Earth Week SOP - portlabelle.us

Earth Week
SOP
Margot Gillet, Celine Lebrun, Delphine Morin, Jean-Baptiste Thibaut,
Pierre-Nicolas Vigneron,
interns in 2009
Michel Bachelet, Margherita Fanchiotti, Ariane Lehr, Thomas Leyens,
Cora Meneceur,
interns in 2010
1
Index
1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………3
2. Preparation and meetings……………………………………………………………4
3. Exhibits……………………………………………………………………………………8
3.1 Surface Water Model………………………………………………….………………8
3.2 Ground Water Model………………………………………………………….…….16
3.3 Chlorine
Testing…………………………………………………………………………………..30
4. FAQ………………………………………………………………………………………45
5. Setup and logistics……………………………………………………………………46
5.1 Earth Week at Hendry House…………………………………………….…………46
5.2 Earth Day in the park…………………………………………………………………53
6. Checklist...............................................................................................................55
7. List of contact persons………………………………………………..………………57
8. Articles on Earth Week……………………………………………………………..…58
2
1. Introduction
Earth Day is the annual U.S. celebration of the environment and for the occasion
Hendry and Glades Counties organize a local event, Earth Week, which is
dedicated to involving students from the local elementary schools in activities
related to environmental issues. Earth Day is the last day of the week and is open
to general public.
LaBelle has celebrated Earth Day since 2000 and introduced Earth Week in 2008.
Intelligentsia International interns always participate in the event and presentations
and exhibits are done for the children all week long. In particular, what III interns do
is giving lectures to kids on three exhibits: Surface Water model, Ground Water
model and Chlorine testing. The number of students who attended the event was
about 860 in 2010 and 1,030 in 2009.
The organization of the week may differ from year to year. For example, in 2010 the
event took place from Monday, April 19 to Thursday, April 22, which was also the
Earth Day. In 2009 instead, it began on Monday, April 20 and finished on Friday,
April 24. Earth Day was Saturday, April 25.
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2. Preparation and
meetings
Although all the interns usually take part in the Earth Week celebration, there is
normally one intern who is assigned to the organization of the event. In 2010, this
person was Margherita Fanchiotti from Italy, in 2009 it was Delphine Morin from
France.
About 8 to 4 weeks before Earth Week, we start preparing for the event by
attending meetings at the Hendry LaBelle Recreation Board with the Earth Week
committee. The organizer is Ramiro Rodriguez (rrodriguez@hendry-fla.net).
Location:
Hendry LaBelle Recreation Board
310 West Cowboy Way, LaBelle, FL 33935
You can contact Margaret England at englandm@hendry.k12.fl.us for information
about the next meetings. You can also ask her to pick you up at the office the day
of the meeting, otherwise you can walk to the location (it takes approximately half
an hour to get there).
During these meetings we are usually given details on the event’s schedule, the
number of students attending, the exhibits and the locations.
4
The 2010 Earth Week agenda was Monday to Thursday from 9:00 am to 10:30 am
and from noon to 1:30 pm at Hendry House, while Earth Day took place on
Thursday from 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm in the Civic Park (Soccer field).
The 2009 Earth Week agenda was Monday to Friday from 8:45 am to 10:45 am and
from 11:15 am to 1:15 pm at Hendry House, while Earth Day took place on
Saturday in Barron Park.
It is important that you ask how much time each group of students will be able to
spend at our station, which of course depends on the number of other exhibitors.
Remember that the kids must have the opportunity to visit all the exhibits.
For instance, as you can see on the agenda, in 2010 every shift lasted 90 minutes
(from 9:00 to 10:30 am and from noon to 1:30 pm) and there were 4 stations other
than ours. That means that we had a total time of 18 minutes per group to give
lectures. In fact, during every shift the organizers usually divide the kids in a number
of groups equivalent to the numbers of stations.
Due to the short time available, we decided to show only two exhibits, Ground
Water model and Chlorine testing. Each of the two presentations lasted about 7-8
minutes per group. The Groundwater model requires a lot of time to be filled an
emptied and for this reason you will need some time to get ready from one exhibit
to other. That is why we usually deliver one presentation at a time, starting with the
Groundwater model followed by the Chlorine testing. In this way, while one person
is delivering the presentation on Chlorine testing, the other one has enough time to
empty the model. All the interns are supposed to work on a rotating schedule.
