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Goals and Objectives

1. Students will examine the chemistry of the element mercury and the compounds it forms.

2. Students will look at the reactions and chemical/physical properties of these compound

3. Students will evaluate the impact mercury compounds have on the environment by looking at how it is absorbed by waterways and organisms.

4. Students will investigate and determine the severity of the possible afflictions that can be caused by long term mercury exposure.

Curriculum Standards

The material covered in this webquest is aimed to incorporate a variety of New Jersey's Department of Education Core Curriculum Standards.  Below is a list of the standards covered and the respective place in the webquest when they are discussed.

Science Standards:

5.1.C – "Understand, evaluate and practice safe procedures for conducting science investigations."

• The MSDS will provide students with an understanding of how safety measures and health risks are collected, reported, and shared.

5.3.B – "When performing mathematical operations with measured quantities, express answers to reflect the degree of precision and accuracy of the input data."

• Students will be asked to convert between units and give solutions to problems in appropriate units.

5.3.C – "Apply mathematical models that describe physical phenomena to predict real world events."

• Students will be asked to use formulas to calculate such quantities as solubility and a lethal dosage.

5.10.B.1 – "Assess the impact of human activities on the cycling of matter and the flow of energy through ecosystems."

5.10.B.2 – "Use scientific, economic, and other data to assess environmental risks and benefits associated with societal activity."

• The effects of mercury poisoning, as a consequence of human ingestion of contaminated fish is the main focus of this project.

Health Standards:

2.1.D.4 – "Investigate and assess local, state, national, and international public health efforts."

• Some other real-life cases are referred to in this project as a means of providing a starting point for students to investigate and evaluate this scenario.

Pedagogical Methods:

Why is this project important for my students?

• First, there are a variety of state standards incorporated here.  This project is an excellent for those seeking a cross-curricular activity.
• Secondly, the material covered in this WebQuest will be more relevant to your students if they can add "sense" to the raw "meaning" of the material.  It is hoped that the background story will provide an emotional link to the material that is presented, thus increased the likelihood of it being learned and retained.

Gregorc Learning Styles:

• The Abstract Random learner will most likely find fulfillment in the group based nature of the project.  The material in the Health and Environmentalist pages will appeal to their emotions.  They will also enjoy sharing the information they gather with students who have roles in other groups.
• The step by step instruction and numbered, sequential questions given will be welcomed by your Concrete Sequential learners.  There is enough freedom given for a variety of outcomes to occur, by enough procedure given to prevent anxiety.
• It is likely that the analyis of the data gathered by the chemists will appeal to the Abstract Sequential learner.
• The Concrete Random learner will enjoy gathering the data from the Health Inspector, Chemist, or Environmentalist and use that as defining proof in support of a position.

Multiple Intelligences:

• Many of the questions from the "Chemist" page can be simplified to a series of calculations.  This should be appealing to the student who enjoys visual/spatial learning.

Bloom's Taxonomy

• A concerted effort was made to design questions that require students to construct responses that show much more than mere memorization of material.

Author: Travis Everett