Air Quality Lesson: Air Pollution
Lesson Plan
1 hourGrades3, 4, 5Geography, English Language Arts
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Written by Emiliano Amaro, Lindsey Pockl
About this lesson
In this lesson, students learn about particle pollution.
Inquire: Students review key concepts from Why Is Coco Orange? and watch a video on air pollution in Los Angeles.
Investigate: Teacher plays the Cilia Game with students.
Inspire: Students explore an interactive map of air quality and complete a journaling entry.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- This lesson dives deeper into the concept of air pollution and how to monitor air quality.
- The Cilia Game can be played on days when students need to stay indoors for recess or physical education. It can be played in a gym or any indoor/outdoor space.
- The interactive air quality map can be explored as a teacher-led classroom activity using the classroom smart board.
- Teachers can use it to review the air quality colors and meaning, and explore specific neighborhoods or communities.
- Teachers can guide student curiosity with I notice and I wonder sentence starters.
- Older classes can compare and contrast or use reasoning to support conclusions drawn from interpreting the interactive map.
- Teachers can use the interactive map to review or practice map reading and spatial skills, reading a map legend and table, or basic U.S. geography.
Prerequisites
- This is lesson 3 of 5 in our 3rd-5th grade Air Quality unit.
- Teachers will need to prepare the appropriate materials for the Cilia Game before class begins.
- In this lesson, we use the term "particle pollution." This is usually referred to as "particulate pollution" or "particulate matter." For the purposes of this lesson, we have decided to use the simpler "particle pollution."
- "Air pollution" is kind of a catchall term, referring to things like ozone, particulate matter, and even greenhouse gases. This can be tricky for elementary students to sort out. The purpose of this lesson is for students to better understand particulate matter.
Differentiation
- Curious students may want more time to explore the interactive map of air quality.
- Students who complete their journal entry early can make their own air quality monitor.
- Be sensitive to your students' health situation. Some students with asthma or who know someone with asthma may find it difficult to learn more about this topic.
From the scientist review
This lesson introduces students to gain elementary knowledge about air pollution, its sources, and implications on air quality. It provides critical insights on the impacts it has on low-income communities of Los Angeles. The lesson materials are well-written and cited. Thus, this lesson has passed our science review.
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About the teacher writers
Emiliano Amaro
3-5 ELD and ELA Teacher
Emiliano Amaro holds a Bachelor's degree in Society and Environment from the University of California, Berkeley and a Master of Education from the UCLA Teacher Education Program. He has been teaching since 2020 and has six years of experience in elementary education, middle school English, and middle school mathematics. Emiliano holds a California Multiple Subject Teaching Credential and specializes in social and environmental justice through interdisciplinary teaching and environmental education.
Lindsey Pockl
Lindsey worked with SubjectToClimate to develop accompanying materials for lesson plans for grades 3-12.
