Lesson Title/Topic: Environmental Engineer

Standards: Fifth grade, Science

112.16. b.3.c The student uses critical thinking and

scientific problem solving to make informed decisions.draw or develop a model that represents
how something works or looks that cannot be seen.

Lesson Objectives: The learners will

design an environmentally friendly
container for soda cans with the provided
materials with 90 percent topical
understanding of the career.

Assessment (Evaluation):
Paragraph and picture of solving problem.

Materials: rubber bands, paint stirrers, duct tape, cardboard, wax paper, copy paper, string, and
soda cans.
The teacher will:
Focus (Engagement):
Ask students what their impression of the
words Environmental Engineer are.
Create a graphic organizer on the board of
suggestions from students with their
impression of what this type of person may
do.

The student will:

Present video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=MUT8zya53Vg

Watch video.

Teacher Input (Explanation &

Elaboration):
Explain that environmental engineers apply
scientific principles to help the
environment. They focus on things such as:
clean water, minimizing pollution, waste
disposal, recycling, and global warming.
To be successful, environmental engineers
must have:
Imagination: They observe problems in the
world and have to imagine solutions to
solve them. They cannot be scared if an
idea does not work if they have not tried it
yet.
Interpersonal skills: Projects to solve big

Share their ideas of what their impression

of this word is, calling upon their
understanding of the skills of an engineer
and how those skills may be useful for the
environment.

Work with a foldable including a graphic

organizer about Environmental
Engineers, listing the Types of
Responsibilities.
Follow the graphic organizer to list the
Traits of Environmental Engineers.

problems require many people. They need

to be able work together to complete
projects.
Problem Solving Abilities:
Reading and Writing Skills: Ideas have to
be communicated correctly and understood
to be put into action.
This job does require a 4-year Bachelors
Continue to work graphic organizer to list
degree at a university. The starting salary is the Education and Salary.
about $55 thousand, and the average salary
is about $80 thousand. This is a growing
industry, expected to grow 15% more in the
next ten years.
Guided Practice (Exploration):
Ask students to find a partner.
Show a plastic soda holder. Explain that
this is something that pollutes forests,
lakes, streams, and animals can get caught
in them, sometimes starving them.
To have students understand, ask them to
put a rubber band around their wrist and try
to remove it just with that hand.

Find a partner.

Attempt to remove rubber band from

around wrist and relate to environmental
issue which is being discussed.

An environmental engineer would observe Think of how this may affect animals.
this and be creative in thinking of a
Share answer with class.
solution to save the environment and these
animals.
Ask: What could they do?
Listen for: Have another way to carry soda!
Ask students to collect needed supplies to
create a soda holder of their own using
environmentally-friendly supplies. These
items will break down and decompose if
not properly recycled, which can save the
lives of animals.

Gather supplies to work to create an

environmentally-friendly holder for soda.
Utilize partner for ideas. Create project.

Ask students to think creatively about how

these supplies could be used to carry soda
in a way that will support the weight and
will stay together if someone takes one can.
Independent Practice (Evaluation):
Ask students to consider another
Utilize the internet to research current
environmental problem of their choice.
environmental issues. Use imagination or

What type of invention could be developed

by an engineer to aid in the solution of this
problem?
Request they write a paragraph about the
problem, write a paragraph about the
solution, and then draw a picture of the
theoretical solution.
Utilize the internet to research dilemmas
and potential existing solutions.
Closure:
Utilize the I Use to ThinkBut Now I
Know structure as a group to have
students share their opinions from the
beginning of class and contrast with their
impression after the lesson.
Allow several students to share their ideas.
Options:
Enrichment:
Ask students to critically analyze the
containers for the beverages and how they
also effect the environment if not properly
disposed. Ask students to develop a
construction for the beverages that is
biodegradable (not made of aluminum or
plastic) using any material of their choice.

Modifications:
Follow students IEP
References:

perform more research to find a potential

solution to this problem. Write a paragraph
about the issue and another about how the
student would solve this issue.

Share with group what they have learned

about this career or about engineering as a
result of this project. Reflect on what
impressions the class had at the beginning
of the lesson.

Reteach:
Show the class different technologies and
inventions that are already in existence
such as water filters. Explain that these
items were developed based on an
individual seeing a need in the environment
and working to create solution. There are
many types of engineers that work to
creatively solve problems, but if it is a need
that is due to an issue with the earth (water,
waste, pollution), then the person who
solves it is an Environmental Engineer.
Continue to show other problems an
environmental engineer may work to solve.