Environmental Information Sources
Education and knowledge are critical elements to empowering people and groups of people. Here are links to some additional sources for environmental information.
Guidance for Communities Impacted by Contaminants
The research centers from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, University of Cincinnati, and University of Pennsylvania developed a three-part learning module in collaboration with their respective community groups and with governmental organizations and industries.
- Module 1 sets the stage with background descriptions of three sites having significant contaminant exposures to the community members.
- Module 2 offers guidance on forming community groups and on building respectful relationships.
- Module 3 provides useful information for governmental agencies and companies on approaches in creating productive engagements and building sustainable relationships.
Within the modules, there are interactive questions to prompt the viewer to make choices and thereby learn from these online experiences. Additionally, to make progress in handling of environmental problems, the university teams also identify several key strategies in this learning program.
Webinar: Lessons Learned Along the Road to Environmental Clean Up
Lead a workshop in your community using this webinar.
This webinar was designed to assist facilitators and others interested in leading workshops. It provides for a 30-minute familiarization preview, which includes a review of the navigation tools, as well as examples of the different kinds of activities available. These include short histories of three Superfund sites, follow-up questions for discussion, an articulate storyline scenario for making choices, simulating a family‘s experiences with a contaminate in their water supply, and a collection of interviews with community members from the three sites.
Importantly, the Lessons Learned resource includes advice for both government agencies and for companies who are responsible parties. Overall, the insights from this webinar will equip the listeners with the ability to use and disseminate the information to their respective communities. We recommend this webinar as a convenient tool for preparing instructors to lead class discussions and to share this resource with community members.
MIT Edgerton Center | Biology Sets: Protein Sets
The Protein Sets offer students the ability to build and fold proteins, to learn about hydrophobic and hydrophilic interactions, to demonstrate all four levels of protein structure, and to create models of proteins they know like insulin, antibodies, and more.
MIT Edgerton Center | Biology Sets: DNA/RNA Sets
In this set, the students can explore DNA and RNA nucleotide structure, practice both simple and advanced versions of replication, model mRNA transcription, and learn about DNA damage, mutations, repair, and more.
MIT Edgerton Center | Biology Sets: tRNA Sets
This set has all three kits (DNA/RNA, Protein, and tRNA). The students will be able to complete protein synthesis – transcribing a gene into mRNA, translating the mRNA into a protein chain, and folding the protein chain into a functional shape.
MIT Edgerton Center | Biology Sets: Biotechnology Pack
With the Biotechnology Pack, students use the DNA models to visualize and explore these basic concepts: restriction enzyme digestion, gel electrophoresis, PCR, DNA sequencing, and CRISPR-Cas9.
MIT Edgerton Center | Molecule Sets: Chemical Reactions Unit
This unit is appropriate for ages 11 and older. The students are introduced to atoms, molecules, compounds, and mixtures, using LEGO™ bricks as atoms. Participating in a hands-on wet lab, students experience a chemical reaction, and then they can model the same reaction with LEGO™ bricks.
MIT Edgerton Center | Molecule Sets: Photosynthesis Lesson
This lesson is appropriate for ages 11 and older. The students model the photosynthesis reaction with LEGO™ bricks by building the products from the reactants. Student start with carbon dioxide and water molecules and use them to create glucose and oxygen. Students can show how plants use glucose by modeling cellular respiration and by building starch and cellulose.
MIT Edgerton Center | Molecule Sets: Understanding Air Lesson
This lesson is appropriate for ages 11 and older. To better understand air and climate change, the program emphasizes the molecular composition of air. Using LEGO™ bricks as atoms, the students build a model of air as a mixture. Next, they model a combustion to see how burning fossil fuels adds carbon dioxide and other unhealthy pollutants into the air.
MIT Edgerton Center | Molecule Sets: MIT Edgerton Center | Molecule Sets: Understanding Oceans Lesson
This lesson is appropriate for ages 11 and older. Understanding Oceans has students model ocean acidification using LEGO™ bricks as atoms. The students also learn more about pH and how changes with the natural pH can lead to negative impacts.
MIT Edgerton Center | Molecule Sets: Additional Reaction Mats
With this set, it is possible to experience additional chemical reactions modeled with LEGO™ bricks. The students build the reactants and products using a layout mat.
- Epson salt and ammonia reaction mat
- Iron and oxygen reaction (rusting) mat
- Baking soda and vinegar reaction mat
- Trichloroethylene pollution cleanup mat
- Toxic mercury in our environment mat
- Vog (volcanic smog) mat
Tactile Learning Kits for Teaching Environmental Health
Using LEGO™ bricks as atoms offers tactile approaches to help people learn by visualizing key processes in environmental health sciences. These hands-on models are an inviting way to learn, even for those without a technical background. Because the colors of these model atoms are the standardized chemistry colors, young people learn the correct colors for the elements from the start. Another benefit is that some of the key concepts about molecules can be taught without having to explain the details of electron bonding.
