Pollution and Human Health

Provided by: Khan Academy |Published on: April 27, 2021

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9101112AP

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Synopsis

This video from Khan Academy connects human health to pollution by discussing one person's experience with asthma and the case study of asbestos causing mesothelioma.
The video emphasizes that it is difficult to study the health effects of pollution because everyone experiences different kinds and levels of pollutants in their environment and it may take many years for symptoms to develop.
The video touches on air, water, and soil pollution, but air pollution is the main focus and specific air pollutants are identified and discussed.

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Subjects: Biology, Earth and Space Sciences, Health

Authors: Khan Academy

Region: Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

The video provides examples of how pollution affects human health that students will be able to relate to.
The content can be applied to AP Environmental Science courses, with the standards listed under the video.

Prerequisites

There are interactive practice questions that accompany the video, but to record scores to your digital classroom, you must sign in.
The video discusses cancer and other serious health issues that may be sensitive topics for some students.

Differentiation & Implementation

This could be used in a health class to connect climate change and pollution with human health issues, specifically asthma and cancer.
Students could use this video as inspiration to further research pollution in their community and the possible health effects of that pollution.
Cross-curricular connections can be made to a government course by further discussing the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act that are mentioned at the end of the video.
This video would pair well with the video Reduction of Air Pollutants, also by Khan Academy.
To incorporate this video into a social studies class, consider these other resources related to air pollution and health, such as this video about asthma in the Bronx and this video that connects air pollution and COVID-19 outcomes.

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Pollution and Human Health

Synopsis

Teaching Materials

Scientist Reviewed

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