September 2013
EPA-456/B-13-003b
Unhealthy tor Sensitive Groups
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Key Messages: Grades 3-5
Breathing dirty air is not good for people. For example: You might
feel like it's harder to breathe, you might cough, or your chest might
feel tight.
Aฎ I
AIR QUALITY INDEX
You can help protect your health when the air is dirty. Here are three things you can do.
1. Find out how clean your air is each day.
You can do this by checking the AQI, just like checking the weather report. The AQI
(or the Air Quality Index) uses colors to tell you how clean or dirty the air is. For
example, green means the air is clean. Red means the air is unhealthy.
Check the AQI at www.airnow.gov, download the AirNow App, or sign up for air
quality emails at www.airnow.gov/enviroflash. Many local newspapers and televi-
sion and radio stations also present the AQI.
Tell your parents about the AQI so they can check how clean or dirty the air is.
2. If you play outside when you know the air is polluted, you can protect your health
by taking it a little easier. For example, walk instead of run, take breaks often, or play
outside when the air is cleaner.
3. If you notice any signs when you are playing outside like coughing, pain when you
take a deep breath, chest tightness, or wheezing, stop playing and tell an adult.
If you have asthma, pay special attention on polluted days. If you think you or a
friend may be having an asthma attack, tell an adult.
Key Messages 35 AQI Toolkit for Teachers
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Plans
37
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Tho OZORQ Between Us
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Discover that ground-level ozone occurs in many areas of the country.
Discover that ground-level ozone problems are often associated with
high-population centers.
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
Background fiummarg
Ozone is a gas consisting of three oxygen atoms.
Ozone can be good or bad depending on where it is
in the atmosphere. "Good" ozone occurs naturally in
the stratosphere approximately 10 to 30 miles above
the earth's surface. This good ozone forms a layer
that protects life on earth from too much of the sun's
harmful ultraviolet rays.
Ozone at "ground-level"-that is, in the earth's lower
atmosphere-is bad because it pollutes the air. Ozone
pollution can cause people to have breathing prob-
lems. An easy way to remember these differences
about ozone is: "good up high, bad nearby."
Ground-level ozone comes mostly from motor ve-
hicles that we drive, factories that make products we
use, and power plants that produce our electricity.
Ozone pollution is not produced directly from these
sources. Rather, heat and sunlight "bake" certain other
chemicals (nitrogen oxides, or N0x, from vehicles
and power plants; and volatile organic compounds,
or VOCs, from gasoline-powered cars, factories, and
products such as paints), which causes a chemical
reaction and produces ozone. Weather is an impor-
tant factor in ozone formation-more ground-level
ozone usually is formed in summertime, when there is
the most heat and sunlight. Also, wind can transport
ozone "downwind" to other areas far from where it
was formed, and pollute those areas.
This Internet activity allows students to explore the
different concentrations of ground-level ozone in
various areas of the country and develop an under-
standing of why more ground-level ozone may occur
in certain areas.
Materials Needed
Printed color copies of the two AQI color charts on
the Air Quality Index (AQI)-A Guide to Air Quality
and Your Health Web page; or, students can access
the charts from the Internet at:
www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi
Internet access or color copies of the Ozone Map
at: http://ciese.org/curriculum/airproj/airquality-
map/
Student Worksheet (included)
Teacher Answer Sheet (included)
Keg Questions
Do people contribute to ground-level ozone pol-
lution when they drive or ride in cars? (Correct
answer:Yes) When they ride bicycles? (Correct
answer: No) When they walk? (Correctanswer: No)
In what parts of the country do you think ozone
pollution might be the worst? Why? (Possible
answers: In cities; in places where the wind has
blown the ozone pollution; in places with a lot of
cars and/or factories.)
Vooabularg
Chemical reaction-A change that takes place when
two or more substances interact to form a new sub-
stance.
Ozone-A gas that occurs both in the Earth's upper
atmosphere and at ground level. Ozone can be "good"
or "bad" for people's health and the environment,
depending on its location in the atmosphere. High
up in the atmosphere, ozone helps protect people's
health from too much ultraviolet radiation from the
sun. Near the Earth's surface, ozone is an air pollutant
that can result in breathing difficulties.
Air Quality Index (AQI)-A color-coded scale that
provides daily air quality and health information.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
39
The Ozone Between Us
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1. If you are using printed color copies of the AQI
color charts on the Air Quality Index (AQI)-A Guide
to Air Quality and Your Health Web page, hand
them out to the class. If you are using the Internet
to access the charts, tell students to go to:
www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi
(The rest of the page can be used for additional
background information.)
2. Explain to the class what the Air Quality Index (AQI)
is while having them look at the AQI Color Chart.
Tell students that the Air Quality Index, or AQI, is
an index for reporting daily air quality. It uses a
simple color-coded scale to tell you how clean or
polluted the air in a particular location is, and how
you can protect your health at different levels of
pollution. There is an AQI for five pollutants, one
of which is ground-level ozone, which we are
discussing in this lesson. The AQI is like a yardstick
that runs from 0 to 500. The higher the AQI value,
the greater the level of air pollution and the great-
er the health concern. For example, an AQI value of
50 represents good air quality with little potential
to affect public health, while an AQI value over 200
represents very unhealthy air quality. (Note: More
information on the AQI is available on the rest of
the Guide page and at www.airnow.gov.)
3. If you are using printed color copies of the Ozone
Map, hand them out to the class. If you are using
the Internet to access the map, tell the class to go
to: http://ciese.org/curriculum/airproj/airquality-
map/
Tell students that the AQI colors on the map rep-
resent one day only; the AQI, and air quality, can
change daily.
4. Have students answer Questions 1-5 on the Stu-
dent Worksheet, using the AQI color charts and
the Ozone Map.
5. Review students' answers for Questions 1-5 on the
Student Worksheet with the class.
6. Give students time (approximately 5 to 10 min-
utes) to answer Questions 6 and 7.
7. As a class, discuss students' answers to Questions
Band 7.
Adaptation
For Grades K-2, use the first and second paragraphs
of the Background Summary and simplify the third
paragraph to: "Ground-level ozone comes mostly
from motor vehicles that we drive, factories that
make products we use, and power plants that make
our electricity." Also assist the class in answering the
Student Worksheet questions #1-6 verbally instead of
writing the answers, and skip question #7.
For Further Exploration
Have students explore more information about
ground-level ozone on the AIRNow Web site
(www.airnow.gov).
Have students explore "nitrogen oxides" (NOJ and
"volatile organic compounds" (VOCs) on the Inter-
net.
AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Air Pollution: What's the Solution? pfo'^ct, developed
by the U.S. EPA, the Northeast States for Coordinated
Air Use Management, and the Center for Innovation in
Engineering + Science Education. See:
http://ciese.org/curriculum/airproj/
AIRNow program. The Air Quality Index (AQI) is always
available at the AIRNow Web site at: www.airnow.gov
Walking for Health and the Environment Curriculum,
by Walk Boston and ERG. Web site:
www.walkboston.org/what-we-do/initiatives/safe-
routes-school
Noxt GonQration fioionoQ
Standards
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
Earth and Human Activity
Engineering Design
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
40
The Ozone Between Us
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Student Worksheet: The Ozone Between Us
Name:
OZORQ Map
Look at the two AQI color charts on the page titled Air Quality Index (AQI)-A Guide to
Air Quality and Your Health, then look at the "Ozone Map" and answer the following
questions:
1. Next to each Air Quality category listed below, write the name of the color that is
used on the map for that category:
Air Quality Catogorg
Good
Color Used
Moderate
UnhQalthg for fionsitivQ Groups
UnhQalthg
Verg UnhQalthg
2. Find Los Angeles, CA on the Ozone Map. What is the air quality in Los Angeles?
Circle:
Good Moderate Unhealthy for Unhealthy Very
Sensitive Groups Unhealthy
3. Find another city on the map that has the same air quality as Los Angeles. Write the
city and state below.
