air - the search for one clean breath educatorsâ€™ guide

Air - The Search for One Clean Breath

Educators’ Guide Grades 6-12

Presented by the

February 2010

Acknowledgements

Air — The Search for One Clean Breath, a documentary film

Barbara Page, film Executive Producer and co-Project Manager for the Educator’s

Guide, Ventura County Air Pollution Control District

Celeste Royer, co-Project Manager for the Educator’s Guide and Statewide Director,

California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network,

San Luis Obispo County Office of Education

Funding for the development of this Educators’ Guide was provided through the

support of the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, Ventura, California

Thank you to the CREEC Nework for its contribution to the development of this

Guide. The CREEC Network provides educators with access to high quality environ-

mental education resources to enhance the environmental literacy of California

students. Visit www.creec.org for more information.

Ventura County Air Pollution Control District

669 County Square Drive, Second Floor

Ventura, California 93003

(805) 645-1415

www.airthefilm.org

Film Awards

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Excellence Award, 2008

22nd Annual Mercury Communications Gold Award of Excellence, 2009

© Copyright 2010

By the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District (VCAPCD).

All rights reserved. This publication, or parts thereof, may not be used or reproduced without permission from the

VCAPCD. These materials may be reproduced by teachers for educational purposes.

A MESSAGE TO EDUCATORS:

Over the past few years, I have had the pleasure of producing the award-winning

international film, Air – The Search for One Clean Breath. This environmental

movie, filmed high definition, tells the story of air – up-close and personal. With

its sweeping vistas and historical footage, it has received worldwide acclaim,

including the coveted Clean Air Excellence Award from the United States

Environmental Protection Agency.

But there’s more. As part of our grant obligation, we have created an Educator’s

Guide to the film. The guide takes middle and high school students beyond the

film by expanding on concepts we introduced in the movie. The lessons were

created and field tested by California middle and high school instructors. Lessons

deal with large themes: climate change, air transport, air quality and transporta-

tion, alternative energy, and many others. The lessons are correlated to the

California content standards in Science and History/Social Science, the National

Science standards, and the National Geography standards. They have been

reviewed by our air quality experts here at the District. I hope these lessons give

students environmental insights that will last them a lifetime. As was said in the

film, “Since it’s our air and we all have to breathe it, it’s important that we help

clean it up.”

I hope you enjoy presenting this material to your students as much as we enjoyed

creating it for you. We would appreciate it if you would complete the evaluation

available at www.airthefilm.org. And thanks for helping us spread the word

about clean air to students all over this country.

Barbara L. Page, Executive Producer

Air – The Search for One Clean Breath Ventura County Air Pollution Control District, Ventura, CA

February 2010

Contributors

Writing

Debra Bereki, Doctoral student in Science Education,

University of California, Santa Barbara

Commuter Match & Math

Our Energy Diet

Taking Action

Christine Gathman, Oxnard Union High School District, Oxnard, CA

Oxnard High School Science Teacher

Analyzing Energy

Effects of Global Warming

Where Does Our Pollution Go?

Dave Massey, Santee Unified School District, Santee, CA

Chet F. Harritt Middle School, Retired Science Teacher

Air Pollution Tragedy: A Case Study

Carbon Dioxide in Ice Core Samples

Navigating Opinion in Search of Factors

Editing

Diana Barnhart, San Luis Coastal Unified School District, Los Osos Middle

School, Retired Science Teacher, California Teacher of the Year 2006

Barbara L. Page, VCAPCD

Celeste Royer, CREEC Network

Field testing

• John Forte, Atascadero High School

• Mary Funk, Burrel Union Elementary

• Steve Gade, Morro Bay High School

• Nathan Inouye, Adolfo Camarillo High School

• Diana Petropulos, Santa Paula Union High School

• Josh Rubin, Woodside High School

• Mark Schmidt, Ventura High School

• Lorraine Wood-Newberry, Rio Mesa High School

Table of Contents

Lesson 1: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Air Pollution Tragedy: A Case Study

Lesson 2: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Analyzing Energy

Lesson 3: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Carbon Dioxide in Ice Core Samples

Lesson 4: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Commuter Match & Math

Lesson 5: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Effects of Global Warming

Lesson 6: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Navigating Opinion in Search of Factors

Lesson 7: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Our Energy Diet

Lesson 8: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where Does Our Pollution Go?

Lesson 9: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Taking Action

Lesson

California Science

Standards

National Science

Standards

California History/

Social Science

Standards

National Geography

Standards

Education & the Environment

Environmental Principles &

Concepts

Air Pollution

Tragedy

HS 9-12 Ecology 6.b.