During the meetings, we also discuss about giving bags of goodies for the kids (we
actually give them to the teachers who later distribute them to the children). In
5
particular, III usually passes out some flyers on chlorine removal from tap water to
the students. You can find the files of the previous years’ handouts on the enclosed
CD.
You
should
then
contact
Daniel
Nelson
from
Tetra
Tech
(Daniel.nelson@tetratech.com) in order to have them printed, since Tetra Tech
normally sponsors the costs of printing. Please also check that all the information
provided on the sheets are updated (reference persons, contacts, etc.). In case
you need to modify the handouts, you can send the files that need to be modified
to Nargis (nargis@intellitemps.com) and she will be happy to help you in doing it.
Once you have started to attend the meetings and you know the exact dates,
you will have to assemble all equipment and materials and run all tests. You should
start to do this as soon as possible and at least 3 weeks before the event, so that
you will have time to order the needed chemicals and other supplies and to
create new additions to the exhibits and presentations, which are supposed to
improve from year to year.
About 2 weeks before, the responsible intern will have to set a schedule and
provide the other interns with scripts of the presentations. In this way they will have
time to study and practice.
The week before Earth Week, you are supposed to rehearse on Monday and
Tuesday and your performance will be evaluated on Wednesday, when you will
have to do a demonstration of all exhibits and presentations in front of John. On
Thursday you will make final repairs if needed and on Friday you will have a final
demonstration. You will be graded based on your Wednesday performance, so
you will have to be fully prepared.
6
You will also have to arrange for transport of all equipment: if none of the interns
has a car or has the Florida Drivers License and is therefore eligible for driving the
company’s car, you can ask either John or Barbara to drop off you and the
materials.
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3. Exhibits
3.1. SURFACE WATER MODEL
Purpose
The presentation is 5 minutes long so you have to be fast and explain clearly in
order for all the children to understand. Try to use simple vocabulary and ideas.
The main goal of this exhibit is to show the children the way the water flows on the
surface water model, as it flows on the real lands. We also have to show them that
the water goes in the ground and to explain them what happens when there is
contamination on the lands and surfaces of the Earth.
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Materials
•
Display
•
All pieces of the game (buildings, sponges, trees, cars, trucks, etc.)
•
3 food colors (chemicals/fertilizers, oil, other pollution)
•
Cotton for the roots of the trees
•
Several Dasani little bottles of water (they are perfect to put the sprinkler
head on)
•
Sprinkler head
9
•
2 trestles
•
2 planks (to put on the trestles to create a table)
•
Some pieces of wood (to level the model)
Procedure and setup
To show the display, we used 2 trestles and 2 planks by way of table, because they
were more adjustable to the height of the children. We put a tablecloth to make
the setup more attractive. We also add some pieces of wood to level the model
and, at the same time, to lean it and help the water flowing, as we will see later.
Look at this picture to understand.
Experiment
Transcript of the presentation, Delphine Morin, France, 2009
Today we’re here to celebrate Earth Week together and to understand how we
can take care of the Earth so it can take care of us.
Do you know what is one of the most precious gifts that we get from the Earth?
It’s one that we use everyday! Water!
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We use water for drinking, growing and cooking food, brushing our teeth, flushing
the bathroom and taking showers… We cannot live without it!
Today, we are going to talk about where water comes from, where it goes, how it
travels in the pipes to get to our houses when we open the faucet and what can
happen if we pollute our Earth.
First let’s watch how water moves on this model of the land.
You see, this is the land with some hills, a river, a farm, a factory, some bridges, the
cars on the road, a construction site, some farm fields and some swamps and
marshes.
Swamps and marshes, like our Everglades, are always or sometimes flooded by
water.
We call them wetlands because they’re wet! It makes sense right?
Let’s make it rain.
(Pour water)
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You see how the water goes down the hill and eventually ends up in the river?
It also going underground; look!
We’ll talk about groundwater later.
So you see, the water is coming from everywhere, flowing down the slopes and
eventually gathering in the rivers, lakes and oceans.
Whap happens in the swamps?
The swamps absorb some of the water and store it so that the land around them,
where we live, is not flooded.
12
And now what if there is contamination somewhere? Look!
(Drip the food color on the model)
I am polluting the ground with chemicals like the fertilizers and pesticides that we
put on our farms and yards.
I also pollute with chemicals flowing out of factories or from garbage landfills as
well as some oil leaking from our cars. Yiiuuuu, that’s disgusting!
And where is it going? It’s going into the rivers and underground!
