A presentation on pollution

1. Freddy the Fish: A Lesson on Water
Pollution
By Melissa
Wolfrey
Image retrieved from: http://www.littlefishesswimschool.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/happy-fish_001.png
This story is based on The Story of Freddy the Fish found at http://www.earthsciweek.org/forteachers/freddyfish_cont.htm

2. There once was a fish named Freddy.
Freddy was a happy fish who lived in a
clean, beautiful river. The river was his
home. One day Freddy went on a
journey downstream. He wanted to
explore!
Image retrieved from:
http://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=File:Bugan
g_river_pandan_antique.jpg
Image retrieved from:
http://www.littlefishesswimschool.com
/blog/wp-content/
uploads/2012/08/happy-fish_
001.png

3. Freddy swam past a farm. It began to rain.
Soil from the farm went into the river.
Image retrieved from: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2005/12/01130314/03149

4. Freddy got a little bit dirty but he kept going! He
swam past some neighborhoods. Fertilizer from the
lawns ran into the river.
Image retrieved from: http://www.sbck.org/current-issues/polluted-runoff/

5. Yuck! That was really gross for Freddy
but he kept going. He swam past a
park and trash that was laying on the
ground blew into the river.
Image retrieved from: http://www.123rf.com/photo_4424095_trash-floating-polluting-water-in-a-pond.html

6. Freddy was starting to feel very
disgusting but he continued his
journey. He swam under a
bridge. Salt that had been put on
the bridge during the winter
months leaked into the river.
Image retrieved from: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=16951806

7. Poor Freddy continued his journey downstream. He
swam past a parking lot. The rain caused oil that had
leaked out of some of the cars to run into the river.
Image retrieved from: http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/multimedia/images/injured-animals-and-habitat

8. Freddy was beginning to wish he had never started
this journey but he kept on going. He swam past a
chemical plant. Chemicals spilled into the river.
Image retrieved from: http://www.earthlyissues.com/waterpollution.htm

9. Now Freddy decided to give up on
his journey. He couldn’t believe
what was happening! He turned
around to go back to where he
had come from. Freddy did not
look or feel the way he did at the
beginning of this story. How do
you think he looks?

10. This is how Freddy looks now! Do you
remember what he looked like before? What
are the differences?
Image retrieved from: http://www.zazzle.co.uk/confused_black_fish_cartoon_apron-154270864883398630

11. At the beginning of this story, Freddy was
a happy fish. Do you think he is happy or
sad now? Why?
Image retrieved from:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Smiley.svg
Image retrieved from:
http://www.clker.com/clipart-frowny-sad-face.
html

12. This is what the river looks like now.
Image retrieved from: http://www.travelblog.org/Photos/5216851

13. Do you remember what the river looked like at the
beginning of this story? If not, here it is:
Image retrieved from: http://www.zamboanga.com/z/index.php?title=File:Bugang_river_pandan_antique.jpg
How does the river look different now?

14. The title of this story has the word “pollution” in it.
The story does not tell us what that word means. Can
you tell what that word means after hearing this
story?
Image retrieved from: http://publicphoto.org/nature/plastic-trash-floating-on-the-river-water-pollution/
What are some ways that we can help
stop pollution?

15. Let‘s help stop pollution!
Image retrieved from:
http://garivernews.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/trash.jpg
Image retrieved from:
http://dreah.edublogs.org/2012/04/11/water-pollution/

17. Reflection
Freddy the Fish is a lesson that I have done with Pre-K students in the past and
plan to do with my kindergarten students this year for Earth Day. It is a hands-on
activity where a fish shaped sponge is placed into a clear container of water
and students dump in different materials into the water to go along with the
story. By the end of the lesson, both the water and Freddy are dirty and the
students even at a young age can really see and understand what water
pollution is. When I read the directions to this assignment I thought very hard as
to what lesson I would do. I have admitted in our class discussions so far that I
don’t use PowerPoint with my students but was now curious as to how I could. I
feel that this slide show is a great way to introduce the concept to the students.
They can watch the slide show as I read it to them and see actual pictures of
pollution. After seeing the story and answering the questions we can do the
hands-on part of the lesson so that they can really “see” the pollution happen. I
feel that this is a constructivist lesson because the students use hands-on
learning and are not given all the answers. They have to use the visuals, the
story and their experience with putting the different materials into the water to
gain the true knowledge of what pollution is and how we can help stop it. I look
forward to using this presentation with a lesson that I have already done several
times. I believe that it will enhance it!