4. Find two cities on the map where the air quality is "unhealthy for sensitive groups."
Write the city names and states below.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
41
The Ozone Between Us
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(continued)
Student Worksheet: The Ozone Between Us
Name:
5. Are there any cities on the map with good air quality? If so, list three.
6. Where are most of the red and orange areas on the map, near or far away from
cities?
7. Write a sentence that compares the kinds of places where good air quality is found,
and the kind of areas where unhealthy air quality is found. Why do you think that is?
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
42
The Ozone Between Us
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Teacher Answer Sheet: The Ozone Between Us
OZORQ Map
Look at the two AQI color charts on the page titled AirQualitylndex(AQI)A Guide
to Air Quality and Your Health, then look at the "Ozone Map" and answer the follow-
ing questions:
1. Next to each Air Quality category listed below, write the name of the color that is
used on the map for that category:
Air Quality Category
Good
Green
Moderate
Yellow
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups
Orange
Unhealthy
Very Unhealthy
Purple
(If students ask, or you wish to inform them, tell them that the color "Maroon,"
which represents "Hazardous" air quality, is not listed on the chart above because air
quality has not been "hazardous" in the U.S. for many years.)
2. Find Los Angeles, CA on the Ozone Map. What is the air quality in Los Angeles?
Circle:
Good Moderate
(Answer: Unhealthy)
Unhealthy for Unhealthy Very
Sensitive Groups Unhealthy
3. Find another city on the map that has the same air quality as Los Angeles. Write the
city and state below.
(Answer: Several correct answers-Houston, New York City, Boston)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
43
The Ozone Between Us
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(continued)
Teacher Answer Sheet: The Ozone Between Us
4. Find two cities on the map where the air quality is "unhealthy for sensitive groups."
Write the city names and states below.
(Several correct answers: Sacramento, Charlotte, Richmond, Albany)
5. Are there any cities on the map with good air quality? If so, list three.
(Several possible answers: Seattle, Tuscan, Dallas, Jackson, Miami,
Atlanta, Orlando, Detroit, Denver)
6. Where are most of the red and orange areas on the map, near or far away from
cities?
(Answer: Near cities)
7. Write a sentence that compares the kinds of places where good air quality is found
with the kinds of areas where unhealthy air quality is found. Why do you think that
is?
(Answer: Good air quality is found mostly in areas away from cities, in
rural areas, where fewer cars and factories are. Or similar answer.)
(Additional information that teachers may want to include: Some
cities also have good air quality. This may be because they have taken
steps to reduce air pollution, such as having good public transporta-
tion so that people take buses or trains instead of driving places, and
high-occupancy vehicle lanes to cut down on rush-hour traffic. Or, it
could be that wind blew air pollution away from certain cities.)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 44 The Ozone Between Us
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ThQ Cilia (not fiillg!) GamQ
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Learn what particle pollution is.
Understand how particle pollution can affect people's health.
Observe through role playing how our bodies (cilia in particular) help
protect us from particle pollution.
Understand the sources of particle pollution (see For Further Fjcploration).
Learn what people can do to reduce particle pollution (see For Further
Fjcploration).
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Estimated Time: 30 minutes
20 minutesFor Further Exploration
Background fiummarg
One type of air pollution is called particle pollution,
which is made up of tiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke,
and liquid droplets. Particle pollution comes from
things like cars and other vehicles, smokestacks from
factories and power plants, fireplaces and wood-burn-
ing stoves, volcanoes, and forest fires. When there's
a lot of particle pollution in the air, people can get
sick from breathing it in. Our bodies help protect us
from particle pollution. Cilia, which are tiny hair-like
structures that line our respiratory system, try to keep
foreign objects like particle pollution out of our lungs.
Sometimes the cilia are successful, but not all the
time. When particle pollution reaches our lungs, we
might feel sick.
Certain people are particularly sensitive to particle
pollution, including children, the elderly, people with
asthma and other respiratory problems, and people
with heart problems. Particle pollution may make
people cough or have difficulty breathing, and can
make asthma and heart disease worse. People visit
hospitals more often when there is a lot of particle
pollution. There are things that we can do to help
protect our health from particle pollution, such as
finding out how clean or dirty the air is, taking it
easier outside if the air is not good, and telling an
adult if you have trouble breathing on days when the
air quality is bad. It's also a good idea to stay away
from school bus tailpipes because particle pollution
comes out of them.
Tell the class that they are going to play a "Cilia
Game" that shows how cilia keep particle pollution
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
out of the lungs, and how some particle pollution gets
through to the lungs.
Materials Needed
Flour (about a handful)
Flashlight
Student Handout: Human Hair and Particle
Pollution (included)
75 (approx. 3-4 per student) pre-made newspaper
balls (wadded up newspapers to size of tennis
balls, wrapped in masking tape)
Cilia Game Set-Up (Included)
4 orange traffic/sports cones, or other similar size
safe objects
Name tags (optional, that say "Cilia", "Particle
Pollution", and "Lung"-see Step 9)
Sources of Particle Pollution poster (included) (see
"For Further Information" section)
Flip chart and marker
Keg Questions
What is particle pollution? (Answer: Particle pol-
lution is made up of tiny particles of dust, dirt,
smoke, and liquid droplets in the air.)
Where does particle pollution come from?
(Answer: Particle pollution comes from cars and
other vehicles, smokestacks from factories and
power plants, fireplaces and wood-burning stoves,
volcanoes, and forest fires.)
45 The Cilia (Not Silly) Game
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How can particle pollution affect our health?
(Answer: Particle pollution may make people cough
or have difficulty breathing, and can make asthma
and heart disease worse.)
What can we do to protect our health from
particle pollution? (Answers: Find out how clean
or dirty the air is. Take it easier outside if the air is
not good. Tell an adult if you have trouble breath-
ing on days when the air quality is bad. Stay away
from school buses' tailpipes.)
What can we do to reduce particle pollution?
(Answer: Use fireplaces and wood stoves less often,
or not at all. Make sure you have a clean-burning,
EPA-certified wood stove. Carpool or use public
transportation when possible instead of driving.
Turn off lights when not using them.)
Vocabulary
Cross section-A cut through a substance, at a right
angle.
Particle pollution-Air pollution that consists of tiny,
often microscopic particles of dust, dirt, smoke, and
liquid droplets.
Cilia-Small hair-like structures that line the airways
in the lungs and help clean out the airways.
1. Darken the classroom. Gently throw a handful of
flour into the air, keeping it away from students.
2. Quickly shine a flashlight on the flour as it is fall-
ing. Ask students to describe what they see.
3. Discuss how the flour floats in the air, separating
into tiny pieces, like dust. Tell students that these
tiny pieces are called "particles." Explain that many
different kinds of particles float in the air and
can be inhaled into our lungs, sometimes making
people cough.
4. Explain that when tiny particles of dust, dirt, or
smoke mix with liquid droplets in the air, scientists
call this "particle pollution." When there is a lot
of particle pollution in the air, people can get sick
from breathing it into their lungs. They may have
trouble breathing and become more tired. Particle
pollution can aggravate heart or lung disease.
Breathing particles has been linked to heart attacks
and even death.
5. Have one student come up to the blackboard and
draw a large circle on it. Tell students to pretend
that the circle is a strand of hair, cut open-a "cross
section." Have the student label the diameter
"70 microns."
