Closing Activity Video

Computer Learning Centers The company wants to give a special thanks to Colegio Nuestra Señora Del Carmen for giving us the opportunity to impact their students with this kind of environmental projects based on the curriculum of the company.

The activity suffer a small change due to heavy rains that occurred during the afternoon of that day, but as always the company Computer Learning Centers to the rescue. We moved to a media room on the premises of the College and we present the products created in ecological clubs Planet Planet Friends and guardians to an audience that was composed 100% of parents of students.

Sabana Llana Water Quality Documental Video

Sabana Llana Water Quality Presentation

Planet Guardians Presentation

View more presentations from papersh21.

Sabana Llana Water Quality Investigation Scientific Article

Scientific Article Sabana Llana Stream

View more documents from papersh21.

Sabana Llana Water Quality ArcGIS Map

This link will guide you to the website for download the Sabana Llana Water Investigation Map:

Sabana Llana Water Quality Investigation Map

Planet Guardians Closing Activity

Club members of Planet Guardians and their teacher, José Hernández would like to invite you all to the end of the project activity, which will be next Tuesday April 12, 2011 in Nuestra Señora del Carmen school at 6:30 pm on its premises. You can listen to club members presenting the products made by them based on their water quality research conducted at the Sabana Llana stream.




See you there

Sabana Llana Water Quality Data Analisys and Results Conclusion

In this investigation of water quality that the club made Planet Guardians took several samples of parameters that will dictate whether that body of water is contaminated is by contaminated or is already polluted. As you know Vernier technology used to measure the following parameters: temperature, pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen, current velocity, and concentrations of ammonium, nitrate, chloride and calcium.

Research tells us that most of the parameters are expected and normal levels, but we have to watch some of these which are the maximum allowed or are already at higher levels than expected. The parameters are:
Turbidity

Sabana Llana - Site 1

According to the USGS, the turbidity of surface water is usually between 1 NTU and 50 NTU. Water is visibly turbid at levels above 5 NTU. The standard for drinking water is 0.5 NTU to 1.0 NTU. The average turbidity in this site of the Sabana Llana Stream is 45.8 NTU. The water is visibly turbid and in the standard range. It can’t be used for drinking water.

Sabana Llana - Site 2

The average turbidity in this site of the Sabana Llana Stream is 55.4 NTU. The water is visibly turbid and in the standard range.

Possible causes of high Turbidity

Many factors can contribute to the turbidity of water. An increase in stream flow due to heavy rains or a decrease in stream-bank vegetation can speed up the process of soil erosion. This will add suspended particles, such as clay and silt, to the water.

Conductivity

Sabana Llana - Site 1

TDS values in lakes and streams are typically found to be in the range of 50 to 250 mg/L. Drinking water will tend to be 25 to 500 mg/L TDS. The average conductivity of the Sabana Llana Stream is 403 μS/cm. There is little amount of metals because the standard levels of conductivity are low.

Sabana Llana - Site 2

Llana Stream is 432 μS/cm. This measurement is of our concern because is in the maximum limit of this parameter. We have to watch very carefully the conductivity of the Sabana Llana Stream.

Possible Causes of high Conductivity - Site 2

Solids are found in streams in two forms, suspended and dissolved. Suspended solids include silt, stirred-up bottom sediment, decaying plant matter, or sewage-treatment effluent. Total dissolved solids, or TDS, can be determined usinig a Vernier Conductivity Probe

Ammonium Ion Selective Electrode

Sabana Llana - Site 2

While levels of ammonium nitrogen in drinking water should not exceed 0.5 mg/L, streams or ponds near heavily fertilized fields may have higher concentrations of this ion. The average of the concentration of ammonium ion are 6.29mg/L. These amounts of ammoniumare above the expected values. The amount of ammonium in this water isn’t accepted for drinking water.

Possible causes of high Ammonium concentrations –Site 2

Ammonium-nitrogen levels are usually quite low in moving surface waters. This is because there is little decaying organic matter collecting on the bottom. If there is a high level of ammonium nitrogen in a moving stream, it may be an indication of pollution of some kind entering the water.

Nitrate Ion Selective Electrode

Sabana Llana - Site 2

The nitrate level in freshwater is usually found in the range of 0.1 to 4 mg/L . Unpolluted waters generally have nitrate levels below 1 mg/L. The average concentration of nitrate ion in this site of the Sabana Llana stream is of 4.6 mg/L. This body of water has a high amount of nitrate which can’t permits life for many organisms.

Possible causes of high Ammonium concentrations –Site 2

Nitrates are an important source of nitrogen necessary for plants and animals to synthesize amino acids and proteins. Although nitrate levels in freshwater are usually less than 1 mg/L, manmade sources of nitrate may elevate levels above 3 mg/L. These sources include animal feedlots, runoff from fertilized fields, or treated municipal wastewater being returned to streams. Levels above 10 mg/L in drinking water can cause a potentially fatal disease in infants called methemoglobinemia, or Blue-Baby Syndrome.

