Clean up the environment with a lesson that focuses on replacing hazardous cleaning supplies with green, environmentally-friendly products. Using a dirty patch of surface as a control area, kids clean other parts of various surfaces using name brand products, and compare the results to green cleaning products made with vinegar, baking soda, and water.

Concepts

the green movement, pollution, pesticides, human impact on the environment, environmental hazards, organic farming, ddt, environmental factors

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Additional Tags

science

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Instructional Ideas

• Use in an environmental science class, a chemistry class, or in an Earth science class
• Bring the informational text into a language arts class to reinforce informational reading
• Incorporate into an Earth Day unit or curriculum focus
• Use the facts in the informational guide in your instruction before you begin the lesson in class

Classroom Considerations

• Some printables are in color, but printing in black and white shouldn't impede understanding
• Requires use of several cleaning products; ensure that kids are using safety precautions and are not allergic to any of the materials in the experiment
• Experiment sets up five stations for kids to apply their cleaning products (tile, glass, copper, wood, and floor), so be sure they have access to each surface somewhere in your lab or classroom

Pros

• Includes a lesson plan, teacher's informational guide, printables and lab instructions for learners, and discussion questions at the end of the lesson
• Promotes green chemistry and environmentally-friendly innovations

Cons

• None

Common Core

RI.9-10.1 RI.11-12.1