6. Have two other students draw two tiny circles in-
side the large circle and label their diameters "2.5
microns." Explain that microns are very, very small
units of measurement. Tell students that particles
can be very tiny-we may not be able to see them,
but they may still be there.
7. Distribute the Student Handout: Human Hair and
Particle Pollution and observe it with students.
8. Explain what cilia are and the role they play in our
health and air pollution.
(Background information on c/7/o:Tell students
that cilia (pronounced: sih-lee-uh) are tiny hair-
like structures in our respiratory system. The job of
cilia is to protect our respiratory system by keeping
foreign matter-like particles-from entering our
lungs. Cilia do this by moving back and forth to
remove particles that enter our nose with the air
we breathe. As air is inhaled, the cilia wave around,
pushing any foreign matter away from the lungs.)
9. Tell students they are going to play a "Cilia Game."
(Not a "Silly" game!) Ask for student volunteers, as
follows:
Two students as the "Lungs"
Half the class, plus a few more, as "Particle
Pollution"
The remaining students as "Cilia"
If you are using name tags for the above roles,
pass them out now.
10. See the enclosed graphic for the Cilia Game Set-
Li p. In an open area, set up the boundaries of the
game in a trapezoid shape, using 4 traffic cones
or similar size (and safe) objects, leaving approxi-
mately 15 feet between the "Lungs" boundary and
the "Particle Pollution" boundary.
11. Read the game rules to the class.
(a) The "Lungs" students stand on the short side of
the trapezoid.
(b) The "Particle Pollution" students line up along
the longer edge of the game area.
(c) The "Cilia" students stand in between the "Par-
ticle Pollution" and the "Lungs." Tell the Cilia
students that they can stretch and wave their
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
46
The Cilia (Not fiilly) Game
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arms like cilia to keep Particle Pollution from
entering the Lungs, but they must stand still
with their feet together, and must not hit other
students. Have the Cilia students practice this
movement.
(d) Place some of the pre-made particle pollu-
tion newspaper balls near each of the "Particle
Pollution" students. Explain that the "Particle
Pollution" students will throw the particle pol-
lution balls towards the "Lungs" students, and
the "Cilia" students will try to defend the Lungs
by waving their arms and batting the particle
pollution balls away from the Lungs. Emphasize
that the balls should NOT be thrown too hard
and not anywhere near anyone's face. Dem-
onstrate by having a Particle Pollution student
throw one of the newspaper balls at you.
(e) Tell students to take a deep breath and feel the
air moving into their own lungs.
12. Begin the game by declaring the day bright and
clear, with little particle pollution, and tell two
Particle Pollution students to throw two balls each
towards the Lungs. The Cilia students should try to
bat the balls away from the Lungs.
Ask the "Lungs" how they are feeling.
13. Explain that now it is a day with lots of particle
pollution. Tell students that when you say "Go,"
all of the Particle Pollution students should throw
all of their balls, one at a time, towards the Lungs,
and the Cilia students should try to stop the balls
from reaching the Lungs by waving their arms.
Then shout out "Go!"
14. When all the balls have been thrown, stop the
game and allow time for students to calm down.
Then ask the Lungs students how it felt to have
all of that particle pollution thrown at them. Tell
the Lungs students to count how many Particle
Pollution balls reached them. Ask the Cilia students
how they felt during the game.
15. Review with students what happened in the Cilia
Game: when there was just a little particle pollu-
tion, it was easier for the cilia to keep the particle
pollution away from the lungs. When there was a
lot of particle pollution, it was much harder for the
cilia to keep the particle pollution away from the
lungs, and the lungs may have felt attacked by the
particle pollution.
16. Explain/review that at certain levels, everyone can
be affected by particle pollution. Some groups of
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 47
people are more sensitive, including children, the
elderly, people with asthma and other respiratory
problems, and people with heart problems. Breath-
ing in particle pollution may make people cough,
make it harder to breathe, and can make asthma
and heart disease worse. People visit hospitals
more often when there is a lot of particle pollution.
17. Discuss with the class what they can do to protect
their lungs and hearts from particle pollution in
the air. Tell them they can:
(a) Find out how good or bad the air quality is
each day from the Air Quality Index, or AQI. The
AQI is often in the newspaper on the weather
page, sometimes on the TV news, and always
on the Internet (at www.airnow.gov).
(b) If the air quality is not good, take it easier if
you're outside-walk instead of run, and take
breaks often.
(c) If it feels harder to breathe when the air is not
good, tell an adult.
(d) Stay away from the tailpipes of school buses
-you don't want to breathe in the particle pol-
lution that comes out of those.
In addition to the Human Hair and Particle Pollu-
tion handout included with this lesson, you can
also distribute the general student handout in this
Tool kit, Breathe Smart! Four Things Kids Can Do
(see Grades 3-5 Handout in this Toolkit).
/Vote: See "For Further Exploration" below for a
discussion of sources of particle pollution and
ways to reduce particle pollution.
For Further Exploration
If time permits, have a discussion with students about
where particle pollution comes from. Share with
the class the Sources of Particle Pollution poster at
the end of this lesson. Ask students if they or their
families ever create particle pollution and how. Record
answers on a flip chart.
(Teacherdiscussion information:There are many
sources of particle pollution created by people's activ-
ities. Cars and trucks, factories, and power plants that
produce electricity release particle pollution. Unpaved
roads, and construction projects that grind or crush
rocks or soil, also cause particle pollution. Wood-
burning stoves and fireplaces, outside burning of
branches or trash, smoke from cigarettes and cigars,
and off-road vehicles such as ATVs and lawn mow-
ers also create particle pollution. Sometimes nature
The Cilia (Not fiilly) Game
-------
can pollute the air, too. Forest fires and volcanoes can
pollute the air with particles. If you lived near a forest
fire, what do you think it would feel like to breathe
the air that day? [Wait for an answer or two.] 7hz air
would be very smoky, and it might make you cough,
or you might find it harder to breathe.)
Continue the discussion by asking students what they
think they, their families, and their communities can
do to reduce particle pollution. Write the answers on
the flip chart. Guide the class discussion to include
the following categories:
Use fireplaces and woodstoves less often or not
at all. Some town or city governments already
ban such burning when there's a lot of air pollu-
tion. Also, if your family uses a woodstove, make
sure it's a clean-burning, EPA-certified unit, which
produces less particle pollution than older units.
Use only dry seasoned wood; wet wood or plastics
cause more smoke and that's not good for you to
breathe, indoors or outdoors.
Use public transportation such as buses, trains,
and subways whenever possible instead of driving
in cars and trucks.
Companies and governments can develop cleaner
(less polluting) fuels (gas or other fuels) and cars,
and people can buy these cleaner cars and fuels.
Power plants can use cleaner ways to make elec-
tricity (such as water, wind, or solar power; cleaner
coal; and special equipment to reduce pollution).
Factories can use cleaner ways to make their prod-
ucts, and special equipment to reduce pollution.
AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Adapted from Clean Air Campaign, Georgia Learning
Connections.
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Energy
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Engineering Design
Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
48
The Cilia (Not fiilly) Game
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Student Handout: The Cilia (not fiillyl) Game
Human Hair and PartiolQ Pollution
Average Human Hair
70 microns
Particle Pollution
(shown as 10 and 2.5 microns)
(2.5 urn)
(Particle pollution is also known as
paniculate matter, orPM)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
49
The Cilia (Not fiilly) Game
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Cilia Game fict-Up
X Lungs X
xxxxxxxxxx
article Pollution
approx
15ft.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
50
The Cilia (Not fiilly) Game
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Sources of Particle Pollution
Wood-Burning Stoves^^ |
Power Plants
Fine Particles Can Be
Emitted Directly or Formed
in the Air from Gases
Heavy Duty Diesel Engines
Source/U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
51
The Cilia (Not fiilly) Game
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Traffic Tally
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Design and conduct a traffic survey to explore traffic volume on key local
roads.
