Research Experience for Teachers (2017-2018)
Air Pollution and Air Quality
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Keywords:
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The Big Idea (including global relevance) Air Pollution/Air Quality |
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Essential Questions
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The Hook The hook that I will use to introduce the Big Idea will be to show the video “How Deadly is Air Pollution?” done by CNN. This brief video shows some nice graphics and statistics about air pollution across the world. http://www.cnn.com/videos/health/2016/09/27/air-pollution-deadly-orig.cnn |
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The Challenge Design an air filtration device that could filter indoor air pollutants (specifically particulate matter). |
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Guiding Questions
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ACS (Real world applications; career connections; societal impact)
Many people who live in developing countries do not have access to electricity, so they burn biomass to heat their homes and also to cook their meals. Burning this biomass in an enclosed space emits a lot of particulate matter and other air pollutants into the air that harm these people. Creating something easy to use and practical to help filter their air indoors would let them use the same techniques that are available but also have the availability of clean air while doing so.
This challenge (and unit) should help students understand more about how indoor air pollutant is a huge health concern not only in developing countries but also in developed countries.
The careers that I will introduce are environmental and materials engineering and have either a guest speaker come in or Skype with one of our GRAs.
Misconceptions
- May not understand indoor versus outdoor air pollutants and how those are different in developed versus developing countries.
- Just because they are one person there is nothing they can do to help improve air quality
Unit Lessons and Activities
- Lesson 1:
The causes of air pollutants and methods used to control air pollutants (5 days)- Activity 1 : Introduction to big idea, hook, essential questions; introduction to major air pollutants, causes and health effects chart/notes; air quality survey lab (1 day normal time and 1 lab period)
- Activity 2 : Air pollution control methods chart/notes; Intro challenge with EDP worksheet; Wet scrubbers and air pollution lab (1 lab period and 2 days normal time)
- Lesson 2:
Pollution types and designing and testing their device (5 days)- Activity 3: Introduction to indoor air pollutants: causes and health effects chart/notes, Air pollution and vehicle exhaust lab (1 lab period)
- Activity 4: Design and test their device; create and present presentations (3 days normal time and 1 day lab period)
- Evidence of CBL: Activities 2 and 4
- Evidence of EDP: Activities 2 and 4
Additional Resources
“Indoor Air pollution Kills Thousands in India”
http://video.aljazeera.com/channels/eng/videos/indoor-air-pollution-kills-thousands-in-india/4679671008001
Other good videos to use during lesson and activities:
http://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-39170488/what-does-air-pollution-do-to-our-bodies