• gain an understanding of the air quality index rating scale

• gain an understanding of the pollutants which affect air quality

• describe possible triggers of an asthma attack

• describe what happens during an asthma attack

• utilize  data on air quality by county in Maryland  to map or graph relative values of air quality and amounts of ozone and particulate matter pollutants

• utilize data on asthma  in Maryland to map or graph the relative asthma rates by county and over time

• draw conclusions about relative rates of asthma in relation to air quality in Maryland

Per class

• Heavy Breathing--OZONE TEST STRIPS INSTRUCTIONS  (View)
• Heavy Breathing--answers for AQI Worksheet  (View)
• Heavy Breathing--STANDARDS  (View)

as determined by instructor

• computer with internet access and Excel.

   a graphing program or graph paper and colored pencils.

  a map of Maryland showing the counties outlined. (GIS software can be used in conjunction with this lesson, if available and teachers and

• THESE MATERIALS ARE FOR MAKING THE OZONE TEST STRIP

  distilled water, about 200ml, 250 ml beaker, 5g cornstarch, stirring rod, hot plate, or other heat source, Potassium Iodide, filter paper

• FOR OZONE TEST STRIP

  per student: zipper lock bag or glass jar

  Per class: microwave if available

• FOR OZONE TEST STRIP

  Schoenbein Color Scale

  Relative Humidity Adjustment Chart

• petri dish

  petroleum jelly

  (alternatively you can use an index card with double sided tape on one side. )

• Heavy Breathing-- AQI Worksheet  (View)

Per Student

• Heavy Breathing--K-W-L ORGANIZER  (View)
• Heavy Breathing -- ESSAY RUBRIC  (View)

Not Specified

• Heavy Breathing--Asthma ATTACK  (View)

• air pollution - all physical (particulate matter), chemical, and biological agents that modify, usually in a harmful way, the natural characteristics of the atmosphere.
• air quality index - a number assigned to daily air quality which reflects how clean or dirty the air is and what associated health effects may be.
• asthma - a disease of the human respiratory system in which the airways narrow making it difficult to breathe.
• correlation - the degree to which two or more variables are related and change together
• ozone - a gaseous form of oxygen, consisting of three oxygen atoms instead of the usual two.
• particulate matter - tiny particles of solids or liquids suspended in a gas

Set-up Directions:

Ideally each group should have:

Computer with internet access--print outs can be used if this is not available.

Petri dishes and petroleum jelly

distilled water, 250 ml beaker, cornstarch, stirring rod, heat source, Potassium iodide, filter paper, zipper lock bags or covered glass jars, copies of Schoenbein color scale and Relative Humidity Adjustment Chart.

Microwave oven if available for the class

For each student: AQI worksheet

Teacher Presentation & Motivation:

Students will learn the basics of how air qualtiy is measured from the EPA website.This can be done using computers as a class or in small groups or using handouts if computers are not available.

Students will do two hands on activities to get a general sense of the air quality in their area. The ozone test strip is ready to set up after a day, and then needs to be left for another day to be read. The set up for testing for particulate matter must be left for 3 or more days to get a good sense of the air quality. The results of these experiments can be read on the final day of the lesson and the results used as part of a review and recap of the lesson. Ideas for more in depth lab reports are in the references for each.

Making the Ozone Test Strip requires the use of Potassium Iodide. Please have students wear goggles while using and wash their hands thoroughly after handling. Review the safety information with them. Please refer to INVESTIGATING BAD OZONE  for instructions and a link to a form for a lab report, if desired. The link to the instructions for making the ozone test strip is in the resource section of this lesson as well as in INVESTIGATING BAD OZONE. This can be done as a demonstration for the whole class (instead of having all the students do it) in the interest of time, or the teacher can make the strips ahead of time for the class. It is not very complicated, but could take a while for multiple groups to do.

Testing for Particulate Matter is even simpler, and each group should be able to set up one or more dishes. If petri dishes are hard to find any surface to put petroleun jelly on is fine, or an index card with double sided tape works well also (just make sure it doesn't blow away.)

Activity 1 - AQI

Students will access the EPA website, the page titled Air Quality Index and from there access the pages Air Quality Guide for Ozone and Air Quality Guide for Particulate Matter. Using the information on these pages, they will complete the AQI worksheet.

Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Students should gain an understanding of what Air Qualtiy Index is and what the various numbers mean. They will be able to distinguish between good and bad ozone, and know what the effects of ozone and particulate matter on pollution are.  

Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?

Students will complete AQI worksheet, beginning on the Air Quality Index page, and navigating from there to the pages about ozone and particulate matter.

Post Viewing Activities
How will students utilize the information they gathered while viewing the multi-media or video?

The information gained here is background for the rest of the lesson--the activities to gather particulate matter, and measure ozone levels, as well as in gathering the air quality statistics.

Activity 2 - Our AIr

You can set up two experiments at this point.

Testing for Particulate Matter is very simple and uses petroleum jelly spread on a petri dish to "catch" particulate matter for 2 or more days. This is not time consuming to set up, and students can decide where the petri dishes should be placed. (If you would like you can give them the option to take one home) Take a little time to discuss where to set them, and what you would expect in the various places. This lesson is set up so that the results of the experiment are used informally as part of the review, but with the detailed directions (see Day 2) there is a lab write up to use if you choose to do so.

Making the ozone test strip may be more time consuming. Making the strips can be done as a class or in advance by the teacher. The students can then decide where to place the strips. The results of this activity are, like the other activity, used informally for review in this lesson, but there is a link to a suggested lab write up included in the attached document INVESTIGATING BAD OZONE. This document has a number of links, including safety information and  instructions to carry out the lab. The strips need to hang for about 8 hours before they can be tested. If they will not be tested right away they should be put in a sealed bag or jar. It would be most convenient to hang them at the start of a school day, and seal them at the end of that day, and then save the results for the final day of the activity.

Wrap Up:

 

As both review of today's lesson and introduction for the next , show students the website they will be visiting in the next part of the lesson to gather air quality data. It has a lot of data and can be overwhelming, so it would be good to preview it with them. Point out the various columns and review with them what each means in the context of what you did in the lesson today.

Review ozone and particulate matter in the context of the activities, and explain when and how they will be checked. Make sure students understand that these are not precise measurements, but can give an indication of local air quality

Set-up Directions:

Computer with Internet access and excel for each group of students.

GIS software, graphing software, or graph paper  and colored pencils.

Teacher Presentation & Motivation:

Students will gather data on air pollution from the EPA website.They will map or graph what they have gathered. The data table from which the data is gathered is quite large. Initially the data gathering  can be done as a class. First, review all the columns and decide which columns you will use. Note that the total number of days data was collected (# of days with AQI) is different for different counties, so you may want the students to calculate percentages (for example :# of Unhealthy Days÷# Days with AQI will give a percentage of unhealthy days....) instead of using the numbers in the table.

Recommended columns are :unhealthy daysand/or days unhealthy for sensitive groups, number of days pollutant was ozone and number of days pollutant was particulate matter 2.5. You can add more according to the abilties of your students.

Limiting the numbers of counties used will also make the task more manageable. Either selecting a few counties for the whole class to do, or assigning a few counties to each group can make this a more reasonable task to complete. If each group gets a few counties, the class can pool data and have a complete picture of the state. Record data for years 2001-2005 (the years for which asthma data is available).

Activity 1 - Air Pollution Data

As a class design a data table in Excel, another program or with pencil and paper, which is appropriate to the parameters and counties you will record. Ideally, students should do more than one year (2001-2005 are recommended, the years for which there is ashtma data), so they should have room for year on their data table, or create different sheets for different years. Include a column on the table for incidence of asthma for each year. You will add these data on day 4.

Students will go the the EPA Air Quality Information Website.

Click on Maryland.  Click go.

Look for Monitoring, underneath which is written Reports. The first report listed is Air Quality Index. Click on that.

Select year, and Summary Type (county or metropolitan statistical area). Click on Generate Report. You can select the current year, but you will not have a complete data set.  You are better off selecting previous years.

Enter data for that year into the appropriate place on the data table, entering county names and parameters chosen. 

Repeat for other years.

Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Students will gather data on air pollution for various counties in Maryland.

Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?

Students will fill in the data tables with data from the website.

