Chemistry, Fertilizer, and the Environment

1. Chemistry, Fertilizer, and the Environment Mandi Bottoms, Curriculum and Evaluation Specialist

2. California AITC Lesson Plans • Unit Background • Lesson Highlights • One in a Million Activity • Molecular Shuffle Activity • Wrap Up Agenda

3. Written by educators • Field-tested by educators • 17 instructional units and lesson plans • Aligned to the California content standards • FREE California AITC Lesson Plans

5. Funded by the California Department of Food and Agriculture • Five lesson unit • Meets content standards for grades 8-12 • Written and evaluated by teachers Chemistry, Fertilizer, and the Environment

6. Lesson 1: Micros and Macros(elements important for plant growth) • What do plants need to grow? • What does chemistry have to do with it? • Activity: Plant Doctor

7. What is matter? • How does nitrogen change in the nitrogen cycle? • Activity: Nitrogen Cycle Game • Review: Molecular Shuffle Lesson 2: Matter of Fact (atoms, molecules, and compounds)

8. How is fertilizer measuredand applied? • How much is a part per million? Lesson 3: Concentrate on the Solution(fertilizer solutions and their concentrations) • Activity: One in a Million Lab • Activity: Concentrate on the Solution

9. What is agricultural runoff? • How do you measure nutrient levels in water? • How does nutrient load and irrigation scheduling affect runoff? • Inquiry Lab: How Much is Too Much? Lesson 4: Just Add Water(the relationship between irrigation and fertilizer)

10. Where do elements come from? • What does chemistry have to do with it? • Activity: Students form teams to research, develop, and market a fertilizer. Lesson 5: Fertilizer, Inc.(producing and marketing fertilizer)

11. A solution is a homogeneous mixture. • The solute is the fertilizer. • The solvent is the water. One in a Million Activity

12. One part per million is a very small amount. • We can dilute solutions by adding more solvent. • We can control the concentration of a solution. One in a Million Activity

13. Choose an identifying trait that will represent different elements. • Examples: hair color, gender, pennies, etc. • Call out molecular formulas—atoms, molecules, or compounds. • Students gather in groups to represent the number of atoms required for each molecular equation. Molecular Shuffle Review Activity

14. Examples: P = “I’m an Atom!” NO = one male and one female H2O = two females and one male or two males and one female Molecular Shuffle Review Activity

15. NNitrogen

16. N2Atmospheric nitrogen

17. NONitric oxide

18. NO3-Nitrate

19. NaSodium

20. NO2-Nitrite

21. NaClSodium chloride

22. NH3Ammonia

23. KPotassium

24. H2OWater

25. NH4+Ammonium

26. N2ONitrous oxide

27. CaCl2Calcium chloride

28. Choose several different identifying traits. Call out complex chemical formulas, with several elements. Example: Ca(NO3)2 • Call out the name of the molecule only. • Create responses for students to identify micro and macro nutrients. Molecular Shuffle Review Activity

29. Currently being pilot-tested by California teachers. • Available for free download January 2013. • All AITC lesson plans are available at no cost: www.LearnAboutAg.org/lessonplans Chemistry, Fertilizer, and the Environment

30. Questions? Mandi Bottoms Curriculum and Evaluation Specialist Mandi@LearnAboutAg.org