Anne Hansch University of Leipzig

Lesson plan for 60 minutes 4th grade

Which negative impacts do humans have on

groundwater and how can I prevent
groundwater pollution?

Conditions p. 2
Background knowledge p. 2
Sources p. 3
Learning goals p. 4
Grade level p. 4
Preperation and materials p. 4
Step-by-step activity with time frame p. 4
Material in appendix: worksheet p. 7
pictures for foldable p. 8
foldable stencil p. 8
example of a finished foldable p. 9
information text 1 p. 10
information text 2 p. 11

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 Lesson plan for 60 minutes

Which negative impacts do humans have on

groundwater and how can I prevent groundwater
pollution?
Conditions:
The students have already learned about the groundwater and its function. They know that
groundwater is a part of drinking-water, which is located inbetween stone beneath soil. They
know how water gets from the surface of the earth into the area of groundwater. They know
the water cycle and groundwater as a part of the cycle.

Background knowledge:
What is groundwater?
More than 96% of water deposit in the world is located in oceans. Only a little part (3.5 %) is
fresh water and more than half of the fresh water is located in the north and south pol in
state of ice. The other half (almost) is groundwater. 0.03 % of fresh water is located in lakes,
rivers and swamps those exist because of the water cycle.
There is only 10 % of fresh water available for the recovery of drinking-water. The largest
amount of the mostly used resource in the world is used by agriculture and industry.
Groundwater is an important part of it and was collected approximately 14,000 to 18,000
years ago.

What kind of impacts do humans have on groundwater?

Industry: Chemicals, especially the ones that are used in textil industry, have a dangerous
effect on groundwater. Because of mass production there exists a huge amount of chemicals
that seeps into the ground. Besides, production that uses a lot of oil, such as in metal
industry, is a big risk for groundwater. Especially Hydraulic Fracturing is a dangerous
procedure for groundwater, because it emits lots of oil into the earth.

Power plants also appear to be a danger to groundwater, because they need much water
and oil for generators.

In agriculture therere fertilizer and pesticides which are used in huge amounts. Surplus
pesticides and fertilizers seep into the groundwater and cause pollution as well as too much
dung from the animals.

Our contamination is an actual big issue because there are so many people in the world who
produce waste. For example plastic is very dangerous. It goes into rivers, lakes and oceans
and pollutes the groundwater.
Another problem is traffic. More than 1,2 billion cars exist in the world. The oil and petrol
are a huge danger for groundwater and therefore our drinking-water.
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What happens with polluted groundwater?
The most dangerous affect of polluted groundwater for humans is polluted drinking-water,
because most of the drinking-water comes from groundwater. A big amount of polluted
groundwater cannot turnt into drinking-water any more (at least not in a short amount of
time). Theres also a high risk of plants and animals getting diseases due to polluted
groundwater, because groundwater goes into rivers, lakes and oceans.

How can you prevent groundwater from pollution?

A way of preventing groundwater from pollution is saving clean water. You can be aware
that you dont waste unnecessary water of your household in order to prevent water
shortages and reduce the amount of contaminated water that needs treatment. Also dont
throw litter into rivers and lakes
You also can prevent groundwater pollution is less and concious shopping. This would cause
two benefits theres less production in industry as well as less contamination (of industry
as well as of citizens). You should ask youself: Which things do I really need? Especially be
aware of machines, all those things that need oil to be produced and all things with a lot of
plastic or waste in general.
Another way is going by bicycle, by train or by tram instead of bus or car whenever its
possible.
In order to lower the run time of a power plant you could try to save electricity.
As a single person it is hard to change anything in groundwater pollution. Most of it cause
industry and agriculture.

Sources:
US sources:
Effects of human activities:

https://pubs.usgs.gov/circ/circ1139/htdocs/effects_of_human_activities_on_t.htm#human

UK sources:
How to prevent water pollution:

http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/preventingyou.html (information text 1)

http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/water-pollution/prevention-of-water-pollution.html
(information text 2)

German sources:
Saxony:
All about groundwater in Saxony:

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https://www.umwelt.sachsen.de/umwelt/wasser/5986.htm
Germany:
Water deposit and the water cycle:

http://www.bmub.bund.de/themen/umweltinformation-bildung/bildungsservice/details-
bildungsservice/artikel/wasser-ist-leben/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=784

http://129.70.40.49/nawi/lernprogramme/Wasser/themen/wasserkreislauf/wasserkreislauf.
html
http://www.oekosystem-erde.de/html/wasser.html
Hydraulic Fracturing:

http://www.bmub.bund.de/pressemitteilung/fracking-regelungen-treten-am-11-februar-in-
kraft/?tx_ttnews%5BbackPid%5D=668
http://live-counter.com/autos/

Learning goals:
The students are able to explain the impacts of humans on groundwater. (comprehension)
The students evaluate the impacts of humans on groundwater. (evaluation)
The students get to know different ways of preventing pollution of groundwater.
(knowledge)