13
Some of the pollution is trapped in the swamp; the wetlands help clean up the
water.
But if there is too much pollution, some of it will still flow into the rivers and
underground.
Do you see how the water in the river and underground looks dirty now?
Do you think the fish, the turtles and the alligators are going to be happy?
No! They are going to be hurt! And eventually, they may die from the dirty water!
Let’s go to the next exhibit and see why it so bad to pollute the land and the
underground water.
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Advice for organization
Try to organize everything as soon as possible: time goes fast and you need to
learn by heart all the presentations.
For the rehearsals, when you think you are ready to start presenting the exhibits,
just try. You can first try alone and then in front of the other interns. The Wednesday
before Earth Week you will be required to make a demonstration in front of John
and you will be graded based on that performance.
During the Earth Week and Earth Day events, always remember to act as a team:
you have to support each other and try to do your best to make it a success!
From a technical viewpoint, be careful when using food colors, if you do not want
your clothes to be stained.
For the little bottles of water you spread on the model, be sure to fill several bottles
in advance in order not to have to refill them in front of the children, it is a waste of
time and the children could be distracted.
Also try to empty the model (the dirty water) after several representations, and
discreetly, for example when the children are looking at the last exhibit.
Ultimate advice, think about telling the children not to touch the model or the stuff
on it: it looks like a game, so it is very attractive. Ask them to move back if they are
too close.
15
3.2. GROUND WATER MODEL
Purpose
You will not have much time for the presentation, therefore you have to be fast
and explain everything as well as you can. Remember that you are talking to
children, so try to use simple vocabulary.
The main goal of this exhibit is to explain where the water we drink comes from
and how it arrives in the faucets inside our houses. We will show what happens
underground thanks to the model created by former interns in 2008.
16
Materials
•
The model (you can find it in the shed)
•
Home-made Water Treatment Plant, Waste Water Treatment Plant and
house (you will find the pictures we used last year in the enclosed CD and
you will then have to print them and laminate the printed sheets, so that
they will not get wet during the exhibit)
•
A battery + 2 service batteries
17
•
•
A battery charger (if needed, connect BLACK battery cable with BLACK
battery charger cable and RED battery cable with RED battery charger
cable)
•
A bucket
A water hose
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•
Don’t forget the end nozzle!
•
A blue liquid food color (experience has taught us that blue is the best one
for our purpose)
•
The slotted well screen (to show to the children what a well looks like)
19
Procedures and setup
This exhibit requires access to power and water. Remember to check if your pump
and your battery are working. Then simply connect the pump to the battery (see
photos below). It is better to have a second battery close to the exhibit and a third
one charging inside. Generally the battery can work well for 30 minutes. If it is okay,
you will hear the pump working and you can start the experiment. There is a switch
behind the model, so that you can turn it on and off without disconnecting the
battery from the pump each time.
First, fill the model with water up until you reach a level of about 2 inches below
ground surface. You can do it by using a hose.
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POUR THE
WATER
HERE
Once you are done with it, you can connect the battery to the pump and you will
see the water being pumped up. This way you will be able to show the kids how
the water first goes to water treatment plants after being pumped up from the
ground and then reaches our houses. After we use it, it goes to wastewater
treatment plants and then again under ground. The small green pipe represents
rain water.
During the experiment, the first faucet on the left should be closed (perpendicular
to the extension of the pipe), while the other one should be open (parallel to the
extension of the pipe). The faucet on the green pipe should be vertical.
In order to minimize the flow rate, you can close the faucet next to the well a little
bit. It will also be useful when you use food colors, since this way the color will stay
dark and more visible.
You will have to empty the model after using food colors and put clean water in it.
For this reason, the pipe that crosses the two faucets going from the well to the left
should always stay in a bucket, so that when you need to empty the display you
just have to open the first faucet on the left, close the other one and the one on
the green pipe, and then simply switch the model on again. You can use a clip to
keep the pipe in the bucket.
21
During every presentation, you are supposed to repeat the experiment twice: the
first time just as described above, to show to the kids where water comes from and
where it goes after use, and the second time pouring food colors on the ground,
to explain what happens if the soil is polluted. Therefore, after using food colors you
will have to clean the model, to be ready to start again with clean water for the
next group of kids. It takes about 5 minutes to empty it. During the Earth Week, you
will have time to do this operation while the kids watch one of our other
presentations, either Surface water model or Chlorine testing (that’s why we can’t
deliver all presentations at the same time).