Stu

dents

know

how

to a

naly

ze

changes in the e

cosyste

m resultin

g

from

changes in c

limate

, hum

an

activity, in

troduction o

f nonnative

specie

s, or changes in p

opula

tion

siz

e.

HS 9-12 Science & Technology

Content Standard E. S

tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g a

bout

scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.

Grades 9-12 Standard

14.3.b. S

tudents

know

the

sig

nific

ance o

f th

e g

lobal

impacts

of hum

an m

odific

a-

tion o

f th

e p

hysic

al

environm

ent.

Principle IV: The e

xchange o

f m

atter

betw

een n

atu

ral syste

ms a

nd h

um

an

socie

ties a

ffects

the long-term

functionin

g

of both

.

Concept a. S

tudents

need to k

now

that

the e

ffects

of hum

an a

ctivitie

s o

n n

atu

ral

syste

ms a

re d

irectly rela

ted to the q

uanti-

ties o

f re

sourc

es c

onsum

ed a

nd to the

quantity

and c

hara

cte

ristics o

f th

e result-

ing b

ypro

ducts

. Concept b. S

tudents

need to k

now

that

the b

ypro

ducts

of hum

an a

ctivity a

re n

ot

readily

pre

vente

d fro

m e

nte

ring n

atu

ral

syste

ms a

nd m

ay b

e b

eneficia

l, n

eutral,

or detrim

enta

l in

their e

ffect.

HS 9-12 Science in Personal and

Social Perspective Content

Standard F. S

tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g o

f pers

onal

and com

munity h

ealth a

nd n

atu

ral

and h

um

an-induced h

azard

s.

Analyzing

Energy

Grade 6, 6.a. Stu

dents

know

the

utilit

y o

f energ

y s

ourc

es is d

ete

rmin

ed

by facto

rs that are

involv

ed in

convertin

g these s

ourc

es to u

sefu

l fo

rms a

nd the c

onsequences o

f th

e

convers

ion p

rocess.

Same as above

Grade 6, 6.b. S

tudents

know

the

diffe

rent natu

ral energ

y a

nd m

ate

rial

resourc

es, in

clu

din

g a

ir, soil,

rocks,

min

era

ls, petrole

um

, fresh w

ate

r,

wild

life, and fore

sts

, and k

now

how

to

cla

ssify them

as renew

able

or non-

renew

able

.

HS Chemistry 7.b. S

tudents

know

chem

ical pro

cesses c

an e

ither

rele

ase (exoth

erm

ic) or absorb

(e

ndoth

erm

ic) th

erm

al energ

y.



tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g a

bout

scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.

HS Chemistry 7.c. S

tudents

know

energ

y is rele

ased w

hen a

mate

rial

condenses o

r freezes a

nd is

absorb

ed w

hen a

mate

rial

evapora

tes o

r m

elts.



Standard F. S

tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g o

f natu

ral

resourc

es, environm

enta

l qualit

y,

and s

cie

nce a

nd technolo

gy in local,

national, a

nd g

lobal challe

nges.

Air: The Search for One Clean Breath

Educators' Guide - Content Standards Matrix

Lesson

California Science

Standards

National Science

Standards

California History/

Social Science

Standards

National Geography

Standards



Concepts

Carbon

Dioxide in

Ice Core

Samples

Grade 7, 4.a. S

tudents

know

Earth

pro

cesses today a

re s

imila

r to

those

that occurred in the p

ast and s

low

geolo

gic

pro

cesses h

ave larg

e

cum

ula

tive e

ffects

over lo

ng p

eriods

of tim

e.

Grades 5-8 Physical Science

Content Standard B. S

tudents

should

develo

p a

n u

nders

tandin

g o

f

pro

pertie

s a

nd c

hanges o

f pro

pertie

s

in m

atter.

Same as above

Grade 7, 4.b. S

tudents

know

the

his

tory

of lif

e o

n E

arth h

as b

een

dis

rupte

d b

y m

ajo

r cata

strophic

events

, such a

s m

ajo

r volc

anic

eru

ptions o

r th

e im

pacts

of aste

roid

s.

Grade 7, 4.c. S

tudents

know

that

evid

ence fro

m g

eolo

gic

layers

and

radio

active d

ating indic

ate

s E

arth is

appro

xim

ate

ly 4

.6 b

illio

n y

ears

old

and that lif

e o

n this

pla

net has e

xis

ted

for m

ore

than 3

billio

n y

ears

.

Grade 7, 4.d. S

tudents

know

fossils

pro

vid

e e

vid

ence o

f how

life a

nd

environm

enta

l conditio

ns h

ave

changed.

HS Earth Science 7.b. S

tudents

know

the g

lobal carb

on c

ycle

: th

e

diffe

rent physic

al and c

hem

ical fo

rms

of carb

on in the a

tmosphere

, oceans,

bio

mass, fo

ssils

fuels

, and the m

ove-

ment of carb

on a

mong these

reserv

oirs.



