Water pollution lesson plan to teach students on how contaminants enter our storm drains and are transported to our local waters.

Contaminants entering local waterways such as rivers, streams, and lakes are transported via storm drains. Storm drains' purpose is to prevent flooding during a rainfall. Rainfall in an urban center is not always able to permeate through the ground because of concrete, asphalt, and other man made structures changing the natural flow of rainfall.

Storm drains are the metal grates on roadways that are a part of every urban center. The water that flows into the storm drains do not transport into the water treatment plant but rather into the local streams, rivers, and lakes. The grate will stop large items from flowing into the storm drains but all liquids and small objects will flow effortlessly into the drains. Lakes, rivers, and streams are being polluted because of the variety of contaminants flowing into the drains.

Storm Drain Pollution Lesson Plan

Use the activities in this lesson plan to teach your students about water pollution through storm drains.

Day 1: Pollution Sources

Cut out pictures of an assortment of pollutants that flow down the storm drains. Auto products, pesticides, paints, solvents, cleaning products and herbicides are samples of liquid pollution. As well, plastic bags, paper, plastic containers, grass clippings, pet waste are samples of solid pollution. Place all the pollution pictures in a box.

Sit with students in a circle. Take one pollution picture out and show the class. Ask them if they believe this product will end up in the storm drain on their street. Take all answers and give information where required. Plastic bag may or may not fall into the storm drain but car motor oil will always flow into the storm drain.

Place a pollution picture face down in front of each student.

Students will be given one minute to turn over the picture and decide if the contaminant will end up in the local waters. All the pollution pictures will be examples of contaminants that enter the local streams, rivers, and lakes via the storm drains.

Students will take their pollutant picture and write a paragraph or two explaining how they believe the pollutant ends up in the waterway.

Example:

Motor Oil Pollutant: Motor oil is poured into an engine, without a funnel and some of it spills over into the engine and onto the driveway. The engine is cleaned up with a cloth but the spill on the driveway seeps into the pavement or sits on top. Motor oil is removed by rainfall or the homeowner washes down the driveway and the water flows into the storm drain.

Teacher reads their explanation and guides them to add to their paragraph if applicable.

Day 2: Brainstorm in Groups

Teacher will form groups in the class by students who have similar contaminants. Students in each group will brainstorm on how to reduce or eliminate the pollutants from entering the storm drains. Each student will write a paragraph or two on how to reduce or eliminate their specific pollutant from entering the storm drains. Students are to make suggestions which are easy and inexpensive to implement.

Day 3: Make Pollution Posters

Students will create a poster to educate the public on how to reduce or eliminate pollutants from entering the storm drain specific to their pollutant. Teacher may present different posters and identify the qualities of a good poster. Colorful, bold letters, and symbols are some characteristics of an engaging poster. Students staple their paragraphs behind the poster, staple to the bottom of the poster or glue or write the paragraph on their poster.

Day 4: Storm Drain Presentations

Plan a presentation on storm drains by the local government. Yellow Fish Road program and Storm Marking program are examples of programs that were established in cities across North America to educate students and the community of storm drains and how all materials that flow into the storm drains enter local waterways. Call your local government for available programs in your area.

Yellow Fish Road Program and Storm Drain Stencilling give teachers an idea of what is available. Education on storm drains is usually funded at the local government level. After the presentation, students can participate in stenciling storm drains in their neighbourhoods.

Storm drains were designed in urban centers to transport rainwater quickly and efficiently from road ways. Rain water is transporting contaminants into our local rivers, streams, and lakes via storm drains. A storm drain lesson plan will educate students and their local community of how pollutants enter our local waters and hopefully make them more conscious of disposing all waste liquids and solids properly.