Presentation, Graphic Organizers, & Activities

Europe’s

STANDARDS:

SS6G8 Explain environmental issues in Europe. a. Explain the causes and effects of acid rain

in Germany. b. Explain the causes and effects of air

pollution in the United Kingdom. c. Explain the causes and effects of the

nuclear disaster in Chernobyl, Ukraine.

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TEACHER INFO:

• Print off the following slide for each student.

• They should complete the chart while discussing the presentation.

• Check answers as a class when finished. If time, have students color their pictures.

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© B

rain

Wrinkles

Eu

rop

e’s En

viron

men

tal Issues

Directio

ns: C

omplete the chart below

with inform

ation that you learn during the presen

tation. If time

allows, color your illustrations.

Acid

Rain

in G

erman

y

CA

USES

EFFECTS

SOLU

TION

ILLUSTR

ATIO

N

Air P

ollu

tion

in th

e Un

ited

Kingdom

Nuclear D

isaster in

Chernobyl, U

kraine

Factories have s tarted us ing water power & alternative fuels, stricter emissions testing on automobiles, Germany has agreed to cleaner energy sources, like wind and solar, instead of burning fossil fuels

Destroyed over half of the Black Forest, contaminating rivers and lakes, thus harming fish and wildlife, corroding buildings and statues, contaminating drinking water

Factories, power plants, and automobiles burn fossil fuels and give off smoke and emissions; rain and pollutants mix in the air

Government has created smokeless zones in London; factories and homes are us ing more electricity and burning less fossil fuels; laws require automakers to bui ld cars that produce less exhaust; people are asked to use public transportation

Causes health hazards such as asthma and pneumonia, burns eyes, nose, & lungs; harms vegetation which results in s lower growing & makes i t more susceptible to diseases and insects; decreases crop production

Factories, homes, and automobiles burn fossil fuels and give off smoke and emissions; Smoke and emissions contain pol lutants, such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, and nitrous oxide, which are released into the air

Plant was closed in 2000; Chernobyl is inhabitable today

Over 100,000 acres of land was contaminated with radioactive wastes; forests and wildlife died, water was not safe to drink and fish could not be eaten; So much land was contaminated, farmers could no long grow/sell crops, Radiation exposure causes thyroid cancer, autoimmune diseases, & birth defects

Nuclear power plant exploded and released tons of toxic radioactive waste into the atmosphere

© B

rain

Wrinkles

Eu

rop

e’s En

viron

men

tal Issues

Directio

ns: C

omplete the chart below

with inform

ation that you learn during the presen

tation. If time

allows, color your illustrations.

Acid

Rain

in G

erman

y

CA

USES

Ch

erno

byl

EFFECTS

SOLU

TION

ILLUSTR

ATIO

N

Air Pollution in U

K

Acid Rain in Germany, Air Pollution in the United Kingdom, & the Nuclear Disaster in

Chernobyl, Ukraine

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• Over the past 30 years, acid rain has been damaging Germany.

• It contaminates soil, kills trees, eats holes in the surfaces of buildings & statues, pollutes rivers, and harms wildlife.

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• Acid rain is a result of air pollution.

• When any type of fuel is burnt, a lot of different chemicals are produced and released into the air.• The chemicals mix with water in

the clouds and come down with rain.

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• The rain that falls has weak levels of acid mixed in.

• It’s not acidic enough to burn your skin, but it is very harmful for the environment.

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Left Branch shows needle loss and discoloration due to acid rain.

• The main source of acid rain is smoke from factories (burning fuels like natural gas, coal, & oil).• Germany is a top manufacturing country.

(It leads the world in cars, steel, & chemical products.)

• The economy depends on these factories.

• Cars & buses also produce harmful gases.

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• Acid rain can effect trees in several different ways.• It dissolves & washes away the nutrients and

minerals in the soil• It causes the release of harmful substances

such as aluminum into the soil.

• Acid rain has destroyed nearly half of the Black Forest!• This has really harmed Germany’s economy

because one of its major natural resources is timber.

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• Acid rain causes the water in rivers and lakes to become more acidic.• Fish and other animals that live in these

waters are dying, as well as the animals that drink from these waters.