Post Viewing Activities
How will students utilize the information they gathered while viewing the multi-media or video?

Students will map or graph these data in order to show areas of low air quality, high levels of ozone pollution, and high levels of pariculate matter pollution

If using GIS see AIR POLLUTION GIS INSTRUCTIONS.

If graphing, create a bar graph to display numbers. Students can use different colors on one graph for different years and make a number of different graphs showing different parameters--one for ozone, one for particulate matter, one for percentage of unhealthy days. Leave room on the graph to include data on asthma prevalence. This will be added on day 4.

Wrap Up:

Generate one data base with all the class data, so it is as complete as possible. Share these data with all students. If using GIS or a good graphing program the all the data can now be manipulated.  However, if students are graphing by hand a smaller data set should be used.

Review the findings and what they mean--the implications of ozone pollution, particulate matter pollution, unhealthy days, etc.

Do students detect any trends in air pollution --increases or decreases over the years? any consistent differences county to county? Try to analyze the data that has been collected so far.

Explain that on the next day you will be discussing asthma. Have students explain to you how asthma may be connected to what you have been discussing.

Set-up Directions:

Ideally, each student or pair of students should have access to a computer. If that is not possible there should be a projector so students can view the video clips and some of the information from the web on the screen. Other information can be printed out.

 

KWL organizer for each student

ASTHMA ATTACK graphic for the class (or each student)

Teacher Presentation & Motivation:

During this class period students will learn what asthma is and what common triggers are for an asthma attack. There are probably students that suffer from or have family members or friends that suffer from asthma. Have students share what they know and the questions they have about asthma and have them record the information in the KWL organizer. Students may be very concerned about asthma or know a lot. Make sure they record facts (or what they think are facts) and correct any misconceptions once they have viewed the video.  

Activity 1 - Asthma

Students will fill in the Know and Want to Know  columns of the KWL organizer during the class discussion. They will then view a short video clip which describes asthma. Watch the video clip from the beginning until 1:01. 

Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Students will gather information about what exactly happens during an asthma attack.

Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?

Students will fill in the Learned column of the organizer during the clip, making certain to correct any misconceptions in the Know column.

Post Viewing Activities
How will students utilize the information they gathered while viewing the multi-media or video?

Students will list the possible causes of an asthma attack in the K or W column.

Activity 2 - Causes of Asthma

Students will view the rest of the video clip (1:02- until the end).

Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Students will learn some of the causes of asthma.

Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?

Students will check off the causes that they listed which are mentioned in the video clip. They will add any that are mentioned that they did not have to the L column.

Post Viewing Activities
How will students utilize the information they gathered while viewing the multi-media or video?

Students will review all causes of asthma and decide if the ones that they had which were not in the video are reasonable.

Wrap Up:

Review information on asthma using Asthma ATTACK worksheet.

Refer back to data gathered on Day 2. Have students predict where they think the incidence of asthma would be greatest in Maryland, and explain why they think so.

Set-up Directions:

A computer with internet access and Excel for each group is best. If this is not possible data can be shown with a projector and/or printed out.

If possible, register for BRFSS before this activity. (you can use one login and password simultaneously on a number of computers)

G raphing program or graph paper with colored pencils.

GIS software can be used if available.

HEAVY BREATHING ESSAY RUBRIC

Teacher Presentation & Motivation:

In this lesson students will access asthma data and add it to the maps they made on Day 2 with GIS software, or they will add it to their graphs from Day 2. Use data only for counties for which you gathered air pollution data.The asthma data are just a percentage of adults who have ever had asthma and so far more straighfoward than the air pollution data (although no easier to access). Students can add the asthma data to the data tables they have from day 2. The mechanics of accessing the data are a little tricky, so that can be done as a class. Asthma data can be displayed within the BRFSS as a graph or a map, see directions in Activity 1. The color coded map tends to interest students to  in a way which a data table does not.

Once they have recorded the data, they should relate it to the air pollution data. Do any of the air pollution parameters correlate with asthma?

Stress that any pattern possibly, but does not necessarily mean causation, but not necessarily. It is certainly a place to begin a further investigation. Lack of a pattern doesn't necessarily mean there is no correlation, we just may not be looking correctly, eg air pollution may be localized and so might asthma, and county data is on too large a scale.

