Topic: The effects of air pollution

Target group

Elementary school student (grades 7. and 8.)

Core curriculum:

Elementary school. Chemistry.

IV. Oxygen, hydrogen and their chemical compounds. Air. Pupil:

10) lists the sources, types and effects of air pollution; lists the ways to protect the air from pollution.

General aim of education

The student mentions and discusses the effects of air pollution

Key competences

• communication in foreign languages;

• digital competence;

• learning to learn.

Criteria for success
The student will learn:

• list civilization threats;

• discuss what the greenhouse effect is and how smog is formed;

• describe how ozone hole is formed;

• indicate the effects of the decrease in ozone concentration in the stratosphere, the effects of smog and of the greenhouse effect;

• indicate the ways to prevent the increase of ozone hole, smog and the greenhouse effect.

Methods/techniques

• expository

  • talk.

• activating

  • discussion.

• programmed

  • with computer;

  • with e‑textbook.

• practical

  • exercices concerned.

Forms of work

• individual activity;

• activity in pairs;

• activity in groups;

• collective activity.

Teaching aids

• e‑textbook;

• notebook and crayons/felt‑tip pens;

• interactive whiteboard, tablets/computers.

Lesson plan overview

Introduction

1. The teacher hands out Methodology Guide or green, yellow and red sheets of paper to the students to be used during the work based on a traffic light technique. He presents the aims of the lesson in the student's language on a multimedia presentation and discusses the criteria of success (aims of the lesson and success criteria can be send to students via e‑mail or posted on Facebook, so that students will be able to manage their portfolio).

2. The teacher together with the students determines the topic – based on the previously presented lesson aims – and then writes it on the interactive whiteboard/blackboard. Students write the topic in the notebook.

Realization

1. The teacher uses the text of the abstract for individual work or in pairs, according to the following steps: 1) a sketchy review of the text, 2) asking questions, 3) accurate reading, 4) a summary of individual parts of the text, 5) repeating the content or reading the entire text.

2. The teacher divides the proteges into four groups and recommends to carry out in each case an in‑depth analysis of the indicated effect of air pollution (acid precipitation, greenhouse effect, ozone hole, smog), based on available sources of information (e.g. internet). Students present the results of work in groups. Each team ends their presentation with the wording of the conclusions.

3. The teacher conducts - in the form of a show - an experiment, according to the instructions in the abstract (Experiment 1: „Greenhouse Effect”). Before joining the action, he asks the students to formulate a research question and a hypothesis and write them in the form in an abstract. After the experiment, a summary of observations and conclusions is made, which should also be included in the form.

4. Students, working individually or in pairs, carry out interactive exercises to check and consolidate knowledge learned during the lesson. Selected people discuss the correct solutions for interactive exercises. The teacher completes or straightens the statements of the proteges.

5. The teacher plays the recording of the abstract. Every now and then he stops it, asking the students to tell in their own words what they have just heard.This way, students practice listening comprehension.

Summary

1. Teacher asks: If there was going to be a test on the material we have covered today, what questions do you think would you have to answer? If the students do not manage to name all the most important questions, the teacher may complement their suggestions.

2. The teacher asks the students to finish the following sentences:

   • Today I learned ...

   • I understood that …

   • It surprised me …

   • I found out ...

   The teacher can use the interactive whiteboard in the abstract or instruct students to work with it

Homework

1. Make at home a note from the lesson using the sketchnoting method.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

The effects of air pollution

The most dangerous effects of air pollution are associated with their negative impact on the natural environment. They include:

• acid precipitation;

• enhanced greenhouse effect;

• ozone hole;

• smog;

• dust;

• soil and water pollution.

Acid precipitation is atmospheric precipitation (mainly in the form of rain) with an acidic pH – below 5.1. They occur as a result of water droplets absorbing gaseous air pollutants that form acids with tis water, mainly:

• sulfur dioxide;

• nitrogen oxides, NOIndeks dolny x_x;

• carbon dioxide;

• hydrogen chloride HCl;

• hydrogen sulfide HIndeks dolny 2₂S.

Acid precipitation causes forest dieback. It also affects the acidification of surface waters, which in turn is associated with the extinction of many species of fish. Soil acidification causes the release of toxic aluminum and elution of nutrients and heavy metals. Such precipitation also promotes the destruction of construction materials (stone, concrete, reinforced concrete), and thus the destruction of historic buildings and monuments.

In the upper layers of atmosphere, at an altitude between 15 and 50 km, our planet is surrounded by the ozone layer (${\text{O}}_{\text{3}}$). It is a natural sunscreen that protects the Earth against excessive ultraviolet (UV) radiation. This radiation is necessary for the production of vitamin D in our body, but its excess may contribute to the reduction of the body's resistance and cause skin diseases and increased cancer morbidity, increase in air temperature and climate changes.

As a result of environmental pollution, especially in the spring over Antarctica and to a lesser extent over the Arctic, the ozone layer becomes thinner and so‑called ozone hole occurs, through which a significant part of the harmful radiation reaches our planet.

Ultraviolet radiation is invisible and imperceptible to us. Burning and pain caused by its excess is a reaction to skin damage. That's why one should:

• limit the time spent in the sun in the summer months at midday;

• wear clothing made of thicker, dense fabrics, with long sleeves and legs (the average cotton fabric retains only 20 - 30% of UV radiation);

• wear a cap with a visor or a wide‑brimmed hat;

• wear sunglasses with UV filters;

• use creams with UV filters.

Pollutants, whose main sources are car fumes, heavy industry and households (heating systems), in combination with windless weather and high humidity – fog, create smog. Smog above the city is particularly dangerous for infants, elderly people, asthmatics, people with respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.

According to the way of formation, place of origin and chemical composition we distinguish the London smog (occurring mainly in the winter months) and the Los Angeles smog (encountered mainly in the summer months).

• Air pollution has global character. It may originate from natural sources or be the result of human activity.

• Air pollutants include, among others, oxides of carbon, oxides of sulfur, oxides of nitrogen, dust and freons.

• Unfavorable phenomena caused by atmospheric pollution include: enhanced greenhouse effect, ozone hole, acid precipitation and smog.