Acid Rain Environment Pollution

Helen Porter                   Morrill School
                               6011 S.  Rockwell
                               Chicago IL 60629
                               (773) 535-9288

Objectives:

The 2nd and 3rd grade students will:
1. Define: acid rain, carbon dioxide, acid, base, neutral, pH, pollution, 
   gas,corrosion,atmosphere,ozone layer,solar radiation.
2. Demonstrate how to use a pH indicator.
3. Know the difference between and acid,and a base.
4. Observe the effects of acid rain.

Materials Needed:

Safety goggles, piece of string, balloon, soda bottle, flashlight, 2 small 
screens, Alka-seltzer, water.  paper clip, penny (from 1981 or earlier) 2 or 3 
cotton balls, plastic jar with lid, cylinder, 50mL white vinegar, tape,
2 tablespoons (30mL) cabbage indicator, white saucer, 1 teaspoon (5mL) vinegar, 
2 small house plants or green grass, Chart or graph for ozone levels. 

Strategy:

 Follow direction and procedures.
 Activity:1 (Teacher demonstrates)
1. Use cabbage indicator.
   Place the cabbage indicator in the saucer.
   Observe the color of the cabbage indicator.
2. Add the vinegar to the indicator,stir.         
   OBserve the color of the liquid in saucer.                         
   What color is the indicator?                      
3. Add alka-seltzer tablet to cabbage indicator,
   observe color.  (blue indicates base, red indicates an acid)
   Observe the color of the liquid in the saucer.
   
   Activity:2 (Chemical change in a penny)             
1. Fold the paper towel in half;                       
2. Place the folded towel in the saucer.   
3. Place the pennies on top of the 
   wet paper towel.  Wait 24 hours.         
   Caution; do not open the jar.           
4. After 2 days look at the pennies.       

   Activity:3  (An acid base reaction to form a gas)
1. Place alka-seltzer in soda bottle.             
2. Add 10 drops of vinegar.
3. Cover bottle with balloon and observe balloon.

   Activity:4 (Chemical change in plants)
1. Pour 5mL of vinegar on one plant.
2. Pour 5mL of water on the other.  Wait 2 days.
3. Tie a piece of string to one end of paper clip.  Put a penny between the 
   loops of the paper clip.  Put three cotton balls in the bottom of a plastic 
   jar.  Add about 50mL of vinegar to the cotton.  Tape the end of the string to 
   the lid and close the jar.  The penny should hang just above the cotton 
   balls.  After 2 days look at the penny.  Observe change.
   
   Activity:5 (Observation of gas)  
1. Students will observe teacher demonstrate using alka-seltzer, vinegar, 
   balloon, soda bottle.  Teacher will place alka-seltzer in bottle.  Add 10 
   drops of vinegar.  Cover bottle with balloon, observe balloon.       
 
   Activity:6 (Ozone Alert Graph)
   Teacher will use Ozone chart to show students the levels of Ozone Alert days.
   Using graphing chart, showing days of week.

   Activity:7 (Demonstration Ozone Layer)
   Students will model ozone layer by placing screen over and flashlight. 
   Remove one screen and observe.  Remove second screen observe. 
   More light is observed. 

Performance Assessment:

The learner will demonstrate his or her understanding of a chemical change, by 
observation and writing a short paragraph.  The learner will also make a list of 
acids and bases.  The learner will be able to demonstrate their understanding of 
a gas.  The learner will respond correctly when asked about their knowledge of 
acid rain.  The learner will respond correctly when asked questions concerning 
the Ozone layer and its proper functions.   

Conclusions:  

By participating and using these demonstrations and activities students will be 
able to understand why acid rain can be very harmful to life on earth and also 
destructive to the environment. 

References:

Action Chemistry Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, Publishers New York.C.1973.
Science And Technology Oxford University Press C. 1993.  
Global Ecology Oxford University Press. New York 1991.