September 2013
EPA-456/B-13-003C
Unhealthy tor Sensitive Groups
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Key Messages: Grades 6-8
Breathing polluted air is unhealthy. For example, you might find it
more difficult to breathe, you might cough or wheeze, or your chest
might feel tight.
Aฎ I
AIR QUALITY INDEX
You can't always tell if the air is polluted by how it looks. The Air Quality Index, or AQI, can
help.
Two main types of air pollution are ozone pollution and particle pollution.
The ozone we breathe at ground level is bad. But very high in the atmosphere (the strato-
sphere) is a natural layer of ozone that is good because it helps protect us from the sun's
harmful ultraviolet rays. A rhyme that can help you remember this is: "Ozone: Good up
high, bad nearby."
You can protect your health in three ways when the air is polluted:
1. Find out the air quality each day.
You can do this by checking the AQI (the Air Quality Index), just like checking the
weather report. The AQI uses color-coded maps and health messages to tell you
how clean or polluted the air is. For example, green means the air is clean. Red
means the air is unhealthy for everyone.
You can always find the AQI on the Internet at a site called AIRNow at:
www.airnow.gov. You also might hear about the AQI on TV during the weather
forecast or on the radio, or you might see it on the weather page in the local
newspaper. Download the AirNow App to get the AQI on your smartphone.
2. If you're outside when you know the air is polluted, you can protect your health by
taking it easier. It's important to exercise and be active to maintain good health. But
when the air is polluted, you can reduce the time you spend exercising, walk instead of
run, take frequent breaks, or go outside at another time or on another day when the
air is cleaner.
3. If you notice any symptoms when you're outside like coughing, pain when you take a
deep breath, chest tightness, or wheezing, stop your activity and tell an adult. This is
especially important if you have asthma.
Both people's activities (such as transportation, energy use, and materials production) and
nature (such as forest fires and volcanic eruptions) can cause air pollution.
You can help reduce pollution. For example, turn off lights and equipment that use energy
when you don't need them. Walk, bike, carpool, or use public transportation when possible
instead of having someone drive you.
Key Messages 79 AQI Toolkit for Teachers
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Plans
81
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figmptoms fieenario
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Identify some of the health symptoms associated with specific air pollut-
ants (ozone and particle pollution).
Identify preventive measures that people can take to protect their health.
Understand which segments of the population are most at risk from air
pollution.
Grade LQVQ!: Grades 6-8
Estimated Time: 2 hours
Background fiummarg
Breathing clean air is important to maintain our
health. Millions of Americans ive in areas where the
air is sometimes considered unhealthy to breathe
because it is polluted. One common air pollutant is
ground-level ozone. The effects of ground-level ozone
pollution are different than the effects of the ozone
layer high up in the atmosphere, which helps protect
us from receiving too much of the sun's ultraviolet
radiation. At ground level, ozone can cause breathing
difficulties, aggravate lung diseases, such as asthma,
and may cause permanent lung damage. An easy way
to remember the different types of ozone is: "Good
up high, bad nearby." Ground-level ozone pollution
is formed when certain pollutants, known as precur-
sors, are released from vehicles, industries, and power
plants, and in the presence of sunlight and heat react
together to form ozone.
Another common air pollutant is particle pollu-
tion, which can cause breathing difficulties, aggra-
vate heart disease as well as lung disease, and may
cause chronic bronchitis or reduced lung function in
children. Particle pollution consists of tiny particles
of dust, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets that contain
chemicals.
In this lesson, students first read background materi-
als about the health impacts of air pollution, followed
by a teacher-led discussion. Students then role-play
realistic case studies, as patients with health symp-
toms and their family members. The rest of the class
interviews the patient and family members to try to
determine which air pollutant may have caused the
symptoms. The class then discusses what they can do
to protect their health when air quality is poor.
Materials
(one copy of each of the following materials is
included in this lesson)
Background Reading: What Are the Health Impacts
of Air Pollution? (one for each student)
Pollutants Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollut-
ants (one for each student)
Group Task Cards (one set for each of three
groups; cut to card size before distributing)
Symptoms Scenarios A, B, and C (a different sce-
nario for each of the three groups)
Student Worksheet #1: What Are the Health Im-
pacts of Air Pollution? (one for each student)
Student Worksheet #2: Which Pollutant? (one for
each student)
Teacher Answer Sheet #1: What Are the Health
Impacts of Air Pollution?)
Teacher Answer Sheet #2: Which Pollutant?
Keg Questions
Do you think that air pollution levels in your area
could be high enough to affect people's health? If
so, what might some sources of air pollution be in
your area? (See Step 1 below.)
What do you think some of the health effects are
that people living in areas with high levels of air
pollution might experience? (Answer:Ozone can
cause breathing difficulties, aggravate lung diseas-
es, and may cause lung damage. Particle pollution
can cause breathing difficulties, aggravate heart
disease or lung disease, and may result in chronic
bronchitis or reduced lung function in children.)
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83
Symptoms Scenario
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Vocabulary
EthicalBehavior considered good or right.
Susceptible-Vulnerable or predisposed to certain
effects. A member of a population who is at risk of
getting a disease or illness if exposed to something
that causes the disease or illness.
Ozone pollutionOzone is an air pollutant when
near the Earth's surface. (In contrast, in the Earth's
upper atmosphere, ozone protects people from receiv-
ing too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun.)
Particle pollutionTiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke,
and liquid droplets in the air.
Precursor-A compound that participates in a
chemical reaction that produces another compound.
ReactWhen two or more chemicals interact and
form a new product.
1. If you haven't already done so, ask students if they
think air pollution levels in your area could be high
enough to affect people's health. If so, what might
some sources of air pollution be? Hold a brief class
discussion of their answers.
(Possible answers: Cats and other vehicles, dust
from construction sites, smokestacks from fac-
tories and power plants, yard burning, fireplaces
and wood stoves. Also see the enclosed Pollutants
Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollutants.)
2. Either as homework the night before or in-class,
have students read Background Reading: What Are
the Health Impacts of Air Pollution? and Pollut-
ants Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollutants.
Then have them complete Student Worksheet #1:
What Are the Health Impacts of Air Pollution? Tell
students to keep all three of these items for future
use.
3. Hold a brief class discussion of the reading, chart,
and students' Worksheet #1 responses. Discus-
sion could include teacher prompts such as: Did
you know about the health effects of air pollution
discussed in the Background Reading and the Pol-
lutants Chart? Were you surprised at any of these
health effects? Have you or anyone you've known
experienced any of these effects?
4. Select 12 students and divide them into three
groups of four students each for role-playing.
Distribute materials (below), some to the groups
and others to the rest of the class, as indicated:
To the three groups of role-playing students:
Symptoms Scenario (hand out Scenario A to one
group, Scenario B to a second group, and Scenario
Cto the third group)
Group Task Cards (after cutting them to size, give
a full set of 4-Patient, Family Member (or Second
Patient), Class Monitor, and Scribe-to each group)
To the rest of the class:
Student Worksheet #2: Which Pollutant? (one for
each student)
Background Reading, Pollutants Chart, and Stu-
dent Worksheet #1 (previously distributed; provide
to students who don't have these with them, if
done as homework)
5. While the rest of the class is reviewing the materi-
als distributed in Step 4, explain to students in
the three role-playing groups that each member
of their group will choose and assume a specific
responsibility, as defined on the Group Task Cards,
and will present their Scenario to the class.
Explain that one "patient" and one "family mem-
ber" (or, "second patient") from each group will
introduce themselves to the class (acting skills
welcome!) based on the information in their
Symptoms Scenario. Another group member will
act as class monitor, maintaining order during
questions and answers; and another will act as
scribe, writing answers on the board. Each of the
cards describes the tasks in more detail.
6. Give the groups time to prepare (5 to 10 min-
utes), allowing them to briefly read and discuss
their Symptoms Scenario and Group Task Cards
amongst themselves to prepare for their presen-
tations, while the rest of the class continues to
review the materials distributed in Step 4 and
proceeds with Step 7.
7. Tell students in the audience that they are going
to be "doctors" trying to determine the pollutant
most likely associated with or causing the symp-
toms presented. Tell them to listen carefully to
each of the three presentations and make doctor's
notes on Worksheet #2: Which Pollutant? as they
listen. Tell them they will be asking the patient and
family member in each group questions to help
the class come up with answers.
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84
Symptoms Scenario
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8. Have the first group present its Symptoms Sce-
nario to the class. Assist the group as needed.
9. After the presentation, tell the rest of the class
to go ahead and ask "doctor" questions to try to
determine possible causes of the symptoms. Tell
them they can use their Student Worksheet #2:
Which Pollutant?, the Pollutants Chart, and the
background reading as guides. Have the present-
ers respond. Assist the class as needed in asking
targeted questions to obtain pertinent information
included in the Symptoms Scenarios.
Each presenter should respond as best they can,
based on their Scenario. Other members of their
group (e.g., family member, class monitor, scribe)
can help them answer questions.
10. At the beginning of this Step, give the role-playing
groups the Pollutants Chart and Student Work-
sheet #2 so they have the same information as the
rest of the class.
After a reasonable amount of time question-
ing the Scenario presenter group, have the class
as a whole (presenting group, other groups, and
audience) together continue to try to determine
the pollutant associated with or causing the
symptoms, as well as identify health prevention
measures, with teacher guidance-but don't tell
students yet which pollutant it is or possible pre-
ventive measures.
See Teacher Answer Sheet #2: Which Pollutant?
for information on symptoms and other "hints" of
information that might be shared with the class at
this point.
Discourage students from arriving at answers too
quickly. Encourage questions about other aspects
of the patient's life (e.g., cigarette smoking) that
could also be an influence. Inform students that
even when air pollution is a primary factor, many
other factors can still influence our health.
11. Have students write down their answers on Stu-
dent Worksheet #2: Which Pollutants?
12. Using Teacher Answer Sheet #2: Which Pollut-
ants?, share and discuss the answers with the
class, including the pollutant most likely associ-
ated with or responsible for each group's symp-
toms/illness, and precautions that people can take
to protect their health.
13. Repeat Steps 8 through 12 with each of the other
two groups.
Adaptation
If time is limited, have only one or two groups make
presentations. (Note: Two groups, one group illustrat-
ing ozone symptoms and a second group illustrating
particle pollution symptoms, is preferable.)
For Further Exploration
1. Imagine that you and a friend started working out
and running together a few weeks ago, meeting
each day at 5:00 p.m. Today your friend proposes
trying a new jogging route. One possibility is at a
large park on the outskirts of town, and another
is along a major highway. Explain which route you
prefer and why.
Answer:The park would be preferable. This would
help avoid exposure to high levels of air pollutants,
especially from motor vehicles.
2. Imagine that you have been training for a bicycle
race, and the day of the race is here. The Air Qual-
ity Index (AQI) value for today in the area where
the race is taking place is 215, based on ground-
level ozone. One group of cyclists is asking the
race committee to reschedule the race. Another
group of cyclists is upset that the race may be
rescheduled. Explain which group you agree with,
and why the group requesting rescheduling might
be asking for this change in plans.
Tell students to look at the AQI chart in the Back-
ground Reading material, What Are the Health
Impacts of Air Pollution? to help them make a
decision about the bike race.
Answer: Many athletes would probably want the
race to be rescheduled so they could avoid strenu-
ous exercise when the AQI has reached a value of
215, which is considered "Very Unhealthy"-see
the AQI chart in the Background Reading mate-
rial, What are the Health Impacts of Air Pollution?
According to the AQI chart, "health alerts" begin
at an AQI value of 201, up to 300. At this level, the
chart tells us that "everyone may experience more
serious health effects." EPA guidelines for the
"Very Unhealthy" AQI category for ground-level
ozone suggest that "active children and adults, and
people with lung disease such as asthma, should
avoid all outside physical activities. Everyone else,
especially children, should significantly cut back
on outside physical activities."
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
85
Symptoms Scenario
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AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS Next GonQrartion
Adapted from Students for Clean Air, Clean Air Pro- Qfandardfi
gram, Pima County Department of Environmental
Quality, Tuscon, Arizona. Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems
Human Impacts
Engineering Design
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 86 Symptoms Scenario
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Background Reading:
What are the Health Impacts of Air Pollution?
Air Pollution and Our Health
Every minute of every day, we breathe six to ten liters of air. If the air carries unhealthy
levels of pollutants, those pollutants can enter our bodies and affect us in many ways.
Millions of Americans live where the air is often unhealthy to breathe. Enough people are
affected so that the health impacts of air pollution costs us millions of dollars every year.
Air pollution is especially harmful to the very young and old. Infants and children are
at risk because their lungs are not fully developed until they are about 18 years old and
because they breathe faster. The elderly are at risk because they are more likely to have
undiagnosed heart or lung disease.
Since the respiratory system comes in direct contact with the air we breathe, it is the
body system most likely to be affected by air pollutants. People who already have
asthma, emphysema, or other respiratory conditions, as well as people with heart or
other circulatory problems, are especially susceptible to the effects of air pollution.
