Summary

The topic of the school year 2023-24 is POLLUTION. Some activities will be carried out along the school year.  The outcomes of all the activities and how they were carried out will be presented in a science fair the last week of April, so that all the students of the school will be able to see the work done. 

Different research topics are suggested, all related to the main topic (pollution):

-Effect of acid rain: An experiment will be held where students will draw the consequences of different acidic concentrations on both plants and seeds. The experiment will be designed and carried out in the subject of Biology. In Technology, students will build the technical devices/materials to carry out the experiments . Finally, in Maths, the data set will be analysed  in order to get conclusions on how acid rain affects the environment.

-Pollution of rivers:  The study of invertebrates in different rivers or in different parts of a river will be done to see the diversity and the effect of river pollution on them. 

-Noise pollution: The students will create a noise map of town (subject of Music).  Some noises will be measured by using the decibel scale and will be analysed afterwards to understand the logarithmical scale in Mathematics.

-Plastic reduction: Plastic has been a very useful material recently; due to its fragility, lightness and cheapness. Since man discovered plastic, it has been used continuously. Also, its improper use has brought enormous consequences. In fact, the plastic that flows into the rivers goes into the seas. Huge islands of plastic are formed in the oceans. Marine animals get stuck in plastic and die by ingesting the plastic and eating unconsciously. Also, it takes centuries and centuries to degrade.

In order to work with the students on the 12th SDG and 13th SDG of Agenda 2030, and at the same time with the intention of making aware of the critical situation, some activities for the students of the 3rd grade in the subject of Physics and Chemistry are designed. They will be reflecting on the chemical structure of plastics, their utility and production as well as on the possibility of replacing them. Finally they will create bioplastics at the lab.

In addition to the previous research/experiments, some talks are scheduled. They will be given by experts on the topic. (scientists).

Finally, some short videos about Science will be played during the break time (Ikusi eta ikasi) in order to bring Science closer to students. 

Effect of acid rain

We have started an experiment to investigate the effect of acid rain on plants and seed germination. 3 different acidic concentrations are used to simulate the acid rain. Different groups of plants and seeds are watered by using the different concentrations of acid. The aim of the experiment is to see the consequences of acid rain on both growth of plants and germination of seeds.

In Math class 4th graders analysed the data set. They got graphs that helped them draw conclusions.

The pH of the soil treated with pH7 water (control) is the one with a higher pH decrease, which doesn´t make sense. Surely the accurancy of the measurements wasn´t as required and that´s why the results are not as they were supposed to be.

The plants that died the most were the ones watered with pH6 water, with a total of 2 deaths out of 5 plants. This point also makes no sense, but the thing is that other factors were crucial in the experiment, as some aphids that some plants had. This made impossible to draw any conclusion connected just to the pH variable.

Regarding the seed germination, the seeds watered with pH7 water were the ones that germinated the most (100%). With the other treatments not all the seeds germinated.

Finally, the students tried to find any connection between variables (pH of soil or pH of water versus seeds germination) to see if the pH had any influence on germination. They didn´t find any relationship but realized that the data quantity wasn´t enough to find it. 

Pollution of rivers:

The research on the IMPACT OF A DAM ON THE RIVER ECOSYSTEM has begun. The aim is to analyze the changes in the community of Orgogapa by analyzing samples from the Artikutza (Navarra) reservoir (supported by EHU).

The different invertebrates that appear in the samples will help us know the level of pollution of the river.

Plastic reduction

3rd graders created bioplastics at the lab in Physics & Chemistry class in a way to help with the plastic reduction.

Ikusi eta ikasi

So far 5 short videos about Science have been watched during break time. Here there are the posters of them and some pics:

Talks by scientists

On February 2, EHU researcher Pello Larrinaga met with the 5th graders to explain how mankind has changed the use of energy throughout history. Pello Larrinaga is a doctor and professor at the Higher Technical School of Engineering in Bilbao.

On January 24, Adrian Bozal-Leorri, a researcher from EHU and UPNA, came to Aixerrota to give a lecture on the damage caused by agriculture to the environment. There, he explained to 4th graders the experiments developed with the aim of reducing this damage. Besides, the contribution of science to society was also discussed.