BLUEPRINT: Air On the Side of Caution
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Subject: Earth Science # of Days: 28
Teacher: Sobehrad Other Subjects (if any):
Name of Project: Air On the Side of Caution
Standards:
HS-ESS2-4. Use a model to describe how variations in the flow of energy into and out of Earth’s
systems result in changes in climate.
HS-ESS3-1. Construct an explanation based on evidence for how the availability of natural resources, occurrence of natural hazards
and changes in climate
have influenced human activity.
HS-ESS3-4. Evaluate or refine a technological solution that reduces impacts of human activities on natural systems.
HS-ESS3-5. Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an
evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth systems.
HS-ESS3-6. Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships
are being modified due to human activity.
Scenario (summary of the Students explore air quality data provided by state air quality monitoring systems from around the country
issue challenge, scenario, to determine if there are correlations to specific demographic data, such as age, education level, gender,
investigation, or problem): and income. Additional monitors will be placed at specific sites chosen by students, so their information
will be included in with the national data sets.
Driving Question How does air quality change for different demographics?
(standards are integral):
Entry Event Description Lab: The Greenhouse Effect
(to launch inquiry and https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans/fossil-fuels-air-pollution-and-the-greenhouse-effe
engage students): ct
OR Explore AirNow website and look for data
https://gispub.epa.gov/airnow/
Entry Document Letter from the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources
Description (addresses
specific project
guidelines):
PROJECT BENCHMARKS (MEASURES THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE FINAL PRODUCT)
BENCHMARK ONE: Learners create an infographic sharing the results of a deep dive into air quality monitoring statistics from
around the country--were there any correlations of high air pollution to specific demographic categories?
Scaffolding/Workshops Resources
Formative Assessments
Predicted Need-to-Knows (by teacher, other teachers, (facilities, people, equipment,
(how will you assess ongoing
(unpacked standards) experts, mentors, community websites, materials,
mastery of standards)
members) community)
What are demographics? Students build consensus as Air Pollution:
Where does air pollution come 1. Air Pollution they create definitions of https://www.nationalgeographi
from? 2. Demographics demographics and air pollution c.com/environment/global-war
What are the human impacts 3. Fossil Fuels ming/pollution/
of air pollution? 4. Human Impact Students explore air pollution Demographics:
How do humans contribute to 5. Interpreting Data and demographics in different https://www.census.gov/quickf
air pollution? areas in a search for acts/fact/table/US/PST045217
What causes air pollution? correlations. They create a #PST045217
chart to share their findings. Air Quality Monitoring in
Michigan:
http://www.deqmiair.org/monit
oringdata.cfm?page=sites
American Lung Association
https://www.lung.org/our-initia
tives/healthy-air/outdoor/air-po
llution/air-quality-index.html
AQI
https://airnow.gov/aqi/aqi-basic
s
EPA PM Basics
https://www.epa.gov/pm-pollut
ion/particulate-matter-pm-basi
cs
Criteria Air Pollutants
https://www.epa.gov/criteria-ai
r-pollutants
Fossil Fuels Uncovered
http://sandovalscience.weebly.c
om/homework/archives/03-20
17
Virtual Carbon Dioxide Lab
(http://www.learner.org/courses/
envsci/interactives/carbon/)
Smog City
http://www.smogcity2.org/inde
x.html
BENCHMARK TWO: A student-created solution to improve indoor air quality for those living in areas of poor outdoor air
quality, such as an air filter drive or hydroponics test market.
Entry Document: EPA’s Environmental Justice PDF Document
Resources
Scaffolding/Materials/Lessons Formative Assessment (facilities, people, equipment,
Predicted Need-to-Knows
(by teacher, other teachers, (how will you assess ongoing websites, materials,
(unpacked standards)
experts, mentors, community mastery of standards) community)
members)
How effective are air filters at Indoor Air Quality Cooperative Reports: Indoor Air Quality:
cleaning the air? Air Filtration Teams are assigned different https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air
Kinds of air filters? Hydroponics articles to read and summarize -quality-iaq/care-your-air-guid
How often should they be for the other learners e-indoor-air-quality
changed? How Air Filters Work:
How much do they cost? Construction of a hydroponic https://youtu.be/3z0v_jju_0c
How would hydroponics help test set-up in the school https://inspectapedia.com/Best
improve indoor air quality? Practices/Air_Cleaner_Purifier_
How would you build one? Interviews with the school’s Types.php
How much would it cost? maintenance department to Articles:
How would you maintain it find out about the frequency of Climate change impacts indoor
over time? air filter changes air quality
Kinds of plants to grow?
How much space would it take
up?