Standard F: S

tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g o

f environ-

menta

l qualit

y, natu

ral and h

um

an-

induced h

azard

s, and s

cie

nce a

nd

technolo

gy in local, n

ational, a

nd

glo

bal challe

nges.

Lesson

California Science

Standards

National Science

Standards

California History/

Social Science

Standards

National Geography

Standards



Concepts

Commuter

Match and

Math

Grade 6, 6.a. Stu

dents

know

the u

tilit

y

of energ

y s

ourc

es is d

ete

rmin

ed b

y

facto

rs that are

involv

ed in c

onvertin

g

these s

ourc

es to u

sefu

l fo

rms a

nd the

consequences o

f th

e c

onvers

ion p

rocess.

Grades 5-8 Science &

Technology Content

Standard E. S

tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g a

bout

scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.

Grades 5-8 Standard

14.2.c. S

tudents

know

and

unders

tand the role

of

technolo

gy in the h

um

an

modific

ation o

f th

e p

hysic

al

environm

ent.

Same as above

HS Earth Science 7.b

. S

tudents

know

th

e g

lobal carb

on c

ycle

: th

e d

iffe

rent

physic

al and c

hem

ical fo

rms o

f carb

on in

the a

tmosphere

, oceans, bio

mass, fo

ssils

fu

els

, and the m

ovem

ent of carb

on a

mong

these reserv

oirs.



tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g

about scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.

Grade 11 U.S. History

11.11. S

tudents

analy

ze

the m

ajo

r socia

l pro

ble

ms

and d

om

estic p

olic

y issues

in c

onte

mpora

ry A

merican

socie

ty.

HS Ecology 6.b.

Stu

dents

know

how

to a

naly

ze c

hanges

in the e

cosyste

m resultin

g fro

m c

hanges

in c

limate

, hum

an a

ctivity, in

troduction o

f nonnative s

pecie

s, or changes in p

opula

-tion s

ize.

HS Ecology 6.d. S

tudents

know

how

w

ate

r, c

arb

on, and n

itro

gen c

ycle

s

betw

een a

bio

tic resourc

es a

nd o

rganic

m

atter in

the e

cosyste

m a

nd h

ow

oxygen

cycle

s thro

ugh p

hoto

synth

esis

and respi-

ration.

Effects of

Global

Warming

HS Earth Science 6.c

. S

tudents

know

how

Earth's

clim

ate

has c

hanged o

ver

tim

e, correspondin

g to c

hanges in E

arth's

geogra

phy, atm

ospheric c

om

positio

n, and

oth

er fa

cto

rs, such a

s s

ola

r ra

dia

tion a

nd

pla

te m

ovem

ent.



tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g

about scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.

Grades 5-8 Standard

14.3.b. S

tudents

know

the

sig

nific

ance o

f th

e g

lobal

impacts

of hum

an m

odific

a-

tion o

f th

e p

hysic

al

environm

ent.

Same as above

HS Earth Science 6.d. S

tudents

know

how

com

pute

r m

odels

are

used to p

redic

t th

e e

ffects

of th

e incre

ase in g

reenhouse

gases o

n c

limate

for th

e p

lanet as a

whole

and for specific

regio

ns.

Lesson

California Science

Standards

National Science

Standards

California History/

Social Science

Standards

National Geography

Standards



Concepts

Navigating

Opinion in

Search of

Facts

Grade 12 American

Democracy 12.3. S

tudents

evalu

ate

, ta

ke, and d

efe

nd

positio

ns o

n w

hat th

e funda-

menta

l valu

es a

nd p

rincip

les

of civ

il socie

ty a

re (i.e. th

e

auto

nom

ous s

phere

of

volu

nta

ry p

ers

onal, s

ocia

l, a

nd

econom

ic rela

tions that are

not

part o

f govern

ment), th

eir inte

r-dependence, and the m

eanin

g

and im

portance o

f th

ose v

alu

es

and p

rincip

les for a fre

e s

ocie

ty.

Same as above.

Grade 12 American

Democracy 12.6. S

tudents

evalu

ate

issues regard

ing

cam

paig

ns for national, s

tate

, and local ele

ctive o

ffic

es.

Grade 12 Economics 12.1.

Stu

dents

unders

tand c

om

mon

econom

ic term

s a

nd c

oncepts

and e

conom

ic reasonin

g.


Stu

dents

analy

ze the influence

of th

e federa

l govern

ment on

the A

merican e

conom

y.


Stu

dents

analy

ze the a

ggre

gate

econom

ic b

ehavio

r of th

e U

.S.

econom

y.

