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The Air We Breathe

Provided by: NASA |Published on: March 30, 2023

Ebooks

K12345

Synopsis

This illustrated short story introduces the concept of Earth's atmosphere to an elementary school audience and provides instructions for an in-class demonstration.
The storybook describes the importance of the atmosphere in supporting life on Earth and how it is affected by pollution.
The story ends with a scientific experiment that helps students visualize an otherwise invisible gas using vinegar and baking soda.

Related Teaching Resources

Subjects: Science, Health

Authors: NASA

Region: Global

Languages: English

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Teaching Materials

Positives

Excellent illustrations are provided in this storybook to assist in students understanding complex topics.
The book is concise and sticks closely to the topic of Earth's atmosphere and the air humans breathe.
The experiment at the end is easily done in a classroom with limited materials and can help students visualize the topic.

Additional Prerequisites

Students should be familiar with terms like air, gases, Earth, and oxygen.
You may want to pre-teach terms such as atmosphere, molecules, gases, and ozone.

Differentiation

Consider printing the book on large paper for students to have space to annotate in the margins or project on a large screen to read together.
Physical models of an oxygen molecule and the Earth may be helpful in explaining science topics in the storybook.
After reading the story as a class, have students partner up and review the story together to identify any questions they may still have.

Scientist Notes

Teaching Tips

Standards

Resource Type and Format

Related Teaching Resources

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