BENCHMARK THREE: Creation of a podcast channel to share results of the study and student-created solutions to the
problem; students interview each other or invite others to participate.
Scaffolding/Materials/Lessons Resources
Formative Assessment
Predicted Need-to-Knows (by teacher, other teachers, (facilities, people, equipment,
(how will you assess ongoing
(unpacked standards) experts, mentors, community websites, materials,
mastery of standards)
members) community)
What is a podcast? Scriptwriting IAKT: How to Start a Podcast:
What makes a good podcast? Writing good interview Students will develop a claim, https://lifehacker.com/how-to-s
What makes a good interview? questions (if necessary) and support it with appropriate tart-your-own-podcast-17097
How long is a podcast? How to write a CER evidence and reasoning, with 98447
How do you upload a podcast? an explanation of the science Podcasting Tips
behind the results. https://www.smartpassiveinco
me.com/10-podcast-recording-
tips/
Interviewing in a Podcast
https://www.smartpassiveinco
me.com/how-to-conduct-an-ex
ceptional-interview/
http://podcastengineers.com/bl
ogs/8-must-know-elements-m
aking-successful-podcast-inter
view
Project Calendar
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
11/26 11/27 11/28 11/29 11/30
SNOW DAY Goal: Define demographics Goal: Identify how air Goal: Identify project Goal: Describe types of fossil
and air pollution using a pollution impacts human knows/need to knows fuels and how they are formed
consensus protocol. health as well as which
groups of humans are most Content Check: Air Pollution Fossil Fuels Uncovered
New Groups susceptible and Human Impacts Reading Passage and
Questions
Entry Event Reading passage and Entry Document and Rubrics
questions
Teams shout out to
Charleston with a Need to
Know
12/3 12/4 12/5 12/6 12/7
Goal: Describe how fossil Goal: Explore how human Goal: Correlate types of air Goal: Explore demographics Goal: Explore demographics
fuels contribute to air population and technology is pollution with health impact of partner schools and top of partner schools and top
pollution related to poor air quality on humans most polluted cities most polluted cities
Team Time: Team Team Time: Project Log, Team Time: Working on Team Time: Working on Team Time: Finish
Contracts, How to Create an Infographic Research with infographics Infographics infographics
Infographic Video, Graphic Organizer
Infographic rubric Workshop: Case Studies: Workshop: Solutions to Workshop: Progress
Workshop: Changes in Effects of Poor Air Quality on better air quality outside Check--infographic rough
Workshop: Fossil Fuels Carbon Dioxide Levels Before Human Health (Smog City Simulation) drafts due Monday
and After the Industrial
After Hours: Atmospheric Revolution
Carbon
12/10 12/11 12/12 12/13 12/14
Goal: Finalize infographic Goal: Share infographics with Goal: Identify sources of Goal: Identify solutions to Goal: Debate about most
for sharing with partner partner school indoor air pollution indoor air pollution effective solutions to indoor air
school quality problems
Give feedback to partner Team Time: Structure Team Time: Working on
Content Check: Fossil Fuels school groups on their Debate--Take a Stand--what creating fact sheets about
infographics method will be most effective indoor air pollution topics
Tuning Protocol: I likes, I in reducing indoor air
wonders, next steps pollution? Workshop: Materials to
gather for hydroponics
Team Time: Revising Workshop: Indoor air
infographics pollution
12/17 12/18 12/19 12/20 12/21
Goal: Collect data from Goal: Collect data from Goal: Collect data from Goal: Collect data from Goal: Collect data from
monitoring stations, share monitoring stations, share out monitoring stations, share out monitoring stations, share out monitoring stations, share out
out
Team Time: Creating a Team Time: Creating a Team Time: Finish Team Time: Creating a
Team Time: Creating a hydroponic system hydroponic system hydroponic system and take hydroponic system
hydroponic system; project picture and write a caption to
log share with partner school
Workshop: Hydroponic
Solutions
1/7 1/8 1/9 1/10 1/11
Goal: Collect data from Goal: Collect data from Goal: Explain evidence with Goal: Rehearse podcast as Goal: Record podcasts
monitoring stations, share monitoring stations, share out reasoning and scientific a class
out explanations
Team Time: Collect evidence Rehearsal
Team Time: Write a claim to support your claim from a Team Time: Write a rationale
about air pollution and variety of sources that connects your evidence
demographics to your claim and provides the
Workshop: How to use the scientific explanation
Workshop: Podcast evidence collecting graphic
Tutorial/Norms organizer Workshop: How to write a
rationale
1/14 1/15 1/16 1/17 1/18
Goal: Podcast Feedback *Make Up Day *Make Up Day *Make Up Day *Make Up Day
from Partner Schools
Reflection and Celebration
