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Why Mercury Education
Mercury is a naturally occurring element
that can cause health and ecological problems when released to the environment
through human activities. Though a national, and even international issue,
the mercury problem is best understood when studied at the local level.
Use this guide to help your students learn about the health and environmental
concerns associated with mercury, find out where it is in their school
and homes, and help school officials and family members do something about
it.
This curriculum contains background
information on mercury and youth-based activities. To obtain the most
out of the curriculum, teachers should read over the general information
and have the students conduct their mercury I.Q. Teachers do not
need to use all of the activities, they can then proceed to any section,
according to their curriculum needs, and review the scientific information
provided and assign to their students the corresponding activity. However,
it is usually a good idea to do Activity
2, the case study, before
doing any of the Activities 3 through 10. Activities were designed for
High School classes, however many are appropriate for 6th through 8th
grade use.
Correlations to National Standards
The teaching activities included in
the Mercury In Your School and the Community: A National Issue are interdisciplinary
and have been correlated to the National Science Education Standards,
the Curriculum Standards for Social Studies, and the U.S. Education Standards
for Physical Education and Health Standards.
Only Grade 12 standards were considered.
For the Social Studies and Physical Education and Health Standards the
Content Standard is listed first and refers to what students should know
and be able to do. The Performance Standard is then listed and tells how
students will show they are meeting a standard. For the Science Standards
only the Content Standard is listed. Only direct relationships are listed
and apply only to the main activity the students are involved with.
Social Studies Standards
II. Time, Continuity, & Change
Social studies programs should include
experiences that provide for the study of the ways human beings view
themselves in and over time, so that the learner can:
c. apply key concepts such as time,
chronology, causality, change, conflict, and complexity to explain,
analyze, and show connections among patterns of historical change
and continuity;
Activity 8
III. People, Places, & Environments
Social Studies programs should include
experiences that provide for the study of people, places, and environments,
so the learner can:
b. create, interpret, use, and synthesize
information from various representations of the earth, such as maps,
globes, and photographs;
Activity 7
k. propose, compare, and evaluate alternative policies
for the use of land and other resources in communities, regions, nations,
and the world.
Activities
9, 10
VI. Power; Authority, & Goverance
Social studies programs should include
experiences that provide for the study of how people create and change
structures of power, authority, and governance, so that the learner
can:
j. prepare a public policy paper
and present and defend it before an appropriate forum in school and
community
Activity 10
X. Civic Ideals & Practices
j. participate in activities to
strengthen the "common good" based upon careful evaluation
of possible options for citizen action.
Activities 9,
10
U.S. Education Standards - Physical Education and Health
Standards
NPH-H.9-12.1 Health Promotion and Disease Prevention
Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease
prevention-
- Analyze how behavior can impact
health maintenance and disease prevention. Activity
2
- Explain the impact of personal
health behaviors on the functioning of body systems. Activity
2
- Analyze how the environment influences
the health of the community. Activities
6, 10
- Analyze how public health policies
and government regulations influence health promotion and disease
prevention. Activities
9, 10
NPH-H.9-12.3 Reducing Health Risks
Students will demonstrate the ability
to practice health-enhancing behaviors and reduce health risks-
- Evaluate a personal health assessment
to determine strategies for health enhancement and risk reduction.
Activities 3,
4
- Analyze the short-term and long-term
consequences of safe, risky and harmful behaviors. Activity
2
NPH-H.9-12.4 Influences on Health
- Analyze how information from the
community influences health. Activity
9
NPH-H.9-12.7 Health Advocacy
- Evaluate the effectiveness of
communication methods for accurately expressing health information
and ideas. Activities
9, 10
- Express information and opinions
about health issues. Activities
9, 10
- Demonstrate the ability to work
cooperatively when advocating for healthy communities. Activities
9, 10
Science Standards
Content Standard A: Science as Inquiry
As a result of activities in grades
9-12, all students should develop
Content Standard B: Physical Science
As a result of activities in grades
9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
Content Standard C: Life Science
As a result of activities in grades
9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
Content Standard F: Science in
Personal and Social Perspectives
As a result of activities in grades
9-12, all students should develop an understanding of
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