Grade level: 4th

Preperation/materials: paper and pencils 24x; worksheets 24x, foldable stencil 24x,
pictures for foldable 24x, information texts 1 & 2 24x

Step-by-step activity with time frame:

Phase/time Activity Material/social form
Engage/ Teacher asks: Why is groundwater important Blank paper and pencil,
5 minutes (relation to past lesson)? Why is it important to board and chalk/
keep groundwater clean? and writes it on the everyone by themselves
board
students brainstorm and write or draw on a
blank paper their thoughts.
Explore/ Teacher hands out worksheets to each student Worksheet, color
15 minutes and says: Look at the worksheet. What do you pencils, board and chalk/
think which things do have an impact on at first alone (7 minutes),
groundwater? You can write words, draw arrows afterwards with partners
or add something on the worksheet. and writes (7 minutes)
it on the board
Students work on their task.
Teacher says after 7 minutes of working:
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 Find a partner. Discuss about your thoughts.
Complete your worksheet with new thoughts of
the discussion.
(If theres an uneven number of students, there
will be one group of three.)
Explain/ Discussion at one big table teacher asks Worksheet, color
10 minutes questions: pencils/discussion
Why do you think this is an impact? What
happens (exactly)? How about ? and give
knowledge about the topic so there are no
misconceptions
Leading to the question How to prevent? Do
you think humans need to do this (f.e.
contamination? What can we change?
Students meanwhile can add things to their
worksheets.

Phase/time Activity Material/social form

Extend/ Teacher hands out sheet with foldable Foldable, color pencils
15 minutes students have to cut and fold foldable and pictures fort he
Teacher shows his foldable and explains what to foldable, information
do: text 1 and 2, board and
1. Write in the middle: How to prevent chalk/everyone by
groundwater from pollution? themselves
2. Glue or draw pictures of impacts of humans
on groundwater at the front edge.
3. Write down the word inside the edge.
4. Write down ways of preventing groundwater
from pollution inside the foldable and suitable to
the type of impact.
If you need ideas, come to me and get some
texts about the topic.
Teacher writes the tasks in a short way on the
board.
Note for the teacher: information text 1 is easier
to read than information text 2 Tell the
children, so they can decide which one they
want to read.
Evaluate/ Discussion; teacher asks evaluative questions Discussion
10 minutes such as: Why are we thinking about how to
prevent groundwater from pollution? Is polluted
groundwater your fault? Whose fault is it?
Students present their ideas from the Extend
phase while teacher asks: What do you think,
do you agree with the preventions, does that
work? (and gives knowledge about how to
prevent pollution)
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Conclusion/ Students fill out their foldable with new Foldable, color
5 minutes knowledge. pencils/everyone by
themselves

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Information text 1
http://www.water-pollution.org.uk/preventingyou.html

What Can You Do?

If you want to help keep our waters clean, there are many
things you can do to help. You can prevent water pollution of
nearby rivers and lakes as well as groundwater and drinking
water by following some simple guidelines in your everyday
life.

Conserve water by turning off the tap when running

water is not necessary. This helps prevent water
shortages and reduces the amount of contaminated
water that needs treatment.
Be careful about what you throw down your sink or
toilet. Dont throw paints, oils or other forms of litter
down the drain.
Use environmentally household products, such as
washing powder, household cleaning agents and
toiletries.
Take great care not to overuse pesticides and fertilisers.
This will prevent runoffs of the material into nearby
water sources.
By having more plants in your garden you are preventing
fertiliser, pesticides and contaminated water from
running off into nearby water sources.
Dont throw litter into rivers, lakes or oceans. Help clean
up any litter you see on beaches or in rivers and lakes,
make sure it is safe to collect the litter and put it in a
nearby dustbin.

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Information text 2
http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/water-pollution/prevention-of-
water-pollution.html

Prevention of water pollution

Dealing with water pollution is something that everyone (including

governments and local councils) needs to get involved with. Here are a few
things you can do to help. Learning about the issue (like you are doing) is the
greatest and most important step to take. Here are a few more:

You can help!

1. Never throw rubbish away anyhow. Always look for the correct waste bin. If
there is none around, please take it home and put it in your trash can. This
includes places like the beach, riverside and water bodies.

2. Use water wisely. Do not keep the tap running when not in use. Also, you can
reduce the amount of water you use in washing and bathing. If we all do this,
we can significantly prevent water shortages and reduce the amount of dirty
water that needs treatment.

3. Do not throw chemicals, oils, paints and medicines down the sink drain, or
the toilet. In many cities, your local environment office can help with the
disposal of medicines and chemicals. Check with your local authorities if there
is a chemical disposal plan for local residents.

4. Buy more environmentally safe cleaning liquids for use at home and other
public places. They are less dangerous to the environment.

5. If you use chemicals and pesticides for your gardens and farms, be mindful
not to overuse pesticides and fertilizers. This will reduce runoffs of the
chemical into nearby water sources. Start looking at options of composting and
using organic manure instead.

6. If you live close to a water body, try to plant lots of trees and flowers around
your home, so that when it rains, chemicals from your home does not easily
drain into the water.

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