Environment

Can You Undo Pollution?

Needs: bucket, water, pollutants (dirt, oil, trash), tongs, strainer

Important: Remember to wear gloves, wash your hands after you are finished and don't touch anything, including yourself, while you are working with the "polluted" water.

After you have filled your bucket with water, "pollute" it! Use dirt, gravel, vegetable oil (like an oil spill), trash-like things you see polluting water - and whatever else you can think of!

Now, how can you "un-pollute" the water? Use your tongs and strainer. Will anything work? Will the water ever be clean again?

Now that the Willamette is slated to be designated a Super Fund Site, this activity can be a real eye opener!

Listening to Nature

Needs: paper, pens, a warm sunny day

On a warm sunny day, find a comfortable place to sit down with at least one other person. Close your eyes and listen to the sounds around you-birds, wind, small animals, etc. Listen for about 5 minutes and then write down what you heard. Compare your lists and see if you all heard the same sounds!

Oil Spills

Needs: Two ice cubes, two sealable plastic bags, three plates, four cotton balls, vegetable oil

Put an ice cube into each of the baggies.
After squeezing all the air out of the baggies, seal them.
Place each of them on a plate.
Soak 2 of the cotton balls in vegetable oil.
Put one cotton ball on an empty plate.
Place the other cotton ball on top of one of the ice baggies. Make sure the ball stays on top of the ice cube.
Put one dry cotton ball on the plate next to the soaked cotton ball.
Put the other dry cotton ball on top of the other ice baggy, on top of the ice cube.
Let everything sit for 20 minutes.
Pick up the 2 dry cotton balls. Are they the same temperature?
Do the same with the oil soaked cotton balls.
Now, compare the two cotton balls that were sitting on the ice cubes. Does one feel colder?

What can this tell you about the connection between oil and keeping warm? What if the cotton balls were birds and animals? An oil soaked animal gets cold because the oil destroys it's natural insulation.

What Could It Be Now?

Needs: packaging, containers, plastic jugs, cans, cardboard, etc.

Collect an assortment of items destined for the garbage or recycling. Make sure they are safe and clean. Lay them out in front of the group and see how many new uses they can come up with for the items. Have craft supplies ready! You may find some budding inventors!

Smog Watch

Needs: 8 natural rubber bands, 2 wire hangers, a large plastic bag, a magnifying glass

Bend each hanger into a rectangle shape.
Slide four rubber bands onto each hanger. Make sure they're stretched tight. Bend the hanger out further if needed.
Hang one hanger up outside in a shady place. Make sure it is out of the sun!
Put the other hanger into the plastic bag. Seal it tightly and place it in a drawer.
Wait one week.

At the end of the week, check the hanger from outside. Examine the rubber bands closely with the magnifying glass. Are they cracked or broken. Compare them with the rubber bands on the hanger from indoors. Stretch each group the same distance. Any differences?

If the outdoor rubber bands are still in good shape, put them back out and see what happens after more time passes.

If you live in a place where the air is clean it will take a long time for the rubber bands to show any damage. The more polluted the air, the more damage.

Back To The Earth

Needs: apple core, leaf of lettuce, plastic packaging, piece of Styrofoam, small shovel

Dig four holes wide and deep enough to put things in. Make sure it is a safe place to dig. Put the apple core in one hole, lettuce in one, plastic in one and Styrofoam in the last hole. Fill the holes back in with dirt. Mark the spots so you can find them again!

After one month, dig them up. See what you can find! What does this teach you about what is biodegradable.

How Does Ground Water Effect Me?

Needs: glass of water, celery stalks with leaves, red or blue food coloring

We've seen this experiment numerous times at school science fairs. When you do it now, place the emphasis on the concept of groundwater and the effects of pollution. When you put the food coloring in the glass of water pretend the food coloring is pollution. Watch it swirl and take over the water.

Put the celery in the glass. Pretend that it is a little plant, a tree or even a person who drinks water from the ground.

After a few hours, check the celery. Cut it and you will be able to see how the "polluted" water has moved up the stalk.

What we do to our water we do to ourselves.

Experiments adapted from:

50 Simple Things Kids Can Do To Save The Earth by The Earth Works Group

365 Nature Crafts & Activities by Karen E. Bledsoe & Candyce Norvell

Check out the Water Drop Patch Project!

Developed by the EPA and GSUSA's Elliot Wildlife Values Project. There are requirements for Brownie, Junior, Cadette, and Senior Girl Scouts.