It is our responsibility as educators to help students see their place in the world as active citizens and to expect them to use their scientific knowledge to advocate for sustainable practices.  This presentation will focus on a project created by the 10th grade chemistry teacher and school librarian in a public high school in Manhattan in which students created 3-minute Public Service Announcement videos on a water sustainability issue of their choice.  Without extensive class time given to video production, students were able to synthesize their understanding of chemistry principles and sustainability and apply their understanding to a social issue.   This presentation will describe the process of taking a traditional unit focused on water chemistry and transforming it to culminate in this high-interest, high-quality assessment.  Attendees will receive access to easily adapted materials for a variety of educational settings, including an assessment rubric and online examples.

Why sustainability matters: Creating videos in a water chemistry unit

245th National Meeting (2013)

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