Colorado Brown Stain

Colorado Brown Stain Organiser’s Card About the activity This activity is designed to get children discussing and debating the use of fluoride in drinking water. This is designed to be a challenging, research-based activity where children use real data in a realistic context. The children have been given the story of the Colorado Brown Stain the dentist who discovered the benefits of fluoride for teeth. They must weigh up whether they would put fluoride in the water. Through this activity you will support your group to: • Look at a piece of genuine scientific research • Think about an authentic scientific problem • Recognise that there is often more than one view about the application of scientific research • Sort ideas and draw conclusions. Kit list • Copies of the ACTIVITY CARD to cut up and sort peoples’ opinions • Scissors, glue sticks, sugar paper and pens • Access to the internet • Access to books about teeth What to do 1. Introduce the activity using the diary of Dr. Frederick McKay. 2. Give out activity cards to the children. 3. Explain that they will be exploring the different arguments about putting fluoride in drinking water. Help the children to identify what the problem is. 5. Support children to conduct extra research and to record this. 6. Ask the children to present their findings to the rest of the group, they can be as creative in their presentation as they want. If children want to write a script for a TV programme they may need some support to decide how to do this. 4. Encourage children to talk together while they sort out the statements. Give extra support if you feel that children need it.

Things to think about Some children may find it difficult to understand that people may have very different ideas about putting fluoride in water. You may need to explain to them that people sometimes exaggerate things to get their view across. Children will probably need to be reminded that there can be more than one view about the application of scientific research. Support whatever conclusion they come to, provided that they can justify their ideas. Keywords • Fluoride • Opinions • Additives • Water British Science Association Registered Charity No. 212479 and SC039236