We usually set this model directly on the soil, as you can see on the different
pictures.
Be careful in handling it since it is very heavy.
22
Also make sure that there are no leaks in the system and keep all the materials
behind the model.
Experiment
Transcript of presentation, Margherita Fanchiotti, Italy, 2010-04-23
Hello guys!
My name is (Name) and I come from (Country). Do you know where it is?
(show a map to the kids)
Can you point it out on the map?
(see what they answer, help them search for it)
I am currently doing an internship here in Florida and I am going to talk with you
about one of the most important resources we can find in nature: water!
23
Do you know that a person can live about one month without food, but just one
week without water? So water is essential for our lives, without water there could
be no life.
That’s why our planet is called “water planet”. If you see a picture of the Earth
taken from the space, what you see is a blue and white sphere: well, the blue is
water and the white is the clouds, which are water vapor!
The water we use comes from either surface water, like lakes and rivers, or ground
water, the aquifers. Here we are gonna talk about groundwater and we will see
where the water we use in our house comes from and where it goes after use.
So let’s get it started!
Here is a model, that shows a well that pumps water from the underground. Do
you all know what a well is? It looks like this...
(show the well screen)
This is the same well that is in the display. You see, it has a lot of tiny cuts, that allow
the water to get in, but at the same time don’t allow sand or other materials to get
into our water.
Let’ s see what else we have on the model: there is a water treatment plant, a
waste water treatment plant and this is a house - it can be my house, your house,
anyone’s house. Where does the water in our houses come from? I’m going to
show you.
(turn the display on)
As you can see, the water is pumped from the ground and then it goes to the
water treatment plant. Do you, guys, know what a water treatment plant is? It’s
the place where water is cleaned up before being delivered to users. So after that
it finally reaches our houses. And then what’s next? After we use it, the water goes
to the waste water treatment plant, where again it is cleaned up so that it can go
back to the ground.
You see here how many different layers the soil is made of.
24
(trace the layers with your fingers)
Some of them can store water, others can’t. That’s because some layers are made
of rocks or other coarse-grained materials that have many void space in between
and let the water go down, while other layers are made of fine and compact
materials that absorb the water and store it.
The part of soil we get water from is called ‘aquifer’. That’s a layer that can store
water. Here in LaBelle the aquifer is 40 feet below ground level, so it’s not really
deep, but in Port LaBelle it is 300 feet deep. The deeper an aquifer is, the cleaner is
water, although if it is too deep, the water there is salty.
Basically when it’s raining, some of the water infiltrates the soil until it reaches the
aquifer. A well allows us to pump it up and pipes help us in bringing it to everyone’s
house.
Now I will show you what happens if the ground is polluted. I am going to use this
blue color, just imagine that this is pollution. It can be the pollution that comes from
industries, agriculture, whatever you prefer. Let’s see what happens if I pour it on
the ground.
(pour 7-8 drops of color on the display)
25
You see the pollution goes down until it reaches the aquifer, which gets polluted
too. Since we pump the water from the ground, if the soil is polluted we will
eventually use polluted water. That’s why it is important to have water treatment
plants, they clean the water before it comes to our house. What they use in water
treatment plants to kill the germs that might be in the groundwater is chlorine. Do
you, guys, know what chlorine is? I’m sure you all enjoy going to the swimming
pool, so you know for sure what it is, but you will talk about chlorine with (name) in
the next exhibit.
(empty the model while the other person is delivering the presentation on Chlorine
testing and then refill it when the kids are gone, just before the new group arrives,
or if you don’t have time, do it while the other intern is still talking)
Advice for organization
Try to organize everything as soon as possible: time goes fast and you need to
learn by heart all the presentations.
For the rehearsals, when you think you are ready to start presenting the exhibits,
just try. You can first try alone and then in front of the other interns. The Wednesday
before Earth Week you will be required to make a demonstration in front of John
and you will be graded based on that performance.
During the Earth Week and Earth Day events, always remember to act as a team:
you have to support each other and try to do your best to make it a success!
From a technical viewpoint, be careful when using the food colors. Wear old
clothes if you don’t want them to be stained. You can buy blue color at one of this
links (you will need up to one small bottle of 0.25 FL OZ per day):
http://www.spiceplace.com/mccormick_blue_food_color.php
http://www.amazon.com/Liquid-Color-Ounce-Bottle-PkgBlue/dp/B0000VLRO2/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=homegarden&qid=1271697404&sr=8-6
26
During the Earth Week, be sure to have access to electricity and water. At the
Hendry House there is no problem, but on Earth Day in the park you may want to
go early to make sure you get the place you desire.