Collect and analyze observational data.
Understand the connection between traffic volume, modes of transporta-
tion, air pollution, and health.
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Estimated Time: 1.5-2 hours (2-3 sessions)
Background fiummarg
Increased traffic is an ongoing problem in many local
communities, for several reasons. An increase in traf-
fic often increases accidents, safety problems, traffic
jams, and the time it takes to get places. Increased
traffic is also a health and environmental concern:
more vehicles on the road means more air pollution,
since gasoline-powered vehicles release, or emit, sev-
eral air pollutants (called vehicle emissions). Increased
air pollution can cause people to have breathing
problems and aggravate heart and lung disease. Also,
driving more, instead of walking or bicycling, means
we get less exercise, which can potentially contribute
to health problems such as obesity, heart disease, and
diabetes. Traffic is an environmental and economic
concern for another reason as well: more cars on the
road means more gasoline is used to run those cars.
Gasoline is made from oil, of which there is a limited
amount in the world.
This activity is a mini-field trip that provides students
with hands-on experience in conducting a traffic
survey in their own community, analyzing their data,
and exploring the connection between traffic and air
pollution. If time permits, students can create presen-
tations of their data.
Materials Needed
Pencils and erasers
Watches with minute/second hands, stopwatches,
or clicker counters
Clipboards (if available)
Additional staff support (classroom assistants or
parent volunteers)
Signed parental consent forms (if taking students
off school premises)
Student Worksheets (included)
Key Questions
Do you think there is too much traffic along the
main (2-lane) roads in your community? If so, how
many vehicles do you think travel along these
roads during morning rush-hour traffic? How
many people do you think are typically in each
vehicle?
How might the amount of traffic be reduced?
(Possibleanswers: People could walk, bicycle,
carpool, and take subways, trains, and buses more
often.)
How might the amount of air pollution from traf-
fic be reduced? (Possibleanswers: Having fewer
vehicles on the road; more people walking, bicy-
cling, carpooling, and taking subways, trains, and
buses; driving low-emission vehicles.)
What might some of the benefits be of reducing
traffic and air pollution from vehicles? (Possible
answers: Fewer traffic jams; safer streets to walk
and bike on; fewer health problems from air pol-
lution, such as breathing problems [e.g., asthma],
and heart disease, and possibly healthier people
because more people might be walking and get-
ting exercise.)
What things might affect the accuracy of a traffic
survey's results? (Possible answers: If on the day
of the survey there was bad weather or the day
was a holiday, the amount of traffic would not
represent the usual traffic. Also, the traffic survey
results would not be as accurate if: (1) different
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
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Traffic Tally
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groups started counting traffic at different times;
(2) some people missed counting some vehicles;
(3) some people put some vehicles into the wrong
categories; (4) some people "double-counted"
some of the vehicles.)
What vehicles produce the most pollution per
person? (Possibleanswer:Cars and trucks with
just one person in them.) What vehicles produce
the least pollution per person? (Possibleanswer:
Bicycles. Or, buses or trains that carry a lot of
people.)
Vocabulary
Tally-Counting using marks rather than names or
numbers.
Emissions-Substances discharged into the air.
Releases of pollutants from a variety of sources and
activities, including vehicles, factories, power plants
that make electricity, and wood-burning stoves and
fireplaces, among others.
1. Preparation.
Make important arrangements, such as obtain-
ing parental permission slips to go to off-school
premises, and getting commitments from adult
classroom assistants and/or parent volunteers to
accompany the class groups. (Note: If going offsite
is problematic, you can instead conduct the traffic
survey on school premises, near the driveway to
the school.)
Choose the roads on which the class will sur-
vey traffic volume and vehicle types. Choose a
minimum of two roads, for comparison purposes.
Choose roads that are within easy walking dis-
tance of the school, and are busy two-lane (one
travel lane each direction) roadways. Select a time
of day when the roads have moderately busy traf-
fic, such as morning rush hour.
The number of roads chosen will depend on how
many groups you want to divide the class into
(which in turn will depend in part on how many
adult assistants/volunteers you have, and the size
of your class). (Note: The class will not be sur-
veying major four-lane or larger highways; the
purpose is to determine local/community traffic
impacts.)
Give students an overview of the traffic survey. In-
form students that the class will conduct a traffic
survey to explore traffic volume on key local roads,
and the connection between vehicle traffic and
air pollution. Discuss the "Key Questions" above
with the class if you have not already done so. Tell
the class that they will divide up into groups of at
least 8 students per group, and will stand safely
by the sides of different busy roads. For a fifteen-
minute period (e.g., during morning rush hour),
some students will count the number of vehicles
driving by, while other students will identify the
type of each vehicle (e.g., car, truck, etc.), or the
number of people in each vehicle.
Explain a tally chart. Tell students that to conduct
the survey, they will make tally charts that keep
track of the number and types of vehicles and the
number of people in each vehicle, and that the
class is first going to practice making these charts.
On the chalkboard, illustrate tally marks.
2. Practice a traffic tally in class. Tell students to use
the back of their Student Worksheets to prac-
tice recording the number and types of vehicles
that you will be calling out to them. For simplic-
ity, tell students to consider SUVs and vans as
"trucks" and to ignore motorcycles. Then call out
the names of the vehicle types listed below; do it
quickly to simulate rapid traffic flow so that stu-
dents can practice performing quick tallys, which
they will need to do by the roadside.
Car
Truck
Car
Bicycle
Car
Car
Truck
Car
Car
Truck
Car
Car
Bus
Car
Car
Car
Car
Car
Car
Car
Car
Car
Car
Bus
Truck
Car
Car
Car
Car
Truck
Truck
Car
Bicycle
Bicycle
Car
Bicycle
Car
Bus
Car
Car
Truck
Car
Truck
Car
Bus
Car
Truck
Truck
Car
Truck
Car
Car
Bicycle
Car
Bicycle
Car
Bicycle
Truck
Truck
Car
Car
Car
Truck
Truck
Truck
Car
Truck
Truck
Car
Car
Tell students to swap tally sheets and check for
correct answers for each type of vehicle as you
read aloud the totals listed below:
Totals: Bicycle = 7, Car = 41, Truck = 18, Bus = 4
3. Explain to students that they will conduct the traf-
fic survey in four pairs. The first and second pairs
will focus on the number and types of vehicles;
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
54
Traffic Tally
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the third and fourth pairs will focus on the num-
ber of people in each type of vehicle:
1st Pair: One person will call out loud to their
partner the type of the vehicle (e.g., "car," "truck")
each time a vehicle passes in one direction (one
side of the street), while the other partner will
record the data on Student Worksheet #1.
2nd Pair: One person will count vehicles pass-
ing in the other direction (on the other side of the
street), while the other partner records the data
(as described in "1st Pair" above).
3rd Pair: One person will call out the number of
people in each vehicle in one direction and identify
the type of vehicle, while the other partner will
record the number of persons per vehicle and the
vehicle type. Tell students that it may be difficult to
identify the number of people, and to do the best
they can. For buses, have the students discuss and
agree on an estimate of the number of people they
will use (e.g., average of 15 people per bus) and
make sure all students are using the same number.
4th Pair: One person will call out the number
of people in each vehicle in the other direction
and the vehicle type, while the other partner will
record the number of persons per vehicle and the
type of vehicle. Again, tell students that it may
be difficult to identify the number of people, and
to do the best they can. For buses, use the same
estimated average number of people as discussed
in "3rd Pair" above, and make sure all students are
using the same number.
