How Can Air Pollution Affect Our Bodies? (Air Quality #2)

In this lesson, students learn how to analyze characters in stories, reread Why Is Coco Orange?, and complete a journal entry. 

Step 1 - Inquire: Students learn about and practice identifying character traits.

Step 2 - Investigate: Students read Why Is Coco Orange?

Step 3 - Inspire: Students identify character traits in Coco and Coco's friends. Then students complete a journal entry, choosing one of three provided options.

Positives

• This lesson allows students to explore their own personality traits and relate them to the characters in the story.
• This lesson shows students the best ways to support their classmates who have asthma.

Additional Prerequisites

• Students should be familiar with the vocabulary in the story. You can use the vocabulary words slideshow with your students to review the words or play games with the words.
• Analyzing the characters in Inside Out is an easy way for students to begin practicing character analysis.

Differentiation

• You can choose to read the book aloud to your students, watch the video read aloud as a class, or have students read the story independently or in groups.
• You could print the vocabulary cards for students who need to refer to them during the read aloud.
• Students could read their journal entries to the class after they have finished. Some students may want to share their own journeys with asthma or how they are supporting friends and family with asthma.
• Students who finish early could conduct more research on ozone and its impact on the respiratory system.

This lesson lets students learn about air quality, how to analyze characters in a story, and how to tell a story about the impact of air quality on human health. This lesson has passed the science review process and is recommended for teaching.

Primary Standards

• Common Core English Language Arts Standards (CCSS.ELA)
  • Reading: Literature (K-12)
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.1 Ask and answer questions to demonstrate understanding of a text, referring explicitly to the text as the basis for the answers.
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.2 Recount stories, including fables, folktales, and myths from diverse cultures; determine the central message, lesson, or moral and explain how it is conveyed through key details in the text.
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.3.3 Describe characters in a story (e.g., their traits, motivations, or feelings) and explain how their actions contribute to the sequence of events.
  • Writing (K-12)
    • CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.4.10 Write routinely over extended time frames (time for research, reflection, and revision) and shorter time frames (a single sitting or a day or two) for a range of discipline-specific tasks, purposes, and audiences.

Supporting Standard

• National Health Education Standards
  • Standard 1: Students will comprehend concepts related to health promotion and disease prevention to enhance health.
    • 1.5.3 Describe ways in which safe and healthy school and community environments can promote personal health.