27
28
29
3.3. CHLORINE TESTING
Purpose
You will not have much time for the presentation, therefore you have to be fast
and explain everything as well as you can. Remember that you are talking to
children, so try to use simple vocabulary.
The objective of this exhibit is to prove that there is chlorine in tap water and
explain how we can remove it so that water tastes better with no need to buy
bottled water.
30
Materials
There are two options for doing this experiment: you can use chlorinating granules
or simple bleach, both will work. The second one is cheaper and it contains
chlorine, so the result will be the same.
•
Chlorinating granules (8mg per gallon of distilled water)
They can be purchased at Dollar General (81 South Lee Street, Labelle, FL)
OR
•
Bleach (5ml per liter of distilled water)
31
•
Gallons of distilled water (bring with you at least 2 liters per day)
•
One jar (you can find it in the cabinet on the wall in front of the entry
door in the office’s kitchen, together with the following items)
•
All the vials available (you should find 9 in the cabinet, of which one
should be labeled “filtered water”)
32
•
2 pipette pumps (1 for the tap water, 1 for the filtered water) or 2 funnels
•
All the LaMotte DPD#1 pills available (2 per presentation)
The DPD tablet is the most widely used test for determining free and combined
chlorine in pool water. TesTabs are formulated to dissolve rapidly and produce
consistently accurate results. See also the link below for more information:
http://www.lamotte.com/pages/pool/testabs.html
•
A Brita pitcher with filter
33
You will need to buy new filters. Here is the link we used last year to order ours:
$27 for 5 filters
http://www.amazon.com/Brita-35516-Pitcher-ReplacementFilters/dp/B0006GQ8RW/ref=pd_bbs_3?ie=UTF8&s=hi&qid=1236701180&sr=8-3
You can also purchase them at Save a lot (71 South Lee Street, Labelle, FL).
•
An opened activated carbon filter (it is just to show to the kids what is
inside, you can use an old one)
•
A pitcher (to keep the filter wet between the presentations)
•
Another pitcher (for the distilled water)
34
•
•
A transparent bottle of water, to show the kids how they can remove
chlorine by sun exposure)
•
In case you choose to use chlorinating granules, at the office you will
need to weigh the chlorine (8mg per gallon of water) with the OHAUS
scale.
UV light meter
Procedure and setup
We used a simple large table, in order to have all the stuff been within reach.
35
Experiment Sequence – Using BLEACH:
Before the presentations
•
Fill a pitcher (at least 2 liters) with distilled water and bleach (5ml of
bleach per liter of water)
•
Have all the vials ready (you will need two per presentation, you can
use the same one for filtered water, so that you don’t need to wash it
before a new presentation starts, while you will have to change the
other one since it will be colored after you add the pill).
During the presentations
•
Put 10ml of water from the pitcher in a vial using a funnel.
•
Add one LaMotta pill.
•
The mix will turn yellow/orange.
•
Now, filter some of the distilled water in the pitcher with the Brita
pitcher (you do not need much water, since you will use only 10ml of
it). Make sure that the filter has been soaking in the water for a long
time and is completely wet in order for it to filter properly.
•
Take 10 ml of the filtered water and put in the vial for “filtered water”
with the help of a funnel.
•
Add one LaMotta pill.
•
The mix will be transparent because there is no chlorine anymore.
36
NOTE:
The purpose of the experiment is to show that tap water contains chlorine and
filtered water doesn’t, therefore it should be done using tap water. As a matter of
fact, we add bleach (or chlorinating granules) to tap water just to make sure that
the experiment works.
Experiment Sequence – Using CHLORINATING GRANULES:
•
Fill a pitcher with one liter of distilled water.
•
Add 2 mg of chlorine.
•
Mix and wait for 15 seconds.
•
Pour the mix in a jar.
•
Pump 10 mL of this mix and put it in a vial using a pipette.
•
Add the pill DPD #1.
•
The mix will turn pink.
•
Now, filter one quarter of a liter of the mix with the Brita pitcher. Make
sure that the filter has been soaking in the water for a long time and is
completely wet in order for it to filter properly.
•
Take 10 mL of the filtered water and put in a vial.
•
Add the pill DPD #1.
•
The mix will be transparent because there is no chlorine anymore in it.