Even healthy people can be affected by air pollution. Air pollution can affect anyone.
Healthy teenagers, young adults, and strong athletes can suffer negative effects from
high pollution levels, especially when exercising outdoors.
A Tricky Question
It's a real challenge for scientists to study the health effects of different air pollutants.
It wouldn't be ethical for researchers to put people in a lab and expose them to high
levels of a pollutant. Also, outside the lab, people who live in heavily polluted areas are
exposed to not just one pollutant but to many pollutants. And, the concentration of
each pollutant changes during the day. All of this makes it difficult to separate out the
effects of each pollutant.
In addition, how susceptible people are to the effects of air pollutants can vary widely.
Think about a roomful of healthy people who are all exposed to the same cold virus.
Some will develop a bad cold, others a mild cold, and others no cold at all. In a similar
way, susceptibility to pollutants can vary greatly even among a group of healthy indi-
viduals.
Finally, there are always many influences on our health. If you develop symptoms that
might be caused by air pollution, it's often difficult to be sure that pollution was "the"
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
87
Symptoms Scenario
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cause. Just as with other health problems, there are likely to be several factors affecting
your health.
How Much Do WQ Know?
One way to study the relationship between air pollution and health is to compare hos-
pital records and death records to pollutant levels. Researchers have found that dur-
ing extreme air pollution events, hospital admissions for respiratory problems increase.
Death rates also increase, especially among the elderly and those who already have
circulatory or respiratory problems.
Another type of research involves evaluating the physiological effects of exposure to
pollution. In general, we know that exposure to irritants in the air can cause inflamma-
tion and bronchioconstriction of the airways and reduce the effectiveness of bacteria-
destroying white blood cells. Irritants can also increase production of mucous, which,
although annoying, helps the cilia clear out the airways. Normally, the cilia of the
epithelial cells in the airways make sweeping movements to keep the airways clean. The
cilia move mucous, along with germs and dirt caught in the mucous, out of the respira-
tory tract. Air pollutants can irritate or kill the cells with cilia, so that the cilia's protec-
tive action slows down or even stops. This leaves sensitive tissues unprotected. Then
microorganisms and bits of foreign matter in the air are more likely to remain in the
lungs and can cause infections.
Although the part of our bodies most affected by air pollution is the respiratory system,
the circulatory system can also be affected. Exposure to unhealthy levels of air pollut-
ants can result in low oxygen levels in red blood cells, abnormal heart rhythms, and
increased risks of blood clots and narrowing of blood vessels. These effects can lead to
worsening of heart diseases such as heart failure and increased risks of heart attacks or
strokes.
The Pollutants Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollutants summarizes the sources and
health effects of two air pollutants: particle pollution and ground-level ozone. When
we inhale particle pollution (dust, soot, dirt, and liquid droplets, which may or may not
be visible), tiny bits of foreign matter can travel deep into the lungs where they become
lodged in the alveoli, which are small balloon-like sacs in which oxygen exchange oc-
curs. This is where carbon dioxide from the blood is exchanged for oxygen from the
air. Some particles can be exhaled or moved out by the cilia; other particles may sink
into underlying tissue or move into the blood stream. Health effects from particles
range from coughing and aggravated asthma to chronic bronchitis and even premature
death. For people with heart disease, exposure to particle pollution can cause serious
problems in a short period of time-even heart attacks-with no warning signs.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 88 Symptoms Scenario
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Ozone pollution, which is invisible, can irritate the respiratory system, reduce lung
function, inflame and damage the lining of the lungs and the cilia, and cause structural
damage of the lungs. Ozone pollution can also reduce the number and functioning abil-
ity of bacteria-destroying white blood cells. Ozone pollution can aggravate asthma and
increase people's susceptibility to respiratory illnesses like pneumonia and bronchitis.
Symptoms to watch for when ozone is in the air include coughing, pain when taking a
deep breath, and breathing difficulties, especially when active or exercising outdoors.
But ozone damage can also occur without any noticeable signs. For some people, sev-
eral months of repeated exposure to ozone can permanently damage the lungs.
It is important to know that ozone can have two very different effects, depending on
where it is in the atmosphere. "Good" ozone occurs naturally high up in the atmo-
sphere (the stratosphere), where it helps protect us from receiving too much of the
sun's harmful ultraviolet rays. "Bad" ozone at ground level is air pollution, as we have
been discussing, and can result in health and environmental problems. An easy way to
remember the difference is: "Ozone: good up high, bad nearby."
ThQ Air Quality lndox (AQI)
The Air Quality Index (AQI) provides information about the current day's and the next
day's air quality and includes descriptions of associated health effects. Ground-level
ozone and particle pollution are two of the five pollutants for which the U.S. Environ-
mental Protection Agency calculates an AQI. The AQI is like a yardstick that runs from 0
to 500. The higher the number, the greater the air pollution. The AQI has six color-coded
categories ranging from "Good" to "Hazardous." Each category corresponds to a differ-
ent level of health concern. The chart below lists the AQI categories, their correspond-
ing colors and numerical values, and associated health concerns for each category.
(Source: Students For Clean Air. Clean Air Program, Pi ma County Department of Environmental Quality, Tucson, Arizona)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 89 Symptoms Scenario
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Air Quality Index (AQI)
The Air Quality Index (AQI)
n . Color ., . Health Concerns
Category Value
Good
Green
0-50
Air quality is considered satisfactory,
and air pollution poses little or no
risk.
Moderate
Yollow
51-100
Air quality is acceptable; however,
for some pollutants there may be a
moderate health concern for a very
small number of people who are
unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Unhealthy
for Sensitive
Groups
Orange
101-150
Members of sensitive groups may
experience health effects. The gen-
eral public is not likely to be af-
fected.
Unhealthy
151-200
Everyone may begin to experience
health effects; members of sensitive
groups may experience more serious
health effects.
Very
Unhealthy
201-300
Health alert: everyone may experi-
ence more serious health effects.
Hazardous
Maroon
>300
Health warnings of emergency
conditions. The entire population is
more likely to be affected.
More information about the AQI is available at www.airnow.gov
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
90
Symptoms Scenario
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Pollutants Chart:
Sources and Effects of Pollutants
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AQI Toolkit For Teachers
91
Symptoms Scenario
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Symptoms Scenario A
Patient: Francisco (if man) or FranoQSoa (if woman) Cryalva
Family Mombor: JorgQ Gryalva (cousin)
Patient Use this information to introduce yourself and your family member to the class:
My name is Francisco (or Francesca) Grijalva. I used to be a runner years ago. I stopped for a few
years, but took it up again last year. Lately I've been feeling short of breath in the middle of my run.
This is my cousin Jorge, who is also my roommate. He'll tell you that I'm a pretty serious runner.
Patient and Family MemberUse this information to answer class questions about the patient:
34 years old
Lives and works in [fill in name of nearby city or town]
Works as a computer programmer
Works with a small, independent company
The office building he works in is well-ventilated
Running is an important personal interest
Other hobbies include hiking, bird-watching, and surfing the Net
Smoked from age 14 to 16, but "I quit when I got smart enough to know better"
Roommate smokes, but only outside, so Francisco is not breathing Jorge's smoke
Ran pretty regularly from age 20 to around age 30
Started running again last year, in December
Ran in the early morning, about 6:00 to 6:30 a.m., all winter
In April, started working an early schedule and running after work, around 2:00 pm
Last winter, felt refreshed and really "up" after running, just like years ago
Has been running very regularly and is confident he's in good shape
Lately has been feeling short of breath halfway through a run
He also notices that he seems to cough and needs to spit while running, which didn't happen
before
Has never had any lung or respiratory problems in the past
Cousin Jorge will vouch that Francisco has been running as regularly as he says-five or six times
a week, for over a year-so this can't be happening because he's in poor shape
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
92
Symptoms Scenario
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Symptoms Scenario B
PatiQnt: Chris Chapman
Family Mombor: ROSQ Chapman (his wifo)
Patient-Use this information to introduce yourself:
My name is Chris Chapman. I have been having chest pain and chest tightness for the last two or
three months. Since these problems don't seem to be going away, I went to see my doctor last week.
She told me that I have arrhythmia, which is an irregular heartbeat. I had a minor heart attack when
was 56, but have felt pretty good since then.
Patient and Family Member-Use this information to answer class questions about the patient:
Chris is 62 years old
He retired early, at age 50
Never smoked cigarettes or anything
Used to work for the city as a technician installing and repairing traffic lights
They live in the city of
their children and grandchildren
Love kids
fill in nearby city] because they like living near
Every Monday through Friday, ever since retiring, Chris volunteers as a school crossing guard at a
busy intersection, helping kids get across the street
He does this for an elementary school and a middle school, that start at two different times, so
he's out there almost two hours early each morning and two hours each afternoon
Likes to wear white shirts, even though they always look really dirty after doing the crossing
guard work
They live in an apartment near the same intersection
Several factories are nearby
His hobbies include bowling, going to grandchildren's soccer and Softball games, babysitting for
the youngest granddaughter, and staying in close touch with world news
Not really into exercise or working out
Rose and Chris take a walk around the neighborhood a couple of times each week, usually right
after he finishes crossing guard duty
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
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Symptoms Scenario
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Symptoms Scenario C
PatiQnt: Jorrg Wolak
fiQeond PatiQnt: Dot Wolak
Patient: Use this information to introduce yourselves:
My name is Jerry Wolak and this is my wife Dot. We live in
town]. We came back from our afternoon walk feeling just awful.
fill in nearby city or
Patient and Second Patient: Use this information to answer class questions about the patients:
He's 58 years old
She's 48 years old
They take a brisk walk together almost every day, in mid-afternoon
Usually walk two miles, along a local canal, where it's quiet and there's no traffic
Jerry's interests include cooking, woodworking, and fishing
Dot's interests include painting and playing drums with a jazz band
Today was a beautiful sunny day and the first really hot day of spring
Today they took a different route than usual
The traffic was backed up for several blocks on one road, and they were curious why, so they de-
cided to turn up that road and see for themselves
Ended up sitting by the road for an hour in the middle of the walk, talking with a friend who was
stuck in the giant traffic jam
Near the end of the walk, both Jerry and Dot started wheezing and coughing
Dot was feeling some nausea
Jerry felt like his asthma was acting up for the first time in years
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Symptoms Scenario
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Group Task Cards
GROUP TASK CARD
PATIENT
You will play the role of
the primary character described on the
Symptom Scenario card. Using infor-
mation on the card, you will introduce
yourself to the class and then answer
questions from them. A member of your
family will help you answer questions.
After some time has passed, if you feel
that there is important information on
your Scenario card that has not been
covered by the questions, you may decide
to volunteer that information.
GROUP TASK CARD
FAMILY MEMBER
(or SECOND PATIENT)
You will play the role of someone in the
patient's family. The patient will introduce
you to the class, using information on
the Scenario card. You will then help the
patient answer questions from the class.
If questions are asked which are not
answered on the Scenario card, you will
consult with the patient about how to
best answer the questions (in a way that
would not alter the conclusion reached
by the class).
GROUP TASK CARD
CLASS MONITOR
It is your responsibility to
maintain order and designate whose turn
it is to ask a question. Call on those with
their hand raised so that they can ask
questions one at a time and everyone can
hear the answers. You will want to pace
the questions so that the Scribe has time
to write the answers on the board.
GROUP TASK CARD
SCRIBE
You are responsible for
writing information on the board as the
patient and his or her family member an-
swer questions from the class. Making a
list of this information will make it easier
for the class to focus on what they know
so far, choose good questions to ask
next, and determine the pollutant that is
associated with or causing the patient's
symptoms.
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Symptoms Scenario
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fitudont WorkshQQt #1:
What arQ the Health Impacts of Air Pollution?
Name:
Complete this worksheet after reviewing Background Reading: What Are the Health
Impactsof Air Pollution? and the Pollutants Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollutants.
Use the back of this page if more space is needed.
1. How much air do we breathe every minute?
2. Which body system is most likely to be affected by air pollutants?
3. Who is affected by air pollution?
4. Why is it difficult to determine the health effects of different air pollutants?
5. Briefly explain how researchers study the health impacts of air pollution.
6. Which system, besides the respiratory system, can be affected by air pollution?
7. Describe the health effects of particle pollution.
8. Describe the health effects of ground-level ozone.
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fitudcmt Worksheet #2:
Which Pollutant?
Name:
Refer to the Background Reading: What Are the Health Impactsof Air Pollution? and the
Pollutants Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollutants as needed as you try to determine
the following information about the "patients" in each group. Enter your answers for
each patient below during group presentations and afterwards during class question
and answer sessions. You will be seeking information about:
Symptoms-Note key symptoms or behaviors in the patient.
Pollutant most likely to be associated with or causing symptoms-
Note the pollutant most likely to be associated with or cause these symptoms.
Health Precautions-Note precautions that could have been taken to prevent or
decrease the likelihood of the problem arising.
