The Arizona STEM Acceleration Project
Air Pollution and Art: Part 2
Air Pollution and Art: Part 2
A 6th Grade STEM Lesson
Rachel Carpenter
March 2024
Notes for Teachers
This lesson provides context for the 6th grade physical science standards dealing with matter. It enables students to anchor their learning in real world issues as they combine data literacy and art in the style of current working artists.
In this lesson, students build on knowledge from Air Pollution: Part 1.
List of Materials
NG Science Standards
Core Ideas for Knowing Science
Physical Science
P1: All matter in the Universe is made of very small particles.
Core Ideas for Using Science
U1: Scientists explain phenomena using evidence obtained from observations and or scientific investigations. Evidence may lead to developing models and or theories to make sense of phenomena. As new evidence is discovered, models and theories can be revised.
AZ State Standards
Physical Science
6.P1U1.3 Develop and use models to represent that matter is made up of smaller particles called atoms.
Math Standard
6.SP.B Summarize and describe distributions.
6.SP.B.5: Summarize numerical data sets in relation to their context by: b. Describing the nature of the attribute under investigation including how it was measured and its units of measurement.
6th Grade Visual Arts
1. Generate and Conceptualize Artistic Ideas a. Combine ideas to generate an innovative idea for art making. b. Identify and demonstrate diverse methods of artistic investigation to choose an approach for beginning a work of art.
Objective(s):
Today I will:
Agenda (70 minutes)
Phoenix data (warm up)
readings (whole class)
art (individual)
feedback (pairs)
self-assessment (optional)
Intro/Driving Question/Opening
Display each graph. Ask students to make observations and ask questions.
Help students interpret both lines and describe trends in the graphs.
Use what you learned about ozone and particle pollution previously to try to explain the trends in the graphs.
Use the readings on the next slides to provide further possible explanations for the trends.
High Ozone Days: Phoenix, AZ
Particle Pollution - 24 Hour- Phoenix, AZ
Ground-level ozone is not emitted directly into the air, but is created by chemical reactions between oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of sunlight and heat, making it a summertime pollutant. Air pollutants from car exhaust, paint, aerosol products, and manufacturing emissions are some of the major contributions to ground level ozone.
Breathing in ground level ozone can reduce lung function by 20 percent and can trigger health reactions by those most particularly sensitive to poor air quality – children, older adults, those with respiratory or pulmonary conditions, athletes, and those most often outdoors – in addition to our ecosystem. Reactions may look like shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, fatigue, headaches, nausea, chest pain, and eye and throat irritation.
Unlike ground-level ozone, particle pollution (also known as particulate matter) is a mixture of extremely small particles and liquid droplets in the air, which can occur year-round. Particles enter the air from a variety of sources and may be either directly emitted or may form under a chemical process much like the way ground level ozone forms. Many enter the air directly from power plants, factories, automobiles, construction vehicles, unpaved roads, wood burning, and agriculture sites. Others come from a reaction between gases from burning fuels, sunlight, and water vapor.
High levels of particles in the air can affect our lungs and heart and have been shown to trigger asthma and heart attacks, among other health problems. Particles also contribute to visible haze that obscures our skyline and impacts our scenic vistas.
Intro/Driving Question/Opening
What story does this data tell?
Hands-on Activity Instructions
Assessment
Partner Share and Feedback
Self-assessment Questions:
Differentiation
Students can use Google search terms related to their chosen pollutant/ climate change to give them ideas for their art piece.
Provide additional support or assign a peer mentor if necessary.
Pair ELL students with language buddies who can offer support.
Provide additional time as needed.
Remediation
Extension/Enrichment
This art piece can serve as a draft.
Students can get larger paper and draw the line graph on it (approximating the trend as best as possible).
They can redo their art piece, implementing the feedback they received from peers.