During the summer of 2006, the author worked with a team of NYS teachers at the University of Rochester to develop learning activities relating Environmental Health Science to our core content. This work was with Dina Markowitz, director of the Our Environment, Our Health, Our Choices Project. All of these lessons will be available online in the middle of October at the following website; http://www2.envmed.rochester.edu/envmed/ehsc/outreach/members.html

This particular lesson uses a case study to engage learning about hazardous household products. Students work in teams and assume the roles of Chemical Investigators as they assist a forensic specialist in determining the cause of death of a young female in her home. The case study is interrupted as teams learn necessary background information on toxicology, exposure, routes of entry, reading labels, and risk assessment. Students use this information to find clues concerning the mysterious death on the labels of household cleaning products found at the scene. Using provided police documents, the students reconstruct a scenario that might have created a toxic situation. The final analysis of each team is presented to the class. Highlights in this lesson include the types of chemicals found in household products and the chemical action by which the household products work.

A summary of this lesson will be presented in a PowerPoint presentation.