RSI SEPUP Page

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Science Education for Public Understanding Program

SEPUP Kit Picture The following is a listing and desription of the SEPUP kits now available through Chief Dull Knife College - Northern Cheyenne Rural Systemic Initiative. For more information on the SEPUP kits or to request delivery of a specific kit contact Greg Smith

A SEPUP kit is a series of related activities designed as a 2- to 4-week unit for the secondary grades. These activities use inquiry-based problem-solving approaches to learning which emphasize the importance of basing one's decisions on evidence.

Each kit contains materials needed to complete the activities, student pages, and background and instructional materials for the teacher.

Chemical Survey Solutions and Pollution	What is a chemical? Are chemicals necessary? What is a solution? Is dilution the answer to pollution? Students respond to a questionnaire concerning their perceptions about chemicals. They then apply principles of acid-base chemistry to deal with some of our water pollution problems.
Determining Threshold Limits	How do chemists analyze samples to determine what and how much of a certain chemical is present? Experimentation introduces the concepts of qualitative and quantitative analysis. A simulated animal toxicity experiment introduces students to the need for, and limitations of, extrapolating animal data to humans.
Risk Comparison	What are risks to life? Can lifestyle decisions make a difference? Students are introduced to the concepts of probability, risk, risk comparison, and decision making.
Investigating Groundwater: The Fruitvale Story	The aquifer feeding the Fruitvale well is found to be contaminated. This hands-on simulation illustrates how the source and the extent of the contamination are determined. Students take the roles of concerned professionals and community members and try to develop a clean-up strategy for the aquifer.
Toxic Waste: A Teaching Simulation	What is a toxic waste? Can hazardous and toxic materials be stabilized and rendered relatively harmless? Students explore how precipitation, oxidation-reduction, and single replacement reactions can be used in waste reduction and waste treatment processes.
Plastics in Our Lives	Would you like a paper or plastic bag? Students explore the advantages and disadvantages of each choice as they learn about physical properties and environmental issues involved in the production, use, recyclability, and degradability of plastics.
Chemicals in Foods: Additives	Why are chemicals added to foods? Students explore food preservation, examine food labels, investigate processing additives, and perform a simulated test for pesticide residues.
The Waste Hierarchy	What ultimately happens to the materials society calls "waste"? Students examine the amount and categories of trash they personally discard and compare their findings with national norms. They then consider methods of disposal based upon the concept of a waste hierarchy.
Investigating Hazardous Materials	What happens when barrels of hazardous waste are found in an abandoned field? Students are introduced to methods for physically separating, sampling, and identifying the contents of a barrel of simulated hazardous waste as they explore problems involved in hazardous waste disposal. Students consider trade-offs involved in the transportation, use, and disposal of hazardous substances.
Household Chemicals	Students explore safe and effective use of household chemicals as they investigate the following questions: How much of a household chemical is enough? Will two household chemicals mixed together work better than one? How do household chemicals work? Students explore the hazard categories of household chemicals and discuss appropriate storage and disposal methods.
Environmental Health Risks	What is an environmental health risk? How do students manage the information they receive about these risks? Students explore biological risks in the water supply, consider optimum levels of chlorine in drinking water, test for pesticide residues, and examine toxicity levels. Finally, students consider personal actions they might take in order to reduce their exposure to environmental health risks.
CHEM Units	A series of fifteen enrichment units designed to help fourth, fifth, and sixth graders understand the nature of chemicals and how they interact with the environment.