The students will be the ones conducting the chemical tests. These kits are created for sixth-graders to conduct these tests. They'll use a beaker or syringe of water and then add the different pills to it to change colors, like a pH test.

I grew up in New Jersey and was a lifeguard there for 20 years on beach patrol. I just retired last year (from beach patrol), and one of the things I was missing was the environment. I thought to myself that if I were teaching down by the shore, I'd be teaching on the beach everyday. How can I pull that off here? Then, I realized how close Nine Mile Run is to our school.

We'll walk over to Frick Park (in neighboring Pittsburgh) and observe the watershed, the stream and test the water. We'll look for different pollutants and the level of life sustainability the water can hold.

I think, too often, kids are not exposed to the environment, where there is wide-open land, fresh streams and forests. What we do in an urban area like this does have an effect on that. If I can stimulate that curiosity and create a concern for the environment, that will have a great political and social change for the rest of their lives.

It is possible that some students know what drugs are and are not included in the tests, and migrate toward using those not included.

There is a lot of anxiety with taking these state tests. By following some simple strategies, both students and their parents can be fully prepared for success on test day.