GLOBE: Video Scripts: Nitrate

Final Translation Script

for

The GLOBE Program

"Protocol Series: Nitrate"

March 22, 2001

NOTE: students will be wearing goggles and gloves throughout all steps of this protocol.

Music up. Title slate appears: Protocol Series: Nitrate

Effect to a shot of algae or plants growing in water.

Cut to a sound-up of a teacher and students speaking in Spanish.

Teacher says "What questions do you still have about nitrates?"

Student says "Do nitrates occur naturally in a body of water? If they do, what are the natural sources of nitrates?"

Student says "How do nitrates contribute to the water environment? Do they affect both plants and animals?"

Cut to Dr. Martha Conklin, University of Arizona, on camera.

SOT: "Nitrate's a very interesting parameter to measure because nitrate, typically, is very low in nature. It's what we call a limiting nutrient. So, if we find high nitrate levels, that might indicate that there's a source of nitrate from some type of anthropogenic or man-made activity."

Music sting and graphic bumper: Getting Started

Cut to footage of a water body, then to graphic showing molecules of nitrate and nitrite. Nitrate and nitrite are highlighted in sync with the V/O. Then nitrate molecule comes forward.

1. NITROGEN EXISTS IN WATER IN SEVERAL FORMS, TWO OF WHICH ARE NITRATE AND NITRITE. NITRATE IS A COMBINATION OF ONE NITROGEN ATOM AND THREE OXYGEN ATOMS. NITRITE IS MADE UP OF ONE NITROGEN ATOM AND TWO OXYGEN ATOMS. OF THESE FORMS, NITRATE IS THE MOST COMMON.

Cut to more shots of water bodies or wide shot of students measuring nitrate. Dissolve to shot of rain, snow, then crops.

2. MEASURING NITRATE LEVELS HELPS TO DETERMINE WATER QUALITY. NITRATE FOUND IN WATER BODIES COMES FROM BOTH NATURAL AND MAN MADE SOURCES.

Cut to shots of aquatic plants.

3. AQUATIC PLANTS NEED NITROGEN TO GROW. AS THEY USE THE NITROGEN IN THEIR GROWTH PROCESS, THEY KEEP NITRATES AT LOW LEVELS IN THE WATER BODY. PLANTS WILL CONTINUE TO GROW UNTIL THEY RUN SHORT ON NITROGEN OR SOME OTHER LIMITING NUTRIENT THEY NEED.

Music up. Cut to dictionary graphic with voiceover.(DEFINITION: Limiting Nutrient. Of all the nutrients, the one that is found in such small quantities that it limits growth. )

4. DEFINITION: Limiting Nutrient. Of all the nutrients, the one that is found in such small quantities that it limits growth.

Cut to a wide shot of a lake.

5. IF NITRATE LEVELS ARE GREATER THAN 1 PART PER MILLION, IT USUALLY MEANS THAT SOMETHING IS ADDING LARGE AMOUNTS OF NITROGEN TO THE WATER. IF AN EXCESS AMOUNT OF A LIMITING NUTRIENT, SUCH AS NITROGEN, IS ADDED TO A WATER BODY, THE WATER BECOMES ENRICHED AND THIS MAY LEAD TO ALGAE AND OTHER PLANT GROWTH.

Cut to shots of students doing protocol, then to individual shots of the materials and equipment used.

6. TO DO THE WEEKLY NITRATE PROTOCOL, YOU'LL NEED SOMETHING TO COLLECT YOUR WATER SAMPLE, A NITRATE TEST KIT, DISTILLED WATER, SAFETY GOGGLES AND GLOVES, AND YOUR GLOBE DATA WORK SHEET. IF YOU’RE STUDYING SALT WATER, MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A NITRATE KIT THAT WORKS IN SALT WATER.

Music sting and graphic bumper--Step By Step

Cut to cinema-verite style footage of students collecting their water sample. Then dissolve to shots of students rinsing the sample tubes from their nitrate kits three times with sample water.

7. AFTER YOU'VE COLLECTED YOUR SAMPLE, YOU'LL NEED TO RINSE THE SAMPLE TUBES THAT COME IN YOUR NITRATE KIT AT LEAST THREE TIMES WITH SAMPLE WATER.