Take this opportunity to examine the ozone test strips and particulate matter measurements done on day one. Discuss what the results tell you about local air quality. Given your findings, can you predict anything about asthma prevalence locally?

Students will (possibly for homework) use their data to make a decision of where they could comfortably live if they had asthma.  This will allow them to review all they have learned in the lesson.

Activity 1 - Asthma Statistics

Now that students know what asthma is and what causes it, they will see how prevalent it is in different locations. Remind students that the first part of the video says about 1 out of every 10 people has asthma. Ask students if they think that some areas will have more asthma than others, and to offer possible explanations for differences in asthma rates if they do. Review air pollution data, and ask students to hypothesize how that may impact asthma prevalence.

Students will use the computer to view asthma statistics by county in Maryland over four years (see detailed instructions below) and record them in an Excel table. They can add to the table they created on Day 2. They should record the percentage of people with asthma in each of the counties you examined with respect to air pollution in each of the years available (currently 2001-2004).

Once students access the website:

1. They will need to register and login. It will make the process easier if you have registered them in advance and they only need to login. The system asks for a phone number and email address. You can give the school's.

2. Once logged in they will have to look at the left hand column: Data Collection Status.Under this column they should click on BRFSS 2004 results, to open those results.

3. Under Column variable they should use the drop down menu to choose: ASTHMA (not Adult Asthma) :EVER BEEN TOLD BY A DOCTOR, NURSE OR HEALTH PROFESSIONAL YOU HAVE ASTHMA?

4. Under Row variable they should use the drop down menu to choose: DEMOGRAPHICS:COUNTY

5. Make sure all counties and 2004 are selected under choose county and choose year respectively.

6. Click on Run Tabulate.

7. Students will want to look at the % yes in each county and put each year's value in an Excel table.

Scroll down to the bottom of the table. You can view a graph or a map of the table. You an also download the table to Excel.

8. Repeat for other years.

The entire class can work on the table together, each group do one year, or you can hand them the data already in table form.

Focus for Media Interaction
Focus for Media Interaction: The focus for media interaction is a specific task to complete and/or information to identify during or after viewing of video segments, Web sites or other multimedia elements.

Students will record the percentages of adults who have ever been told they have asthma from 2001 to 2004(the same years that were done with pollution) in each county in Maryland. this can be done in groups or as a class.

Viewing Activities
What will your students be responsible for while viewing this piece of multi-media or video?

The students should add the data they gather to the tables they created on Day 2.

Post Viewing Activities
How will students utilize the information they gathered while viewing the multi-media or video?

Students will use these data to visualize the relative prevalence of asthma in the different counties in Maryland. 

If graphing, graph the asthma data  for the appropriate counties and years alongside  the air pollution data.

Wrap Up:

Once students have generated their asthma/air pollution prevalence maps or graphs you can try to examine if there are areas that tend to have a higher prevalence of asthma. Look at the air pollution data. Does the asthma data correlate with ozone, particulate matter, or air quality? Stress again that this doesn't mean cause and effect, but certainly something that should be investigated further.

Other questions that can be discussed:

Is the relative prevalence of asthma in the various counties the same for all the years studied? What about air pollution levels, do they remain relatively constant from county to county?

Are there noticeable trends over the years in terms of increase or decrease in asthma prevalence overall? in specific areas? Has air pollution increased or decreased noticeably over the years studied?

Explain to students that they should imagine that they have severe asthma but want to live in Maryland. They should choose a county to live in and explain the following:

What asthma is and why it is enough to make you move.

Which county you chose and why in terms of air quality index, ozone levels and particulate matter levels. Explain what each of these is and why it is important to your decision.

Does your decision relate to the asthma level in that county?

They should hand in their maps or graphs along with their essays.

The students will be graded on their answer according to the HEAVY BREATHING ESSAY RUBRIC.

 

If the students haven't gathered enough data to answer these questions the assessment can be modified. A simplified version is to have students write a reflection on asthma and air pollution (including ozone and particulate matter). They can also discuss the results of their investigations any data they found on the computer (or were given) and from the hands on activities.