Summer Research Program for Science Teachers

Anthony Mauro

Ft. Hamilton High School, Brooklyn, NY

1999

Devising a Set of Experiments to Test Water for Dissolved Substances

OBJECTIVES:

Students will design experiments to test water samples for pollutants.

Students will design data tables for recording and reporting observations.

MOTIVATION / INTRODUCTION:

Display the "Water Pollution Detection Outfit" (LaMotte Company; available through Central Scientific Co.). [Teaching Standard D- Make accessible science tools]

This water chemistry kit consists of 14 cubes, each of which contains the reagents and materials to test water samples for a particular dissolved substance. The substances that can be tested for include sulfides, chlorides, cyanides, copper, iron, chromium, nitrates, phosphates, ammonia, calcium, and carbon dioxide. [9-12 Content Standard B- Properties of matter]

Using a laboratory chemical containing iron or copper ions, demonstrate the use of one of the cubes.

DEVELOPMENT:

• Students collect water samples in preparation for the activity. Examples include tap water, filtered water, bottled water, pond water, ocean water, and rain water from various locations.  
  • Working in groups, students decide which substance to test for. In addition, groups devise data tables for reporting results. [9-12 Content Standard F- Environmental quality]
    • Groups report their ideas to the class. Each group is assigned one or two substances. The class agrees upon a data table for compiling results obtained by the different groups. [Teaching Standard B- Orchestrate scientific discourse] 
      • Groups test various water samples for a specific substance. Each group is responsible for writing a report based on its results.  
        • Results from each group are reported to the class and compiled on a class data table.  
          • Groups devise and suggest follow-up research based on the reported results.

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