The Top Ten Reasons to Study Air Quality with Teens

1. Timely---threats to Clean Air Act/CASAC and PM Panel Review

2. Clean Air Act Successes---destroys false choice argument of environment versus economy

3. Everyone breathes air/some populations are vulnerable/targeted---be antiracist and anticlassist

4. Reinforces STEM and Public Health---air quality is understated/overlooked in K-12 science curriculum

5. Place-based---authentic learning experience; no field trips cost and setup

6. Encourages civic participation---support strong and productive democracy

7. Environmental Justice---ethical decision making by students; role model ethical behavior for teens

8. Provides necessary data---speak from an informed position; data driven

9. Growing number of monitors---see Purple Air map; EPA, DOEE, VA DEQ are studying these sensors

10. Easy to monitor, portable, and low cost--STEM grants and local sponsors build community where you live

You can Study Air in your Virtual Classes

There are no consummables to distribute, e.g. gardening supplies, water chemistry kits, glassware, etc. You can still do authentic science investigations with air sensors.

If you don't have the cash on hand to purchase a sensor, then you can start with the Purple Air map. Find a sensor close to your school and begin comparing it to sensors across the country and globe. Ask your students about the time of day, topography, current events (e.g. wildfires in California), and land use (highways or industry). Visit other countries around the world and propose hypotheses about the difference in air quality. Design an investigation and analyze your results.

If you are interested in the OAYF lesson, then use the form below to contact me.

I have another page called More Air Quality Resources where you can find all kinds of links to activities, data, and teacher PD to explore.

I created several 5E NGSS-inspired crosscutting conceptual lessons to support data collection and mitigation proposals.

Lesson Titles:

1. How do the atmosphere and biosphere interact?

2. How do ozone and particulates affect your health?

3. Is the air safe to breathe?

4. How do we report pollution measurements?

5. How does nature make and break down ozone?

6. How does weather affect how much ozone is in the air?

7. How do humans affect ozone?

8. How can we develop ethical proposals that benefit the broader community in such a way that our solutions demonstrate empathy, compassion, and respect for those who are immediately affected by air pollution and incorporate environmental stewardship?

Some of the lessons have been tested in my classroom. I planned to do them all, but our schools closed on March 13, 2020. Once online, I taught all of my students about the pandemic as it was a teachable moment. Of course, I found ways to integrate air quality and health disparities online with my students. I plan to test the remaining lessons and make updates for clarity and efficiency.

I made slides for the Purple Air sensor too. However the steps to install, connect to wifi, and register your PA-II come with your purchase and can be found on the Purple Air website. I copied and pasted their instructions into my slides.

However, I made very detailed step-by-step formatting instructions for teachers. You have to adjust the timestamp to make sense of the change in data over time where you live. See the image below.

Note: this is for the Eastern Time Zone. You may have to change the time zone and daylight savings.