Issues, Evidence and You

Part 1 Water
Students explore concepts such as solutions, concentration, acid-base chemistry, risk assessment, and toxicity as they investigate issues of water chlorination, water quality, and groundwater contamination. They also practice skills such as experimental design, data analysis, and written reports. Students are expected to apply these concepts and skills in the later parts of the course.

1. Drinking-Water Quality
2. Exploring Sensory Thresholds
3. Concentration
4. Mapping Death
5. John Snow and the Continued Search for Evidence
6. Chlorination: How Much Is Just Enough?
7. The Peru Story
8. Acids, Bases, and Indicators
9. Serial Dilutions of Acids and Bases
10. Acid-Base Neutralization
11. Quantitative Analysis of Acid
12. The "Used" Water Problem
13. Is Neutralization the Solution to Pollution?
14. Trouble in Silver Oaks
15. Water Movement Through Earth Materials
16. The "Ins and Outs" of Groundwater
17. Investigating Contamination Plumes
18. Testing the Waters
19. Mapping It Out
20. The Town Meeting

Part 2 Materials
Students examine the production, use, and environmental impact of natural and synthetic materials. They investigate the properties of materials, including densityand conductivity. Students conclude this part of the course by developing an integrated waste management system for their community.

1. Differentiating Humans from Other Organisms
2. Materials Through Time
3. Properties of Materials
4. Conductors and Insulators
5. Preventing Corrosion
6. Bag It! Paper or Plastic?
7. Properties of Plastics
8. Synthesizing Polymers
9. Paper Clip Polymers
10. Popped Polymers
11.Comparing Garbage
12. Investigating Sanitary Landfills
13. Products of Hazardous Waste Incineration
14. Recycling Materials
15. The Aluminum-Copper Reaction
16.Reducing and Recycling Hazardous Materials
17. Source Reduction of Waste
18. Integrated Waste Management

Part 3 Energy
Students study their own energy consumption, efficiency of energy transfers, and options for renewable energy sources. They then design an energy-efficient and cost-effective car. Other scienc topics include the operation of batteries, electroplating, energy transfer, energy transmission, and radiant energy.

1. Investigating Energy Transfer
2. Ice and Energy Transfer
3. Quantifying Energy: Calorimetry
4. Batteries: Energy and Disposal
5. Electrical Appliance Survey
6. Developing an Energy Savings Plan
7. Electrical Energy: Sources and Transmission
8. Efficiency: Energy Changes and Waste
9. Energy from the Sun
10. Controlling Radiant Energy Transfer
11. Designing an Energy-Efficient Car
12. Designing an Energy-Efficient House

Part 4 Environmental Impact
Using what they’ve learned in the first three parts, students exmaine the seemingly simple decision of whether and how to build a factory on an imaginary island. In preparing an environmental impact statement, students address the economic, environmental, political, and social issues They learn about the tradeoffs society faces in making such decisions.

1. Industry Comes to Town
2. Pinniped Island
3. Evaluate Your Own Industry
4. Scaling Up Glue Production
5. Packaging and Labeling Products
6. Planning a Factory
7. An Island Parable