Interweaving Technology, Science, and Mathematics in an Environmental Unit

When talking about environmental problems, technology can be both villain and hero. We often design, develop, and implement technological solutions to make our lives easier, but these technologies may have objectionable lasting effects on our environment. On the other hand, technology can save the day with efforts to monitor, clean, and repair the environment. If we look at our use of fossil fuels, we can see technology causing and lessening environmental problems. Fossil fuels have been an important source of energy, but our use of them has added pollutants to the air and has contributed to acid rain. To counteract these problems, technological developments have led to innovations in engines and smoke stacks that reduce polluting emissions. Instruments such as air quality monitors and pollution sensors capture data that we can analyze to better understand the extent and nature of environmental problems.

Units about technology and the environment provide perfect opportunities for teachers of technology, science, and mathematics to collaborate. An integrated unit about the environment will allow your students to apply science and mathematics skills and concepts in a different context. Students also learn about the relationship between technology and society and develop reasoning skills to weigh the risks and benefits of personal and industrial uses of technology. When your students study technology and the environment, they have the chance to develop technological, scientific, and mathematical literacy all at the same time. What an educationally powerful experience!

We have selected resources to help you and your students see the influence of technology on the aquatic environment, understand how technology facilitates the regeneration of clean water through wastewater treatment, and learn about sources of and remedies for pollution problems. We have also included a comprehensive environmental program that offers your students opportunities to use technology to gather and analyze data. Lessons about technology and the environment can relate to technological, scientific, and mathematical national standards. We offer these resources to kindle your imagination about ways to develop multifaceted cross-curricular lessons about the environment.

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by Judy Ridgway, Carolee Barber, and Judy Spicer

Judy Ridgway was ENC's Assistant Director of Instructional Resources. She is a veteran educator in the biological sciences.

Carolee Barber was a science education resource specialist at ENC. She has taught a variety of science courses and worked for a conservation organization.

Judy Spicer is the mathematics education resource specialist for digital library projects at Ohio State University. She has taught mathematics in grades 9-14. Email: spicer.21@osu.edu

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Copyright May 2007 — The Ohio State University. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 0424671. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons License.