E-Waste Science and Technology
E-Waste is a world-wide problem due to the huge quantities of electronics devices we consume then discard and the hazards of the materials in the devices. The student will comprehend the sources of E-Waste, analyze effects on the environment, evaluate solutions to the problems, and design E-Waste management strategies using the "4-Rs" --- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Remanufacture.
Week 1 Summary: Module overview, E-Waste sources and effects, project assignment (option), class and lab procedures.
Week: 1 Day: 1
Module overview. Unit introduction-motivation-attention grabber. Lesson Plan. Reading assignments. Resources.
Lesson grabbers and preparations options.
- Review weekly lesson plan
- Attention Grabber
- Present module overview
- Student reading or homework assignment
- Permit students a long-term project option versus evaluations and some labs
Links for Lesson:
Week: 1 Day: 2
Present PowerPoint lecture or conduct guided discussion.
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Week: 1 Day: 3
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative. Present Lab safety procedures.
Laboratory Menu
- Dissasemble Recyclable Items
- Identify Recycleable PC components (StRUT Classes)
- Categorize recyclable components
- Present lab safety procedures
Links for Lesson:
Week: 1 Day: 4
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Dissasemble Recyclable Items
- Identify Recycleable PC components (StRUT Classes)
- Categorize recyclable components
Links for Lesson:
Week: 1 Day: 5
Assessment-evaluation-student presentations
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Week 2 Summary: Materials and elements inside PC, chemical and physical properties (Periodic Chart), materials hazards.
Week: 2 Day: 1
Unit introduction-motivation-attention grabber. Lesson Plan. Reading assignments. Resources. Optional background presentation on the atom.
Lesson Grabbers and Preparations options
- Review weekly lesson plan
- Download Periodic Charts for display or handouts
- Download vocabulary sheet for preview or evaluation
- Handout reading assigmnment (copied or from web site)
- Administer pre-post test
- Select some excellent chemistry activiites and games from Jefferson Lab Teacher Resources
- Present lecture on the atom if needed or have students review as homework
Links for Lesson:
Week: 2 Day: 2
Present PowerPoint lecture or guided discussion. Some teachers may want to augment presentations with more background on modern atomic theory. If you use the periodic table pre-post test at the beginning of this week, you may want to go over it now or include some of the test questions to explain more basic theory to students.
Presentation Menu
- Principal PowerPoint Presentation
- Optional Additional Presentation on the Atom
Links for Lesson:
Week: 2 Day: 3
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Element Analysis (Physical properties)
- Periodic Chart Applications (choose from 3+)
- Atom Model Building from Jefferson Labs
Links for Lesson:
Week: 2 Day: 4
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
Links for Lesson:
Week: 2 Day: 5
Assessment-evaluation-student presentations
Evaluation Options
- Review vocabulary list
- Choose from evaluation and discussion alternatives
- Administer pre-post test
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Week 3 Summary: E-Waste harms the environment and humans. The water cycle and how it can be contaminated. Potential hazards to humans (science of toxicology).
Week: 3 Day: 1
Unit introduction-motivation-attention grabber. Lesson Plan. Reading assignments. Resources.
Lesson Grabbers and Preparations options
- Review weekly lesson plan
- Invite guest speaker on water quality from local water district
- Reading assignment-Love Canal Timeline
- Reading resource. EPA Toxicology Guide
- Demonstrate Water Cycle in a Bag or Awesome Aquifiers
- Grabber-The Plume Effect Experiment
- Grabber-Soil Absorption Experiment
Links for Lesson:
Week: 3 Day: 2
Present PowerPoint lecture or guided discussion
Link for Lesson:
Week: 3 Day: 3
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Site a landfill using satellite images and topographic maps
- Model and analyze water source contamination (mathematical modeling)
Links for Lesson:
Week: 3 Day: 4
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Site a landfill using satellite images and topographic maps
- Model and analyze water source contamination (mathematical modeling)
Links for Lesson:
Week: 3 Day: 5
Assessment-evaluation-student presentations
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Week 4 Summary: Some solutions to E-Waste, the 4-Rs, public awareness and producer responsibility, EPA, local laws.
Week: 4 Day: 1
Unit introduction-motivation-attention grabber. Lesson Plan. Reading assignments. Resources.
Lesson Grabbers and Preparations options
- Review weekly lesson plan
- Student reading assignment
- Guest speaker from local recycler or landfill operation (option fieldtrip)
- Grabber-Newspaper Scavenger Hunt
Links for Lesson:
Week: 4 Day: 2
Present PowerPoint lecture or guided discussion
Link for Lesson:
Week: 4 Day: 3
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Evaluate cost-benefits of e-waste soultions
- Design, construct a recycling device using engineering design process
- Evaluate local/state waste management policies
Links for Lesson:
Week: 4 Day: 4
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Evaluate cost-benefits of e-waste soultions
- Construct a recycling apparatus
- Evaluate local/state waste management policies
Links for Lesson:
Week: 4 Day: 5
Assessment-evaluation-student presentations
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Week 5 Summary: A closer look at one strategy-recycling, processes, technologies, economics, remanufacturing.
Week: 5 Day: 1
Unit introduction-motivation-attention grabber. Lesson Plan. Reading assignments. Resources.
Lesson Grabbers and Preparations options
- Review weekly lesson plan
- Guest speaker from electronics recycler, producer, or local government
- Reading Assignments-UMass Recycling Tech Reports
Links for Lesson:
Week: 5 Day: 2
Present PowerPoint lecture or guided discussion
Link for Lesson:
Week: 5 Day: 3
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Create and quantify recycle processes
- Remanufacture PC to customer requirements (StRUT Classes)
Links for Lesson:
Week: 5 Day: 4
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Create and quantify recycle processes
- Remanufacture PC to customer requirements (StRUT Classes)
Links for Lesson:
Week: 5 Day: 5
Assessment-evaluation-student presentations
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Week 6 Summary: Students respond to needs and create a sustainable recycling enterprise.
Week: 6 Day: 1
Unit introduction-motivation-attention grabber. Lesson Plan. Reading assignments. Resources.
Lesson Grabbers and Preparations options
- Review weekly lesson plan
- Lead Class in Waste Disposal Costs Exercise
- Guest speaker (business owner-entrepreneur-financer) on business planning
- Examine sample business plan (grant proposal)
- Intro-Discussion-Lifecycle of a cell phone
Links for Lesson:
Week: 6 Day: 2
Present PowerPoint lecture or guided discussion
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Week: 6 Day: 3
Laboratory-guided practice. Develop a simple business plan to recycle electronic products. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative. A PC recycling business plan case is under development
Laboratory Menu
- Create business plan for recycling enterprise
- Use specific format and content for the plan
Links for Lesson:
Week: 6 Day: 4
Laboratory-guided practice. Choose primary lab activity or an alternative.
Laboratory Menu
- Create business plan for recycling enterprise
Links for Lesson:
Week: 6 Day: 5
Assessment-evaluation-student presentations
Links for Lesson: