LESSON 4 Activity 4

Water Quality Issues - Where Do You Stand?

Grades:

6th - 12th

Objective:

Students will learn how differing opinions and values become issues, and that understanding both sides is a key to successful resolution.

Method:

Students will take a survey of their opinions about water quality issues and compare and discuss the results.

Materials:

Page 1 - Survey (one per student)
Page 2 - Summary chart

Time:

Preparation Time: 5 minutes
Class Time: 20 minutes

Procedure:

  1. Discuss how issues develop because people hold different beliefs and values on a particular topic. Have students list examples of environmental issues.

  2. Explain that they will be filling out a survey that asks them about their beliefs and values as they pertain to certain water quality issues. Remind them that there are no "correct" answers; everyone is entitled to their own beliefs and values. For younger students, make sure they know what is meant by "development" and "neutral".

  3. After they fill out their surveys, use the chart to summarize the responses.

  4. For which statements were there wide differences of opinion? Why do these differences exist?

  5. Ask students to analyze the values that underlie their responses. Which of their responses reflect ecological values? Which reflect economic values? What other values are reflected?

  6. Did the class responses favor the "neutral" category? If so, why? Might this change with more information? If so, what information would be needed? For example, if in statement #4 you knew that the state regulates waste effluent to protect water quality, would this change your response?

  7. Why is it difficult to resolve an environmental issue when there are strong and differing values? See if the class can come up with working compromises to any or all of the statements.

NYS Learning Standards:

English
Standard 3 - Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation: Listening and Reading; Speaking and Writing

Math, Science, and Technology
Standard 1 - Analysis, Inquiry, and Design: Scientific Inquiry 1
Standard 4 - Science: The Living Environment 7
Standard 5 - Technology: Imapcts of Technology

Source: This activity adapted from Southern Rhode Island Conservation District's Active Watershed Education Curriculum Guide.