Fred The Lion

Planet Guardians - Making The Products

Planet Guardians Investigation Live!

Planet Guardians Sampling #3

Planet Guardians Sampling #2

Planet Guardians Sampling #1

Planet Guardians Field Trip Investigation

Sabana Llana Water Contamination

Planet Guardians - Project Introduction

Tuesday March 8, 2011 - Joe The Frog

Tenth Session - Planet Guardians - Aplication phase

In this phase of the project Planet Guardians students continue to develop the product which was assigned to its subgroup and also keep using all the knowledge learned in the preparation phase using Thinkquest.org.

During this week's work on the products continued, although attendance in the classroom was not the best and we miss a day of Internet. But nothing will prevent the Planet Guardians do their job:


Let's take an eye in our products:


1) Scientific Article - MS Publisher 2007

Planet Guardian member, Susan, working in the scientific article in MS Publisher 2007. Susan is member of the The Green Hornets subgroup. This subgroup has the duty of create the scientific article of the data results and analisys of the Sabana Llana investigation.

2) Data Results and Analisys Presentation - Logger Pro and MS Power Point 2007

The subgroup The Guardians Dreamers working in the Data Results and Analisys Presentation.

This subgroup has to create the data tables and graphs for the mathemathic analisys of the results. They will create a presentation of this results and then convert the presentation in a image format for the use of the ArcGIS Explorer mapping subgroup .

3) ArcGIS Explorer - Dynamis Model map

The Green Brain subgroup has the commission to work on the dynamic model of water quality research in the Sabana Llana stream in ArcGIS Explorer.

The map will include the data we collect using Vernier LabQuest. We will also have the analysis of the results obtained in the investigation of water quality in the Quebrada Sabana Llana and in addition we have pictures of the tables and graphs showing the results of this research.


4) Documentary Video - Adobe Premier

The video documentary are the products that more work is needed because there are to do various tasks within the development. Subgroup Discovery Kids has the job of creating a video documentary to show the entire research process, its purpose, application and solution to the problem of water pollution issue.

They are using Adobe Premier for the editing of the video clips taken in the field trips and in the classroom. Students will use media as images, video clips, music, narration and text to make this video documentary. All these resources have been taking as the project continues in its development.

5) Planet Guardians Blog - Blogger.com

The subgroup Natural Beauties Blog will touch the project work. The student Liana and her team is working hard on developing the Blog. Are creating entries for each meeting of the blog and these are accompanied by some pictures and video clips for the enjoyment of visitors, we hope you like it.

6) Participation in Thinkquest.org assessments tools

Another important objective of the Planet Guardians project is the collaboration and participation in the "assessment" tools in Thinkquest.org. The subgroups divide their tasks. Technology experts are working on products with José Hernández and researchers are participating and collaborating in the platform Thinkquest.org where the project is published with the relevant tasks for each part that makes this project Planet Guardians.

And this story will continue....

Meeting #10 Team Work in Action!

Planet Guardians students continue to create products of the research project water quality of the creek Sabana Llana. The sub groups are are divided into two groups: data analytics experts and technologies. The analytes are completing the analysis of results obtained with Vernier technology in the data sheet and are also participating in the forums created in the Thinkquest.org platform . Technology experts are adding content and applying all the skills learned in the preparation phase. During the next 2 weeks we will have the first project's final products. Good luck to the members of Planet Guardians and continue working.

Meeting #7 Planet Guardians - Let's Work!

The Planet Guardians, students of  Del Carmen College, began working on their products. Due to the time we took the decision to divide the products by team. So each group will have a different mission but with the same interest: Post all information related to research water quality of the creek Sabana Llana, either in Blog, scientific articles, online map, video documentary and a presentation Power Point. The awakening of the Planet Guardians now be working hard in order to fulfill its mission.

Field Trip to Sabana Llana stream #1

On Thursday February 3, 2011  the Environmental Science Club of Del Carmen School  undertook the difficult task of being the investigators of the Sabana Llana stream water qualilty project, Planet Guardians. These high school students said present to this new adventure.

Twenty studentsof the Enviromental Science Club came to environmental science activities with their teachers. We also had the presence of Mrs Basora ,  the coordinator of the Enviromental Science club.
The class agenda was quite charged. We started at 3:45pm at the school computer lab, our meeting point . In this place Mrs. Basora took a record of attendees, an informal presentation of the participants and began with an orientation walk to the Sabana Llana stream.

Students took mesurements of water quality like: temperature, pH, DO, conductivity and turbidity. They followed the research protocol to the letter. Students took three runs with the same parameters in the two research sites. They had three rounds. The first round they will use the sensors of temperature, pH and turbidity. In the second round they will use temperature and conductivity. Then in the third ronund they will use temperature sensors and dissolve oxygen.

For next class we must do the same procedure but using the  ion sensors of calcium, nitrate, ammonia and chlorine.