Procedures
This hands-on science lesson is designed to be conducted after students have completed, Maggie's story from Enviromysteries: Inside Stories
After completing the story, students should have a good understanding of the dangerous health effects of lead poisoning, as well as ways it can be prevented. Students should also have an understanding of how to get rid of lead (lead abatement). The teacher can gain additional knowledge from the article "Lead in the Capitol" and from the teacher resources associated with Maggie's story from EnviroMysteries: Inside Stories.
After a quick review of Maggie's Story, the teacher will introduce students to the stations set up around the room and explain that they will be testing various products for lead. Students will make predictions about which items and products they think contain lead, and which do not. Before testing products, the teacher will review lab safety procedures with the class.
Students will then work in pairs to conduct "lead check" tests for each product, recording on their worksheet which products contain lead and which do not. Note, the lead check swabs will not indicate the lead levels, only the presence of lead.
Finally, students will be asked to reflect upon their findings and consider what other products or areas in their home might contain lead.
Challenge Question: What common household products and substances may contain lead and how can I test them?
Set Up:
Order enough lead check swabs from Lead Check - http://www.leadcheck.com/ or call 800-262-5323. A set of 16 swabs costs $34.95.
Bring in some of the common household products and items listed in the Materials section of the lesson at least a day before the lesson so that you can prepare the stations. You may also ask students to bring in items as well.
Upon receiving the kit, review the directions and make sure you understand how to test the products so you can explain to students in Activity #2.
Have various stations set up around the room. Each station should contain:
- one or two products for testing (depending upon how many products you have to test)
- lead check swabs
- butter knife
- plastic tray labeled: DISPOSE OF USED SWABS HERE
- one set of gloves and painters' mask for each student
Have enough latex gloves and painters' masks for each student. Note: some students may be allergic to latex gloves, so have a few sets of non-latex gloves handy as well.
Make enough copies of the following handouts for each student:
-
Checking for Lead Student Worksheet (You may want to fill in ahead of time the products that will be tested. The worksheet provided only contains a few examples)
-
Potential Home Hazards Diagram
Teacher Presentation
and Motivation: (10 minutes)
Begin by reviewing what students learned in Maggie’s Story. Highlight the following:
- harmful health effects of lead
- ways to prevent lead poisoning
Say to students, “We learned through Maggie’s story, that older buildings often contain lead because of lead-based paint that was commonly used prior to 1978. But paint isn’t the only product that contains lead. What other products might also contain lead?"
Take responses and list on the board.
Tell students that today, they’re going to test a variety of common household items and products to see if they contain lead.
Hand out the Checking for Lead Student Worksheet.
Activity #1 – Making Predictions: (5 minutes)
On the Checking for Lead Student Worksheet, have students individually make predictions about the products they think contain lead.
Assign student pairs.
Activity #2 – Testing for Lead: (25 minutes)
Review lab safety procedure guidelines. Explain to students that at each station there is a set of gloves and a mask. When they get to their first station, they should put on the gloves and mask and keep them on throughout the duration of their experiments. Review the instructions (as per the kit instructions) for how to test each product. Make sure students use the butter knife to scrape surfaces.
As students test the products, they should record the results on their worksheet.
Students will only need a few minutes at each station. Have students move through the stations, testing all products and recording results.
Wrap-Up: (5 minutes)
Review the results with students. Discuss which products that contain lead surprised them the most.
Distribute the Potential Home Hazards diagram. For homework, have students complete the reflection questions on their worksheet.