Engineer It: Reducing Human Impacts on the Environment

Which activity would be part of a logical plan to reduce each person’s resource use at home?

• The city installs a recycling center.

• People turn off all lights that are not in use.

• People drive below the speed limit to save gas.

• People burn trash instead of putting it out for pick up.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

As part of a natural resources management plan, an apartment’s owner wants to reduce overall water usage. Which recommendation should she include that will help her renters reduce water usage?

• Buy drinking water from the store.

• Shower before entering the swimming pool.

• Don’t let water run while brushing your teeth.

• Bathe only in the afternoon while others are out.

Which of these is an example of a way that a school can reduce the amount of water the school uses?

• Install automatic faucets in the restrooms.

• Recycle aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the cafeteria.

• Turn off computers in the computer lab when they’re not in use.

• Collect waste food and create a compost pile for a school garden.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-3

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets the standards for water quality in the United States. The EPA’s maximum contaminant level for chlorine in drinking water is 4 ppm. What does this mean?

• Drinking water must have more than 4 ppm of chlorine.

• Drinking water in the United States contains 4 ppm of chlorine.

• The EPA has never found more than 4 ppm of chlorine in drinking water.

• The amount of chlorine in drinking water must be less than or equal to 4 ppm.

What is one challenge that comes with using new technologies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

• New technologies are not yet available.

• New technologies only work in certain areas.

• New technologies can consume more fossil fuels.

• New technologies can be more expensive than existing technology.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

NGSS.MS-ETS1-2

In general, organic material breaks down faster than inorganic material. Which type of solid waste is likely to take the longest to break down in a landfill?

• paper plate

• glass bottle

• wood scraps

• banana peel

A city wants to use the engineering design process to develop a way to monitor resource use in the city. What is the first step the city should take?

• identify the resource that the city needs to monitor

• create and test a model of one way to monitor resources

• brainstorm different ways to monitor the city’s resource use

• determine the criteria and constraints for monitoring resource use

Tags

NGSS.MS-ETS1-1

Choose the ways in which humans impact the environment positively . Choose all that apply.

• planting trees

• saving energy

• throwing

• Using cars that burn fossil fuels

Activities that can disturb the environment.

• Natural events

• Human activities

• Planting a tree

• Recycling

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

Human activities don't have any effect on Earth systems.

• True

• False

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS3-4

NGSS.MS-ESS3-5