Educating for Sustainability
CURRICULUM LIBRARY
UNIT: Wastewater Context for Matter and Its Interactions
LESSON: Poop to Power
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Part of a series of lessons in a unit called Wastewater Context for Matter and its interactions. Designed for middle school physical science, students are shown how the methane gas released in the digestion of sludge can be used as a fuel to power the treatment facility itself.
Lesson Specs
Suitable for Grades
8th Grade
7th Grade
6th Grade
Satisfies Academic Standards:
OSPI ESE 2: The Natural & Built Environment
MS-PS1-4 - Chemical Reactions
MS-PS1-6 - Thermal Energy
Sustainable System Focus:
Water
Academic Subjects
Science
Submitted by:
Jeffrey Burgard
Last Updated:
Content Connection
Scientific Principle(s)
- In chemical reactions can release or absorb energy
Application
- The methane released in the digestion of waste is burned in a co-generation facility to supply some of the power need to run the wastewater plant
Community Relevance
The wastewater plant saves thousands of tax dollars every year by generating electricity for the human waste it processes
Lesson Plan
Materials
Teacher
Student
- Notebook
The Plan
Time needed: 15 min
- Show the video Energy from Wastewater
- Have a discussion
- Show the additional video Students in Kenya make energy from waste and have a discussion
- Share the Power-point that has a diagram of all the steps in the treatment process including co-generation and the principle for the lesson