Chemical fate and transport becomes a real-world investigation in this Grade 12 Science learning stations activity. In Where Do Chemicals Go? Five Real-World Fate Investigations, students examine documented contamination events to investigate how chemicals move through environmental systems, what determines their persistence, and how scientific evidence informs remediation decisions.

Designed around environmental chemistry concepts relevant to Alberta Science 30, this resource moves beyond definitions. Students consider the physical and chemical processes that influence contaminant behaviour, compare environmental pathways, and evaluate the evidence needed to make defensible decisions about contamination.

Investigate What Happens to Environmental Contaminants

Each investigation connects chemical properties and environmental conditions to the movement and persistence of contaminants. Students work with four important chemical fate processes:

• Dissolution: Examine how chemicals dissolve and enter environmental systems.
• Sorption: Explore how interactions with environmental materials influence contaminant mobility.
• Volatilization: Consider how chemicals transfer into the atmosphere.
• Biodegradation: Investigate how biological processes affect chemical persistence.

Students also compare transport pathways across documented contamination events, consider environmental impacts, and evaluate how monitoring evidence and chemical properties influence remediation strategies.

What's Included in the Resource?

• Five real-world investigation station cards: Case-study reading material focused on chemical fate and environmental contamination.
• Student station recording sheet: A structured place to record information and observations while rotating between investigations.
• Station wrap-up: A follow-up activity for bringing together evidence and ideas from the investigations.
• Answer Key PDF with Teacher Guide: Includes learning objectives, teaching tips, discussion questions, and common mistakes to support instruction.

How the Learning Stations Work

Place the investigation cards at separate locations around the classroom. Small groups begin at different stations, read the assigned case, and record their findings on their own recording sheets rather than writing on the station cards.

After each rotation, groups move to another investigation until they have examined all the cases. Use the station wrap-up and teacher guide discussion questions to compare contaminant pathways, explain differences in persistence, and consider the scientific reasoning behind remediation decisions.

Why Use Real Contamination Cases?

Environmental contamination cannot always be explained by one chemical process. A substance's properties, surrounding environmental conditions, and available monitoring evidence can all affect its movement and long-term behaviour.

By comparing documented cases, students practise distinguishing between chemical transport processes rather than treating every contaminant as behaving the same way. They also connect environmental chemistry to the practical challenges of monitoring contamination and selecting appropriate responses.

Ideal for Grade 12 environmental chemistry instruction, this learning stations activity supports collaborative case-study analysis, evidence-based discussion, and a focused review of chemical fate and transport concepts within an Alberta Science 30 context.