• It also causes people to face harmful health hazards because the rain contaminates the drinking water in fresh water reservoirs.

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• Nitrogen and sulfur in acid rain are eating away at many of Germany’s landmarks, causing buildings and artwork to deteriorate.

• Concrete, metals, limestone, and marble are all susceptible to acid rain, and many of Germany’s cultural objects that are hundreds of years old are slowly corroding away.

•© Brain Wrinkles

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Acid Rain Can Cause Erosion in Stone Statues & Buildings

• In Germany, power plants that use water power are replacing many coal-burning factories.

• They are developing new types of energy, such as wind turbines and solar power.

• Germany’s government has passed laws to reduce emissions from cars and factories.

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• Many of the world’s largest and most industrialized countries are in Europe.• Paris, London, Berlin, Rome,

Amsterdam

• These cities tend to have a lot of factories, a lot of traffic, and produce a lot of air pollution.

• A country that has been greatly effected by this problem is the UK.

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© Brain Wrinkles

• London, the capital of UK, is famous for air pollution.

• The word “smog” was first used in 1905 to describe air in London (thick fog + smoke).

• Thick London smog happens when sunlight acts on the gases from factory or automobile exhausts, or when water in the air mixes with smoke particles.

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• In the past, the major source of air pollution was smoke from burning coal in factories.• The air quality in the UK began diminishing

due to the smoke and air pollutants emitted from the burning coal.

• Today, exhaust from automobiles is the big problem.• Emissions from automobiles contain carbon

monoxide and nitrous oxide, which stay close to the ground and contribute to low-lying smog.

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• Asthma and pneumonia are linked to vehicle emissions.

• Air pollution burns the lungs, nose, and eyes, and endangers human life.

• When air pollution levels are high, children, sick people, and the elderly have to stay inside to avoid breathing the hazardous air.

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© Brain Wrinkles

• Air pollution also harms vegetation.

• Vegetation exposed to polluted air for long periods of time grows more slowly and is more susceptible to disease and insects.

• This causes a major decrease in crop production.

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• Starting in the 1950s, UK’s government has created smokeless zones in London where only smokeless fuels could be used.

• Electricity has also been used more in factories and homes.

• Laws have been created that require automobile makers to build cars that produce less exhaust.

• People have been asked to drive less and are encouraged to use public transportation or walk.

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• In Western Europe, nations are trying to lessen pollution.• They are spending money and

researching new ways to produce power that cause less environmental damage.

• In Eastern Europe, few nations are researching new technologies.• They have less money.

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• Most countries in Europe are members of a group called the European Union.

• Since its formation in 1993, the EU has passed policies designed to fight acid rain, improve air quality, restrict toxic waste, and reduce pollution.

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• Between 1922 and 1991, Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union and was known for its fertile farmland and successful agricultural industry.

• During the 1980s, many countries in Europe began using nuclear power plants to produce cleaner and cheaper energy in order to rely less on fossil fuels.

• Many European countries had strict regulations on nuclear power use; however, Ukraine did not.

• Chernobyl was a growing city in Ukraine, and it was home to the largest nuclear power plant in Europe.• Unlike other nuclear power plants, Chernobyl was

used to produced nuclear weapons material.

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• In 1986, the Soviet Union generated 10% of the world’s nuclear power.

• On April 26, 1986, one of the reactors at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded.• The explosion released large

amounts of deadly radioactive nuclear material into the atmosphere.

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Before…

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After

• The morning after the explosion, there was no hint of a disaster.

• After 36 hours of being exposed to radiation, the people were finally told to pack their clothing and evacuate their homes.• There was a 30 kilometer (18

mile) evacuation zone.

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• Nearly nine tons of radioactive material (90 times as much as the Hiroshima bomb) was hurled into the sky.

• Over the following days, winds mostly blowing north and west, carried fallout into Belarus, as well as Russia, Poland, & other countries around the world.

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• In the first months after the accident, 28 emergency workers died from acute radiation syndrome.• Doctors have noticed an increase in cases

of cancer who lived nearby.

• Many animals died or got sick.• Fish in nearby rivers were unsafe to eat for

many years.

