Recommended Primary Category
Talk with students about how smog effects breathing and why people with asthma are particularly susceptible to health problems on ozone alert days.
Study where tropospheric ozone comes from and have students study what effects their families have on contributing to the problem.
Study the data that is collected from primary students and relate temperature, humidity and ozone levels to one another. Then investigate what activities students often do on days when ozone levels are high. (Describe the way the day would feel.) Have students draw pictures of what they like to do on days you have just described.
Keep a record of dates when there are ozone alert days. Find out from businesses what they do to help the environment on ozone alert days. Do they have a plan of action?
Keep a record of students and how they are helping to protect from ground-level ozone on ozone alert days by riding in a carpool to school, riding a bike or walking to school, and turning off lights that are not in use. Have students make a poster showing how they have helped to do their share for cleaner air throughout the year.
Recommended Intermediate Category
Direct students to produce a brochure to distribute at parent conferences, perhaps, telling adults about tropospheric ozone, problems associated with high tropospheric ozone levels and what they as adults can do to reduce the amount of tropospheric ozone emitted on ozone alert days.
Have students hypothesize the cause(s) of increased TOLs. Research high tropospheric ozone corridors. Prepare reports explaining various suspected contributors and their relationships to TOLs. Where are the TOLs the greatest? Why? Was your hypothesis correct? Why or why not?
Have students research the Clean Air Act of 1963 and the amendments of 1990. Also research the subsequent EPA guidelines set. Have students report their findings.
If you are taking part in this TOL project, check your own data collected and do correlation studies between TOLs and barometric pressure, TOLs and temperature, TOLs and humidity, TOLs and percent cloud cover, etc. Go into the graphing capabilities from your Data Entry page. Graph the data you wish to compare. Use both your own student data collected and also that of other schools participating. Have students draw conclusions and include these in their reports. Offer explanations for any conclusions made.
For other ideas for intermediate students, click here.
Recommended Middle and Junior High School Category
Interview doctors who treat pulmonary patients and ask them to participate in data collection of the number of patients seen with pulmonary problems during the year. Have them record on a calendar the number of patients seen for respiratory problems. Keep records of ozone alerts days and atmospheric conditions reported in the newspaper for your area. See if there is a correlation among these factors.
Research tropospheric ozone testing methods and report to class about the various ones being used and those currently being designed. Explain how they work. Also make a model or diagram of the device.
Collect data on particulate matter in the air at the same time that your tropospheric ozone testing is being done. Identify as many particles as possible. Investigate a possible correlation between the two.
Test tropospheric ozone levels at potentially high ozone concentration areas such as gas stations, engine repair shops, bus depots, bus and trolley stops, tunnels, bridges, parking lots and garages. Test on ozone alert days and also on off days. Record maximum and minimum temperatures at these various locations for the same time periods. Compare data collected.
If you are taking part in this TOL project, check your own data collected and have students do correlation studies between TOLs and barometric pressure, TOLs and temperature, TOLs and humidity, TOLs and percent cloud cover, etc. Go into the graphing capabilities from your Data Entry page. Have students graph the data they wish to compare. Use both their own data collected and also that of other schools participating. Draw conclusions and include these in their reports. Offer explanations for any conclusions made.
For other ideas for Middle School/Junior High Students, click here.
Recommended High School Category
Have students write a survey for other high school students that asks about respiratory problems they may have. Determine ranking of severity. Also include in the survey questions about students' habits such as whether or not they carpool (if so, how often), whether or not they go off campus for lunch alone or carpool (if applicable), typical time of day they mow lawns, whether or not lighter fluid is usually used to fire up a charcoal grill, whether or not dishwashers and washing machines are run full, etc. Include questions that might help them assess effects of behaviors on increased tropospheric ozone levels and health related problems. Arrange to have these surveys distributed and completed. Have students analyze surveys and distribute results to student body. Have students plan a follow-up activity for the purpose of increasing awareness.
Have students interview city or county utility personnel about peak times of energy use and what they perceive, if any, to be a correlation between increased tropospheric ozone levels and peak utility usage times. Have them write investigative questions related to what they have learned. Following the scientific method, have them determine a way to test their hypothesis. Find an audience for reporting their findings.
Have students research and then build their own anemometer, ozonometer and/or barometer. Have them calibrate them, use them and then compare their accuracy to equipment purchased for the same testing purposes. Report their findings.
Have students study the relationship between tropospheric ozone and stratospheric ozone. Report on their findings.
Have students research tropospheric ozone testing methods. Have them build models of the devices used and explain how they work. Include any chemical reactions involved in the testing procedures. Present findings to the class.
If you are taking part in this TOL project, check your own student data collected and have students do correlation studies between TOLs and barometric pressure, TOLs and temperature, TOLs and humidity, TOLs and percent cloud cover, etc. Go into the graphing capabilities from your Data Entry page. Have them graph the data they wish to compare. Use both their own data collected and also that of other schools participating. Have them draw conclusions and include these in their report. Have them include explanations for any conclusions made.
For other ideas for high school students, click here.