During the presentation, you can show the handouts to the kids and explain that
they will find them in their teachers’ goodie bags and each of the students will get
a copy of the sheets. You will have to laminate one per type, so that they will not
get wet.
As a new part for the presentation, you can try adding a UV lamp to remove
chlorine (trial and error). You can discuss it with John, since it is good to improve
presentations from year to year.
37
Experiment
Transcript of presentation, Margherita Fanchiotti, Italy, 2010
Hi! My name is (Name) and I come from (Country). Do you know where it is?
(show the map to the kids)
Can you point it out on the map?
Here we are going to talk about chlorine and I will show you how we can remove
chlorine from tap water so that it tastes better.
You will find a lot of information about chlorine removal on this sheet that will be in
your teacher’s goodie bag.
(show the flyer for kids)
Each of you will receive one of this and if you live in Port LaBelle, your parents will
also receive this other handout…
38
(show the flyer for adults)
…in their mailbox. This is a little bit more complicated, it is for adults, but you can
read it with your parents. It is very interesting.
In fact, many people still prefer to buy bottled water instead of drinking tap water,
because they think it’s safer. Actually in that way we just produce unnecessary
garbage and consume vast quantities of oil and energy. Just think that 8 bottles
out of 10 become landfill waste and it takes from 400 to 700 years to decompose.
We also need 1.5 million barrels of oil to produce a year’s supply of bottled water.
That’s enough to fuel 100,000 cars. Bottled water can even be up to 1000 times
more expensive than tap water. So why don’t we drink tap water? If you don’t like
the taste of chlorine in tap water, you can remove it!
I am going to show you how to do it using an activated carbon filter.
First, let’s see what an activated carbon filter looks like.
(show the old and broken filter)
This is an old one, I have broken it, so that you can see what’s inside. You see, it’s
full of black and green stuff: the black is the activated carbon, that can trap
chlorine and remove it from our water, and the green is other cleaning agents.
39
I am going to do some experiments with you now. This is a pitcher filled with tap
water…
(show the pitcher)
…I put 10ml of it in a vial…
(fill the vial)
and add one of these pills. They make water change color in case there’s chlorine.
So let’s see what happens.
(add the pill)
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Does anyone want to shake it?
(you will be surprised in seeing how many kids will raise their hands, just pick one
and let them shake the vial)
What color is the water now? It’s yellow! So what does that mean? There’s chlorine
in it!
Now I am going to repeat the same experiment using the filter. This is a Brita
pitcher…
(show the pitcher to the kids)
…there is a filter inside, it’s the same filter I showed you before, this one is new.
(let the kids see the filter inside the pitcher)
I pour some tap water in it…
(pour the water, you don’t need much, since you will use only 10ml of it)
…it’s the same water I used before. You see the filter is working, I now repeat the
same experiment I just did using this filtered water.
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I put 10ml of it in another vial and add another pill.
(put the filtered water in the vial and add the pill)
Does anyone want to shake it?
(even before you ask the questions, they will raise their hands)
What happens? The water doesn’t change color anymore! That’s because the
filter removed the chlorine from it. Do you see the difference with the other vial?
(compare the color of the water in the two vials)
There’s actually also another way to remove chlorine from tap water, other than
using a filter. It is sun exposure! You just have to fill up a transparent bottle with tap
water and leave it on your window sills for a couple of days.
(show the sample bottle)
The sun will remove the chlorine and if you drink it after two days, it will not taste of
chlorine anymore! That’s because the UV rays removed chlorine. Do you know
what UV rays are?
Maybe one person wants to come and try this instrument…
(pick a child)
It’s a UV light meter. I turn it on and you may read the numbers out loud to your
mates. They change very fast, just read one at a time.
(let the instrument face the sun, they will read high numbers)
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Now what happens if I cover it with my hand or I put it under the tent? The
numbers are very low! That’s because UV rays come from the sun! Does anyone
else want to try it?
Do you have any questions?
(answer the questions)
Thank you! Enjoy the rest of your day here!
Advice for organization
Try to organize everything as soon as possible: time goes fast and you need to
learn by heart all the presentations.
For the rehearsals, when you think you are ready to start presenting the exhibits,
just try. You can first try alone and then in front of the other interns. The Wednesday
before Earth Week you will be required to make a demonstration in front of John
and you will be graded based on that performance.
During the Earth Week and Earth Day events, always remember to act as a team:
you have to support each other and try to do your best to make it a success!