Cut to shots of students reading the instructions aloud and beginning the nitrate test.

Sound-up of students:

-"Stopper the tube and shake vigorously. Empty the tube and repeat this procedure."

-"I've already done that."

-"Fill the color viewing tube to the mark with the sample."

-"Put in more nitrogen packet and add it to the sample."

-"OK."

8. NEXT, FOLLOW THE MANUFACTURER'S INSTRUCTIONS THAT COME WITH YOUR NITRATE TEST KIT.

Continue shots of students doing nitrate test. Show them add one reagent, shaking as required (sound-up their discussion of how long to shake). Dissolve to shot of the students setting the tube down and letting it settle for required amount of time (more sound-up).

9. ALL KITS ARE BASED ON A TECHNIQUE THAT INVOLVES ADDING TWO REAGENTS TO THE SAMPLE WATER. THE FIRST REAGENT CONVERTS ALL NITRATES TO NITRITES.

Music up. Cut to dictionary graphic with voiceover. (REAGENT (ree AY jent). A substance used to cause a reaction.)

10. REAGENT (ree AY jent). A substance used to cause a reaction

Cut to shot of students adding second reagent. Continue with shots of students shaking the tube and letting it settle. Sound-ups of students:

-"Cover the tube and shake for three minutes."

-"What do we do for three minutes?"

-Ok, stop."

-"Allow the sample to stand undisturbed for an additional thirty seconds."

-"OK, thirty seconds is up."

-"Pour the prepared example into the second color viewing tube carefully, so that the particles remain in the first tube."

-"Open one NitraVer 3 packet and add it to the sample."

11. THE SECOND REAGENT REACTS WITH THE NITRITE IN THE SAMPLE WATER TO FORM A COLOR.

Shots of students picking up color comparator and putting treated sample and untreated sample in slots. Sound-up of student:

"The next step is to answer if the tube of prepared sample into the right top opening of the color comparator."

12. THEN, YOU USE A COLOR COMPARATOR TO DETERMINE THE TOTAL CONCENTRATION OF NITRATE PLUS NITRITE IN THE SAMPLE.

Cut to shots of students holding the comparator up to a light source; close-up on tube and disk being rotated to find color match.

13. HOLD THE COLOR COMPARATOR UP TO A LIGHT SOURCE, SUCH AS A WINDOW, THE SKY OR A LAMP – BUT -- TO PREVENT EYE INJURY -- NEVER HOLD IT UP TO THE DIRECT SUN.

Cut to close-up as disk is rotated. Wider shot as students read scale.

-"0.02"

-"OK now let's measure nitrite"

-"This time we are only going to add NitriVer 3."

14. ROTATE THE DISC ON YOUR COLOR COMPARATOR UNTIL YOU FIND A COLOR MATCH WITH YOUR SAMPLE. THEN READ THE SCALE TO FIND THE CONCENTRATION OF NITRATE PLUS NITRITE IN YOUR SAMPLE.

Dissolve to shot of students beginning to measure nitrite. Sound-up of students:

-"Now wait ten minutes."

-"Looks like there's zero nitrites."

15. YOU'LL ALSO NEED TO MEASURE THE BACKGROUND CONCENTRATION OF NITRITE IN YOUR SAMPLE, FOLLOWING THE DIRECTIONS OF YOUR TEST KIT.

Music sting and graphic bumper: A Closer Look

Combine video of the students doing the protocol with graphics explaining the process. Insert the animation of reagents being added to sample water first to convert nitrate to nitrite and then to provide the measurable color which depends on the amount of nitrite present. The attached graphic may help in the development of this animation.

Cut to step 1 of Gerri's graphic -- c/u of sample water in beaker with squares and circles in it; symbols below beaker indicate which is nitrate and nitrite.

16. YOUR SAMPLE WATER CONTAINS BOTH NITRATES AND NITRITES.

Cut to step 2 of graphic -- beaker dissolves to shot of tube with same circles and squares in it as step 1. Label at top of screen says "Water Sample" and the words "+ First Reagent " appear on screen next to the tube. Dissolve to step 3 -- liquid in tube turns to all yellow circles, key below shows circle = nitrite, on word cue "it converts the...". Add a slight pause before next v/o so viewers have time to absorb graphic.

