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Pollution Patrol

Elementary, Middle

Description

Pollution Patrol is a STEM lesson plan geared toward creating  awareness about air pollution by designing, building and testing their own pollution detectors using a variety of common materials.

The lesson begins by discussing air pollution, particulate matter, and air quality rating. The students are then introduced to the engineering design process via video. After watching the video, they are presented with the design challenge and its parameters. The students work in groups of 2-3 to design their detector and present it to the class.  After construction, the air pollution detectors are placed in different locations around the school and students collect, analyze and graph their findings. As a culminating activity students complete a reflection sheet.

General Assessment

What skills does this resource explicitly teach?

The focus of this resource is building STEM competencies.

Strengths

  • Hands-on engaging lesson
  • Easy to implement
  • A good quantity of background information for the teacher
  • Integration of math and science

Weaknesses

  • lack of suggestions for students who may need accommodations

Recommendation of how and where to use it

Pollution Patrol is an excellent STEM resource for the middle school classroom combining math and science outcomes. The resource addresses curriculum outcomes related to pollution, human impacts on the environment and data management.

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        • Analyzing data by determining averages is one way to make sense of large data sets and enables us to compare and interpret

Themes Addressed

Air, Atmosphere & Climate (2)

  • Air Pollution
  • Weather

Human Health & Environment (2)

  • Environmental Contaminants & Health Hazards
  • Quality of Life

Sustainability Education Principles

Principle Rating Explanation
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives Very Good

As this is a STEM lesson the students are presented with the necessary background information needed to proceed to build using their own ideas, an outdoor air pollution detector. 

Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
  • Satisfactory: absence of bias towards any one point of view
  • Good: students consider different points of view regarding issues, problems discussed
  • Very good: based on the consideration of different views, students form opinions and  take an informed position
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions Poor/Not considered

The focus of this lesson is really on the design process with attention to air pollution. In that respect, the economic and social dimensions of the issue are not addressed.

Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions:

Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.

  • Satisfactory: resource supports the examination of  these dimensions
  • Good:  resource explicitly examines the interplay of these dimensions
  • Very Good:  a systems-thinking approach is encouraged to examine these three dimensions
Respects Complexity Good

The students are introduced to the concept behind the engineering design process.  They are encouraged to design, test and re-design if needed, just as engineers do when trying to solve design issues.

Respects Complexity:

The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected.

Acting on Learning Poor/Not considered

The focus of this resource is to build STEM skills and competencies.

Acting on Learning:

Learning moves from understanding  issues  to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community,  or for the planet

  • Satisfactory: action opportunities are included as extensions 
  • Good: action opportunities are core components of the resource
  • Very Good: action opportunities for students are well supported and intended to result in observable, positive change
Values Education Very Good

The students are given the opportunity to explore their own ideas and thoughts on the design of the outdoor air pollution detector.  They are encouraged to re-design if needed.

Values Education:

Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values.

Empathy & Respect for Humans Poor/Not considered

This is not a focus of this resource.

Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.).
Personal Affinity with Earth Very Good

As the outdoor air pollution detector allows the students to collect first-hand data regarding the air quality around their school, this will allow them to gain an understanding of the air quality in their area.

Personal Affinity with Earth:

Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.  

  • Satisfactory: connection is made to the natural world
  • Good: fosters appreciation/concern for the natural world
  • Very Good: fosters stewardship though practical and respectful experiences out-of-doors 
Locally-Focused Learning Very Good

The placement of the detectors in the areas around the school allows for the students to collect data relevant to their lives.

Locally-Focused Learning:

Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community. 

  • Satisfactory: learning is made relevant to the lives of the learners
  • Good: learning is made relevant and has a local focus
  • Very Good: learning is made relevant, local and takes place ‘outside’ , in the community 
Past, Present & Future Poor/Not considered

A sense of the present is addressed with this resource. It does not discuss the past nor does it address the future.

Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future.

Pedagogical Approaches

Principle Rating Explanation
Open-Ended Instruction Very Good

The students are encouraged to think for themselves.  They brainstorm, develop and test their ideas and then share them with the class.

Open-Ended Instruction :

Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer.

Integrated Learning Very Good
  • Science
  • Math
  • Health
Integrated Learning:

Learning brings together content and skills  from more than one  subject area

  • Satisfactory: content from a number of different  subject areas is readily identifiable
  • Good:  resource is appropriate for use in more than one subject area
  • Very Good:  the lines between subjects are blurred 
Inquiry Learning Good

The students are provided with the design challenge and the materials.  They then proceed to create their own design and find solutions to the problems they may encounter.

Inquiry Learning:

Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.   

  • Satisfactory: Students are provided with questions/problems to solve and some direction on how to arrive at solutions.
  • Good: students, assisted by the teacher clarify the question(s) to ask and the process to follow to arrive at solutions.  Sometimes referred to as Guided Inquiry
  • Very Good:  students generate the questions and assume much of the responsibility for how to solve them.  . Sometimes referred to as self-directed learning.

 

Differentiated Instruction Good

This resource with its approach to the activity addresses very well the needs of most learners; however, there are no suggestions for accommodations for those students who may experience difficulties with the content.

Differentiated Instruction:

Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.

  • Satisfactory:  includes a variety of instructional approaches
  • Good: addresses  the needs of visual, auditory &  kinesthetic learners
  • Very Good: also includes strategies for learners with difficulties
Experiential Learning Very Good

This resource involves students in a hands-on approach to an important and authentic issue.

Experiential Learning:

Authentic learning experiences are provided

  • Satisfactory: learning takes place through ‘hands-on’ experience or simulation
  • Good: learning involves direct experience in a ‘real world context’
  • Very good: learning involves ‘real world experiences’ taking place’ beyond the school walls.
Cooperative Learning Satisfactory

Students work in groups.

Cooperative Learning:

Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.

  • Satisfactory:  students work in groups
  • Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught and practiced
  • Very Good: cooperative learning skills are explicitly taught, practiced and assessed
Assessment & Evaluation Good

There is a student worksheet provided with reflection questions that can be used as an assessment tool. It would be beneficial for the teacher to create a rubric based on the design constraints and other important criteria.

Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc.
Peer Teaching Satisfactory

The resource invites students to write a letter about air pollution in their community to their local politician.

Peer Teaching:

Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.

  • Satisfactory: incidental teaching that arises from cooperative learning, presentations, etc.
  • Good or Very Good: an opportunity is intentionally created to empower students to teach other students/community members. The audience is somehow reliant on the students' teaching (students are not simply ‘presenting')
Case Studies Poor/Not considered

This is not a part of the lesson plan.

Case Studies:

Relevant case studies are included.  Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore  concepts in an authentic context.

Locus of Control Very Good

The students are allowed autonomy in creating their design. There are links and resources provided should the class, teacher or individual student wish to explore the issue further.

Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue.

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