Ground Level Ozone

Submitted by: Jennifer Freed http://www.jenniferfreed.net/

School Affiliation: Mountain Ridge High School, Glendale, Arizona

Subject: Environmental Biology

Grade Levels: 9-12

Overview: In this project, students use real time data to predict the level of ground ozone in their home city. They then measure the level of ground ozone and submit their data to an online collaborative project. Throughout the project, online discussions are used. The students finish by creating a web page describing the hazards of ground level ozone.

Rationale: Real time data creates "buy-in" for the students as they learn science concepts. They can see how the ground level ozone values can affect their lives. Participating in the online collaborative project allows them to participate in authentic research as well.

State/National Standards:

For an extensive list of Arizona State Standards, see the attachment at the end of the lesson.

Learning Objectives: By the end of this project, students will be able to:

• Describe what ozone is, when it is formed and what the health effects are from breathing ozone.
• Read the Environmental Protection Agency's Air Quality Index (AQI) chart, record weather data, and determine the presence of ground level ozone.
• Create graphs to help visualize or recognize trends.
• Predict when ground level ozone may occur.
• Use technology to determine current ground ozone levels.
• Use knowledge gained to create awareness about ground level ozone and the associated health effects.
• Create a web page reporting information about ground level ozone and what people can do to help with the problem.

Materials:

• Internet availability for real-time data site. The online discussion can be completed in-class as a journal assignment if an online discussion board is not available.
• An ozone testing kit (we use Eco Badges) is needed for the online collaborative project as well as an internet connection; however, this part of the project is optional. (There are some labs such as milkweed damage that can be found online that could test ozone levels if a kit is not available.)
• The final web page project could be modified to a brochure or poster if web page posting is not available at a particular school or district.

Procedure:

The complete project and procedures as well as rubrics are found at http://jenniferfreed.net/Design/ozone.htm

Here is a summary of the procedure:

1. What do you know about ozone? A series of questions about ozone to be completed by the student in an online discussion (or at home as a writing assignment) to determine prior knowledge.

2. In-class activity: KWL. What do you know about ground level ozone? What would you like to know about ground level ozone?

3. The Ozone Between Us. Here the students go to the CIESE ozone project website to learn about ground level ozone and how to read ozone maps.

4. In-class activity: Students report their findings from the Ozone Between Us activity to the class. The class then discusses what they learned and watches a short video clip from "Ozone Double Trouble" (available on the CIESE website).

5. Weather's Role. The students go on the CIESE website to learn how weather can affect ground ozone levels.

6. In-class activity: Students report their findings from the Weather's Role activity to the class. The class then discusses what they learned as well as compares their graphs.

7. Tracking Ozone. The students return to the CIESE web page to track ozone events and learn how to create graphs and maps.

8. Can you use this information to predict ozone events? This is an online discussion (or at-home writing assignment) where the students create a plan on how they would predict ozone levels in their city.

9. Will There Be Ozone Tomorrow? The students return to the CIESE web site to predict ozone levels for two days in their city based on current weather and ozone patterns.

10. Post your predictions. The students post their predictions on the online discussion board (or can write them as a journal entry in class or at home).

11. Measuring Ozone. Students measure ozone levels for their city for a week to create ozone graphs as well as to determine if their predictions were correct. They will then submit their ozone data to the Pathfinder Science website for their collaborative online project.

12. Finish Will There Be Ozone Tomorrow. Students analyze their predictions and compare them to the real ozone events.

13. Smog City. The students return to the CIESE website to perform simulated ozone events and to learn what they can do to prevent ground level ozone contamination.

14. In-class activity: KWL. What did we learn about ozone from this unit?

15. What Can You Do? Students create an informational web page discussing the ground level ozone problem as well as what people can do about it.

Extension/Enrichment:

The measurement of ozone and contribution to the online collaborative project through Pathfinder Science could be used as an extension activity.

Assessment:

The students are assessed using their discussion question responses throughout the project. The web page is used as a final assessment. Rubrics for this assessment are found on my website as well: www.jenniferfreed.net

Resources Consulted:

The Center for Improved Engineering and Science Education (CIESE) website, http://www.k12science.org/
Pathfinder Science website, http://pathfinderscience.net
Rubrics were created using Rubristar, http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php

Comments:

This project is a blend of two existing online projects with modifications as well as some additions of my own. The original project comes from the Center for Improved Engineering and Science online project entitled "Air Pollution: What's the Solution."

The online collaboration is from the Pathfinder Science online project called "Keeping an Eye on Ozone."

The discussion questions, KWL activity, and other extensions were my additions to the projects.

Attachment:

This lesson plans meets the following Arizona State Standards:

Standard 1: Science As Inquiry

Students understand and use the processes of scientific investigation and scientific ways of knowing. They are able to design, conduct, describe and evaluate these investigations. They are able to understand and apply concepts that unify scientific disciplines.
1SC-P1. Propose solutions to practical and theoretical problems by synthesizing and evaluating information gained from scientific investigations
PO 2. Propose solutions to a problem, based on information gained from scientific investigation
1SC-P2. Compare observations of the real world to observations of a constructed model (e.g., an aquarium, a terrarium, a volcano)
PO 1. Assess the capability of a model to represent a "real world" scenario
1SC-P4. Create and defend a written plan of action for a scientific investigation
PO 1. Design an appropriate protocol (written plan of action) for the investigation of a scientific problem
PO 2. Justify the protocol in terms of the elements of experimental design
1SC-P5. Apply the concepts of equilibrium, form and function to a variety of phenomena
PO 1. Predict the effects of various factors on the equilibrium of a system
1SC-P6. Identify and refine a researchable question, conduct the experiment, collect and analyze data, share and discuss findings
PO 1. Construct a researchable question
PO 2. Employ a research design that incorporates a scientific method to carry out an experiment
PO 3. Analyze experimental data
PO 4. Communicate experimental findings to others

Standard 3: Personal and Social Perspectives in Science and Technology

Students understand the impact of science on human activity and the environment and are proficient in the uses of technology as they relate to science.
3SC-P2. Propose and test, using computer software or common materials, a solution to an existing problem; or design a product to meet a need, using a model or simulation
PO 1. Describe a problem or need
PO 2. Propose a solution to the problem or design a product to meet the need
3SC-P4. Identify and describe the basic processes of the natural ecosystems and how these processes affect, and are affected by, humans
PO 1. Describe the basic processes of the natural ecosystems (e.g., water cycle, nutrient cycles)
PO 2. Explain how these processes affect, and are affected by, humans