This unit has five components linked sequentially: 1. Students should research the human generated sources that have contributed to the increase in the acidity of rain. At the conclusion of their research, students should understand the scope of the problem and be able to list and explain at least three areas where rain with low pH impacts humans and the natural world. In classroom discussion, students should be able to articulate their findings and discuss the validity of sources located as well as future implications if the problem remains unresolved. 2. In the second lesson, students should be able to work in a group to determine the portion of the phenomena (effects on aquatic systems, manmade structures, plants, etc.…) they would like to study and develop a plan to test their hypothesis with the appropriate controls. The plan should be presented to the class for critique prior to implementation. If the class is unable to locate areas of weakness, the instructor should ask questions intended to guide the class in the correct direction to produce relatively valid results. However, the students are responsible for their experimental design so they should be allowed to implement the experiment even if they are unable to correct problems perceived by the instructor - the students, as a group, should take ownership. During the course of study, students may be able to correct problems as they begin to run their experiment. If the problem cannot be corrected, the students should repeat the experiment or report the problem and how a researcher in the future might correct the problem to obtain more accurate results. 3. Lesson 3 requires that students implement their plan using available materials and following all laboratory safety procedures. 4. At the conclusion of their experiment, students will produce a formal lab write up using the word processing program of their choice. Student groups should divide the workload (the sections of the report) so that everyone contributes. One chart and one graph is required and must be produced on the computer as well. The instructor may want to require a rough draft to check student understanding of the process depending on the experience level of the class in producing the formal report. 5. After rough drafts are complete, students should share their results with the class. A discussion of results should be facilitated by the instructor. Students should help each other determine areas for further research.

Results of scientific inquiry--new knowledge and methods--emerge from different types of investigations and public communication among scientists. In communicating and defending the results of scientific inquiry, arguments must be logical and demonstrate connections between natural phenomena, investigations, and the historical body of scientific knowledge. In addition, the methods and procedures that scientists used to obtain evidence must be clearly reported to enhance opportunities for further investigation.

Students should have experience with scientific writing. Students should know how to use a word processing program and graphing programs.

Teacher should distribute the formal laboratory write-up procedures. The teacher should show students examples of laboratory write-ups and high quality scientific reports. The teacher should also show the students poor examples or laboratory write-ups for critique such as those found below: Abstract by IIamm A. Dimwit Title: Seeds of Thought Hypothesis: Will the seeds germinate? Materials: 4 cups, paper towels or other paper, seeds, beaker, water, vinegar Procedure: We put seeds on top of paper in the dishes and poured some water over them. Data: At first, no seeds germinated. After a few days, all the seeds in one dish had germinated. Then we talkeded to one. Analysis and Conclusion: My hypothesis was probably correct. Some seeds did germinate. We learned that yammering effects seeds. My lab partner got in a car wreck during the lab because the streets were wet and her tires were bald; some data was destroyed in the accident which is why we didn’t include any data. We learnded that tire tread increases the probability of accidents. Abstract By: Dontyawish U. Couldbeme Title: The Impact of the Human Voice on the Germination of Seeds Hypothesis: Seeds will germinate sooner if they hear the human voice each day for 30 minutes. Materials: 40 parakeet seeds 4 sterilized petri dishes 1 10 mL graduated cylinder distilled water paper towels 10% bleach solution Procedure: Using four sterilized petri dishes that were the same size, we cut paper towel sections to exactly fit the inside by tracing around the bottom of the dish. We cut out the circles just inside the pencil mark so that no marks would remain on the towel. We placed the paper towel inside the dish and then placed 10 seeds on top of the towel in each of the four dishes. We used parakeet seed because it germinates quickly and we decided to assume that it was collected at the same time, from the same area with plants that had similar genetics. Then we sterilized the 10 mL graduated cylinder and added 10 mL of water to each dish at the same time from the same container so it would have the same chemical composition and be the same temperature. We put the lids on all four dishes and placed them on a counter in the room so that they would receive the same amount of light, air and the temperature would be the same. Once each day for five days, we added 2 mL of water to each dish to keep the seeds moist. Dish 1 was our control and was left alone in a quiet area. Dish 2 was an experimental group and we whispered to the seeds each day for thirty minutes. For thirty minutes, we tapped on the lid to dish 3. Dish 4 received thirty minutes of rock music played loudly every day. . Data: (charts, graph and data table should be here) 8 Dish 2 6 Dish 1 # seeds germinated 4 Dish 3 2 Dish 4 0 0 1 2 3 4 Time (days) Analysis and Conclusion: Dish 1 was the control and was treated only with water. After four days, only five seeds had germinated. Dish 2 was the dish which received the independent variable, 30 minutes of the human voice and during the same four day period eight seeds had germinated. We tapped on the lid to dish 3 to see if the vibrations had an impact on plant growth and only five seeds germinated. Dish four received the thirty minutes of rock music each day and only one seed germinated. In the dish that heard the human voice each day, the most seeds germinated. Dish 4 was a surprise because it appears that rock music played loudly is detrimental to seed germination. Based on the results, our hypothesis was correct. However, dish 4 also received the human voice in a different form and so the tone and loudness of the voice may also have an impact. If we had scolded our seeds for four days in a loud voice, we would have been able to determine whether or not volume and temperament impacted the<

The formal laboratory write-up provides a formal assessment and should be checked for scientific accuracy, correct procedures, detail, spelling and grammar. Students should have stated what went well and what did not. Students should also be able to provide suggestions for further study.

Students will participate in the critique and then follow the instructions to produce the write-up. Students should divide the work load to produce only one write-up per group. Instructions for Formal Laboratory Write-up: As you work on the written portion, remember that the purpose of the laboratory write-up is to inform the reader of your results and allow them to set up the experiment the exact same way and get the exact same results. Title: The title of your experiment should be informative; it reveals the content of the experiment. Hypothesis: Remember that an hypothesis is a testable statement. It must be a concise, accurate, informative statement that suggests the experiment. The hypothesis is often posed as an ‘if …. then’ statement. Materials: This section must include a complete list of the supplies the researchers used to perform the experiment from beaker size to solution amount. Procedure: In the procedure, explain exactly what you did and how you did it (step by step); include amounts, size and materials used. Assume your reader has no idea how to perform this experiment. You must identify the variable and state how they were controlled. You must also state how you controlled your experiment. The reader must know what data you collected and how it was collected. This section does not contain data. Data: This section has just the facts; just data, no analysis, no conclusions. Include your observations, measurements, charts and graphs. Analysis and Conclusion: What was the result? What did you learn? If there were problems, identify and explain them. Never alter data; if something went wrong just explain what it was and how the problem should be corrected. What went well? Did you prove or disprove your hypothesis? Keep in mind that not all hypotheses will be correct. Finally, explain what you have learned as a result of the experimentation.

Students will need a computer with word processing and graphing capabilities.