17. WHEN THE FIRST REAGENT IS ADDED IT CONVERTS THE NITRATE IN THE SAMPLE WATER TO NITRITE.

Dissolve up words "+ Second Reagent" then solution slowly dissolves to graphic step 4 -- where liquid in tube is pink.

18. THE SECOND REAGENT REACTS WITH THE NITRITES TO COLOR YOUR SOLUTION. THE INTENSITY OF THE COLOR IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE AMOUNT OF NITRITE PRESENT.

Cut to shot of color comparator.

19. THE COLOR COMPARATOR IS USED TO MEASURE THE INTENSITY OF THE COLOR – AND THAT TELLS YOU THE CONCENTRATION OF NITRITE IN THE SAMPLE. REMEMBER, SINCE YOU'VE CONVERTED THE NITRATES IN YOUR SAMPLE TO NITRITES, THIS MEASUREMENT IS ACTUALLY TELLING YOU THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF NITRATES AND NITRITES. IF YOUR MEASUREMENT RESULT IS NOT ZERO, YOU STILL NEED TO FIND THE AMOUNT OF NITRITE ALONE.

Combination of students doing protocol and Gerri's graphic. On word cue "use a fresh sample..." quick dissolve to step 1 of graphic used earlier, quick dissolve to step 2 (used earlier). On word cue "this time only..." bring up words "+ Second Reagent". Dissolve to tube with pink liquid in it (slightly lighter color than previous pink) with red squares in tube. (word "nitrite" below sample tube). Cut back to students doing protocol.

20. TO MEASURE THE AMOUNT OF NITRITES ALONE, USE A FRESH SAMPLE OF YOUR WATER. THIS TIME ONLY ADD THE SECOND REAGENT TO THE SAMPLE. AGAIN THE INTENSITY OF THE COLOR IS PROPORTIONAL TO THE AMOUNT OF NITRITE PRESENT, BUT THIS TIME, SINCE THE NITRATES WERE NOT CONVERTED TO NITRITES THEY DON'T CONTRIBUTE TO THE COLOR. MAKE SURE TO MULTIPLY THE COMPARATOR READING BY THE APPROPRIATE VALUE, FOUND IN THE DIRECTIONS OF YOUR TEST KIT, TO GET THE CORRECT MEASUREMENT OF NITRITE.

Cut to students entering data. Sound-up of student:

-"Let's take the measurements now."

21. NOW YOU KNOW THE AMOUNT OF NITRITE ALONE AND THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF NITRATE PLUS NITRITE. RECORD THESE MEASUREMENTS ON YOUR HYDROLOGY DATA ENTRY SHEETS AND REPORT THEM TO GLOBE. THE AMOUNT OF NITRATE ALONE CAN BE CALCULATED BY SUBTRACTING THE AMOUNT OF NITRITE FROM THE TOTAL AMOUNT OF NITRATE PLUS NITRITE.

Cut to shots of several different students reading the color comparator and recording data. Add "1 mg/L" overlay in sync with voiceover.

22. IN EACH CASE, AT LEAST THREE STUDENTS SHOULD READ THE COLOR COMPARATOR AND THE RESULT, IN MILLIGRAMS PER LITER, SHOULD BE RECORDED ON YOUR DATA WORKSHEET.

Sound-up of students:

-"I think it's .06."

-"I think it's .04."

-"I think it's .06, you may need to check again Mary."

THEN, TAKE THE AVERAGE OF THE READINGS. IF THE RECORDED VALUES ARE ALL WITHIN THE MAXIMUM ACCEPTABLE DIFFERENCE OF THE AVERAGE FOR THIS PROTOCOL, RECORD THE AVERAGE. OTHERWISE, YOU SHOULD READ THE COLOR COMPARATOR AGAIN AND RECORD AND AVERAGE THE NEW VALUES. MAKE SURE TO DO THIS QUICKLY, BECAUSE ACCURATE READINGS FROM THE COLOR COMPARATOR MUST BE MADE BETWEEN 10 AND 20 MINUTES AFTER THE SECOND REAGENT IS ADDED.

Cut to shots of students cleaning up their materials.

