By Victoria Bracetti. "Quarter for Water" Campaign President.

This school problem based learning project consist
in two parts: The application and use of the skills using the scientific
method in a controlled authentic
experiment to test fresh water and the use of the higher thinking skill
analyzing, evaluating and action decision in analyzing a global problem: Fresh
water supplies in an African country.

Olga Gueits, biology and chemistry teacher , Robin J Hamrick, English/ESL and Multicultural Studies Teacher, their classes and tutor Mr H.Toan have decided they want to take action and make a difference in the global water crisis. They
are going to make a sacrifice and make water the only beverage for 2 weeks and
take the money they would have spent in soda, sport drinks, juice, etc and put
aside to give clean water to an identified school in Sierra Leone in Africa. They are
collecting the savings under the logo “Quarter for Water” in a poster designed
by biology student Michael Salem . The goal is to contribute to drill a
fresh water well as part of the Water Challenge (www.The Water Project. Org
) This is the second phase of a whole school year science project. The
first phase of the project was a science research. The main idea is to students
learn to understand the world through the science discipline, and at the same
time strengthen their understanding of the core subject in a global concept
.This phase began when Dr Irene Javier,
Principal, provided Ms Gueits, early in the school year ,with the necessary
materials and equipment for the scienceresearch. Ms Gueits developed an instructional model to help students to understand the
chemistry and biology of fresh water sources. Each student was assigned a different investigation to study the effect
of different known algae ( P.
bursaria, Euglena, Blepharina, Didinium, P. aureate, Vorticella, ,Volvox,
Clamydomonas, Stentor and
others) on different parameters in
samples of Lake Erie water: Carbon Dioxide, Sulfates, Nitrates, Carbonates,
Acidity, Temperature, Conductivity and Dissolved Oxygen. For five months the students were making use of the
scientific method by collecting sample of water of Lake Erie, planting algae in
the sample models under laboratory conditions and collecting data and
observation in tables. They took pictures of the procedures. Finally, they
analyzed the data, constructed graphics, stated conclusions and prepared a written report and a display of
the science project.