Make sure that the filter you will use has been soaking in the water for a long time
and is completely wet. This way it will work better.
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Also think about checking frequently how many pills you have. In case you need
to buy new ones, here are some useful links:
http://www.poolweb.com/Shop-On-Line/Lamotte-Tablets/DPD-TABLETS-1RAPID-DISSOLVE
http://www.recreonics.com/lamotte_reagents.htm
http://www.amatoind.com/product_info.php?products_id=311
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4. FAQ
Here is a list of questions that kids frequently ask to us during or after the
presentations.
Groundwater model
•
Why if the aquifer is deeper the water is cleaner?
Explain that pollution coming from the surface takes longer to reach deeper layers
and show it with the help of the food color.
•
Why some layers can store water and other cannot?
Explain that some layers are made of coarse-grained materials that have a lot of
void space between their particles and therefore cannot store water, while other
materials are fine and compact and can store water.
Chlorine Testing
•
Why the water changes color after adding the pill or what are the pills
made of?
Explain that LaMotta pills contain some agents that react with chlorine in case
there is any in the water. Due to the chemical reaction, water changes color.
•
Is it dangerous to drink chlorine?
Make it clear that chlorine is used in Water Treatment Plants to kill germs (same
thing we do in swimming pools) and is therefore fundamental, but it can give a
bad taste to water and that is why we can remove it before drinking water. Explain
that we can store water in the dark for long periods in preparation of hurricanes or
whatever, and it will still remain safe thanks to the chlorine in it. We can instead use
sun exposure to remove chlorine before drinking the water.
•
Where can we buy the filters?
At the local store.
•
How much does the UV light meter cost?
About $200. Tell the kids that it is a scientific instrument, not supposed to be used at
home.
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5. Setup and logistics
4.1 EARTH WEEK AT HENDRY HOUSE
Earth Week takes place at Hendry House, which is the oldest house in LaBelle.
Each station has its own assigned locations and the organizers will tell you where
yours is.
All other exhibitors can help you in carrying the materials and arranging things.
During the week, you will have a room where you can stock everything you need
for the exhibits. Obviously the first day is the hardest one, because you have to get
settled, but as time goes on you will get familiar with the location.
The house can provide everything you need. You can use the basin in the
restrooms to wash and fill the vials you use for the Chlorine testing and there is also
a faucet outside the house for the hose you need for the Ground Water model. As
46
regards to the electricity, you will have to plug it inside the house. There you can
charge the third battery for the Groundwater model, while you can use the first
one and keep the second as service battery close to the model. Make sure you
bring a battery charger and remember to check from time to time if it is working or
not. As you are not in the house, you will have to set up the tent, so you will be fine
with the sun and the rain. And of course, don’t forget the banner!
You can find the tent in the kitchen at the office (search for a blue case), while the
banner is hung on a wall in the central room. You will also need a table for the
Chlorine testing (you can contact Margaret or other organizers and ask if they
have a table you can use). Do not hesitate to ask John if you don’t find any items
in the office!
Here are the instructions on how to attach the banner to the tent:
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You need 4 ropes. Take one and insert the hook in one of the two upper holes of
the banner
Handle the free hook and make it turn around outside the tent
Attach the hook like in the picture
Take a second rope and put one of the hooks in the lower hole of the banner.
Make the rope turn around the pale.
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\
Attach the hook to the pale
Repeat the same operations on the other side of the banner
You can also display the Rotary logo banner that John will give you on the fence
outside Hendry House for photos. In fact, the first thing we usually do as kids arrive
on their school buses is to have a picture of them in front of Hendry House.
At the Earth Week meetings you will meet Lois and she will ask you about the
“thank you” tree. She always does, so please bring it to the park. She is supposed
to have the cards still in her house and you are supposed to have the pens and
the pins with all the office stationary. You can find the gorgeous tree that Michel
and Thomas made last year in the shed! You will have to place some rocks on the
base to keep it stable and cover them with some branches and leaves.
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During the Earth Week, you can wear CRCA (Caloosahatchee River Citizens
Association) t-shirts while delivering the presentations. Ask John to have one.
It is useful to set a rotating schedule for the interns. There are usually two shifts, one
in the morning and one in afternoon all week long. This requires the presence of
one person per each exhibit: in 2010, we delivered presentations only on Ground
Water model and Chlorine testing, so 2 interns per shift were needed; in 2009, III
had all the 3 exhibits (including Surface Water model), which required the
presence of 3 interns per shift. The morning team has to set up all the exhibits, while
the afternoon team has to put everything in order. All interns participate in Earth
Day, since it is open to general public and there is consequently more job to do.
