This resource includes an observational activity and an experiment on air pollution. The experiment will allow the students to visualize the presence of air pollution in the air around them.
After the experiment, students will formulate a hypothesis about where the air particulates they collected are coming from.
Teaching Tips
Positives
The activity and experiment are easy to do and do not require expensive materials.
The experiment will help students to visualize the airborne particulates that pollute the atmosphere.
Additional Prerequisites
This lesson will take more than one class period.
Teachers will need to gather the materials for the experiment.
Students should have some knowledge about air pollution sources.
Differentiation
After the lesson, students could create artwork or posters that show two groups of people: one polluting the air and the other taking care of it.
As a group research project, students can create and administer a survey to get the opinions of their local community about the most significant contributors to air pollution. The results can be presented and discussed in class.
The resource presents, in detail, activities for students to understand air pollution and collect data on air pollution. This is recommended for teaching.
Standards
Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS)
ESS3: Earth and Human Activity
4-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information to describe that energy and fuels are derived from natural resources and that their uses affect the environment.
5-ESS3-1 Obtain and combine information about ways individual communities use science ideas to protect the Earth’s resources and environment.
College, Career, and Civic Life (C3) Standards
Dimension 3: Developing Claims and Using Evidence
D3.4.3-5 Use evidence to develop claims in response to compelling questions.
