Total Duration: |
91 to 120 Minutes |
Materials and Resources: |
Health Effects of Air Pollution Student notebooks or paper Pencils for taking notes Chart or butcher paper Marker |
Technology Resources Needed: |
One device with internet access per child preferably, if not - one per two students. |
Background/Preparation: |
Per capita consumption refers to the average consumption per person within a population. While this information can be helpful for determining how much a population consumes, it does not account for consumption disparities between individuals. ppm= parts per million ppb= parts per billion |
Engage: Watch the video Health Effects of Air Pollutants. As students are watching the video have them write down the names of the 6 main pollutants presented in the video on paper or in their notebooks. (You may need to stop the video so they can get the spelling correct.) Once you have viewed the video have them define the six types of air pollution. This is an excellent website with all the pollutants listed - Explain That Stuff. (I have also provided a page with the definitions for the students to copy down if time is a problem.) They should keep the definitions in their notebook so they do not lose them. Explain to the students they will investigate the 6 most common air pollutants, from the video, as a group. Explore/Explain: Divide the class into six equal groups. Each group will take one of the pollutants from the six listed. Have them conduct research on the pollutants taking notes on what they find. They should look up answers to the questions below. You may want to write these questions on the board. Tell them that all members of the group need to be involved because they will be the experts to share with their classmates later. They should make notes in their notebook or on paper but tell them they are verbally sharing not just passing the notes for others to read.
These websites may be used for research purposes.
Once the groups have researched their pollutant tell them they should combine their information into a short presentation to give to the other groups. Then depending on how many students are in each group have the individual members count off. (If ozone has 4 members in it then they will count off 1-4 and the same for each group all starting at 1.) Next, all the 1’s will form a new group, the 2’s and so forth until all members of the class are now in a new group. (If you have some odd numbers just place them evenly among the groups.) Tell the students they will take turns presenting their pollutants to the new group. After they share then the new groups need to answer these questions
Explain/Elaborate: When all groups are finished sharing and answering the second set of questions come back together as a class and share the findings.
As a class discuss ways to eliminate or reduce pollutants. Have the student groups create a poster illustrating ways to eliminate or reduce pollutants. Hang the posters throughout the school to share with other grade levels. |
Assessment Strategies |
Conduct a formative assessment to determine if students can:
Assess the group research findings, presentations, and posters to evaluate if students can devise ways to eliminate or reduce the pollutants and the effects on Earth's systems. |
Acceleration: |
If students finish before time they could look up the history of the pollutant when was it created? Was it an accident or on purpose that this chemical was created? |
Intervention: |
Students who need extra help can be paired with stronger students who are willing to work together and they can research together. |
View the Special Education resources for
instructional guidance in providing modifications and adaptations
for students with significant cognitive disabilities who qualify for the Alabama Alternate Assessment.
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