Watery Blues

Activity Summary
This activity demonstrates the difficulties faced by governments in the clean up of pollution. Students are given dirty “polluted” water and a finite amount of “money.” Supplies to clean their water are “sold” at an “environmental store” and students must decide how to best spend their money to get the water as clean as possible. Groups compete to get their water the
cleanest. Students see how difficult removing pollutants from water can be and that money runs out quickly. Discussion is spurred

Grade Levels
9-12

Learning Objectives
1. List the challenges faced by governments when trying to clean up polluted waters
2. Explain why prevention of water pollution is superior to clean up
3. Draw conclusions on the effects of pollution on biodiversity

Lesson Materials (view or download)
PowerPoint
Lesson Plan

Keywords
pollution, environmental impact, water clean-up

Last updated: 3/3/2015