Lesson

California Science

Standards

National Science

Standards

California History/

Social Science

Standards

National Geography

Standards



Concepts

Our Energy

Diet

Grade 6, 6.a. Stu

dents

know

the u

tilit

y

of energ

y s

ourc

es is d

ete

rmin

ed b

y

facto

rs that are

involv

ed in c

onvertin

g

these s

ourc

es to u

sefu

l fo

rms a

nd the

consequences o

f th

e c

onvers

ion

pro

cess.


Technology Content Standard E.

Stu

dents

should

develo

p u

nder-

sta

ndin

g a

bout scie

nce a

nd

technolo

gy.

Grades 5-8 Standard 14.2.c.

Stu

dents

know

and u

nder-

sta

nd the role

of te

chnolo

gy in

the h

um

an m

odific

ation o

f th

e

physic

al environm

ent.

Same as above

HS 9-12 Ecology 6.b. S

tudents

know

how

to a

naly

ze c

hanges in the e

co-

syste

m resultin

g fro

m c

hanges in

clim

ate

, hum

an a

ctivity, in

troduction o

f nonnative s

pecie

s, or changes in

popula

tion s

ize.



tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g

about scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.

Grade 11 U.S. History

11.11. S

tudents

analy

ze

the m

ajo

r socia

l pro

ble

ms

and d

om

estic p

olic

y

issues in c

onte

mpora

ry

Am

erican s

ocie

ty.


Stu

dents

know

and u

nder-

sta

nd h

ow

to a

pply

appro

priate

m

odels

and info

rmation to

unders

tand e

nvironm

enta

l pro

ble

ms.

Taking

Action

Grade 6, 7.d

. S

tudents

will

com

muni-

cate

the s

teps a

nd results fro

m a

n

investigation in w

ritten reports a

nd o

ral

pre

senta

tions.


Technology Content Standard E.

Stu

dents

should

develo

p u

nder-

sta

ndin

g a

bout scie

nce a

nd

technolo

gy.

HS 9-12, 11.11.

Stu

dents

analy

ze the

majo

r socia

l pro

ble

ms

and d

om

estic p

olic

y

issues in c

onte

mpora

ry

Am

erican s

ocie

ty.


Stu

dents

know

and u

nder-

sta

nd the role

of te

chnolo

gy in

the h

um

an m

odific

ation o

f th

e

physic

al environm

ent.

Same as above

Grade 7, 7.e

. S

tudents

will

com

muni-

cate

the s

teps a

nd results fro

m a

n

investigation in w

ritten reports a

nd o

ral

pre

senta

tions.

Grades 9-12 Investigation & Experi-

mentation 1.l. S

tudents

will

analy

ze

situations a

nd s

olv

e p

roble

ms that

require c

om

bin

ing a

nd a

pply

ing

concepts

fro

m m

ore

than o

ne a

rea o

f scie

nce.


Content Standard E. Stu

dents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g

about scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.


Stu

dents

know

and u

nder-

sta

nd h

ow

to a

pply

appro

priate

m

odels

and info

rmation to

unders

tand e

nvironm

enta

l pro

ble

ms.

Grades 9-12 Investigation & Experi-

mentation 1.m. S

tudents

will

investi-

gate

a s

cie

nce-b

ased s

ocie

tal is

sue b

y

researc

hin

g the litera

ture

, analy

zin

g

data

, and c

om

munic

ating the fin

din

gs.

Lesson

California Science

Standards

National Science

Standards

California History/

Social Science

Standards

National Geography

Standards



Concepts

Where Does

Our Pollu-

tion Go?

HS Earth Science 5. H

eating o

f E

arth's

surface a

nd a

tmosphere

by the

sun d

rives c

onvection w

ithin

the a

tmos-

phere

and o

ceans, pro

ducin

g w

inds a

nd

ocean c

urrents

.

Grades 9-12 Energy and Space

Science Content Standard D.

Stu

dents

should

develo

p a

n u

n-

ders

tandin

g o

f energ

y in the e

arth

syste

m.

Same as above

HS Earth Science 5.a. S

tudent know

how

diffe

rential heating o

f E

arth results

in c

ircula

tion p

attern

s in the a

tmosphere

and o

ceans that glo

bally

dis

trib

ute

the

heat.


Content Standard E. Stu

dents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g

about scie

nce a

nd technolo

gy.



Standard F: S

tudents

should

develo

p u

nders

tandin

g o

f environ-

menta

l qualit

y, natu

ral and h

um

an-

induced h

azard

s, and s

cie

nce a

nd

technolo

gy in local, n

ational, a

nd

glo

bal challe

nges.

air - the search for one clean breath educatorsâ€™ guide

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