How can where and how you live affect your exposure to PM2.5?

High School | Daily Do

How can where and how you live affect your exposure to PM2.5?

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Sensemaking is actively trying to figure out how the world works (science) or how to design solutions to problems (engineering). Students do science and engineering through the science and engineering practices. Engaging in these practices necessitates that students be part of a learning community to be able to share ideas, evaluate competing ideas, give and receive critique, and reach consensus. Whether this community of learners is made up of classmates or family members, students and adults build and refine science and engineering knowledge together.

Lesson Snapshot

This is Lesson 3 of the Using Data to Understand and Improve Health Outcomes Unit.

High school students, as scientists, use science ideas about structure and function, variation of traits, and cause and effect to answer the following driving question: How can where you live affect your exposure to PM2.5? Students begin by reflecting on which of their questions about the anchoring phenomena they can answer and which they need to investigate. They also consider how to investigate their questions. Next, students evaluate information and analyze data from multiple sources to explain the differences in case numbers and health outcomes in the respiratory disease data. Finally, students update their models to explain how differences in exposure to PM2.5 from outdoor and indoor pollution connect to the differences in health outcomes from respiratory issues globally and within the US.

Click the Download PDF button above for the complete Lesson Plan.

Materials

Student Materials

Per Student

HDW Unit L3 Student Guide

Per Small Group (2 to 4 students)

Computer or tablet to access online resources

Teacher Materials

HDW Unit L3 Slides

Optional Teacher Resources

HDW Unit Extension Resources