinagreementaboutwhatishappeningtothewater?Whatdotheyagreeordisagreeintheirpredictions?Youmaywanttoaddstickynoteswithquestionsthatarisefromlookingateachother’smodels.

3 . STUDENTSBUILDANDTESTTHEIRMODEL. (INDOORSOROUTDOORS)

Lookatadiagramoftheraingarden/bioretentionfeature/treetrench.Whatarethecomponentparts(plants,roots,soil,gravel)?Whatdoyouthinkeachpartdoes?Howdotheychangethepathofthewater?

Ingroups,havestudentsbuildasimplemodelusingtheinformationtheygainedfromlookingatthediagram.Theyshouldhavealayerrepresentingplants,soil,gravel—usingtheirknowledgefromearlierterrariumsthey’vebuilt—usinggravel,maybealayerofnewspaperasafilter.(Doingthisoutdoorshelpswiththemess.)

Groupstesttheirmodelbypouringwateroverit.Recordobservationsaboutwhathappenstothewaterasitmovesthrougheachlayer.(Doeswatermoveslowerthroughsomelayersthanothers?)

Discuss:whathappenedwiththemodelswebuilt?Whatdidyounotice?Wheredidthewatergo?Howdiditmove?Howisthisdifferentfromwhathappenswithwateronasphalt?

Didwhatyouobservematchwhatyoupredicted?(Studentsmayhaveonlypredictedonelayerofsoil;orthatallthewaterisabsorbedbytheroots.)

4 . STUDENTGROUPSREVISETHEIRORIGINALMODELSTOBETTEREXPLAINHOWABIORETENTIONFEATUREWORKS.

Nowthatwe’velearnedmoreaboutwhathappensinabioretentionfeaturelet’sgobacktoouroriginalmodelsandrevisethemsotheydoabetterjobofexplainingwhathappens.(Studentsmightaddmorelayersthanjustsoil,maybegravel,deeperlayers;ormoreroots.)

TeacherNotes:Youmaywanttoletstudentsknowthatplantsalsohelpwatergetintotheatmospherebyreleasingwaterthroughporesintheirleavesintotheair—aprocesscalledevapotranspiration.Therootsystemsofplantsalsocreatepathsthatwatercantravelthroughthesoil.

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation1 12

Drawing Conclusions

WRITEINYOURNOTEBOOKS:

Didyoumakechangestoyourmodel?Whatchangesdidyoumake?Whatmadeyourthinkingchange?

Didwefindoutifbioretentionfeatureshelprainwatergetintotheground?

STUDENTGROUPSPRESENTTHEIRMODELS. ( INDOORSOROUTDOORS) Doyouthinkbioretentionfeatureshelprainwatergetbackintotheground?intothebiosphere?andgeosphere?

Useyourmodeltoexplainhowbioretentionfeatureshelprainwatergetbackintotheground/thegeosphere,and/orthebiosphere?

Explainhowbiofiltersaffecttheenvironment.

Literacy and Community Engagement Opportunity

StudentscouldcreatePSAs,videos,and/orleafletseithertoexplainhowbioretentionfeatureslikeraingardensortreepitshelprainwaterabsorbintothegroundandwhythatisimportant;and/ortoadvocateformorebioretentionfeaturesinthecity.

Notes:

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 13

Grade 5 | Investigation 2 |Is GI Cool? Studentsapplywhattheyknowaboutmeasuringtemperature,planningandcarryingoutinvestigationstoexploretheimpactofGreenInfrastructure(GI).TheywillworktogethertoplanandconductaninvestigationthatinvolvescollectingdatatodeterminewhetherGIfeaturesthatuseplants(bioretentionfeatureslikeraingardens,bioswales,andtreepits)affectthetemperatureintheirschoolyardand,byextension,theentirecity.TheProblem:CitieslikeBostonaregettinghotter.Thetemperatureincitiesisoftenwarmerthaninthesurroundingtownsandruralareasandthatiscausingproblems.Onereasoncitiesarehotterisbecauseofthegreatquantityofheat‐absorbingmaterials,suchasasphaltandothertypesofpavement,coveringtheground.Anotheristhattherearefewertreesandlessvegetationcreatingshade.(And,thoughnotthefocushere,lesswatervaporgetsintotheairthroughevapotranspiration).TheClaim:GI,anewnature‐basedtechnology,isbeingusedaroundtheCity,includinginsomeschoolyards—likeours!ThemainfunctionofGIistohelpmanageandcleanstormwater,butsomeGIfeatures,likebioretentionfeatures,canalsohelptoreducetemperaturesintheschoolyard,andbyextensioninthecity.TheTask:Studentsdesignaninvestigationtoseeiftheycanfindevidencethatbioretentionfeaturesdoreducethetemperatureintheschoolyard.