4. Explain ways that conducting the survey can help
make it more accurate. That is, it is important for
each group and each pair of students to do things
exactly the same way. For example, each group
must start the survey at the same time, and each
group must conduct the survey for exactly 15
minutes-not longer and not shorter.
5. Assign the students to survey groups, and assign
an adult assistant to each group. Have students in
each group divide up into pairs; help them decide
who will be an "announcer" (calling out the type of
each vehicle that passes, or the number of people
in each vehicle) and who will be the "recorder" in
each pair. Assign one person (e.g., the adult as-
sistant) to be the timekeeper, who will tell students
when to begin and end the survey and record the
exact starting and ending times.
6. Conduct the traffic survey at the designated loca-
tions, using Student Worksheet #1. If possible,
have students stand in locations where they do
not have to cross any streets. Be sure to remind
students to practice safety: stand back from the
roadway; if crossing a street is necessary, do so
carefully when the adult assistant says it is safe to
do so. Make sure students are standing in such a
way that allows other pedestrians to pass eas-
ily, and that they are polite to people. Have adult
assistants help students as needed as they count
vehicles and people in them.
7. After the survey has been conducted, in class (on
the same day or another day), have the student
groups compile their survey results, and discuss
and analyze the results as a class.
Calculate totals. Back in the classroom, in the top
half of Student Worksheet #2, have each group
add up the totals for their group, including the
total number of each type of vehicle and the grand
total number of vehicles. Ask a spokesperson
from each group to read aloud the totals for their
group, write these on the chalkboard, and add up
the totals for the entire class.
Calculate data for different vehicle types. Of the
total traffic, have the class calculate the portion of
each vehicle type (e.g., cars, trucks, buses, bicycles).
For younger students, this might be calculated as
fractions. For older students, this might be calcu-
lated as fractions and percentages.
Discuss results thus far. Which roadway had the
most traffic? Why does the class think this is so?
Compare and contrast the numbers of different
types of vehicles for each group.
8. Explain the Air Pollution Values table on Student
Worksheet #2 to the class. Tell students that you
have assigned an "air pollution value" number to
each type of vehicle. The number is an estimate
of the degree of air pollution each type of vehicle
releases for every person it carries, compared to
the other vehicle types-the higher the number,
the more air pollution. On Student Worksheet #2,
in the Air Pollution Values table, tell students to
look at the numbers in the "Air Pollution Value Per
Person" column.
Explain the rationale behind these numbers: Trucks
with one or two people in them release the most
pollution per person, so they are assigned the
highest pollution value of "10." Cars with one or
two people in them release the next most pol-
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
55
Traffic Tally
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lution per person, so they are assigned the next
highest pollution value of "9." Cars and trucks with
three or more people can be considered carpools
(sharing rides) for this exercise; because more
people are in the vehicle, it releases less air pollu-
tion per person, and is assigned a lower value of
"3"-about one-third the pollution values of 9 or
10. (This is because a vehicle with three people in
it would release about one-third of the pollution
compared to three separate vehicles each carrying
one person in it). Because buses can carry many
more people than cars and trucks, the pollution
value per person for buses is much lower ("0.2")
than for cars and trucks. Bicycles don't release any
air pollution, so their air pollution value is "0".
9. Tell students to fill in the "Total Number of People"
column in the Air Pollution Values table in Student
Worksheet #2. Ask students if they know where to
get this information. If no one offers the correct
answer, tell students they recorded this informa-
tion on the bottom of Student Worksheet #1
during the traffic survey, in the "Number of People
in Each Vehicle" box. Assist students as needed
in adding up the data in Student Worksheet #1
and transferring it to the Total Number of People
column of the Air Pollution Values table in Student
Worksheet #2 (e.g., placing the numbers in the
correct "Vehicle Type" rows in the table).
10. Next, demonstrate on the board how to calculate
numbers for the "Estimated Air Pollution Value"
column in the Air Pollution Value table. For one of
the vehicle types listed, ask a student to give you
his or her answer for the "Total Number of People"
for that vehicle type. Multiply the total number of
people for that type of vehicle by the "Pollution
Value Per Person" number assigned to that vehicle
type. Have students enter this answer in the "Es-
timated Air Pollution Value" column of the table.
Have students work in groups to calculate the
Estimated Air Pollution Value for the other vehicle
type categories and record these numbers in the
Air Pollution Values column in the table.
11. Discuss the results of the Air Pollution Values
table. Which vehicle type had the highest air pol-
lution value? Which vehicle type had the lowest air
pollution value? Discuss the results for the other
categories, and compare the numbers for all five
vehicle types. If no buses were identified in the
traffic survey, provide a hypothetical scenario for
comparison purposes (e.g., two buses, each with
15 people in them, would result in an Estimated
Air Pollution Value of 6: Total Number of People
[30] x Air Pollution Value Per Person [0.2] = Esti-
mated Air Pollution Value [6]).
12. Discuss the relationship between traffic volume,
air pollution, and health.
Ask: If the number of vehicles on the road were
reduced, might this reduce air pollution? (Correct
answer: Yes). Why? (Co/reef answer: Because gas-
powered vehicles release air pollutants, and fewer
vehicles would mean less pollution.)
/4s/c:How might the number of vehicles on the
road be reduced? (Correctanswers:Carpooling and
using public transportation [buses, trains, sub-
ways] would reduce the number of vehicles on the
road, which would reduce air pollution. Walking
and bicycling would also reduce air pollution. You
can also mention that new laws requiring ve-
hicles to release fewer emissions would also help
vehicles reduce the amount of air pollution.
/4s/c:What are some benefits from reducing air
pollution? (Correctanswer: Less breathing prob-
lems and fewer asthma attacks and heart prob-
lems. People might also be healthier because they
might get more exercise by walking or bicycling
instead of driving. Also, trees and plants would be
healthier if there was less air pollution.
13. Discuss the accuracy of the traffic survey method-
ology and results. Identify any potential problems
regarding the data collection methods: Did one
group collect data for 20 minutes instead of 15?
Did some people miss counting some vehicles (e.g.,
because they weren't paying attention, because
they sneezed, etc.)? Did some people "double-
count" one or more vehicles? Could students really
see the number of passengers inside vehicles? Did
some people put certain types of vehicles in the
wrong categories (e.g., did they remember to count
SUVs and vans as trucks)? Did one group start ear-
lier or later than another group? Did the weather
suddenly change during the tally? Inform the class
that any of these or other factors can affect the
accuracy of the survey results. Ask the class if they
have any ideas about how the survey could have
been done more accurately. (Then tell students
they did a great job, given the many things that
can affect the accuracy of survey results.)
14. If time permits, have students create a presenta-
tion of the traffic survey and air pollution results.
Depending on time available, either assign how the
class should present the data, or, if more time is
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
56
Traffic Tally
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available, have the class discuss different ways of
presenting the data and determine the best way to
present the information (e.g., line graph, pie chart,
pictogram, and/or bar graph). If time permits, you
may want to have different groups present their
data results in different ways.
Building on prior classroom experience with dif-
ferent graphic presentation formats, explain to
the class how to develop the type of presentation
format you choose. Decide what units, scales, col-
ors, symbols, spacing, etc. to use, as appropriate. If
computers are available, consider having students
use the Internet or relevant software to create
charts or graphs.
Discuss which type(s) of chart or graph conveys
the information most effectively and why.
Adaptation
For Grades K-2, conduct the traffic survey as a whole
class instead of dividing up into groups (with enough
adult classroom assistants). Have the teacher and
adult assistants, rather than the students, count the
number of vehicles and people in the vehicles. Back
in class, the teacher can call out the totals for the
students to record. The teacher can calculate the es-
timated air pollution values and tell students that the
higher the number, the more air pollution that type
of vehicle produces. For presentation purposes, help
the students develop pictograms and/or pie charts
(instead of more complex bar graphs, etc.).