1. Francisco (or FranoQSoa) Gryalva (young adult runnor)
Symptoms:
Pollutant most likely to be associated with or causing symptoms:
Health Precautions:
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(oontinuQd) fitudgnt WorkshQQt #2:
Which Pollutant?
2. Chris Chapman (crossing guard)
Symptoms:
Pollutant most likely to be associated with or causing symptoms:
Health Precautions:
3. Jorrg and Dot Wolak (middlQ-agod walkers)
Symptoms:
Pollutant most likely to be associated with or causing symptoms:
Health Precautions:
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Symptoms Scenario
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Teacher Answer Sheet #1:
What are the Health Impacts of Air Pollution?
[Instruct students to complete Worksheet #1 after reviewing the Background Reading:
What Are the Health ImpactsofAir Pollution? and the Pollutants Chart: Sources and
Effects of Air Pollutants]
1. How much air do we breathe every minute?/\nsi/i/er: 6 to 10 liters of air.
2. Which body system is most likely to be affected by air pollutants?
Answer.S'mct the respiratory system comes in direct contact with the air we breathe,
it is the body system most likely to be affected by air pollutants.
3. Who is affected by air pollution?
Answerer pollution can affect anyone. People with lung disease (and heart disease,
for particle pollution), children, adults who are active outdoors, and older adults
are at greater risk from air pollution. But even healthy teenagers, young adults, and
strong athletes can experience negative health effects from high levels of air pollu-
tion, especially when exercising outdoors.
4. Why is it difficult to determine the health effects of different air pollutants?
Answer: First, it would not be ethical for researchers to put people in a lab and ex-
pose them to high levels of a pollutant. Second, people who live in heavily polluted
areas often are exposed to more than one pollutant. In addition, the concentration
of each pollutant changes during the day. All of this makes it difficult to separate out
the effects of each pollutant. Also, some people are more susceptible to the effects
of air pollutants than other people.
5. Briefly explain how researchers study the health impacts of air pollution.
Answer: One way to study the relationship between air pollution and health is to
compare hospital records and death records to pollutant levels. Researchers have
found that during extreme air pollution events, hospital admissions for respiratory
problems increase. Death rates also increase, especially among the elderly and those
who already have circulatory or respiratory problems.
6. Which system, besides the respiratory system, can be affected by air pollution?
r:The circulatory system.
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(oontinuQd) Teacher Answer Sheet #1:
What are the Health Impacts of Air Pollution?
7. Describe the health effects of particle pollution and ground-level ozone.
Answer:
When we inhale particle pollution, tiny particles get deep into the lungs.
Particle pollution can:
Irritate the eyes, nose, and throat
Produce coughing and phlegm
Result in chest tightness and breathing difficulties
Aggravate lung disease (including asthma) or heart disease
Reduce lung function in children (long-term exposure)
Cause chronic bronchitis (long-term exposure)
Result in premature death
When we inhale ozone, we may experience:
Coughing, wheezing, shortness of breath
Throat irritation, chest tightness
Pain with deep breathing
Reduced lung function
Aggravated lung disease, including asthma
Structural changes of the lungs (long-term exposure)
Premature death
Aggravation of heart or lung disease can lead to:
From exposure to ozone-
Increased medication use
Increased school absences
More doctor visits
From exposure to both particle pollution and ozone-
More symptoms of ill health
More emergency room visits
Increased hospital admissions
Increased number of deaths
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 100 Symptoms Scenario
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Teacher Answer fiheet #2:
Which Pollutant?
Note: Instructions to students on Student Worksheet #2 are: Refer to the Back-
ground Reading: What Are the Health Impacts of Air Pollution? and the Pollutants
Chart: Sources and Effects of Air Pollutants as needed as you try to determine the
following information about the "patients" for each group. Enter your answers for
each patient below during group presentations and afterwards during class question
and answer sessions. You will be seeking information about:
SymptomsNote key symptoms or behaviors in the patient
Pollutant most likely associated with or causing symptoms-Note the pollut-
ant this is most likely to be associated with or causing these symptoms
Health PrecautionsNote precautions that could have been taken to prevent or
decrease the likelihood of the problem arising
1. figmptoms Scenario A: Francisco (or Franoesoa) Gryalva
(young adult runner)
Symptoms: Feeling short of breath, coughing and spitting while running, symptoms
occurring during outdoor exercise on summer afternoons
Pollutant most likely associated with or causing symptoms: Ground-level ozone
Health Precautions: Exercise outdoors in the early morning before ozone levels
begin to rise
Teacher Notes for Discussion of Symptoms Scenario A: Exposure to high ground-
level ozone concentrations can affect even healthy teens and active adults. In this sce-
nario, the time of day and time of year during which the problem occurs provide clues
that ground-level ozone, rather than another pollutant, is likely to be responsible.
2. figmptoms Scenario B: Chris Chapman (crossing guard)
Symptoms: Chest pain and chest tightness, previous heart attack, white shirt gets
dirty after crossing guard work
Pollutant most likely associated with or causing symptoms: Long exposure to
high levels of air pollutants, especially particle pollution, from work installing traffic
lights, working as a crossing guard, and taking walks in the area
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 101 Symptoms Scenario
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(oontinuQd) Teacher Answer fiheet #2:
Which Pollutant?
Health Precautions: Check the AQI when particle pollution is "Unhealthy." Be sure
to take walks on less busy roads with less traffic pollution. (And don't wear white
shirts!)
Teacher Notes for Discussion of Symptoms Scenario B: The busy traffic inter-
section and the presence of several factories in the area are indications that high
amounts of particle pollution may be present. Also, particle pollution can be high at
any time of day or year, even early mornings, and in winter (while ozone is usually
higher in the afternoons and evenings, in warmer weather.)
3. figmptoms Scenario C: Jerry and Dot Wolak
(middle-aged walkers)
Symptoms: Wheezing and coughing, feeling queasy, asthma acting up
Pollutant most likely associated with causing symptoms: Ground-level ozone
Health Precautions: Avoid exercising along busy roads. Avoid exercising during the
times of day when ozone levels are highest (which is late afternoon or early eve-
ning).
Teacher Notes for Discussion of Symptoms Scenario C: The time of day (mid-
afternoon) and the fact that it's a warm, sunny day are clues that ozone is the prob-
lem, in addition to the actual physical symptoms. Even young, trained endurance
athletes can suffer similar symptoms at unhealthy ozone levels.
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Tracking Air Quality
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Observe air quality changes and the impact of weather on air quality.
Demonstrate data gathering and analysis skills and graphing skills.
Apply techniques of comparison and critical thinking.
Grade Level: Grades 6-8
Estimated Time: 30 minutes - 1 hour per session
(6 sessions, optional)
Background fiummarg
In this activity, students locate and study color-coded
maps from the Internet showing air quality data for
their area. By graphing the data from these maps and
discussing the results, they learn how clean or pol-
luted the air they breathe is, the extent of the ozone
season in their area, and the relationship between
weather and air pollution. While learning about air
pollution, they build their research, graphing, and
critical thinking skills.
Through this activity, they also become familiar with
the Air Quality Index-a standard index for report-
ing daily air quality to the public. Students learn how
the different colors of the AQI scale correspond to
different levels of health concern. They also learn who
may be affected at different levels of ozone pollution
and particle pollution and what steps can be taken to
protect health from air pollution.
Materials Needed
Internet access
Student Worksheets (included)
Colored pencils/markers in black, green, yellow,
orange, red, and purple
Keg Questions
See questions posed in Activities 1 through 6.
Vooabularg
Ozone-A gas that occurs naturally in the Earth's
upper atmosphere (stratosphere) and also at ground
level. Ozone can be "good" or "bad" for people's health
and the environment, depending on its location. High
up in the atmosphere, ozone helps protect people
from too much ultraviolet radiation from the sun.
Near the Earth's surface, ozone is an air pollutant that
can result in breathing difficulties.
React-When two or more chemicals interact and
form a new chemical.
Elevated-Increased in amount or degree.
Episode-Exceeding usual conditions.
Forecast-Predict in advance.
Particle pollution-Tiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke,
and iquid droplets in the air.
General Directions
This activity has a number of variations, all of which
involve accessing, observing, and gathering data from
AQI color-coded air quality maps on the Internet.
Students can be assigned an activity on their own, if
they have individual access to the Internet. Or, they
can work in teams; each team will need Internet ac-
cess. If teams are used, the work can be divided in a
number of ways. For example, each team can graph
data for a different year (in which case three teams
can be used) and then the teams can compare their
data. Or, each team can focus on air quality data for a
particular month in each of the three years. The team
then can summarize the data for that month and note
any trends.
Accessing and Navigating Air
Qualitg Maps
1. Explain that students will research and graph
daily changes in ground-level ozone levels. Inform
students that the effects of ground-level ozone
are different than those of the ozone layer high up
in the atmosphere (the stratosphere). The ozone
layer helps protect us from too much ultraviolet
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Tracking Air Quality
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radiation from the sun. In contrast, ground-level
ozone is a pollutant that can result in breathing
difficulties.
2. Provide students with copies of the graph of "Air
Quality Versus Time" (Student Worksheet #1).
(This graph has an "x" axis labeled "date" with a
scale of 31 days and a "y" axis labeled "Air Quality
Index" with a scale of 0 to 300. Note: The AQI scale
actually runs to 500, a hazardous level that would
trigger health warnings of emergency conditions,
but pollution levels in the U.S. virtually never rise
above 300.)
3. Have each student/team access the following
Internet data:
Archived air quality maps at: www.airnow.gov -
a) Click on the "More Maps" tab.
b) Select "Archived Maps by Region." Here students
can see all the maps for a whole month at a time.
c) For "Map Type," select "Ozone" (or "Particles" if you
are doing Activity 6). Other options are for "Map
Region," "Month," and "Year." You may want the
students to choose the region they live in, or you
may have them examine a region with more ozone
(or particles) such as California or the South. You
may want to choose areas in advance so that you
know ahead of time that they will be good for
teaching purposes.
4. Ask students to click on "Air Quality Index (AQI)"
in the "Links A-Z" box to observe the color-coded
AQI scale. Each color corresponds to a segment of
the AQI scale. Ask students to use colored mark-
ers to mark these segments on the "y" axis of their
Student Worksheet #1 graph as follows: green =
0 to 50; yellow = 51 to 100; orange = 101 to 150;
red = 151 to 200; purple = 201 to 300. Have stu-
dents label these segments as indicated in the key:
good, moderate, unhealthy for sensitive groups,
unhealthy, very unhealthy.
5. Ask students to click on "Publications" in the "Links
A-Z" box on any page at www.airnow.gov. On the
"Publications" page, find the "Air Quality Guide for
Ozone." Ask them to look at this guide and notice
that the right-hand column has specific messages
about how people can protect their health at each
different level of ozone pollution.
6. For Activity 4, students will need to access three
ozone animation maps located here: www.epa.gov/
airnow/teachers/toolkit/maps/. They may need to
watch each animation several times to complete
the task.
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Activity 1: Graph Ozone Levels for the Warm
Months of the Year
Estimated Time: 1 hour (ormore depending on the number ofstudents and the num-
ber of questions you ask them)
Summary: At ground level, ozone forms when the chemicals nitrogen oxides (N0x) and
volatile organic compounds (VOC) react in the presence of heat and sunlight. Therefore,
ground-level ozone pollution tends to form in warm weather. Each area's ozone season
will be as long or as short as the number of warmer months. For this activity, students
observe how ozone levels change over several consecutive months and record their
observations on the graph "Air Quality Versus Time" (Student Worksheet #1). Students
should have a separate graph for each month. If possible, ask students to gather data
for all warmer months (i.e., months when temperatures tend to be consistently in the
70s or higher), as well as the cooler month just before and after the warm months. They
can gather each month's data fairly quickly by observing the AIRNow Web page that
displays all maps for that month (see Step 3 above under "Accessing and Navigating Air
Quality Maps"). Though the maps are small, the colors can be observed reasonably well.
If there is any question about what the colors are on the map, students can click on the
map to observe it in a larger size. For each day of each month, ask students to record
on their "Air Quality Versus Time" graph for that month the highest AQI color they see.
For example, if they see the colors green, yellow, and orange on a map, they should re-
cord that day as "orange" by marking the highest AQI level on the "orange" segment of
the "y" axis (i.e., all orange days are marked as "150" which is the highest AQI level for
orange; all green days are marked as "50" which is the highest AQI level for green, etc.).
Now ask students to fill out the table "Total Number of Days Each Month with Elevated
Ozone Levels" (Student Worksheet #2) to record the total number of days in each
month with ozone levels that were green, yellow, orange, and red.
After preparing the graphs and table, students can be asked any or all of the following
questions:
1. What was the first day for that year when ozone levels were elevated
(i.e., yellow or higher)?
2. What was the last day for that year when ozone levels were elevated?
3. Which month had the most green days?
4. Which month had the most yellow days?
5. Which month had the most orange days?
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6. Which month had the most red days?
7. Which month had the most purple days?
8. What was the longest ozone "episode"? In other words, what was the most
number of days in a row that ozone was elevated in any of these months?