Teacher Preparation

ReviewBackgroundonStormwaterandGI(AppendixA)andtheGIFactSheets:BioretentionPractices(AppendixC)

Reviewyourschoolyardmap(AppendixB)andwalkthesitetolocatethesefeaturesontheground.Choosethebioretentionfeatureyouwilluseforthisinvestigation.

Printandmakecopiesofschoolyardsitemapsforstudents.

ReviewGuidetoOutdoorTeachingandLearning(AppendixA)

Alertstudentsthattheclasswillbegoingoutsideandlikeallfieldscientists,theyneedtowearappropriateclothing.

Science & Engineering Standards: Earth and Human Activity

5‐ESS3‐1.ObtainandcombineinformationaboutwayscommunitiesreducetheimpactontheEarth’sresourcesandenvironmentbychanginganagricultural,industrial,orcommunitypracticeorprocess.Examplesofchangedpracticesincludetreatingsewage,reducingtheamountsofmaterialsused,capturingpollutingemissionsfromfactoriesorpowerplants,andpreventingrunofffromagriculturalactivities.

BackgroundNotes:

"Urbanheatislands"occurwhencitiesreplacenaturallandcoverwithdenseconcentrationsofpavement,buildings,andothersurfacesthatabsorbandretainheat.Thiseffectincreasesenergycosts(e.g.,forairconditioning),airpollutionlevels,andheat‐relatedillnessandmortality.–EPAhttps://www.epa.gov/green‐infrastructure/reduce‐urban‐heat‐island‐effect

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 14

Materials Needed

For the class 

LandCoverinBoston1630andToday(AppendixC) Classdatatabledevelopedinthisinvestigation UrbanHeatIslandeffectgraphic(attheendofthis

Investigation)

For each student group 

Planningworksheet Thermometers Datarecordingworksheet—developedintheinvestigation Printedmapsoftheschoolyard

For each student 

“ClimateChangeintheU.S.Northeast”https://newsela.com/read/govt‐EPA‐climate‐northeast/id/28810/

Clipboardsornotebookandwritingutensil

Investigation

Setting up the Challenge Letstudentsknowthattheywillbeconductinganinvestigationintheirschoolyard,andwillbeworkingoutdoorsasfieldscientists.Introduceorremindthemoftheoutdoorclassroompracticesyouhaveestablished.

INTRODUCETHEPROBLEM.

LookatthelaminatedimagesofLandCoverinBoston1630andTodayanddiscussthechangesinlandcover(frommarshandwetlandandwoodstomostlyasphalt).Explainthatthehugeincreaseinasphaltandconcretethatcomeswiththegrowthofcitiescausesmanychangestotheenvironment.Oneisthatcitiesareusuallyhotterthananyoftheareasaroundthem.

EngagestudentsindiscussingtheUrbanHeatIslandEffectgraphic.Whatdotheythinkthegraphicmeans?Whatcouldexplainthis?Whywouldcitiesbewarmer?

Optional:Havestudentsread“ClimateChangeintheU.S.Northeast”

Whydoyouthinkhottertemperaturesincitiescouldbeaproblem?(Peoplehavetospendmoremoneyforairconditioningandfans,usingmoreenergytostaycool.Plants,andanimalsmaynotbeabletosurviveinhighertemperatures.Warmercitiescontributetoawarmerplanet,etc.).

“Havingalotofpeopleinoneplacemakescitiesmuchwarmer.Buildingsandconcretealsotrapheat.Thisiscalledtheurbanheatislandeffect.”

ClimateChangeintheU.S.Northeast,newsela

https://newsela.com/read/govt‐EPA‐climate‐northeast/id/28810/“Greeninfrastructurecanhelpmitigatetheurbanheatislandeffectbycreatingshade,reducingheat‐absorbingmaterials,andemittingwatervaporthatcoolstheair.Italsocanhelpcreateanattractiveenvironment,cleantheairbyfilteringairbornepollutants,andreducebuildingenergycoststhroughshadingandrecyclablewater.”

