Pollution and the Environment Study Guide

 Krista is doing a research project to determine the effects of a new factory on the quality of the air in the city and the water in the surrounding lake. Which of the following questions can Krista ask to determine the effects of a new factory on the quality of air?

What should Krista ask.

• Does the factory recycle?

• How many people work at the factory?

• Where does the factory dump their wastewater?

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NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Cameron and his sister go fishing at the lake downstream from a factory. They found the lake full of dead fish and a sign that said “No Swimming”. Which of the following is MOST LIKELY the cause for the dead fish and the “NO SWIMMING” sign at the lake?

• Too many people fished at the lake, so the fish lost their source of food which caused the fish to die.

• Too many people were swimming in the water, which made the water too dirty for the fish to live in.

• Pollution from the factory upstream caused the fish to die and made the water unsafe for swimming.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

A person driving a car throws a plastic water bottle out of the window. Will this plastic bottle affect the environment? Which answer and its explanation is the best to explain what might happen?

• It will affect the river because it will roll into the storm drain which leads to the rivers and streams. It will never break down or decompose.

• It will not affect the environment because it will be washed away by the rain into the storm drain which leads underground.

• It will affect only the land because it will stay on the road until someone cleans it up.

• It will not affect the environment because the bottle will break down or decompose.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

 Plastic pollution has become a big problem in the state of Georgia. What would be the best solution to protect the plants and animals from plastic pollution?

• Reduce the amount of plastic used and recycle it.

• Burn the plastic instead of throwing it away.

• Dump the plastic in the ocean where it can’t harm anything.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

Your class has just eaten lunch and has a huge bag of trash. What would be the best way to protect the animals and plants in our environment?

• Put all of the trash into the dumpster so it will not harm the living things in the environment.

• Sort the trash to recycle and compost so we can limit how much goes into the landfill.

• Burn the trash because the smoke will disappear into the air.

• Bury all of the trash so it can decompose into soil.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Elena noticed that her kitchen sink was dripping water all day and night. What is the BEST solution to solve this problem?

• She could fix the sink so it stops dripping water, which will help to conserve water.

• She could collect the water, test how clean it is, and make a plan to help clean the water.

• She could collect the water and use it to water her plants so it isn’t wasted.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Victor has noticed that many of the roads in his town are covered with litter. Most of it is from fast food, including paper bags, and soda cups. What conclusion can Victor make about the impact the litter will have on the environment?

• All the trash will make the town smell bad.

• Animals may think it is food and try to eat the trash.

•  Wind may blow the trash in front of the cars, which could cause accidents.

• The trash won’t be re-used or recycled.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

Using the picture, what might be the best question to ask to determine the source of pollution in the river?

• Where do the storm drains come from?

• What kind of animals live in the river?

• How many cars travel the road ?

• What does the factory make?

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

Sea turtles create nests and lay their eggs in the sand on beaches each year.  Researchers have found that the nesting places on many of those beaches are being destroyed by people who are using the beaches to go swimming. What could the community do to protect the sea turtles?

• The community should build barriers to protect the turtles while allowing visitors to go to the beach to swim.

• The community should not do anything because the turtles will adapt to figure out how to survive.

• The community should relocate the turtle nests and eggs so people can enjoy the beach.

• The community should shut down the beaches entirely.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-4

NGSS.MS-LS2-5

A fourth grade student took a survey to see how many families recycle at home. What tips can this student provide to families who do not recycle to help save local plants and animals.

• Recycling will allow families to reduce the amount of trash that will build up and harm the environment.

• The only way to recycle is to sort plastic from all other materials. 

• The only way to recycle is to sort plastic from all other materials. 

• Reusing materials causes more pollution.

Tags

NGSS.MS-LS2-5