9. Which month of the year was the worst month for ozone (i.e., had the most days
when ozone was higher than green)? Which was the next worse ozone month?
10. Rank the months according to how bad they were for ozone, starting with the
worst month at the top and the best month at the bottom. Now think about how
hot these months are. What do you notice about ozone levels in hotter months?
11. How many total days over all these months were ozone levels elevated
(i.e., higher than green)?
12. What percentage of days over these months were ozone levels elevated?
13. Who are the people that must be careful when ozone is at an orange lev-
el ("Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups") or above? (Refer students to "Links
A-Z" at the bottom of any page on www.airnow.gov. Click on the "Air Qual-
ity Index (AQI)" page, or click on "Publications" and look in the Air Qual-
ity Guide for Ozone. Note-The answer is: People with lung disease [such
as asthma], and children and adults who are active outdoors.)
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Activity 2: Compare Ozone Levels Over
Three Years
Estimated Time: 30 minutes (to answer the questions below after students have pre-
pared the graphs and table as described under Activity 1)
Ask students to create the graphs and table described under Activity 1 for three ar-
chived years of ozone data. For each of the questions under Activity 1, have students
compare the answers for the three years to answer these additional questions:
1. Which year had the longest ozone season (i.e., the time period from the first day
ozone was observed to the last day)?
2. When you ranked the months from worst to best based on number of days of el-
evated ozone, were the results the same for each year or different? Does there seem
to be any pattern to when ozone levels are elevated in this area? How would you
describe that pattern?
3. Children can be sensitive to ozone when it reaches orange levels (see Activity 1, Step
13). During what time period of the year might it be a good idea to check the AQI
forecast regularly?
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Activity 3: Graph and Compare Ozone Levels in
One Region of the U.2. versus Another
Estimated Time: 20 minutes (after students have prepared the graphs and table as
described under Activity 1 for both regions)
Summary: Different areas of the U.S. have significantly different ozone seasons de-
pending on a number of factors, including climate, pollution sources, and regional
transport of pollution away from one area and into another. For this activity, students
will create the graphs and table as described under Activity 1 for the same year for two
very different areas of the United States. They will answer the questions listed under
Activity 1 for each area, and then compare the two areas by answering these addi-
tional questions. This will be most interesting if you pick an area that contrasts with
your region. For example, if you live in an area where ozone is less often a problem (for
example, the Northwest or Hawaii), have students compare that to areas with more
frequently elevated ozone levels (such as California, the South and Southwest, and the
Mid-Atlantic and Northeast states)-or vice versa. Once the graphs and table have been
prepared, ask students to use the data to answer the following questions:
1. Which region has the longest ozone season? By how much do the two seasons dif-
fer? Do you think this is related to temperature in these areas?
2. Compare the total number of days in each region that ozone was elevated. How
much worse was ozone pollution in one region versus the other?
3. Compare the length of the longest ozone episode in the two regions. Was the longest
ozone episode in the region during the longest ozone season?
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Activity 4: Graph and Compare Ozone Levels
Over the Course of the Day
Estimated Time: 45 minutes
Summary: Ozone levels tend to be lowest in the morning, rise during the afternoon,
and then decline later in the evening. This is because (1) temperature and sunlight
catalyze the formation of ozone, and (2) the pollutants from human activities (such
as transportation) that react to form ozone tend to increase during the day and early
evening.
For this activity, students will hypothesize what they expect to observe about ozone
levels over the course of a day based on an understanding of how ozone is formed.
They will then observe actual ozone levels over the course of three days to test whether
their hypothesis is correct. They will record their observations on the table called "Daily
Air Quality for " (Student Worksheet #3). The rows of the table are marked off in
1-hour increments. The columns correspond to the ozone level (as indicated by the AQI
color) for each day.
Start the activity by explaining that ozone at ground level is not emitted directly. Rath-
er, it is formed when two types of pollutants (nitrogen oxides and volatile organic com-
pounds) react in the presence of heat and sunlight. Explain that sources of nitrogen
oxides and volatile organic compounds include cars, power plants, and chemical plants.
Ask students: If ozone needs heat and sunlight to form, when during the day do you
think ozone levels will be highest? Then ask them to record data, as described below, to
test their hypothesis.
For this exercise, students will use ozone "animation" maps from three areas of the U.S.
that tend to have unhealthy ozone levels in warm months.
Ask students to go to www.epa.gov/airnow/teachers/toolkit/maps/
These maps loop through the ozone levels in 20-minute increments. The date and time
are shown on the map. Have the students record the highest AQI color for each hour.
The animation is rapid, but tell students they can watch the animation as many times
as they need to be able to write down one color for each hour. After the students have
filled out all the ozone levels for one day, they should do the same for the second map
and then the third. At this point, they should have enough data to answer the following
questions:
1. Of the three days, what was the earliest time that ozone was elevated (i.e., above
green)?
2. Of the three days, what was the latest time that ozone was elevated?
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3. For each day, what time of day was the ozone level the highest?
4. For each day, what time of day was ozone at the green level (i.e., not elevated)?
5. Based on these data, was your hypothesis about ozone correct?
6. When ozone levels are elevated, especially starting at an orange or red level, it's a
good idea to take it easier when you're outside (so you don't breathe as much or as
deeply). You can cut back on vigorous outdoor activities. If the air quality forecast
predicts ozone pollution for a summer day, what time of day should you think about
taking it easier?
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Activity 5: Graph Real-Time Ozone Data for a
Month During Ozone Season
Estimated Time: 20 minutes the first day, 5 minutes per day after that, and 20 minutes
for discussion on the final day.
If school is in session in your area during the ozone season, students can track the
actual ozone forecast and levels each school day for a month. They can compare the
forecast data to the actual data to see how accurate the forecasts are. They can also
track the peak temperature each day to see whether there is a correlation between
ozone levels and temperature.
Each day, at the same time of day if possible, have students record the following data
on the "Daily Ozone Forecast, Peak Ozone Level, and Daily Peak Temperature" table (Stu-
dent Worksheet #4):
Ozone forecast. Ask students to visit the AIRNow Web site at: www.airnow.gov. Ask
them to record the day's ozone forecast for a city or area that you or they choose. To
find an area, enter the zip code in the "Local Air Quality Conditions" box and click GO.
Or, click on "U.S. Air Quality Summary" and then click on the area which will be listed
under its state. This will bring them to a page that provides "Air Quality Forecast,"
"Current Conditions," and "Past Air Quality Maps and Data." Students should record
both ozone forecasts (Today and Tomorrow), as available, on the Worksheet table.
Note that the ozone-specific forecasts are found under "AQI - Pollutant Details" in
the "Air Quality Forecast" box.
Yesterday's peak ozone level. Then ask students to record the peak ozone level for
that city for the prior day. Students can access yesterday's peak level data using the
"Past Air Quality Maps and Data" box mentioned above. Click on "Yesterday's Maps
and Data" to see yesterday's value for ozone.
Yesterday's peak temperature. Ask students to record the peak temperature by go-
ing to www.wunderground.com then entering the city and state or zip code. This will
take them to a page of data for that city. Ask them to scroll down the page to an
area called "Weather History 6t Almanac." In this box, for most cities, they will find
yesterday's maximum temperature, which they should record on their tables. For
cities which yesterday's temperature is not provided, they can click on "Yesterday's
Official Weather and Almanac" for nearby areas.
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Once students have gathered a month's worth of data, they can answer the following
questions:
1. For each day of the month, compare the forecast ozone level with the actual ozone
AQI level. For how many days did the forecast accurately predict the day's ozone
level? For how many days did the forecast predict that ozone levels would be higher
than they were? For how many days did the forecast predict ozone levels would be
lower than they were?
2. Calculate the average temperature for all days when the ozone level was green. Then
calculate the average temperature for all days when the ozone level was yellow, for
all days when the ozone level was orange, and for all days when the ozone level was
red. What do you notice about temperature and ozone levels?
3. What ideas do you have for reducing ozone pollution during the day? (Possible an-
swers include: drive less by walking, biking, carpooling, or using public transporta-
tion. Turn off lights and equipment when you aren't using them; conserving electric-
ity means less pollution generated by power plants. Every little bit helps!)
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Activity 6: Compare Ozone and
Particle Pollution
Estimated Time: 30 to 60 minutes depending on how many months of data are
gathered.
Summary: Particle pollution and ground-level ozone behave in very different ways.
Ground-level ozone forms in warm weather and is generally highest in the afternoon
and early evening. Particle pollution can be high at any time of year and any time of
day. It can be particularly bad in winter during inversions, when warm air traps pol-
lution in a location for a period of time. For this activity, students will gather data for
levels of particle pollution throughout the year and compare these data with what they
have observed for ozone in the earlier activities. Have students record their observa-
tions on the graph "Air Quality vs. Time" (Student Worksheet 1). Students should have a
separate graph for each month.
They can gather each month's data fairly quickly by observing the AIRNow Web page
that displays all maps for that month (see Step 3 above under "Accessing and Navigat-
ing Air Quality Maps"). Though the maps are small, the colors can be observed reason-
ably well. If there is any question about what the colors are on the map, students can
click on the map to observe it in a larger size. For each day of each month, ask students
to record on their "Air Quality Versus Time" graph for that month the highest AQI color
they see. For example, if they see the colors green, yellow, and orange on a map, they
should record that day as "orange" by marking the highest AQI level on the "orange"
segment of the "y" axis (i.e., all orange days are marked as "150" which is the highest
AQI level for orange; all green days are marked as "50" which is the highest AQI level
for green, etc.).
Now ask students to fill out the table "Total Number of Days Each Month with Elevated
Particle Levels" (Student Worksheet #5) to record the total number of days in each
month with particle levels that were green, yellow, orange, red, and purple.
Then have students answer these questions:
1. Were there any months when particle pollution was never elevated above the green
level?
2. Are there any times of year when particle pollution appears to be worse? How does
this compare with ozone?
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
113
Tracking Air Quality
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Explain that particle pollution affects health in a different way than ozone, so the
advice given to protect your health when particle pollution is elevated is different than
the advice given for ozone. Have students access the Air Quality Guide for Particle Pollu-
tion by clicking on the AQI colors to the right of the particle pollution maps. Ask:
1. Who is "sensitive" to particle pollution?
2. How does this differ from who is sensitive to ozone pollution?
3. If you have asthma, at what AQI level should you consider taking it easy when you
are active outside? (Answer: Orange, unless you are unusually sensitive, in which
case, yellow.)
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 114 Tracking Air Quality
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For Further Exploration
If it is winter and you live in an area that tends to
have inversions, students can track real-time air pol-
lution data for particle pollution, as well as tempera-
ture and wind speed, as described for ozone under
Activity 5. Also, have students track local weather
reports for information on when temperature inver-
sions are occurring and report back to the class.
Ask students: What did you observe about particle
pollution levels during the inversion? Is there a
relationship between cold temperatures and inver-
sions? Is there a relationship between wind speed
and inversions?
Have students write a report on what a tempera-
ture inversion is.
Also see the lesson plans on temperature inversions in
this toolkit (Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inver-
sions #1, for Grades 3-5; and Trapping Air Pollution:
Temperature Inversions #2, for Grades 6-8).
AeknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Air Pollution: What's the Solution? See various URLs,
including:
www.k12science.org/curriculum/airproj/
Baines, J. 1990. Conserving Our World, Conserving the
Atmosphere. Austin, TX: Steck-Vaughn Company.
Catherall, E. 1990. Exploring Weather. Austin, TX:
Stech-Vaughn Company.
Climate: Worldwide Weather Threatens Millions. 1989.
USAToday Magazine 117, p. 1 (April).
Cosgrove, B. 1991. Eyewitness Books: Weather. New
York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Freiman. C. and N. Karkowsky. 1993. Weathering the
Summer of 1993. Science World 50 (22) (October).
Gibbons, G. 1992. Weather Forecasting. New York:
Chelsea House Publishers.
Project A. .R.E. Tracking Air Quality, at: www.epa.gov/
regionOI/students/pdfs/warm e.pdf
Trefil. J. 1990. Modeling Earth's Future Climate Re-
quires Both Science and Guesswork. Smithsonian 21,
p. 28 (December).
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Chemical Reactions
Human Impacts
Weather and Climate
Engineering Design
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
115
Tracking Air Quality
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fitudcmt Worksheet #3: Activity 4
Daily Air Quality for
Time of Day
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2a.m.
3 a.m.
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AQI Toolkit For Teachers
118
Tracking Air Quality
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fitudont WorkshQQt #4: Activity 5
Daily OZORQ Forooast, Peak Ozone Level, and
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AQI Toolkit For Teachers
119
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120
Tracking Air Quality
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fimog Alort
Learning ObJQotivQS
Students will:
Create artificial "smog" in a jar.
Recognize that invisible air pollutants and weather conditions are involved in
creating smog.
Understand that not all air pollution is visible.
Appreciate that human activities can cause air pollution.