ClimateReadyBostonwww.boston.gov/sites/default/files/20161207_climate_ready_boston

_digital2.pdf

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 15

INTRODUCETHECLAIMTHATGI IS HELPINGTOSOLVETHISPROBLEM.

GIisascience‐basedsolutionthatmimicsthenaturalenvironmenttoreducetheimpactofhumansontheenvironment.OneclaimisthatGIfeaturesthatuseplants(e.g.,raingardens,bioswales,andtreetrenches)helplowertemperatures.

INTRODUCETHETASK.

OurtaskistoseeifwecanfindevidencethatGIdoesreallylowertemperatures,usingourownschoolyardasatestcase.Howdoyouthinkwecouldwedothat?Howcanwefindoutifthisbioretentionfeature(raingarden,bioswale,treetrench,etc.)hasanyeffectonthetemperatureinourschoolyard?Havestudentsturnandtalktodiscusstheirideas.(Thegoalhereistofacilitateaconversationwherestudentsshareideas,ideallyarrivingataplantorecordtemperaturesindifferentpartsoftheschoolyard).

Planning and Carrying Out an Investigation

1. DECIDEWHATDATATOCOLLECT.

Let’sthinkaboutwhatwealreadyknowabouttemperatureintheschoolyard.Whereisithottest?Whereisitcoolest?Ifwe’regoingtotestthisclaimweneedtodecidewhatdatatocollecttotestourhypothesesandwhatproceduretouse.

Studentsworktogetheringroupstofillouttheplanningworksheet.Ifthisisoutdoorstheycanwalkaroundtoidentifyareastotest.

Givestudentsaplanningsheettitled:Howcanwefindoutifthisbioretentionfeaturehasanyeffectonthetemperatureinourschoolyard?Decidewhatdataweshouldcollect(temperatureinFahrenheit)?Whatmaterialswillyouneedtotestthis(thermometers)?Whatareasintheschoolyardshouldwetest(undertrees,intheGIareas,onasphalt,nearthebuilding,nearthestreet)?

Goovertheanswerstothequestionsontheworksheetandcometoagreementasaclassforeachquestion.

2 . DECIDEONAPROCEDUREFORCOLLECTINGDATA. Note:Theprocedurecanbeassimpleas:gooutdoorswithyourthermometers,locateyoursite,leaveyourthermometerinplacefor3minutes,putthethermometerinsameplaceeachtime(tietotreebranch,setontheground,etc.),repeatforasmanytrialsasneeded.

Notes:

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 16

Nowthatwehaveagreedonthedatawewanttocollect,weneedtoagreeonaprocedureforcollectingitandrecordingitsoweknowwe’realldoingthesamething.Elicitstudentideasonhowtocollectthedataandagreeonaprocedure.

Howmuchdatadoyouneedtomakeaconvincingcase?Howmanytrialswillweneed?Howmanyareasshouldwetest?Shouldwerecordqualitativeobservations?

Decidewhichareaswillbetestedandwhichgroupisresponsibleforwhicharea(e.g.,3areasinorneartheGIand3non‐GIareas).

Eachgroupwillrecorddataontheirowndatasheet,whichtheywilllatertransfertotheclassdatatable.

Createadatarecordingsheet(ortableinnotebooks)forgroupstousetorecordtheirdata.Forexample:columnslist:date|time|temperature|weather.Rowslist:eachlocation.

3 . COLLECTDATA(OUTDOORS) .

Havestudentsfirstrecordtheirpredictionsintheirnotebooks. Conveneoutdoorsinthegatheringareatoreviewinstructions.

Groupscollectdataasplanned.

4 . CREATEANDANALYZEACLASSDATATABLE.

Haveeachgroupreportortransfertheirdatafromtheirrecordingsheettotheclassdatatable.

Discuss,asaclass,whatthedatashows.Invitestudentstosharetheirinterpretationsandtrytoarriveataconclusionasaclass.Doesthissupporttheclaimthatbioretentionfeaturescanmaketheaircooler?

5 . DECIDEHOWTOREPRESENTTHEDATA.