23. IF ALL OF YOUR NEW VALUES ARE NOT WITHIN THE MAXIMUM ACCEPTABLE DIFFERENCE OF THE NEW AVERAGE, AND YOU HAVE ONE OUTLIER, DISCARD THE OUTLIER AND TAKE A NEW AVERAGE. IF YOU HAVE A WIDE SCATTER OF RESULTS, DO NOT REPORT THEM. REPEAT THE PROTOCOL UNTIL YOU HAVE A REPORTABLE MEASUREMENT.

Cut to shots of students reporting results at computer.

24. TEST RESULTS SHOULD BE REPORTED AS MILLIGRAMS PER LITER NITRATE-NITROGEN AND NITRITE-NITROGEN. ALL NITRATE TEST KITS THAT MEET GLOBE'S SPECIFICATIONS SHOULD AUTOMATICALLY REPORT THEIR RESULTS IN THOSE UNITS.

Music up. Cut to dictionary graphic with voiceover.(DEFINITION: NITRATE-NITROGEN. THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN FOUND IN THE FORM OF NITRATES.)

25. DEFINITION: NITRATE-NITROGEN. THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN FOUND IN THE FORM OF NITRATES.

(DEFINITION: NITRITE-NITROGEN. THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN FOUND IN THE FORM OF NITRITES.)

26. DEFINITION: NITRITE-NITROGEN. THE AMOUNT OF NITROGEN FOUND IN THE FORM OF NITRITES.

Cut to a wide shot of students mixing standards.

27. AT LEAST EVERY SIX MONTHS, YOU'LL NEED TO RUN STANDARDS TO VERIFY THE INTEGRITY OF YOUR CHEMICALS. MEASURING STANDARDS IS ALSO A GOOD WAY TO MAKE SURE YOU'RE USING YOUR NITRATE TEST KIT CORRECTLY.

Cut to shots of student taking out Nitrate Test Kit and pouring solution in the tube. We will not show the entire protocol being repeater. Dissolve to sound-up of students discussing their results. Sound-up of students:

-"I have rinsed the tube three times with the standard solution."

-"Now let's fill the tube to the line with the standard solution."

28. USING A STANDARD SOLUTION IN PLACE OF SAMPLE WATER, FOLLOW THE STEPS OF THE NITRATE PROTOCOL.

Sound-up of student:

-"Now add the NitriVer 6 and shake for three minutes."

IF THE NITRATE STANDARD IS OFF BY MORE THAN THE MAXIMUM ACCEPTABLE DIFFERENCE, REPEAT THE PROTOCOL WITH NEW STANDARD SOLUTION. IF IT IS STILL OFF, REPLACE THE CHEMICALS IN YOUR TEST KIT AND TRY AGAIN.

Music sting and graphic bumper--Oops!

Video is shot with a hand-held camera and appears black and white with hatch marks and a red record button visible around the picture. The overall impression is that we're seeing through the lens of a hidden camera.

Cut to a shot of a student rinsing sample tubes with distilled water. A universal "no" sign appears over the distilled water bottle.

29. YOUR SAMPLE TUBES NEED TO BE RINSED WITH SAMPLE WATER, NOT DISTILLED WATER.

Music sting and digital effect as we move to next example. Cut to a shot of someone holding a color comparator up to the sun. A universal no" sign appears over the sun.

30. NEVER HOLD YOUR COLOR COMPARATOR UP TO THE DIRECT SUN.

Music sting and graphic bumper: Let's Learn

Cut to students and teachers.

Teachers says something like: I’d like to know what further investigations you would like to do, based on the nitrate results we've been getting.

Student says something like: I wonder, if our water body were to be receiving some runoff, how much nitrate could support before we start to see changes in the water quality.

Student says something like: Well, if we're looking at how nitrate levels are affecting water quality, then we should also look at how our dissolved oxygen levels and see how they're are changing and see if there's any relationship.

Cut to Dr. Martha Conklin on camera.

SOT: "These measurements are helping us because it gives us some information about what water bodies are being perturbed by anthropogenic activity, and which ones might not be being affected at this point in time."

Dissolve slowly to our signature shot--water flowing or splashing over rocks. Fade to a shot of the GLOBE Teacher's Guide.

31. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION AND MORE DETAILED INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO DO THIS PROTOCOL, PLEASE REFER TO THE GLOBE PROGRAM TEACHER'S GUIDE.

Fade to black.