Grade LQVQ!: Grades 6-8
(NotQ: With careful supervision, this activity can also be done with Grades 3-5)
EstimatQd Timo: 20 minutes
Background fiummarg
The expression "smog" was first used in "Turn-of-
the-Century" London to describe a combination of
"smoke" and "fog." Smog occurred when water vapor
in the air condensed on small particles of soot in
the air, forming small smog droplets. Thousands of
Londoners died of pneumonia-like diseases due to the
poisonous air.
Ozone is a primary ingredient of smog. Ozone is
formed when pollutants in the air, called "precursors"
(notably nitrogen oxides, or N0x, and volatile organic
compounds, or VOCs), are heated by the sun and react
chemically. The pollutants that form ground-level
ozone are produced by sources such as automobile
exhaust, industry and power plant smokestacks, and
fumes from chemical solvents such as paint thinner
or pesticides.
Ground-level ozone pollution is harmful to our health
and environment; in contrast, the ozone layer that is
high up in the atmosphere (the stratosphere) helps
protect us from the sun's harmful ultraviolet radia-
tion. An easy way to remember this difference is
"Ozone: good up high, bad nearby."
Weather conditions such as the lack of wind or a
"thermal inversion" can cause ozone to be trapped
over a particular area. (A thermal inversion occurs
when a layer of warm air in the Earth's atmosphere
traps cold air and pollution, including ground-level
ozone, below it). (Note: Also see Trapping Air Pollu-
tion: Jemperature Inversions #} and #2 lessons in this
toolkit.)
Ground-level ozone can cause health problems such
as difficulty breathing, aggravated asthma, reduced
resistance to lung infections, colds, and eye irritation.
Severe smog and ground-level ozone problems often
occur in many major cities, although wind can also
carry it to more rural areas.
Materials Needed
Clean, dry, wide-mouth glass jar (e.g., mayonnaise
jar)
Heavy aluminum foil
Two or three icecubes
Ruler
Scissors
Stop watch or watch with second hand
Matches
Keg Questions
Do you think you've ever seen smog? What do
you think it's made of? What about ground-level
ozone?
Do you think smog can affect people's health? If
so, how?
Vooabularg
Precursor-A compound that reacts and produces
another compound.
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.
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
121
2mog Alert
-------
Model-A representation of a system that allows for
investigation of the properties of the system.
Check with the school principal or
facilities manager to make sure this
activity is allowed in the classroom.
Be careful if you conduct this activ-
ity. The teacher may want to (or be
required to) use matches instead of
having the students do so. If students
use the matches, they should do so
only under teacher supervision.
1. Explain that the class will perform an experiment
in which they will create artificial "smog" in a jar.
Make sure that students understand that the jar
is only a model, and models by nature are lim-
ited. For example, the purpose of this model is to
illustrate the appearance and behavior of smog,
not the composition or effects. It is important to
understand that smog is not just a "smoky fog,"
but a specific phenomenon.
2. Select students to perform the experiment. Have
a student cut a strip of paper about 6 inches by
2 inches. Fold the strip in half and twist it into a
rope.
3. Have students make a snug lid for the jar out of a
piece of aluminum foil. Shape a small depression
in the foil lid to keep the ice cubes from sliding off.
Carefully remove the foil and set it aside.
4. Have the students put some water in the jar and
swish it around to wet all of the inside of the jar.
Pour out the extra water.
5. The teacher (or possibly the students under teach-
er supervision, if school rules allow it) then lights
the paper "rope" with a match and drops it and
the match into the damp jar. Quickly put the foil
lid back on the jar and seal it tightly. Put ice cubes
on the lid to make it cold. (The ice cubes will make
the water vapor in the jar condense.) Students
must do this step very quickly, perhaps with some
assistance.
6. Ask students to describe what they see in the jar.
How is this like real smog? What conditions in the
jar produced "smog"? (Co/reef answer: Moisture
and soot particles from the burning matches, plus
carbon dioxide and other solvent vapors.)
7. Ask the students if they have ever seen smog (not
fog).
| For Further Exploration
Have students put a glass (not plastic) thermometer
into the jar before they do the experiment. Have them
record the temperature before proceeding to step 4.
Have them record the temperature again during step
5. Ask them to describe what the temperature did and
why. Let them try it again without adding water.
Assign students to small groups to answer the follow-
ing questions and report back to class in two weeks.
One group will consider the physical and chemical
sciences and the other group will consider the health
and ecological sciences. Each group should consider
referring to several sources of information to answer
the questions. Students could possibly interview a
weather reporter or meteorologist at the local televi-
sion or radio station or airport, or a health scientist
from the city or county health department or air
quality agency.
(a) What conditions are necessary to produce smog in
the air? Under what circumstances will these con-
ditions exist in the city? How often are they likely?
Can they be predicted in advance?
(b) What are the health effects of smog on people?
Why doesn't everyone in the city get sick or have
similar symptoms from smog? What types of
people are most sensitive to ground-level ozone?
What types of people are sensitive to particle pol-
lution?
AeknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Project A. .R.E. (Air Information Resources for Educa-
tors), EPA Region 1: New England Educational Re-
sources Library, Activity 14. URL: www.epa.gov/ne/
students/pdfs/activl 4.pdf
Easterbrook, G. 1993. Winning the War on Smog.
Newsweek 122 (23) (August).
Pasternak, J. 1991. Long-Term Lung Damage Linked
to Air Pollution; Respiratory Deterioration Is Found in
Areas Where Air Is Dirtiest. Los Angeles Times (29), p.
A1 (March).
Smog Blamed for Increase in Asthma Cases. 1991. Los
Angeles Times (2), p. A1 (December).
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
122
2mog Alert
-------
Scott, G. 1992. Two Faces of Ozone. Current Health 19
(2), p. 24 (September).
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Human Impacts
Earth's Systems
Weather and Climate
Engineering Design
AQI Toolkit For Teachers 123 fimog Alert
-------
-------
Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Determine whether a temperature inversion has occurred in a specific
location.
Explore the AIRNow Web site for air quality (particle pollution) informa-
tion and changes, and the Weather Underground Web site for related
weather data.
Learn how temperature inversions and wind can trap air pollutants, affect
air quality, and impact health.
Grade Level: Grades 6-8
Estimated Time: 1.5 hours
Background fiummarg
See the Temperature Inversions, Weather, and Air
Quality: Background Information handout.
Materials Needed
Internet access
Copies of Temperature Inversions, Weather, and Air
Quality: Background Information handout (one per
student)
Copies of Temperature Inversion graphic handout
(one per student)
Student Worksheet
Teacher Answer Sheet
Keg Questions
Normally, do you think air temperature is cooler or
warmer the higher up you go in the atmosphere?
[Correctanswer/The air is usually cooler higher up
in the atmosphere.)
What weather conditions do you think might
contribute to temperature inversions? (Possible
answers: temperature, wind, sky cover, length of
night time, high pressure systems.)
How can temperature inversions affect air quality
and people's health? (Possibleanswer:Temperature
inversions can trap air pollutants and make air
quality worse. If people breathe in more air pol-
lution, they may have trouble breathing and may
have more health problems.)
Vooabularg
Temperature inversionA layer of warm air that pre-
vents the rise of cooler air and pollutants beneath it.
StagnantNot circulating or flowing.
fiteps
1. Distribute the Temperature Inversions, Weather,
and Air Quality: Background Information handout
and the Temperature Inversion graphic handout to
the class and discuss the information. Tell students
that they can refer to these materials as they con-
duct the activities in this lesson.
2. Have students access the Air Qual-
ity Index (AQI) chart at the bottom of the
Air Quality Index page on the AirNow
Web site (the last chart on the page):
www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=aqibasics.aqi
Discuss the AQI with the c/ass/Tell students to
think of the AQI as a yardstick that runs from 0
to 500. The higher the AQI value, the greater the
level of air pollution and the greater the health
concern. The AQI is divided into six categories,
based on numerical values, as shown in the chart.
Each category is assigned a specific color, indicat-
ing air quality levels ranging from good (green) to
unhealthy (red) to hazardous (purple). The column
on the right of the chart ("Meaning") explains
the possible health effects associated with each
AQI level. The AQI is reported daily for five major
air pollutants. This lesson will explore the AQI for
particles, one of these five pollutants.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
125 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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3. Distribute the Student Worksheet. Have students
examine the particles map included in the Student
Worksheet for Salt Lake City, Utah on January 1,
2004. (Step 1 on the Student Worksheet.)
Tell students that particle pollution is expressed as
colored circles that correspond to the AQI colors.
Asktheclass:What Air Quality Index (AQI) level
(color and corresponding meaning) was reached
for particles on January 1, 2004, for Salt Lake City?
Tell students to record the answer in Question #1
on their Student Worksheet. (See Teacher Answer
Sheet for answers to all questions.)
4. Next have students access the Weather Under-
ground Web site and tell them to obtain the fol-
lowing weather conditions: maximum and mini-
mum actual temperatures (in Farenheight degrees)
and maximum wind speed (in miles per hour) for
Salt Lake City, Utah on January 1, 2004. (Students
should ignore the other weather data.)
(If anyone has trouble accessing this Web page,
the URL is: www.wunderground.com/history/air-
port/KSLC/2004/1/1/DailvHistorv.html)
Tell the class to record the weather data (tempera-
ture and wind speed) for Salt Lake City on January
1, 2004 on their Student Worksheet in the blank
chart, which is Question #2a of their Student
Worksheet.
5. Ask the class if anyone skis or snowboards. Tell
students to examine the weather conditions for
Snowbird Ski Area on January 1, 2004 provided in
the chart on their Worksheet Question #2b.
Ask students to compare the weather conditions
(temperature and wind) for January 1, 2004 in
Salt Lake City (Chart 2a of their worksheets) to
the same weather conditions at Snowbird Ski Area
(Chart 2b), which is just outside of Salt Lake City,
on the same day.
Tell students to record their observations about
the weather in the two locations (Salt Lake City
and Snowbird) in Question #2c of their work-
sheets, as it relates to previous class readings and
discussions about temperature inversions. Discuss
students' answers for Student Worksheet Ques-
tions #2b and #2c and the correct answers.
6. Now have students graph the temperatures in Salt
Lake City for January 1, 2004 as instructed on the
blank graph in Question #3 of the Student Work-
sheet.
7. Next have students graph the temperatures at
Snowbird for January 1, 2004 as instructed on the
blank graph in Question #4 of the Student Work-
sheet.
Review and discuss students' graphs in Worksheet
Questions #3 and #4 and the correct graphs (see
Teacher Answer Sheet).
8. Tell students to examine the particles map in-
cluded in the Student Worksheet for Salt Lake City,
Utah on January 9, 2004.
Ask the class: What Air Quality Index (AQI) level
(color and meaning) was reached for particles on
January 9, 2004, in Salt Lake City? Tell students to
record the answer in Question #5 on their Student
Worksheet.
9. Have students access the Weather Underground
Web site and obtain the weather conditions (tem-
perature and wind speed) for Salt Lake City, Utah
on January 9, 2004.
(In case anyone has trouble accessing this Web
page, the URL is: www.wunderground.com/history/
airport/KSLC/2004/1/9/DailvHistorv.html)
Tell the class to record the weather data for Salt
Lake City for January 9, 2004 on their Student
Worksheet in the chart in Question #6a.
10. Tell students to examine the weather conditions
at Snowbird Ski Area for January 9, 2004, which
are provided in the chart in Question #6b on the
Student Worksheet.
11. Have students compare the weather conditions
(temperature and wind speed) for January 9, 2004
in Salt Lake City to the weather conditions at
Snowbird Ski Area on the same day, and record
their observations in Question #6c of the Student
Worksheet, as it relates to previous class readings
and discussions about temperature inversions.
Discuss students' answers and the correct answer.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
126 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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12. Have students graph the temperatures in Salt Lake
City for January 9, 2004 on the blank graph in
Question #7 as instructed on the Student Work-
sheet.
13. Have students graph the temperatures at Snowbird
for January 9, 2004 on the blank graph in Question
#8 as instructed on the Student worksheet.
Review and discuss students' graphs for Questions
#7 and #8 and the correct graphs (see Teacher An-
swer Sheet).
14. Final lesson discussion. Proceed to either the For
Further Exploration section of this lesson plan to
include additional weather conditions that can
impact air quality, or to the Evaluation section
questions for the final class discussion.
Adaptation
Students could work in small groups rather than
individually.
For a simpler lesson on temperature inversions, see
Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions /1 (in-
cluded for Grades 3-5) in this Toolkit. If time permits,
the class could first conduct the Temperature Inver-
sion #1 lesson, and in following sessions conduct the
more advanced Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature
Inversions #2 lesson.
For Further Exploration
Expand the discussion to include other weather
conditions in addition to temperature and wind speed
that can contribute to temperature inversions, such as
clear skies, long nights, and high pressure systems.