Reviewoptionswithstudents.Elicittheirideasonhowtorepresentthisinformation.Youcanintroducetheideaoftemperaturemapsasonetoolscientistsuse(colorcodingthetemperaturesofdifferentareasoftheschoolyard).Ideasmayinclude:graphs,tables,schoolyardtemperaturemaps,writtentext.Talkabouthow,forsomepeople,visualrepresentationsareeasiertoread,forothersnumericaltablesortext.

6 . STUDENTSPRESENTTHEIRDATA.

Studentgroupssharetheirrepresentationsofthedata.Dotheyagree?Whichrepresentationsareeasiesttounderstand?

BackgroundNotes:Somematerialsabsorbmoreheatthanothers.GIhelpslowertemperaturesbyreducingtheamountofpavement,providingshade,or(inthecaseofgreenroofs)reducingroofwarming.Thisisanenergysavingconsiderationforgreenroofs.Studentscouldalsoexplorethetemperatureofdifferentmaterials:grass,concrete,asphalt,andsyntheticturf.Doesthecolormatter?Whichmaterialsarewarmer?

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 17

Drawing Conclusions

STUDENTSREFLECTONWHATTHEYLEARNED.

Writereflectionsinyournotebooks:Youdesignedandconductedanexperiment.

Whatdidyoufind?Didwhatyoufoundmatchyourpredictions?

WhatdidyoulearnaboutGI?WhatcouldotherpeoplelearnaboutGIfromourinvestigation?

Literacy and Community Engagement Opportunity

CreateaPSAforBostonresidents;aleaflet,videoorotherwayofreportingtheresultsofourinvestigationtothepublic.

Notes:

StormwaterGreenInfrastructureCurriculum|Grade5|Investigation2 18

Grade 5 | Investigation 3 | Can GI Clean Stormwater? THIS LESSON COULD BE DEVELOPED WHEN THE NEW GRADE 5 CURRICULUM IS IMPLEMENTED. THE STRUCTURE OF THE INVESTIGATION WILL DEPEND ON THE UNIT AND CONTENT KNOWLEDGE IT IS DESIGNED TO ADVANCE. Studentsapplywhattheyknowabout[howwatertransportssediment,roadsalt,nutrients(i.e.,phosphorusandnitrogen)anddebris,]toworktogethertoplanandconductaninvestigation,includingcollectingdatatodeterminewhethertheGIintheirschoolyardhelpsremovesedimentandothermaterialsfromstormwater.TheProblem:Whenstormwaterrunsacrossimpervioussurfacesitpicksupanythingonthosesurfaces(includingsediment,grease,oil,litter,leaves,andmore)andcarriesitallthroughstormdrainstoriversandstreams,pollutingthewaterandharmingtheorganismsthatlivethere.TheClaim:GI,anewnature‐basedtechnology,isbeingusedaroundtheCitytotrappollutantsandfilterthemoutofstormwaterbeforeitgoesintothestormdrains.TheclaimisthatGI—includingraingardens,bioswales,treetrenches,otherbioretentionsystems,andinfiltrationchambers—aremakingthestormwaterflowingintoourriversandstreamscleaner.TheTask:WearegoingtodesignaninvestigationtohelptestwhethertheGIinourschoolyardishelpingtoremovesedimentandpollutantsfromthestormwaterrunoffthatwashesacrossimpervioussurfaces.Letstudentsknowthattheywillbeconductinganinvestigationintheirschoolyard,andwillbeworkingoutdoorsasfieldscientists.Introduceorremindthemoftheoutdoorclassroompracticesyouhaveestablished.Drawing Conclusions StudentswriteanargumentthatGIcanhelpremovesedimentandpollutantsfromstormwater,makingtherunoffthatflowsintoriversandstreamscleaner.

Science & Engineering Standards: Earth and Human Activity

5‐ESS3‐1.ObtainandcombineinformationaboutwayscitiesreducetheimpactontheEarth’sresourcesandenvironmentbychanginganagricultural,industrial,orcommunitypracticeorprocess.Examplesofchangedpracticesincludetreatingsewage,reducingtheamountsofmaterialsused,capturingpollutingemissionsfromfactoriesorpowerplants,andpreventingrunofffromagriculturalactivities.

Science & Engineering Practices

Studentsworktogethertoplanandconductaninvestigationthatincludescollectingdata.