For Further Exploration
Have students explore the mean and range of the
different groups' data sets and of the grand totals.
Have students develop a database, computerized if
possible, of the data collected.
Conduct an in-class simulation instead of,
or in addition to, a traffic survey field trip.
See the Traffic Jams lesson at Web site:
www.cleanaircampaign.org/Your-Schools/Resourc-
es/Air-Quality-Lesson-Plans/Elementary-School.
(Step 7 of the Traffic Jams lesson on pollution
values was adapted and incorporated into this
Traffic Tally lesson).
AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
UK Department of Transport Primary School Teaching
Resource - Numeracy: Local Traffic Survey.
The Beacon School Interactive Website-Geography
Department at: www.geogweb.com
Traffic Jams. The Clean Air Campaign, Georgia Learn-
ing Connections at: http://www.cleanaircampaign.org/
Your-Schools/Resources/Air-Quality-Lesson-Plans/
Elementary-School
Walking for Health and the Environ-
ment Curriculum. WalkBoston and ERG at:
http://walkboston.org/resources/maps
Noxt GonQration fioionoQ
Standards
Energy
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Engineering Design
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
57
Traffic Tally
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Student Worksheet #1: Tally Sheet for Traffic Survey
Location (name of road, and main intersection if appropriate):
Number of Each Vehicle Type
Type
Cars
Trucks
BUSQS
BiogolQS
Tally Totals
Number of People in Each Vehicle (keep separate results for each individual vehicle)
Trucks
Bicycles
Buses (estimate)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
58
Traffic Tally
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Student Worksheet #2: Survey Results and
Air Pollution Values
Location (name of road, and main intersection if appropriate):
Using your results in Student Worksheet #1, fill out the following information
in the classroom after conducting the survey:
Total number of cars:
Total number of trucks:
Total number of buses:
Total number of bicycles:
Total number of all types of vehicles:
After your teacher discusses the Air Pollution Values table below with the class,
complete the table.
Air Pollution Values
Vehicle Type
Trucks with 1 or 2
people
Cars with 1 or 2
people
Cars and Trucks
with 3 or more
people (Carpool)
Bus
Bicycle
Total Number
of People
Air Pollution Value
Per Person
10
9
3
0.2
0
Estimated
Air Pollution Value
If your teacher instructs you to do so, present your survey results (as a line graph,
pie chart, bar graph, and/or pictogram, as your teacher tells you).
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
59
Traffic Tally
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-------
Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #1
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Observe simulations of normal weather conditions compared to conditions
during temperature inversions.
Understand how temperature inversions can trap air pollutants and impact
health.
Grade Level: Grades 3-5
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Background fiummarg
Air temperature can play an important role in air pol-
lution. Under normal weather conditions, air tempera-
ture is cooler as you move upward in the atmosphere;
the air closer to the Earth is warmer than the air
above it. The word "inversion" means that something
is reversed or turned upside down. So when a tem-
perature inversion occurs, the opposite is true about
the air. During a temperature inversion, cool air is
"trapped" under warmer air above it. Any pollutants
in the cooler air are also trapped under the warmer
air, and cannot rise and move away, until the weather
changes, such as a wind carrying the air pollution
away. While the temperature inversion is occurring,
air quality in that particular location can get worse if
there is a lot of pollution there.
Materials Needed
Photos showing clean air and air with trapped pol-
lutants (included)
4 identical small, clear glass jars (baby food jars
work well)
Very hot tap water
Ice water (about SCOT)
2 index cards
Red food coloring
Medicine dropper (e.g., eye dropper) (optional)
2 shallow pans or baking dishes, each long enough
(to hold 2 of the small jars)
Keg Questions
Do you think different layers in the atmosphere
have different temperatures?
Do you think temperature differences in the atmo-
sphere could affect air pollution? How?
Vooabularg
Atmosphere-The mass of air surrounding the Earth.
Inversion-A reversal of the usual order.
Temperature inversion-A layer of warm air that pre-
vents the rise of cooler air and pollutants beneath it.
fiteps
1. Show the class the photos of a city with clean air
and a city with trapped air pollutants.
Demonstrate normal weather conditions to the class
(Steps 2-6):
2. Place two of the jars in one of the shallow pans.
3. Fill one of the jars with hot water and the other jar
with ice water. Fill jars to the brim. If you use ice
cubes to cool the water in the ice-water jar, do not
leave any ice in the jar.
4. Put several drops of red food coloring in the jar
with the hot water, and explain to students that
the food coloring represents air pollution.
5. Place an index card over the top of the jar with the
cold (clear) water and quickly flip this jar on top of
the jar with the hot (red) water.
Align the jar openings.
6. Carefully pull the index card out. Leave the jars
one on top of the other for later observation.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
61 Trapping Air Pollution: Temp. Inversions #1
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Next, demonstrate a temperature inversion (Steps
7-11):
7. Place the last two jars in the other shallow pan.
8. Fill one jar with hot water and the other jar with
ice water. Fill jars to the brim. Again, if you use ice
cubes to cool the water in the ice-water jar, do not
leave any ice in the jar.
9. This time, add several drops of red food coloring
to the jar with the ice water, and explain that the
food coloring again represents air pollution.
10. Place an index card over the top of the jar with the
hot (clear) water and quickly flip this jar on top of
the cold (red) water jar.
Align the jar openings.
11. Carefully pull the index card out. Leave the jars
one on top of the other for observation.
12. Discuss the results with the class.
A. Ask the class: What happened in each ex-
periment? (Answers: In the first experiment, the
hot [clear] water in the bottom jar and the cold
[red] water in the top jar mixed immediately, and
water in both jars turned red. In the second experi-
ment, the cold [red] water in the bottom jar was
trapped and could not escape upward, and the jar
on the top [hot water] stayed clear.)
B. Which of these experiments do you think
reflects normal weather conditions, and why?
Which reflects a temperature inversion, and
why? (Answer:The first experiment reflects normal
weather conditions because the colder tempera-
ture was above the warmer temperature. The
second experiment reflects a temperature inver-
sion because the colder temperature was trapped
below the warmer temperature above it.)
C. What happens to air pollutants under each
of these conditions, and how do you think this
might affect people's health? (Answer: In the
first experiment [normal weather conditions], the
water in the jars and any pollutants [red color-
ing] in them mixed together, showing that the
air and pollutants can move upward and away. In
the second experiment [temperature inversion],
the warmer water above trapped the cooler water
below and any pollutants [red coloring] in it. This
shows that a temperature inversion prevents cool
air and pollutants from rising and traps them
closer to the Earth in the air that we breathe.
Breathing trapped pollutants can make it harder to
breathe and can make people feel sick.)
Adaptation
For a more advanced lesson on temperature inver-
sions, see "Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inver-
sion #2" (for Grades 6-8) in this Toolkit.
AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Adapted from Alamo Area Council of Governments
(AACOG) Air Quality Curriculum at: www.aacog.com/
documentcenter/view/247
Noxt GonQration fioionoQ
Standards
Weather and Climate
Earth and Human Activity
Engineering Design
Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
62 Trapping Air Pollution: Temp. Inversions #1
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Clean Air
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
63 Trapping Air Pollution: Temp. Inversions #1
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Pollutants Trapped In Air
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
64 Trapping Air Pollution: Temp. Inversions #1
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fiave fimog City 2 from PartiolQ Pollution
Learning ObJQotivQS
Students will:
Understand how weather and people's activities affect air pollution.