(Background for this discussion:Clear skies increase
the rate of cooling at the Earth's surface, resulting
in lower temperatures near the ground. Long nights
allow for cooling of the ground to continue over a
longer period of time, resulting in a greater tempera-
ture decrease at the surface. Since the nights are
longer in winter, inversions are stronger and more
common during winter months. In addition, strong
high pressure systems can also increase the likelihood
of temperature inversions because in a high pressure
system the air is stagnant, which keeps the air-and
pollutants in the air-where they are.)
Proceed to the Evaluation questions below for the
final class discussion.
Evaluation
To assess students' grasp of the information in this
lesson, ask and discuss the following:
A. From the graphs for Snowbird ski area that you
created in Worksheet Questions #4 and #8), what
do you observe about the temperatures at the base
and peak of the mountain at Snowbird on the two
days observed (January 1 and January 9, 2004)?
Explain.
Answer/On January 1, the temperature at the peak
of the mountain was cooler than the tempera-
ture at the base of the mountain, which indicates
normal temperature conditions. On January 9,
the temperature at the peak of the mountain was
warmer than the temperature at the base of the
mountain, which indicates a temperature inver-
sion. These conditions confirm the conditions the
class discussed when comparing the Salt Lake
City and Snowbird weather charts: that normal
weather conditions existed on January 1, 2004,
and that a temperature inversion occurred on
January 9, 2004. The temperature inversion on
January 9 helps explain why the AQI (Air Quality
Index) for air quality was "red" or "unhealthy" for
that day, since the cool air and any pollutants in it
were trapped below the layer of warmer air above
it, increasing air pollution. (Note that on January 1,
2004, the air quality was "green," or "good," under
normal temperature conditions when a tempera-
ture inversion did not occur.)
B. What were the differences in wind speed on the
two days? Explain.
Answer/On January 1, 2004, there were strong
winds, both in Salt Lake City and at Snowbird.
These winds encouraged mixing and movement
of air, and moving away of any air pollutants that
might be present. On January 9, 2004, there was
no wind (or only light winds) in both locations. So
the trapped air from the temperature inversion
would remain trapped and stagnant (would not be
blown away by the wind), and any air pollutants
present would remain in the air. This also helps
explain why the AQI for January 1 was "green" or
"good" and why the AQI for January 9 was "red" or
"unhealthy."
C. List and explain some of the conditions that can
contribute to the formation of a temperature
inversion:
AQI Teachers Toolkit
127 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
-------
A layer of warmer air above a layer of cooler air
No or little wind
Mountains nearby
(If For Further Exploration was included in the
lesson, also): clear skies, long nights, high pressure
systems
AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Adapted from Air Pollution: What's the Solution?-
Temperature Inversion at: www.k12science.org/cur-
riculum/airproj/pm inversion.html
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Human Impacts
Weather and Climate
Engineering Design
AQI Teachers Toolkit 128 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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Temperature Inversions, Weather,
and Air Quality: Background Information
What is a temperature inversion? Under normal weather conditions, air temperature
is cooler as you go higher up in the atmosphere. This is because the sun's energy is
converted to heat at the ground level, which in turn warms the air closer to the Earth's
surface. The warm air cools as it rises in the atmosphere. When a temperature inver-
sion occurs, the opposite is true: warmer air is above cooler air, and the cooler air is
"trapped" below the warmer air.
How can temperature inversions affect air quality? Air temperature can have an im-
portant effect on air quality. During a temperature inversion, the warm air layer above
the cooler air acts as a lid, trapping not only the cooler air below it, but also any pollut-
ants that might be in the cooler air. Because the pollutants cannot rise and move away,
they may build up, resulting in poor air quality, which may negatively affect people's
health. These pollutants may come from vehicles, fireplaces and wood stoves, and
industries that release pollutants into the air. In some locations, local governments ban
the use of wood stoves and fireplaces under certain weather and pollution conditions.
How can wind and mountains influence temperature inversions and air quality?
When there is no wind or only calm winds, air and any pollutants in it remain stagnant,
which can contribute to maintaining temperature inversion conditions and to air pol-
lution. On the other hand, a strong wind can move pollutants away from an area and
clear the air. In addition, local topographical features, such as nearby mountains, can
increase the formation of temperature inversions, especially in valleys. Cold air sinks to
the valley floor or base of a mountain and becomes trapped there.
What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)? This lesson explores the Air Quality Index (AQI),
which reports air quality levels every day for many locations in the U.S. Different AQI
levels are color-coded and linked to different health concerns.
This lesson examines weather conditions to determine whether a temperature inversion
exists and how weather and temperature inversions affect air quality.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
129 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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Temperature Inversion
Calm winds and the inversion result in poor air quality.
0 The winter sun, low in t he sky,
supplies less warmth to the Earth's surface.
@ Warmer air aloft acts as a lid
and holds cold air near the ground,
Pollution from wood fires and cars are
trapped by the inversion.
0 Mountains can increase the
strength of valley inversions
Source: U.S. EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
130 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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fitudont WorkshQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TempQraturQ Inversions #2
NamQ:
I. Figure A is a partilcle pollution map for Salt Lake City on January 1, 2004.. What AQI
level was reached?
SALT LAKE CITY
PM2.5
January 1,2004
SALT LAKE CITY
PM2.5
January 9, 2004
Figure A
Figure B
2.
Access the Weather Underground Web site and obtain the following weather condi-
tions for Salt Lake City, Utah on January 1, 2004: minimum and maximum tempera-
tures (in Farenheight) and maximum wind speed.
Access at: Salt Lake City, Utah on January 1, 2004.
(If you have trouble accessing this Web page, the URL is:
www.wunderground.com/historv/airport/KSLC/2004/1/1/DailvHistorv.html ]
2a. Record the weather data in the chart below for Salt Lake City on January 1, 2004.
Max. Actual Temp.
yn CK ME
ILLIR A^ffi iftafi
AQI Teachers Toolkit
131 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
fitudont WorkshQQt: Trapping Air Pollution:
TempQraturQ Inversions #2
NamQ:
2b. Review the weather data in the table below for Snowbird Ski Area for January 1,
2004.
Snowbird Snow Report
New Snow
24 hr
0"
48 hr
0"
38 F
Snow
Depth
Mid-Mtn.
156"
Hi:40F
Lo: 33F
Snow Fall
Year to Date
412"
January 1, 2004
Temperature
Tram
Base
40F
Mid-
Mtn.
32 F
Hidden
Peak
26F
Wind
Hidden
Peak
51 mph
Today's Forecast:
Overcast, unseasonably warm, with
strong winds.
2c. How do the weather conditions (temperatures and wind speed) in Salt Lake City
compare to the conditions at Snowbird on January 1, 2004?
3. Graph the maximum and minimum temperatures for Salt Lake City for January 1,
2004. Draw a line from the maximum to the minimum temperature.
Salt Lake City Temperatures, January 1, 2004
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
Maximum Temperature
Minimum Temperature
AQI Teachers Toolkit
132 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
-------
(oontinuod)
fitudont WorkshQQt: Trapping Air Pollution:
TempQraturQ Inversions #2
NamQ:
4. For Snowbird Ski Area, for January 1, 2004, graph the peak-mountain, mid-
mountain, and base-mountain temperatures. Draw a line to connect these points.
Snowbird Ski Area Temperatures, January 1, 2004
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
Base-Mountain Temp. Mid-Mountain Peak-Mountain Temp.
5. Figure B on page 131 is a particle pollution map for Salt Lake City, Utah on January
9, 2004. What AQI level was reached?
AQI Teachers Toolkit
133 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
fitudont WorkshQQt: Trapping Air Pollution:
TempQraturQ Inversions #2
NamQ:
6. Access the Weather Underground Web site and obtain the following weather con-
ditions for Salt Lake City, Utah on January 9, 2004: maximum and minimum tem-
peratures, and wind speed.
Access at: Salt Lake City, Utah on January 9, 2004.
(If you have trouble accessing this Web page, the URL is:
www.wunderground.com/historv/airport/KSLC/2004/1/9/DailvHistorv.htmI ]
6a. Record the weather data below for Salt Lake City on January 9, 2004.
Max. Actual Temp. Min. Actual Temp.
:, Wind fipQQd
6b. Review the weather data in the table below for Snowbird Ski Area for
January 9, 2004.
Snowbird Snow Report
New Snow
24 hr
012"
49 hr
0.3'
17F
Snow Snow Fall
Depth Year to Date
Mid-Mtn. |
158"
Hi: 40F
Lo: 10F
414"
January 9, 2004
Temperature
Tram
Base
20F
Mid-
Mln.
24F
Hidden
Peak
36F
Wind
Hidden
Peak
9imph
Today's Forecast:
Mostly Cloudy, 10% chance of snowh
light to no wind.
6c. How do the weather conditions in Salt Lake City compare to the conditions at
Snowbird on January 9, 2004?
AQI Teachers Toolkit
134 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
fitudont WorkshQQt: Trapping Air Pollution:
TempQraturQ Inversions #2
NamQ:
7. Graph the maximum and minimum temperatures for Salt Lake City for January 9,
2004. Draw a line from the maximum to the minimum temperature.
Salt Lake City Temperatures, January 9, 2004
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
Maximum Temperature
Minimum Temperature
AQI Teachers Toolkit
135 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
fitudont WorkshQQt: Trapping Air Pollution:
TempQraturQ Inversions #2
NamQ:
8. For Snowbird Ski Area, for January 9, 2004, graph the peak-mountain, mid-moun-
tain, and base-mountain temperatures. Draw a line to connect these points.
Snowbird Ski Area Temperatures, January 9, 2004
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
ฐF
Base-Mountain Temp. Mid-Mountain Peak-Mountain Temp.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
136 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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Teacher Answer fihQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TempQraturQ Inversions #2
What AQI level was reached for particles on January 1, 2004 in Salt Lake City?
Answer: Green, or Good
2a. Record the weather data below for Salt Lake City on January 1, 2004.
[Answers:]
Max. Actual Temp. Min. Actual Temp. Max Wind fipood
42ฐ F
35ฐ F
43mph
2b. Review the weather data in the table below for Snowbird Ski Area for January 1,
2004.
2c. How do the weather conditions (temperature and wind speed) in Salt Lake City
compare to the conditions at Snowbird on January 1, 2004?
Snowbird Snow Report
New Snow
24 hr
0"
48 hr
0"
38 F
Snow
Depth
Mid-Mtn.
156"
Hi:40F
Lo: 33F
Snow Fall
Year to Date
412"
January 1, 2004
Temperature
Tram
Base
40F
Mid-
Mtn.
32 F
Hidden
Peak
26F
Wind
Hidden
Peak
51 mph
Today's Forecast:
Overcast, unseasonably warm, with
strong winds.
r:The temperatures in Salt Lake City were warmer, and the winds were
calmer than at Snowbird. So cooler air and more wind in the mountains were above
warmer and calmer air in the valley/city. These are normal weather conditions.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
137 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
Teacher Answer fihQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TemporaturQ Inversions #2
3. Graph the maximum and minimum temperatures for Salt Lake City for January 1,
2004. Draw a line from the maximum to the minimum temperature.
Salt Lake City Temperatures, January 1, 2004 [Completedgraph]:
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Maximum Temperature
Minimum Temperature
AQI Teachers Toolkit
138 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
Teacher Answer fihQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TemporaturQ Inversions #2
4. For Snowbird Ski Area, for January 1, 2004, graph the peak-mountain, mid-moun-
tain, and base-mountain temperatures. Draw a line to connect these points.
Snowbird Ski Area Temperatures, January 1, 2004 [Completedgraph]:
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
X
Base-Mountain Temp. Mid-Mountain Peak-Mountain Temp.
5. What AQI level was reached for particles on January 9, 2004 in Salt Lake City?
: Red, or Unhealthy
AQI Teachers Toolkit
139 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
Teacher Answer fihQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TempQraturQ Inversions #2
6a. Record the weather data below for Salt Lake City on January 9, 2004.
[Answers]:
Max. Actual Temp. Min. Actual Temp. Max Wind fipood
26ฐ F
14ฐ F
8 mph
6b. [Students review the chart below on weather conditions at Snowbird Ski Area for
January9, 2004]
Snowbird Snow Report
New Snow
24 hr
012"
43 hr
0.3"
17F
Snow
Depth
Mid-Mtn.
15S"
Hi: 4QF
Lo: 10F
Snow Fall
Year to Date
41471
January 9, 2004
Temperature
Tram
Base
20F
Mid-
Mln.
24F
Hidden
Peak
36F
Wind
Hidden
Peak
9 mph
Today's Forecast:
Mostly Cloudy, 10% chance of snc-w.
light to no wind.
