1. Environments

2. What is an Environment?
Ask a couple of kids to raise their hand and tell everyone what they think an environment is.

3. Is this an environment?
Yes!
All the kids will probably say yes here.

4. Is this an environment?
Yes!

5. Is this an environment? Yes!
Some of the kids might say no, or some aren’t sure.

6. Is this an environment? Yes!
I’m assuming they’ll all giggle a little and probably say no. They may be surprised to find that a toilet is an environment for mainly germs. The goal of this little exercise is to introduce the concept of environments not just being in nature.

7. Things to Think About Environments are not just nature!
An environment can be anything that supports living things.
They can be very small, like underneath a rock, or very big, like the ocean!
Take homes to tell them before they start the exercise.

8. Chemicals and Environments
We find lots of different chemicals in different environments.
Some examples:
Ask them if they know that chemicals can get into the environment, and what kind of chemicals can get into the environment. Maybe say some relatable examples like Brita filters. Not sure here.

9. How Chemicals Move in the Environment
Water Currents
Living Things
Air Currents

10. Group Activity: Chemicals and the Environment
Three groups of 3-4.

11. City The Arctic Clouds and wind carry smoke to the arctic.
Trash is burned at a plant.
Person throws out their trash.
Polar bear breathes in the chemical smoke.
Burning releases chemical smoke into the air.
Wind blows smoke away.
The Arctic
City 1 2 3 4 5 6
Animated example showing them how this exercise will work.

12. City to Arctic – Take Homes
Chemicals can travel very long distances through the water, the air, and even living things.
Recycle as much as you can!
Reduce the amount of trash you make by reusing things!

13. 1 2 3 4 5 6
The Bathroom
Toilet water with toilet cleaner is splashed!
Someone brushes their teeth.
Toilet cleaner in their mouth!
Toilet cleaner splashes on toothbrush by sink.
Toilet is flushed.
Animated version of the bathroom worksheet. I’ll call on each group and ask them to tell me which comes first – and as they say each event I’ll push the button to have them fly in.
Toilet is cleaned.

14. Your Bathroom – Take Homes
Close the lid of the toilet before your flush!
Keep your toothbrush out of the way of the toilet.
Rinse your toothbrush with water before brushing your teeth!
Brush your teeth every day!
Make sure they don’t freak out about toilet bowl cleaner.

15. Nearby Farm Florida Everglades 3 6 4 5 1 2 A rainstorm hits the farm.
Animals in the Everglades get sick.
Runoff with pesticides flows into river.
Farmer plants seeds.
River flows into Everglades.
Farmer sprays pesticides.

16. Farm to Everglades – Take Homes
Chemicals can travel long distances to different environments.
Even though they may harm other animals, pesticides are very important to use.
Scientists like us (and maybe you one day!) are working on ways to reduce harm caused by pesticides and other chemicals.

17. Backyard 3 Big pool splash! 2 1 Person puts chlorine in pool.4 5 6
Big pool splash!
Person puts chlorine in pool.
Dog jumps in the pool.
Pool water gets on grass.
Bunny eats the grass with pool water on it.
Bunny doesn’t like yucky chlorine grass.

18. The Backyard – Take Homes
Don’t drink pool water!
Don’t water the plants with pool water.
Take a shower after you get out of the pool.