• Millions of acres of farmland have been poisoned.

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Radiation Suits Worn By Workers

• The people exposed to the high levels of radiation developed a high level of health problems, including thyroid cancer, autoimmune disorders, birth defects, and other health issues.

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• Chernobyl continued to produce electricity for another 14 years, until international pressure forced its closure in 2000.

• An official exclusion zone around the plant remains in place, extending for 30 kilometers (18 miles). • It is one of the most radioactive spots

on Earth.

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• In 2011, Ukraine opened up an area so tourists can see first-hand the effects of the disaster.

• Forests surrounding the city have repopulated with a variety of wildlife and vegetation.

• Radiation levels are still so high that humans cannot live here for 20,000 years!

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Chernobyl Today…A Ghost Town

© Brain Wrinkles Amusement Park

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Hospital (Baby Room)

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School Classroom

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School Classroom

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Grocery Store

TEACHER INFO: Political Cartoon Analysis

• Print off the Political Cartoon Analysis sheet for

each student.

• Project the slide with the two political cartoons

onto the board.

• Students should choose one of the cartoons and

complete the analysis for it.

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Directions: Spend some time analyzing the political cartoon, then answer the questions below.

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Describe what you see in the cartoon. List the objects/people. Which of the objects are symbols? What do you think each symbol means?

Describe the action taking place in the cartoon: Explain the message of the cartoon:

Who would agree with the cartoon’s message? Why? Who would disagree with the cartoon’s message> Why?

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1

2

TEACHER INFO: Environmental Issues App

• Print off the Environmental Issues App pages for

each student.

• Students should create a new app that will solve

one of Europe’s environmental issues.

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App Title: ___________________________

Creator: ____________________________

Description:

$

Rating

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Design An AppDirections: Imagine that Apple has hired you to create a new application that will solve one of Europe’s environmental issues. Design the logo for the new app, and write a description about what the app does and how it works.

TEACHER INFO: Comprehension Check

• Print off the Comprehension Check handout for each student. (Print front-to-back to save paper.)

• Students will complete the assignment after discussing the presentation. This can also be used as a quiz!

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1.

Wh

at is acid rain

?

2. W

hat cau

ses acid rain

?

3. N

ame 3

effects of acid

rain in

Germ

any:

4. W

hat so

lutio

ns h

as Germ

any im

plem

ented

to red

uce acid

rain?

5. W

hat is air p

ollu

tion

?

6. W

hat are th

e majo

r causes o

f air po

llutio

n in

the U

nited

Kin

gdo

m?

7. W

hat is sm

og?

8. H

ow

is air po

llutio

n h

armfu

l to p

eop

le and

natu

re in th

e Un

ited K

ingd

om

?

9. W

hat so

lutio

ns h

as the U

K im

plem

ented

to red

uce air p

ollu

tion

?

© B

rain

Wrin

kles

10

. Wh

at hap

pen

ed o

n A

pril 2

0, 1

98

6 in

Ch

erno

byl, U

kraine?

11

. Wh

at imp

act did

the n

uclear exp

losio

n h

ave on

the en

viron

men

t?

12

. Wh

at imp

act did

the n

uclear exp

losio

n h

ave on

hu

man

s?

13

. Ho

w w

ere oth

er cou

ntries effected

by th

e Ch

erno

byl n

uclear d

isaster?

14

. Wh

at is Ch

erno

byl like to

day?

© B

rain

Wrin

kles

1.

Wh

at is acid rain

?R

ainfall th

at is mixed

with

po

llutan

ts in th

e air

2. W

hat cau

ses acid rain

?Facto

ries, po

wer p

lants, an

d au

tom

ob

iles bu

rn fo

ssil fuels an

d give o

ff smo

ke and

em

ission

s

3. N

ame 3

effects of acid

rain in

Germ

any:

Destro

yed o

ver half o

f the B

lack Forest, co

ntam

inatin

g rivers and

lakes, thu

s harm

ing

fish an

d w

ildlife, co

rrod

ing b

uild

ings an

d statu

es, con

tamin

ating d

rinkin

g water

4. W

hat so

lutio

ns h

as Germ

any im

plem

ented

to red

uce acid

rain?