Explore how changes in key variables can affect air pollution.
Learn how air pollution can affect our health.
Identify things people can do to reduce air pollution.
Grado LQVQ!: Grades 3-5
EstimatQd Timo: 1 hour
Background fiummarg
Air pollution is not good for our health. Particle pol-
lution is one type of air pollution that is made up of
tiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets
that may contain chemicals. Particle pollution "emis-
sions" come from cars and trucks, power plants, and
factories. Particle pollution can also come from natu-
ral sources, such as fires and volcanoes.
(Make sure the class understands what emissions are,
since this is an important concept of this lesson and
the Smog City 2 Web site used as the basis for this
lesson.) Ask the class if they know what emissions are.
Based on their responses, guide the class to under-
stand that emissions are releases of pollutants from
cars and trucks, factories, power plants that make
electricity, and even activities we do at home, such as
using wood-burning stoves and fireplaces.
Weather can also affect particle pollution. Wind
can blow particle pollution away from where it was
produced to distant areas. Particle pollution can occur
at any time of year, but is often especially bad in the
winter, when the winds are calm and when tempera-
ture inversions occur. An inversion is when a layer
of warm air traps cold air beneath it, including any
pollutants in the cold air.
Tell the class that the Air Quality Index, orAQI, tells
how clean or polluted the air is in a specific location
each day. The AQI has six categories for air quality:
Good (green), Moderate (yellow), Unhealthy for Sensi-
tive Groups (orange), Unhealthy (red), Very Unhealthy
(purple), and Hazardous (maroon). Tell students that
you will discuss the AQI more as the lesson continues.
Particle pollution can be part of "smog"-a term that
originally meant a combination of smoke and fog.
These days, smog refers to a combination of chemicals
and particles. Tell students that they will be playing
an online computer game called Smog City 2 about
particle pollution that lets them change things like the
weather, emissions from cars and power plants, and
population to see how these changes affect particle
pollution.
Materials Needed
Internet access
Teacher Answer Sheet (included)
Student Worksheet (included)
Keg Questions
What is particle pollution? (Answer: Particle pol-
lution is one type of air pollution that is made up
of tiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke, and liquid
droplets that may contain chemicals.)
Can people's activities affect air pollution? How?
(Answer:Yes. Vehicles, power plants, and factories
are major sources of air pollution.).
Can the weather affect air pollution? How?
(Answer/Yes. See the third paragraph under Back-
ground Summary a bove.)
Can particle pollution affect people's health? How?
What can people do to protect their health from air
pollution? (Answer: Particle pollution can irritate
the eyes, nose, and throat; cause coughing, chest
tightness, and shortness of breath; and can make
asthma and heart disease worse. When particle
pollution levels are "Unhealthy"-a "red" air quality
day according to the Air Quality Index (AQI)-peo-
ple with heart or lung disease (including asthma)
and older adults and children are advised to avoid
strenuous activities. The AQI also provides other
health messages for other air quality conditions.)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
65 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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What can people do to reduce air pollution?
(Answers might include: Drive less; take buses,
trains, and subways; walk and bicycle. If you drive,
drive a hybrid or other car that produces fewer
emissions. Use lawnmowers that don't use gasoline
or electricity. Reduce use of wood-burning stoves or
fireplaces. Also, power plants could use wind power,
solar power, or hydroelectric power instead of coal,
oil, or natural gas. Factories can use cleaner tech-
nologies that produce fewer emissions. Companies
can make and sell fuels for cars from waste prod-
ucts instead of gasoline.)
Vocabulary
Emissions-Substances released into the air that may
contain pollutants from a variety of sources and activi-
ties, including vehicles, factories, power plants that
make electricity, and wood-burning stoves and fire-
places, among others.
Particle pollution-Tiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke,
and iquid droplets in the air.
Air Quality Index (AQI)A color-coded scale that
provides daily air quality and health information.
1. Tell students to access the Smog City 2 Web site
at www.smogcity2.org and click on "Save Smog
City 2 from Particle Pollution." Then have the class
minimize the instructions box at the top right of
the screen and ignore the "Information" box at
the bottom of the screen; they will be exploring
several of these concepts in this lesson.
2. Tell the class not to click on anything until you
tell them to (it's tempting!). Point out the main
categories on the left of the screen with the class,
including Weather, Emissions, and Population. Also
tell students to notice how each of the settings
under these categories are pre-set to a certain
level. Tell them that they will explore what hap-
pens when they change some of these settings.
(If students ask, you can mention to students
that the "Total Emissions" graph towards the bot-
tom of the page reflects all the different types of
emissions at the levels you set when you play the
game. Tell them that you will be discussing Emis-
sions later in the lesson. You can also mention that
"Random Events" refers to natural events such as
fires.)
3. Tell students to look at the black sign in the pic-
ture. The signs tells the current temperature and
AQI, or Air Quality Index. Remind students that the
AQI tells how much air pollution there is.
Tell students to record the current temperature
and the AQI on their Student Worksheet in Ques-
tion #1 -for the AQI, have students enter the AQI
under the "Number" column only for now.
4. Tell students to observe the AQI (Air Quality Index)
box in the lower right corner of the screen. Tell
the class that the default setting is "Red". (Define
default for students.) Tell students that the match-
ing health level for a red AQI color is "Unhealthy"
(see just below the colored graph where it says
"Health.") Under this health level is a correspond-
ing health message.
Review the health message in the box for a Red,
Unhealthy AQI with the class: "People with heart
or lung disease, older adults, and children should
avoid prolonged or heavy exertion. Everyone else
should reduce prolonged or heavy exertion."
5. Tell students to add the "Color" and "Health Level"
for the AQI in Question #1 of their Student Work-
sheet (based on the information reviewed in
Step 4).
6. Tell students that it's winter in Smog City 2, so
they should change the temperature setting to 30
degrees F (lowest setting, farthest to the left).
Note: Tell students that settings can be changed
by clicking on the new level they want. Remind
them to wait until you tell them to change any of
the settings.
7. Tell the class that the "Population" setting refers
to total population in an area, and it can also refer
to the number of people using wood-burning
stoves and fireplaces. Keeping the same setting
established in Step 6 (that is, tell students not to
press the Reset button), have students increase the
Population to the highest setting (far right), since
more people in Smog City 2 are using their wood-
burning stoves and fireplaces this winter.
8. Tell students to record the AQI in Question #2 on
their Student Worksheet after they lowered the
temperature and raised the Population.
Ask students: What happened to the AQI when
you lowered the Temperature and increased the
Population setting? Why do you think this hap-
pened?
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
66 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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(Answer: The AQI increased from 157 to 184. This
occurred because the increase in wood stove and
fireplace use produced more particle pollution.
Also, while particle pollution can occur at any time
of year, it is often higher in the winter. Note that
while the AQI increased, it remained in the same
-Unhealthy-category.)
9. Tell the class that the mayor of Smog City 2 has
just restricted the use of wood-burning stoves and
fireplaces this winter to reduce the Unhealthy level
of particle pollution. The west side of the city can
burn wood on even calendar days, the east side on
odd calendar days.
Keeping the setting established in Step 8 (don't
press Reset), tell students to reduce the Population
setting to the second to lowest setting (second
from left)-remind students that you are using this
setting to represent the number of people using
wood stoves and fireplaces.
10. Tell students to record the AQI in Question #3
on their Student Worksheet after they reduced
the Population using wood-burning stoves and
fireplaces.
Ask students: What happened to the AQI when
you lowered the Population? Why do you think
this happened?
(Answer: The AQI decreased from 184 to 119.