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Here is the 2010 schedule:
Speakers:
Earth Week
Shift
Presentation MONDAY
TUESDAY
WEDNESDAY THURSDAY
AM
CR
Margherita Thomas
Margherita
Cora
9:00/10:30 GW
Michel
Margherita Michel
Margherita
PM
CR
12:00/13:30 GW
Earth Day
Presentation
CR
GW
Margherita Thomas
Ariane
Michel
Margherita Margherita
THURSDAY (4:30 – 6:30 PM)
Margherita
Michel
Note:
CR = Chlorine Removal
GW = Groundwater
Assistants:
Earth Week
AM
PM
Earth Day
MONDAY
Thomas
Thomas
TUESDAY
Michel
Michel
WEDNESDAY
Ariane
Thomas
THURSDAY
Michel
THURSDAY (4:30 – 6:30 PM)
Cora, Thomas, Ariane
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Here is the 2009 schedule:
DAY
Monday 20
Tuesday 21
Wednesday 22
Thursday 23
Friday 24
Saturday 25
TOPIC
SW
8.45 AM - 10.45 AM
• Delphine
11.15 AM - 1.15 PM
• Delphine
GW
•
Celine
•
Pierre-Nicolas
CT
•
Margot
•
Jean-Baptiste
SW
•
Jean-Baptiste
•
Margot
GW
•
Delphine
•
Delphine
CT
•
Pierre-Nicolas
•
Celine
SW
•
Celine
•
Pierre-Nicolas
GW
•
Margot
•
Jean-Baptiste
CT
•
Delphine
•
Delphine
SW
•
Delphine
•
Delphine
GW
•
Pierre-Nicolas
•
Celine
CT
•
Jean-Baptiste
•
Margot
SW
•
Margot
•
Jean-Baptiste
GW
•
Delphine
•
Delphine
CT
•
Celine
•
Pierre-Nicolas
/
EVERYBODY
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4.2 EARTH DAY IN THE PARK
53
Earth day always takes place in the park, although the park might change from
year to year. In 2010, it was Civic Park (Soccer field); in 2009, Barron Park.
Anyways, the booth that you will have to set up will be next to a house in the park.
This place has all you need: electricity and water. It also has some picnic tables
that you can use to place all your stuff.
The place is shadowed so you won’t suffer from the sun, but think about bringing
some water with you… Sometimes the presentations follow each other very
quickly.
While organizing your own Earth Week, please also update this SOP… Next year
another intern will be assigned to the organization of this event and in an attempt
to make this person’s job as easier as possible you can change the things that you
have found not clear enough and add information and pictures of your Earth
Week!
We all hope that you have found this document somehow useful and wish you
good luck with your work!
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6. Checklist
The one that follows is a checklist that might be useful when packing all the stuff
that need to be brought to Hendry House for the first day of Earth Week.
General
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
tent
wooden sticks
hammer
yellow ribbons
banner
ropes for the banner
table
tablecloth
food + drinks
handouts
scotch
‘thank you’ tree
pins
pens
camera
map
Groundwater model
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
model (check all components: house, WTP, WWTP)
2 batteries CHARGED
battery charger
hose + end nozzle
bucket
food colors
slotted well screen
Remember to check that all the faucets are in the right position before starting the
experiment.
Chlorine removal
•
•
•
pitcher of water+bleach
vials
one vial for filtered water
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•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
LaMotta pills
Brita pitcher
old filter to show to the kids
funnels
clorimeter
UV light meter
bleach
distilled water
syringe
gallon for sun exposure
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7. List of contact persons
These are some of the Earth Week committees you might need to contact to get
information on the event.
Name
Margaret England
Mel Karau
Ramiro Rodriguez
Norma Gaure
Organization
CRCA River Watch
Rotary Club
HendryLaBelleRecreation
HendryLaBelleRecreation
57
Email
mlelighthouse@embarqmail.com
melkarau@aol.com
rrodriguez@hendryfla.net
ngaure@hendryfla.net
8. Articles on Earth Week
•
The News Press: Thursday, April 16, 2009
58
59
•
Caloosa Belle: Thursday, April 30, 2009
60
•
Caloosa Belle, Thursday, May 7, 2009
61
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