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Step 3
STAGE 3 TEACHER RESOURCE
In step three students should go outdoors and into their school grounds to investigate and collate data. This will give students a clearer picture of what factors in their playground are contributing to the urban heat island effect, and what needs to be done to combat it in their local environment.
In this step students will:
learn the reasons why it is important to collect real-time data and how to analyse it
look at some new research undertaken by a University about urban heat
investigate the effects and causes of urban heat in their own school.
Investigating and collecting data is important for understanding the causes of urban heat
Why is it important to collect data?
Why is it important to collect data?
Collecting data helps us understand what's happening around us
Data is factual information collected in scientific ways for reference and analysis. This data can be observations, measurements or 'firm' numerical information such as temperatures, water volumes or the number of trees present in a sample area.
Data should be collected in a systematic and scientific way, taking care to be accurate and precise. It should be recorded using unit measures and techniques that are commonly accepted. This allows collected data to be more useful, rigorous and reliable, and can also allow different sets of data to be compared. Some data sets, such as weather, temperature and flood levels, have been collected regularly for hundreds of years.
For example, the official weather forecasts you see on the daily news or on your smartphone weather app, have been made from data collected by the Bureau of Meteorology, or BoM for short. In Australia the BoM is a national government organisation formed in 1908. In modern times the data is collected at weather stations that exist all over the country. The data is collected in a consistent way in order to inform weather and climate change modelling, as well as other scientific studies.
Collecting data allows communities, land managers and scientists to make evidence-based decisions. Another example might be to count the number of birds in 2 separate but similar locations that are affected by the same weather and seasonal conditions. If numbers are noticeably lower in one location it could indicate certain food or habitat trees are missing in this location. The data allows action to be taken to remedy this, for example tree planting, weed removal or placing artificial hollows.
Collecting and analysing data lets us make evidence-based decisions when managing spaces
Collecting data about heat
Collecting data about heat
This image from S. Pfautsch, Western Sydney University, shows temperature differences in different parts of a school
Associate Professor Sebastian Pfautsch and his colleagues at the Western Sydney University have undertaken urban heat research studies in schools across Western Sydney. Their study, titled 'School Microclimates', found that the lowest air and surface temperatures were found under tree canopies in school yards.
The research discovered that shading can reduce surface temperatures of asphalt by more than 20°C during summer. Shading other surface materials also decreases their temperature by 10-15°C.
The study concluded that shading reduces the amount of radiant heat which reduces the impact of urban heat on the people living in urban areas.
As a result of this study, Associate Professor Pfautsch and his colleagues recommended that tree planting should be undertaken in schools to help combat the impacts of urban heat.
Reference: Pfautsch, S., Rouillard, S., Wujeska-Klause, A., 2020. School Microclimates. Western Sydney University, 56 p.
A different image from S. Pfautsch, Western Sydney University, shows the cooling effect trees can have
Learn more about data collection
Learn more about data collection
Dr Sebastian Pfautsch – Alumni GradLife, July 2019, Parramatta South [4:32]
Dr Sebastian Pfautsch – Alumni GradLife, July 2019, Parramatta South [4:32]
Learn about this ground breaking research conducted by Dr Pfautsch and what it will mean for you.
Dr Sebastian Pfautsch, Western Sydney University – evidence of the urban heat crisis [14:17]
Dr Sebastian Pfautsch, Western Sydney University – evidence of the urban heat crisis [14:17]
Hear from Dr Sebastian Pfautsch about why he collected temperature data in Western Sydney and the mapping tools he has created with it. Note that the most relevant section of this video is from 2:25 to 4:24.
Investigating heat at your school
Investigating heat at your school
Can you think which areas of your school are classed as 'hotspots'?
By investigating hotspots at your school, important decisions about future use of this space can be made. This may impact a range of factors such as students' comfort and ability to learn, how the space is used, when the space is used, cooling methods selected, electricity usage and bills.
In the activities we will explore how to collect real-time data around your school grounds by a number of different methods. Why is this useful?
A very hot area could be evaluated for a wide range of solutions. This may include installing an artificial shade cover (e.g. shade sail) or changing the surface (e.g. replacing concrete surface with grass or a garden). Other options might be to paint the surface a light reflective colour or plant trees for shade.
You can even observe yourself at recess and lunchtime. Have you noticed where you and your friends sit when it’s very hot? Is the ground too hot to sit on in some areas? If you have any play equipment, do some parts of it get used and not others?
Trees can provide shade around playgrounds to make a more comfortable place to sit at recess and lunch
Activities
Activities
Investigate tree canopy in your local area
By using the online tools provided on the 'Greener spaces, better places' website, students can investigate how their local government area rates compare to others.
There are targeted questions to go with this activity in worksheet 3.1. Teachers can refer to the 3.1 activity instructions.
Investigate heat at your school
Learn how the experts at the Bureau of Meteorology measure the air temperatures seen in weather reports. Decide as a class where to investigate the range of temperatures that exist in the school grounds.
Fill in the table on worksheet 3.2 and draw a mud map of the school, indicating your chosen sites. Teachers can refer to 3.2 activity instructions for guidance.
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