6c. How do the weather conditions in Salt Lake City compare to the conditions at
Snowbird on January 9, 2004?
r: The maximum temperature on the mountain at Snowbird was warmer than
the maximum temperature in Salt Lake City. So there was warmer air on the moun-
tain than in the valley (city). This reflects the conditions of a temperature inversion,
with warmer air above cooler air. The cooler air, and any pollutants in it, are trapped
below the warmer air. Also, there was no wind (or only little wind) to move the air
and any pollutants in it away from this area.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
140 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
Teacher Answer fihQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TemporaturQ Inversions #2
7. Graph the maximum and minimum temperatures for Salt Lake City for January 9,
2004. Draw a line from the maximum to the minimum temperature.
Salt Lake City Temperatures, January 9, 2004 [Completedgraph]:
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
X
ฐF
Maximum Temperature
Minimum Temperature
AQI Teachers Toolkit
141 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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(oontinuod)
Teacher Answer fihQQt:
Trapping Air Pollution: TemporaturQ Inversions #2
8. For Snowbird Ski Area, for January 9, 2004, graph the peak-mountain, mid-moun-
tain, and base-mountain temperatures. Draw a line to connect these points.
Snowbird Ski Area Temperatures, January 9, 2004 [Completedgraph]:
45
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
0
Base-Mountain Temp. Mid-Mountain Peak-Mountain Temp.
9. See lesson plan, Step #14 and Evaluation, for final class discussion.
AQI Teachers Toolkit
142 Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2
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What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Identify particle pollution in the air that is carried and deposited by the wind.
Determine the approximate direction from which particle pollution comes.
Consider possible sources of particle pollution in the community and beyond.
Understand the possible health effects of particle pollution.
Learn how to check daily air quality.
Grade Level: Grades 6-8
Estimated Time: 1.5 hours (over 2 to 3 sessions)
Background fiummarg
Ever wonder what's floating in the air? Sometimes
the air contains particle pollution, which is made up
of particles of dust, dirt, smoke, and liquid droplets.
Wind can blow particle pollution in the air from
nearby sources as well as from distant locations. The
movement of wind-blown particles is more horizontal
than vertical. Particle pollution that we can easily see
ranges in size from approximately 20 to 100 microns.
For comparison purposes, a human hair is approxi-
mately 70 microns in diameter. A good collecting sur-
face is a vertical plane. Sticky paper wrapped around
a jar can be used as a sample collector and will work
well to capture the particles. By having students make
and analyze their own sample collector, they will be
able to see particle pollution in the air that may not
generally be visible, learn which direction the par-
ticle pollution comes from, and determine what the
sources of the particle pollution might be.
Matorials Needed
Small glass or plastic jar with a lid (several jars
that fit the same lid will allow for the collection of
several samples)
Plywood base (approximately 24" x 24")
Wooden dowel (approximately 3" diameter, 30"
long)
2 Wood screws
Compass
Spray can of quick drying clear lacquer
Double sided tape, or contact paper
Blank directional graphic (included)
Sample Data Table and Graph (included)
Kog Questions
Do you think you can always see air pollution?
(Answer: No, sometimes particles are too small to
see.)
What do you think some sources of air pollution
might be in your community? (Possible answers:
Factory smokestacks, car/vehicle emissions, power
plants, dust from construction sites, fireplaces and
wood stoves, smoke from forest fires)
Do you think air pollution can reach your com-
munity from far away? How? From what sources?
(Possible answers:Yes. The most likely sources of
this pollution might be power plants and factories.)
Do you think the weather can affect air pollution
levels? (Answer:Yes. Wind can blow air pollution
from long distances away into a community. Also
particle pollution is often greater in the winter
time, and particularly when there is a temperature
inversion.)
f>
Jar
7 ซ Wood Screw
jar Top -**>
Wooden Dowel
ctnn
Plywood Base
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
143 What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
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Do you think there are health effects associated
with particle pollution? What health effects? (An-
swer: Yes. Particle pollution can cause breathing dif-
ficulties and aggravate heart disease or lung disease
(including asthma). For people with heart disease,
particle pollution has been linked to heart attacks.)
Vocabulary
Particle pollution-Tiny particles of dust, dirt, smoke,
and iquid droplets in the air.
Temperature inversion-When cold air in the
atmosphere (and any air pollution in it) is trapped
under warmer air above it; this is a reversal of normal
conditions, in which temperature decreases as you go
higher in the atmosphere.
1. Assemble the sample collector stand as indicated
in the picture above under "Materials Needed."
2. Place the stand for holding the glass jar on a flat
and safe area of the school grounds or roof. Try to
keep the sampler as far away from obstructions as
possible.
3. Wrap one strip of double-sided tape around the
jar. If using contact paper be sure that the sticky
side is facing away from the jar. Fasten one edge
to the jar with tape and be sure that the edges
overlap and stick together so that the paper will
stay on the jar. Mark the exposed edge as North.
4. Screw the jar onto the cap on the stand and use a
compass to be sure that the edge marked "North"
is facing North.
5. Leave the jar exposed for seven days. Then spray
the paper with the lacquer to fix the particles
collected and to avoid having additional particles
adhere to the paper.
6. After the lacquer dries, remove the tape or contact
paper from the sampler and divide it into eight
equal parts. One section of the strip will represent
each direction, i.e., North, Northwest, West, South-
west, South, Southeast, East, Northeast. Label each
section.
7. Lay the tape on a flat surface and estimate the
percent of particle coverage for each section.
Use the table below to record the class's estimates.
8. Hand out copies of the Sample Data Table and
Graphic and review it with the class. Then dis-
tribute the Blank Directional Graphic for Enter-
ing Data (included) and have the students, either
individually or in groups, draw in the data from
the table. For this lesson, assume that 2 cm = 10%
coverage. The sample site will be at the center of
the graph. Tell students to use the Sample Data
Table and Graphic as an example of how to enter
and interpret their data on the blank graphic.
9. When students have completed their directional
graphics, they should be able to look at them and
start to form simplified ideas regarding what gen-
eral direction particle pollution, and possibly other
pollutants that affect your community, come from.
10. After finishing the graphs, discuss with the class:
From what direction did most of the particle pollu-
tion appear to come?
Knowing your community, what do you think
some of the sources of the particle pollution might
be? (Possible answers: Nearby dirt driveways,
vehicle exhaust, factory emissions, power plants,
dust from construction sites, fireplaces and wood
stoves, smoke from fires.) Mention that the wind
may also have blown the particle pollution from
far away to your area from some of these types of
pollution sources.
How do you think that weather might affect
particle pollution? (Answer:Particle pollution can
occur at any time of year, but it can be especially
bad during winter, when the weather is calm, and
especially when a temperature inversion exists,
allowing particle pollution to build up. A tempera-
ture inversion occurs when cold air, and any air
pollution in it, is trapped under warmer air above
it; this is a reversal of normal conditions, in which
temperature decreases as you go higher in the
atmosphere.)
Do you think particle pollution can affect our
health? How? (/Answer:Yes. Particle pollution,
especially smaller particles, can penetrate deep
into the lungs and even get into our bloodstream.
Particle pollution can cause a range of health
effects, from coughing to aggravated asthma
and heart disease. For people with heart disease,
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
144 What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
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particle pollution has been linked to heart attacks.
Many studies link high particle pollution with
increased emergency room visits and hospital
admissions. People that are particularly sensitive
to particle pollution include people with heart or
lung disease, older adults, and children.)
How might we and our community reduce air
pollution? (Possible answers: People could drive
less and walk, bicycle, or take public transporta-
tion (e.g., buses, trains, subways) more often. They
could carpool more. People could use wood stoves
and fireplaces less often. We can turn off lights,
TVs, computers, and other equipment when we're
not using them. Factories and power plants could
use cleaner fuels and other substances that pro-
duce less air pollution.)
Do you think there are ways to check what the
air quality is? (Answer: Yes. You can check the
air quality each day and for the next day on the
Internet at: www.airnow.gov which provides an Air
Quality Index, or AQI. The AQI is also often part of
the weather report in newspapers and on TV and
the radio. The AQI provides information on five air
pollutants, including particle pollution.)
Adaptation
For lower grades, see the How Dirty is the Air We
Breathe? lesson plan in this Toolkit for Grades K-2 on
preparing a simpler air pollution tester.
For Further Exploration
See the Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions
#1, Trapping Air Pollution: Temperature Inversions #2,
and Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution lesson
plans in this Toolkit.
AoknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
U.S. EPA and the Air and Waste Management Associa-
tion. Adapted from the Air Pollution Control Associa-
tion, Air Pollution Experiments for Junior and Senior
High School Science Classes. Pittsburgh, PA.
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Human Impacts
Engineering Design
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
145 What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
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What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
Sample Data Table and Graphic
Direction | N NW W 2W 2 2E E ME
Estimated
Coverage
250/0
10o/o
50/0
150/0
250/o
100/0
50/0
50/0
For example we estimate the strip above is covered as indicated in the table below.
Start with the estimated particle coverage that came from the north, 25%. Since 1 cm on the graph represents
10% coverage, a 5 cm line will represent 25%. Draw a bar north extending 5 cm from the center of your direc-
tional graphic. A 2 cm bar should extend towards the northwest, and so on.
Sample
Site
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
146 What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
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What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
Blank Directional Graphic for Entoring Data
N
Sample
Site
Data Collection Site _
Data Collection Dates
AQI Toolkit For Teachers
147 What's "Riding the Wind" in Your Community?
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fiave fimog City 2 from OZOFIQ
Learning ObJQotivQS
Students will:
Understand how weather and people's activities affect air pollution.
Explore how changes in key variables can affect air pollution and health.
Identify things people can do to reduce air pollution.
Grado LQVQ!: Grades 6-8
EstimatQd Timo: 1 hour
Background fiummarg
Ozone is made up of three oxygen atoms. Ozone in
the air acts differently depending on where it is. The
ozone layer high up in the atmosphere occurs natu-
rally and helps protect us from receiving too much
of the sun's harmful ultraviolet radiation. But when
ozone is near the Earth's surface (at ground level), it
is an air pollutant that can harm our health and our
environment. You can remember this difference by
thinking, "Good up high, bad nearby." Ground-level
ozone pollution can irritate the throat and lungs,
cause coughing, and make asthma worse.
Ground-level ozone forms when certain pollutants
in the air are baked by the sun and undergo chemi-
cal reactions. These pollutants are volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) and nitrogen oxides (NOJ. VOCs
are emitted from gasoline, industrial chemicals, paints,
household cleaners, and other products. N0x is pro-
duced from burning certain fuels such as gasoline.
Many things can affect how much ground-level ozone
pollution there is, including the weather, emissions
released from cars and factories, and the popula-
tion in a specific area. Ozone pollution is worse in
the summer when there are high temperatures, calm
winds, and lots of sunshine.
Make sure the class understands what emissions are,
since this is an important concept of this lesson and
the Smog City 2 Web site on which this lesson is
based. 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, or
other substances that can become pollutants, from
vehicles, factories, power plants that make electricity,
and even some products that we use at home, such as
paints.
Tdl the class that the Air Quality Index, orAQI, in-
dicates how clean or polluted the air is in a specific
location each day. Ozone is one of five major air
pollutants that the AQI covers, and is one of the most
common air pollutants in the U.S. The AQI has six
levels for air quality: Good (green), Moderate (yellow),
Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups (orange), Unhealthy
(red), Very Unhealthy (Purple), and Hazardous (Ma-
roon). Tell students that you will discuss the AQI more
as the lesson continues.
Ozone is part of "smog"-a term that originally meant
a combination of smoke and fog. These days, smog
refers to a combination of particles, ozone, and other
chemicals in the air. Tell students that they will be
playing an online computer game called Smog City
2 about ozone that lets them change things like the
weather, emissions from cars and power plants, and
population to see how these changes affect ozone
pollution.
Materials Needed
Internet access
Teacher Answer Sheet (included)
Student Worksheet (included)
Keg Questions
What is smog? (Answer: Smog originally was a
combination of smoke and fog. These days, smog
refers to a combination of particles, ozone, and
other chemicals in the air.)
Is ozone good or bad? (Answer: Both. Good ozone
is ozone up high in the atmosphere, where it helps
protect us from too much of the sun's ultraviolet
radiation, which can be harmful to our health. Bad
AQI Teachers Toolkit
149
Save fimog City 2 from Ozone
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ozone is at ground-level, and is a pollutant that
can cause breathing problems and lung irritation.)
Can people's activities affect air pollution? How?
(Answer:Yes. Vehicle emissions contribute to
ozone pollution, as do power plant and factory
emissions, and some household products, like
paints.)
Can the weather affect air pollution? How?
(Answer:Yes. Ozone pollution is worse in hotter
weather, when there is lots of sunlight and calm
winds.)
What can people do to protect their health from
air pollution? (Answer:Take it easier outside when
air is polluted. Tell an adult if it feels more difficult
to breath.)
What can people do to reduce air pollution?
(PossibleAnswers: Drive less; take buses, trains,
and subways instead of driving; share a ride with
friends; walk and bicycle instead of driving; drive
cars that make less emissions; use ATVs less or use
bicycles instead.)
Vocabulary
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.
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 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.
1. Tell students to access the Smog City 2 Web site
at www.smogcity2.org and click on "Save Smog
City 2 from Ozone." Then have the class minimize
the instructions box at the top right corner of the
screen (this lesson covers some of the information
in the box). Also, have students ignore the "In-
formation" 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 (you
will be discussing these throughout the lesson).