The AQI category changed from Unhealthy to
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Read the Health
Message for "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" to
the class in the box on the lower right. The AQI de-
creased because reducing the use of wood stoves
and fireplaces reduced particle pollution.)
11. Have the class press the "Reset" button on the
lower left side so that everything returns to the
original settings.
12. Tell students to observe the current Emissions
level for "Cars and Trucks" and record the current
AQI on Question #4 of their Student Worksheet.
13. Tell students that the mayor of Smog City 2 has
just purchased a whole new fleet of hybrid cars
and other fuel-efficient cars and trucks to replace
all older cars used by city government workers.
Therefore, tell students to decrease the Emissions
level from Cars and Trucks to the lowest level to
reflect this change.
14. Tell students to record the AQI after they made the
change in Cars and Trucks emissions in Question
#5 on their Student Worksheet.
Ask students: What happened to the AQI when
you lowered the emissions from Cars and Trucks?
Why do you think this happened?
(Answer: The AQI decreased from 157 to 113.
The AQI category changed from Unhealthy to
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Read the Health
Message for "Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups" to
the class in the box on the lower right of the Web
page. The AQI decreased because the newer fleet
of vehicles purchased by the city produced fewer
emissions than the older vehicles.)
15. Tell students that particle pollution can irritate
the eyes, nose, and throat; cause coughing, chest
tightness, and shortness of breath; trigger asthma
attacks; and make heart disease worse.
(Note: If the class is also studying ozone pollution,
you can mention that some of the health symp-
toms of particle pollution and ozone pollution are
similar, such as irritation of the throat, coughing,
and aggravating asthma, but some health symp-
toms are different. For example, particle pollution
can make heart disease worse. Particle pollution
has been linked to heart attacks.)
16. Tell students to look at the top of the column on
the left side of the Save Smog City 2 from Par-
ticle Pollution page and click on "Air Quality Index
(AQI)" (the second heading).
Look at the color chart at the bottom of this AQI
page with the class and read each different color's
health message so that students understand how
changes in air pollution, as reflected by changes in
the AQI, can affect people's health.
17. Ask students what steps they think they or other
people could take to reduce emissions and par-
ticle pollution. Add to and discuss the answers,
as indicated below, and the rest of the Student
Worksheet.
(Correct answers might include: Drive less; take
buses, trains, and subways; walk and bicycle. If you
drive, drive a hybrid or other vehicle that releases
fewer emissions. Use lawnmowers that don't use
gasoline or electricity. Reduce use of wood-burning
stoves or fireplaces. Also, power plants could use
wind power, solar power, or hydroelectric power
instead of coal, oil, or natural gas. Factories can
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
67 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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use cleaner technologies that produce fewer
emissions. Companies can make and sell alterna-
tive fuels for cars from waste products instead of
depending so much on gasoline as a fuel.)
(The class can also have a discussion of electric-
ity and emissions. Tell students that generally, the
more electricity that we use, the more electricity
that power plants need to produce, which produc-
es more emissions of air pollutants. If we use less
electricity, power plants will need to produce less
electricity, and will produce fewer emissions. So,
turn off lights when you're not using them, and
also appliances such as computers, TVs, fans, and
air conditioning, and turn down the heat when
leaving the house [talk to your parents about this
first]).
For Further Exploration
Change some of the other settings in Save Smog City
2 from Particle Pollution, such as Wind, Consumer
Products, and Industry, and discuss with the class how
these changes can affect particle pollution, the AQI,
and health.
To challenge students, conduct the "Save Smog City
2 from Ozone" lesson (or portions of it) in this Toolkit
(see Grades 6-8).
See the Temperature Inversion lesson(s) in this Toolkit
(one for Grades 3-5, another for Grades 6-8) for
information on how temperature inversions can affect
air pollution.
AeknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Smog City 2, U.S. EPA and the Sacramento Air Quality
Management District at: www.smogcitv2.org
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Weather and Climate
Energy
Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Engineering Design
Matter and Energy in Organisms and Ecosystems
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
68 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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fitudent WorkshQQt: fiave fimog City 2 from PartiolQ Pollution
NamQ:
Record the current temperature and AQI in "Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution":
Current temperature:
Current AQI:
Color Hoalth LQVQ!
2. Record the AQI when you lowered the temperature to 30ฐ F and raised the Popula-
tion to the highest level:
Number
Color Health LQVQ!
3. Record the AQI after you reduced the "Population" that uses wood-burning stoves
and fireplaces.
Current AQI:
Number
Color
Health Level
4. Record the AQI at the current Emissions level for Cars and Trucks:
Number
Color
Health Level
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
69 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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(oontinuQd)
fitudont WorkshQQt: fiavQ fimog City 2 from PartiolQ Pollution
Name:
5. Now record the AQI when the Emissions level for Cars and Trucks was changed to
reflect government use of a new fleet of low-emission cars and trucks (changed to
lowest level):
'umbQr
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
70 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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Teacher Answer fiheet: fiave fimog City 2 from
PartiolQ Pollution
1. Record the current temperature and AQI in "Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution":
Current temperature: 50ฐ F
Current AQI:
Number
157
Color
Red
Health LQVQ!
Unhealthy
2. Record the AQI when you lowered the temperature to 30ฐ F and raised the Popula-
tion to the highest level:
Number
184
Color
Red
Hoalth LQVQ!
Unhealthy
Ask: If the AQI changed when you lowered the temperature and raised the Popula-
tion, why do you think this occurred?
Answer: The AQI increased from 157 to 184. This occurred because the increase in
wood stove and fireplace use produced more particle pollution. Also, while particle
pollution can occur at any time of year, it is often higher in the winter. Note that
while the AQI increased, it remained in the same-Unhealthy-category.
3. Record the AQI after you reduced the "Population" that uses wood-burning stoves
and fireplaces.
Current AQI:
Number
119
Color Health Level
Orange
Unhealthy
for Sensitive
Groups
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
71 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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(oontinuod)
Teacher Answer fiheet: fiave fimog City 2 from
PartiolQ Pollution
Ask: If the AQI changed when you reduced the Population using wood-burning
stoves and fireplaces, why do you think this occurred?
r: The AQI decreased from 184 to 119. The AQI category changed from Un-
healthy to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. The AQI decreased because reducing the
use of wood stoves and fireplaces reduced particle pollution.
4. Record the AQI at the current Emissions level for Cars and Trucks:
Number
157
Color
Red
Health Level
Unhealthy
5. Now record the AQI when the Emissions level for Cars and Trucks was changed to
reflect government use of hybrid cars (changed to lowest level):
Number
113
Color
Orange
Health Level
Unhealthy
for Sensitive
Groups
Ask: If the AQI changed when you reduced Emissions from Cars and Trucks to reflect
the city's purchase of a fleet of newer low-emission cars and trucks, why do you
think this occurred?
r: The AQI decreased from 157 to 11 3. The AQI category changed from Un-
healthy to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. Read the Health Message for "Unhealthy
for Sensitive Groups" to the class in the box on the lower right of the Web page. The
AQI decreased because the newer fleet of vehicles purchased by the city produced
fewer emissions than the older vehicles.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
72 Save fimog City 2 From Particle Pollution
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fitudont Handout
73
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Breathe Smart!
FourThings
Can Do
Find out what AQI color for today is where you live.
Visit the AIRNow Web site at www.airnow.gov.
Tell your parents about the AQI so they can help you.
Protect your health when the air is dirty.
Take it easier when you play outside.
If it feels harder to breathe, tell an adult.
Help reduce pollution.
Turn off lights, TVs, and computers
when not using them.
Walk, bike, or take a bus or train with
an adult. But remember, your safety
always comes first!
Visit the AQI kids' site at www.airnow.gov
(click on "Kids" in the "Learning Center")
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