Lead is a health hazard for all humans. You can not see or smell lead, and often, you can not taste it. We are surrounded by lead in our environment, however, it does not mean that you will be poisoned. The purpose of this unit on “Lead Contamination: Practices, Policies, and Ethics” is to provide information, awareness, and activities to teachers and students in the middle grades, 5-8; to the seriousness of the problem of lead toxins in the environment.
The unit will provide a conceptual framework on how to deal with fundamental problems through sources of lead in the environment; how it may contaminate food and water; why children are especially vulnerable; what to do about it; technologies (batteries) that concentrate lead and disperse it (gas and paint); lead prevention; lead toxicity; human toxicity and exposure; lead regulations and policy and environmental justice.
Students will be exposed to subject content and lessons plans that enhance critical thinking and inquiry through hands-on approach to learning about lead toxins in the environment. Also, included in the unit is a student reading list, teacher reading list, speakers, resources, field trip information, and a bibliography.