Factories h

ave started u

sing w

ater po

wer &

alternative fu

els, stricter emissio

ns testin

g o

n au

tom

ob

iles, Germ

any h

as agreed to

cleaner en

ergy sou

rces, like win

d an

d so

lar, in

stead o

f bu

rnin

g fossil fu

els

5. W

hat is air p

ollu

tion

?Sm

oke an

d em

ission

s con

tain p

ollu

tants, su

ch as carb

on

mo

no

xide, su

lfur d

ioxid

e, and

n

itrou

s oxid

e, wh

ich are released

into

the air

6. W

hat are th

e majo

r causes o

f air po

llutio

n in

the U

nited

Kin

gdo

m?

Factories, h

om

es, and

auto

mo

biles b

urn

fossil fu

els and

give off sm

oke an

d em

ission

s

7. W

hat is sm

og?

Sun

light th

at acts on

the em

ission

s or w

hen

water in

the air reacts w

ith th

e emissio

ns;

creates a low

-lying b

lanket o

f thick air p

ollu

tion

8. H

ow

is air po

llutio

n h

armfu

l to p

eop

le and

natu

re in th

e Un

ited K

ingd

om

?C

auses h

ealth h

azards su

ch as asth

ma an

d p

neu

mo

nia, b

urn

s eyes, no

se, & lu

ngs;

harm

s vegetation

wh

ich resu

lts in slo

wer gro

win

g & m

akes it mo

re suscep

tible to

d

iseases and

insects; d

ecreases crop

pro

du

ction

9. W

hat so

lutio

ns h

as the U

K im

plem

ented

to red

uce air p

ollu

tion

?G

overn

men

t has created

smo

keless zon

es in Lo

nd

on

; factories an

d h

om

es are usin

g m

ore electricity an

d b

urn

ing less fo

ssil fuels; law

s requ

ire auto

makers to

bu

ild cars th

at p

rod

uce less exh

aust; p

eop

le are asked to

use p

ub

lic transp

ortatio

n

© B

rain

Wrin

kles

10

. Wh

at hap

pen

ed o

n A

pril 2

0, 1

98

6 in

Ch

erno

byl, U

kraine?

Nu

clear po

wer p

lant exp

lod

ed an

d released

ton

s of to

xic radio

active waste in

to th

e atm

osp

here

11

. Wh

at imp

act did

the n

uclear exp

losio

n h

ave on

the en

viron

men

t?O

ver 10

0,0

00 acres o

f land

was co

ntam

inated

with

radio

active wastes; fo

rests and

w

ildlife d

ied, w

ater was n

ot safe to

drin

k and

fish co

uld

no

t be eaten

; So m

uch

land

w

as con

tamin

ated, farm

ers cou

ld n

o lo

ng gro

w/sell cro

ps

12

. Wh

at imp

act did

the n

uclear exp

losio

n h

ave on

hu

man

s?R

adiatio

n exp

osu

re causes th

yroid

cancer, au

toim

mu

ne d

iseases, & b

irth d

efects

13

. Ho

w w

ere oth

er cou

ntries effected

by th

e Ch

erno

byl n

uclear d

isaster?A

ir curren

ts carried th

e wastes to

oth

er parts o

f the So

viet Un

ion

, Eastern Eu

rop

e, and

Scan

din

avia—as air p

articles fell to th

e grou

nd

, land

and

bo

dies o

f water w

ere co

ntam

inated

14

. Wh

at is Ch

erno

byl like to

day?

It is a gho

st tow

n, an

d h

um

ans can

no

t inh

abit th

e area for 2

0,0

00

years

© B

rain

Wrin

kles

TEACHER INFO: TICKET OUT THE DOOR

• Print off the Jot it Down handout for each student.

• Give the students a time limit of two minutes or so.

• Have the students jot down everything that they can remember about the lesson.

• Before the next class, scan the tickets to make sure that all

students understood the main points of the lesson.

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Write down everything that you can remember about yesterday’s lesson.

Write down everything that you can remember about yesterday’s lesson.

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Name: Name:

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Ansley at Brain Wrinkles

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