CARE6-12
Engaging Grades 6-12 Teachers in Community-based Environmental Science Learning in Chicago
(Funded by the Schreiber Venture Foundation for 2024-2025)
Engaging Grades 6-12 Teachers in Community-based Environmental Science Learning in Chicago
(Funded by the Schreiber Venture Foundation for 2024-2025)
The CARE6-12 program aims to engage Chicago teachers and students from grades 6-12 in environmental science education, with a particular focus on air quality and environmental justice.
CARE6-12 provides professional learning opportunities for Chicago teachers to enhance their knowledge of environmental science concepts and practices. Teachers participate in a professional learning community and a summer institute, where they gain hands-on experience in air quality monitoring and data analysis. The ultimate goal is to empower both teachers and students to advocate for environmental sustainability and address air quality challenges in their communities.
This program is a collaboration between Loyola University Chicago's Center for Science and Math Education (CSME) and School of Environmental Sustainability (SES). We are working with eight teachers, each from a different Chicago school (see map).
Loyola undergraduate, Scotty Monteith, carrying an AirBeam3 sensor on his backpack to monitor PM2.5 concentrations in spring 2024
We will use the AirBeam3 sensors to monitor air quality.
AirBeam3 sensors are portable sensors that measure particulate matter, relative humidity, and temperature. They can be used to monitor indoor or outdoor air quality. They are battery powered and can be connected to a smartphone app through bluetooth.
Slides about the EPA Region 5 Office's Air and Radiation Division, its Air Sensor Loan Program , and AirBeam3.
AirBeam3 Evaluation Summary by the Air Quality Sensor Performance Evaluation Center (AQ-SPEC)
Upload your AirBeam3 data file in .csv to this data portal and visualize the data.
Introduction to CARE 6-12 (Ping's slides on March 15, 2025)
Introduction to air pollution and PM2.5 monitoring (Ping's slides on April 12, 2025)
For questions about CARE 6-12, please contact: jjacobi at luc.edu