TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Dangerous Air
By tracing the movement of radiation released during an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, students see how air pollution, like particulate matter, can become a global issue.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Acid Rain Effects
Students conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: It's Really Heating Up in Here!
Students create and observe a greenhouse effect model and discuss the implications of global warming theory for engineers, themselves and the Earth.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Pollution Politics
Students learn how a bill becomes law in the U.S. Congress and research legislation related to global warming.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: A Merry Go Round for Dirty Air
Students observe and discuss a cup and pencil model of a cyclone to better understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Let's Bag It
Students observe and discuss a vacuum cleaner model of a baghouse to better understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: I Breathe What??
In this activity, students will capture and examine the particles to gain an appreciation of how much dust, pollen and other particulate matter is present in the air around them. Students will place "pollution detectors" at various...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Cars From the Future
Students learn about air pollution caused by cars and what engineers are doing to try to help with the problem. Students then design their own environmentally friendly car and give a presentation to experience how engineers have to be...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: What's Air Got to Do With It?
Students are introduced to the concepts of air pollution and air quality. The three lesson parts focus on the prerequisites for understanding air pollution. First, students use M&Ms to create a pie graph that expresses their...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: You've Got to See It to Believe It!
Students develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion demonstration, a "smog in a jar" demonstration, building simple particulate matter collectors, and exploration of engineering roles related to air...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Weather Watchers
Learners are introduced to some essential meteorology concepts so they more fully understand the impact of meteorological activity on air pollution control and prevention. First, they develop an understanding of the magnitude and...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: On the Move
Looking at models and maps, students explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. In an associated literacy activity, students develop skills of observation, recording and reporting...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Not So Neutral Views
Students are introduced to acids and bases, and the environmental problem of acid rain. They explore ways to use indicators to distinguish between acids and bases. Students also conduct a simple experiment to model and discuss the...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The No Zone of Ozone
Students explore the causes and effects of the Earth's ozone holes through discussion and an interactive simulation. In an associated literacy activity, students learn how to tell a story in order to make a complex topic (such as global...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: The Air We Breathe
During this lesson, students will learn what causes air pollution and how to investigate the different pollutants that exist, such as toxic gases and particulate matter. Students will investigate the technologies developed by engineers...
TeachEngineering
Teach Engineering: Got Dirty Air?
This lesson introduces students to the concepts of air pollution and technologies that have been developed by engineers to reduce air pollution. Students develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Biology: Air Pollution and Illness
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how air pollution affects human health.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Earth Science: Effects of Air Pollution on Human Health
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How air pollution affects human health.
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: Air Trends
Each year EPA tracks the levels of pollutants in the air and how much of each pollutant (or the pollutants that form them) is emitted from various pollution sources. The Agency looks at these numbers year after year to see how the...
US Environmental Protection Agency
Epa: Mobile Source Air Toxics
Links to fact sheets, articles, and educational tools on air pollution.
Read Works
Read Works: Gasping for Air
[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the increased risk of asthma for children living in areas with air pollution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: Indoor Air Pollution
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Recall that air pollution is due to chemical substances and particles released into the air mainly by human actions. When most people think of air pollution, they...
CK-12 Foundation
Ck 12: Life Science: Health Hazards of Air Pollution
[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] The World Health Organization (WHO) reports that 2.4 million people die each year from causes directly related to air pollution. Worldwide, there are more deaths...
Smithsonian Institution
Tween Tribune: Smog Delays Flights in China
Air pollution in China is no laughing matter. This is a problem that has plagued the nation's big cities for years. Instead of the smog getting any better, students have recently had days off because of it.