Also tell them 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 some of these settings are changed.
Mention to students that the "Total Emissions"
graph towards the bottom of the page reflects
all the Emissions categories at the levels you
set when you play the game (including energy
sources, cars and trucks, off road vehicles, con-
sumer products, and industry).
(If students ask, tell them that the "Random
Events" box is for learning about a different pol-
lutant, called particle pollution, which you may
cover in other lessons. Note:Several lessons in this
Toolkit cover particle pollution.)
3. Tell the class they are first going to explore how
weather conditions can affect ground-level ozone
pollution and health. Tell students that in the real
world we can't control the weather, but in Smog
City 2 you can experiment with how the weather
affects pollution levels by adjusting the controls.
4. Tell students to look at the black sign in the main
picture to find out what the current temperature
and AQI are. Remind students that the AQI tells
how much air pollution there is. Tell them to ob-
serve the AQI (Air Quality Index) box in the lower
right corner of the screen. The default setting is
"Red" (see the top of this box, "Ground Level AQI"
and the color itself at the bottom) and the cor-
responding health level is "Unhealthy" (see just
below the colored graph where it says "Health.")
Under this health level is a corresponding health
message.
Review the health message in the box for a Red,
Unhealthy AQI with the class: "Active children
and adults, and people with lung disease, such as
asthma, should avoid prolonged or heavy exertion
outdoors. Everyone else, especially children, should
reduce prolonged or heavy exertion outdoors."
5. Tell students to record the current temperature
and AQI on Question #1 of their Student Work-
sheet.
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Save fimog City 2 from Ozone
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6. Tell students to now increase the temperature to
110ฐ F by moving the "Temperature" button as far
to the right as it will go.
/Vote: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 students to again check the black sign in the
picture. Ask them if the temperature and the AQI
changed. Ask students why they think this change
in the AQI happened. Tell them to record this
information in Question #2 of the Student Work-
sheet. Discuss the answers with the class.
(Correct answer: The AQI increased from 175 to
202. Ground-level ozone increased because ozone
levels are generally higher when temperatures are
high.)
8. Have students click the "Reset" button on the bot-
tom left of the screen so that everything returns
to the original settings.
9. Tell students to observe the current "Clouds/Sky
Cover" button setting (farthest to the left - the
lowest setting), the main cityscape picture at this
setting, and the AQI at this setting, and record
these conditions in Question #3 on their Student
Worksheet.
10. Tell students to move (increase) the "Clouds/Sky
Cover" button to the far right setting (the highest
setting), and to record the new "Clouds/Sky Cover"
condition and the AQI on their worksheets, again
in Question #3. Ask students whether changing
the cloud conditions changed the AQI level, and to
add why they think this happened to their Ques-
tion #3 answers. Discuss the answers with the
class.
(Answer/The original Clouds/Sky Cover conditions
at the lowest level were sunny-there was only one
passing cloud in the sky in the picture-and the
AQI was 175, Red, Unhealthy. When the Clouds/
Sky Cover conditions were changed to the highest
level, there were more clouds in the sky, and the
AQI decreased to 119 and changed from Unhealthy
to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups. [Tell students
that they will explore what "Unhealthy for Sensi-
tive Groups" means later in the lesson.] Air pollu-
tion, and the AQI, decreased because ozone levels
are highest when there is lots of sunshine, and
adding clouds reduced the amount of sunshine,
which reduced ozone formation.)
11. Have the class press the "Reset" button on the
lower left side so that everything returns to the
original settings.
12. Now explore changes in Emissions with the class.
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 low-emission
vehicles to replace all cars used by city govern-
ment employees. So, the class needs to decrease
the emissions level from Cars and Trucks to the
second to lowest setting (from the current setting,
which is the second to highest level) to reflect
this change. Tell students to record the AQI level
in Question #4 on their Student Worksheet, and
if the AQI changed, why they think this occurred.
Discuss the answers with the class.
14. Have the class press the "Reset" button on the
lower left side so that everything returns to the
original settings.
15. Tell students that a new, really awesome ATV (all-
terrain vehicle) is now available in Smog City 2,
and that lots of kids and their families are buying
them. Under the Emissions category, have students
increase emissions from "Off Road" vehicles to the
highest setting (all the way to the right) and tell
them to record what happens to the AQI in Ques-
tion #5 of their Student Worksheet. Tell them to
compare this AQI number to the Emissions number
in Question #4, and if the AQI changed, why they
think this happened. Discuss the answers with the
class.
16. Have students press the "Reset" button.
17. Tell students that in Smog City 2, you can increase
the population from near-zero to as high as about
2 million people. Tell students to observe the AQI
under the current "Population" setting and record
this information in Question #6 on their Student
Worksheet.
18. Now tell students to change the "Population" con-
trol to the highest setting (farthest to the right).
Ask students what happens to the AQI, and why
they think this happened. Have students record
this information in Question #6.
After hearing some of the responses to Ques-
tion #6, discuss with students that as population
increases in an area, emissions and air pollution
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usually also increase from the use of more energy,
cars, consumer products, and industries.
19. Tell students that ozone can irritate the throat and
lungs, cause coughing, and make asthma worse.
Tell students to look at the top of the column on
the left of the Save Smog City 2 from Ozone page
and click on "Air Quality Index (AQI)" (the second
heading).
(Note: If the class is also studying particle pol-
lution, you can mention that some of the health
symptoms of ozone and particle 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.)
Look at the color chart at the bottom of the AQI
page with the class and review each different
color's health message so that students under-
stand how changes in air pollution, as reflected by
changes in the AQI, can affect people's health.
20. Ask students what steps they think they or other
people could take to reduce emissions and ozone
pollution, and to record their answers in Ques-
tion #7 on their Student Worksheet. Discuss the
answers, as indicated below.
(Correct answers might include: Drive less; take
buses, trains, and subways instead of driving;
walk and bicycle instead of driving; drive cars
that produce less emissions; use ATVs less or use
bicycles instead; use lawnmowers that don't use
gasoline or electricity. Also, power plants could use
wind power, solar power, or hydroelectric power
instead of coal, oil, or natural gas. Factories can
use cleaner technologies that produce fewer emis-
sions. Companies can make and sell fuels for cars
from waste products instead of gasoline.)
For Further Exploration
Change some of the other settings in Save Smog City
2 from Ozone, such as Wind, Consumer Products, and
Industry, and discuss with the class how these chang-
es can affect ozone pollution, the AQI, and health.
Conduct some of the activities on particle pollution in
Save Smog City 2 from Particle Pollution.
Explore the "Create Your Own Smog City 2 Experience"
on the Smog City 2 Web site (best to do this after you
have introduced particle pollution to students).
AeknowlQdgmQnts/RQSOuroQS
Sacramento Regional Air Quality Management District
and U.S. EPA.
Smog City 2 at: www.smogcity2.org.
Noxt GonQration
Standards
Human Impacts
Engineering Design
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fitudent WorkshQQt: fiave fimog City 2 from OZOFIQ
NamQ:
Record the current temperature and AQI in "Save Smog City 2 from Ozone":
Current temperature:
Current AQI:
Number
Color
Health LQVQ!
2. Record the AQI when the temperature is changed to 110ฐ F:
Number Color Health LQVQ!
If the AQI changed when you increased the temperature, why do you think
this occurred?
3. Record the current "Clouds/Sky Cover" conditions and the current AQI.
Current Clouds/Sky Cover:
Current AQI:
Number
Color
Health Level
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(oontinuQd)
fitudont WorkshQQt: fiavQ fimog City 2 from OZOFIQ
Name:
After you've changed the settings, record the new cloud conditions and the
AQI under the new cloud conditions.
Clouds/Sky Cover when changed to highest level:
AQI when changed Clouds/Sky Cover to highest level:
umbQr
Color
Hoalth LQVQ!
If the AQI changed when you changed the Clouds/Sky Cover to the highest level, why
do you think this change occurred?
4. Record the AQI associated with the current Emissions level for Cars and Trucks:
Number
Color
Health LQVQ!
Now record the AQI when the Emissions level for Cars and Trucks was changed to
reflect government use of low-emission vehicles (to second to lowest setting):
Number Color Health LQVQ!
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(oontinuQd)
fitudont WorkshQQt: fiavQ fimog City 2 from OZOFIQ
Name:
If the AQI changed when you changed the Emissions level for Cars and Trucks, why
do you think this occurred?
5. Record the AQI when new ATVs are bought and used (increase Off Road vehicles
to highest level-far right). Compare this number to the Emissions numbers in
Question #4.
NumbQr
Color
Joalth LQVQI
If the AQI changed when you changed the Emissions level for Off Road vehicles, why
do you think this occurred?
6. Observe and record the AQI level at the current Population setting.
Current AQI:
NumbQr Color Health LQVQ!
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(oontinuQd)
fitudont WorkshQQt: fiavQ fimog City 2 from OZOFIQ
Name:
Then record the AQI when the Population level is changed to the highest setting.
AQI at highest Population level:
NumDQr Color
Hoalth LQVQ!
If the AQI changed when the population increased, why do you think this occurred?
7. What steps do you think you or other people could take to reduce emissions and
ozone pollution?
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Teacher Answer fihQQt: fiavQ fimog City 2 from OZOFIQ
1. Record the current temperature and AQI in "Save Smog City 2 from Ozone":
Current temperature: 90ฐ F
Current AQI:
Number
175
Color
Red
Hoalth LQVQ!
UnhQalthg
2. Record the AQI when the temperature is changed to 110ฐ F:
Number Color Health LQVQ!
202
Red
Unhoalthg
Ask: If the AQI changed when you increased the temperature, why do you think this
occurred?
r: Ground- level ozone increased because ozone levels are generally higher
when temperatures are higher.
3. Record the current "Clouds/Sky Cover" conditions and the current AQI.
Current Clouds/Sky Cover: One cloud passing by
Current AQI:
Number Color Health LQVQ!
175
Red
UnhQalthg
After you've changed the settings, record the new cloud conditions and the AQI un-
der the new cloud conditions.
Clouds/Sky Cover when changed to highest level: More clouds
AQI when changed Clouds/Sky Cover to highest level:
NumbQr Color Health LQVQ!
119
OrangQ
UnhQalthg
for fionsitivQ
Groups
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(oontinuQd)
Teacher Answer fihQQt: fiavQ fimog City 2 from OZORQ
If the AQI changed when you changed the Clouds/Sky Cover to the highest level, why
do you think this change occurred?
Answerer pollution, and the AQI, decreased because ozone levels are highest when
there is lots of sunshine, and adding clouds reduced the amount of sunshine, which
reduced ozone formation.
4. Record the AQI associated with the current Emissions level for Cars and Trucks:
Number Color Health LQVQ!
175
Red
Unhealthy
Now record the AQI when the Emissions level for Cars and Trucks was changed to
reflect government use of low-emission cars (second to lowest setting):
Number Color Health LQVQ!
119
OrangQ
Unhealthy
for fionsitivQ
Groups
If the AQI changed when you changed the Emission level for Cars and Trucks, why do
you think this occurred?
r: The AQI decreased from 175, Red, Unhealthy, to 119, Orange, Unhealthy for
Sensitive Groups, because the lower emission vehicles released fewer N0x and VOCs
emissions, which decreased the formation of ozone pollution.
5. Record the AQI when new ATVs are bought and used (increase Off Road vehicles
to highest level, far right). Compare this number to the Emissions numbers in
Question #4.
NumbQr
190
Color
Red
Health LQVQ.
Unhealthy
If the AQI changed when you changed the Emissions level for Off Road vehicles,
compared to when you changed the Emissions level for Cars and Trucks for lower
emission vehicles in Question #4, why do you think this occurred?
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(oontinuQd)
Teacher Answer fiheet: fiave fimog City 2 from Ozone
r: The AQI increased from 119, Orange, Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups in
Question #4 (for lower emission vehicles) to 190, Red, Unhealthy, when the Emis-
sions level for Off Road vehicles was increased for more ATV use. This occurred
because the use of additional ATVs increased vehicle emissions, which contributed to
increased ozone formation.
6. Observe and record the AQI level at the current Population setting.
Current AQI:
Number
175
Color
Red
Health LQVQ!
Unhealthy
Then record the AQI when the population level is changed to the highest setting.
AQI at highest Population level:
Number Color Health Level
215
Purple
Very
Unhealthy
If the AQI changed when the population increased, why do you think this occurred?
Answer:As population increases in an area, emissions usually also increase from the
use of more energy, cars, consumer products, and industries.
7. What steps do you think you or other people could take to reduce emissions and
ozone pollution?
Answers: Drive less; take buses, trains, and subways instead of driving; walk and
bicycle instead of driving; drive cars that make less emissions, such as hybrid vehicles
and others that use less gasoline; use lawnmowers that don't use gasoline or elec-
tricity. Also, power plants could use wind power, solar power, or hydroelectric power
instead of coal, oil, or natural gas. And, factories can use cleaner technologies that
produce fewer emissions.
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fitudont Handout
161
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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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