Explore the pros and cons of placing trash in landfills or incinerating it.

Students develop awareness and understanding of the daily air quality using the Air Quality Index (AQI) listed in the newspaper. They explore what engineers can do to help reduce poor air quality.

Students build and observe a simple aneroid barometer to learn about changes in barometric pressure and weather forecasting.

By tracing the movement of radiation released during an accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant, students see how air pollution, like particulate matter, can become a global issue.

Students conduct a simple experiment to model and explore the harmful effects of acid rain (vinegar) on living (green leaf and eggshell) and non-living (paper clip) objects.

Students create and observe a greenhouse effect model and discuss the implications of global warming theory for engineers, themselves and the Earth.

Students learn how a bill becomes law in the U.S. Congress and research legislation related to global warming.

Students observe and discuss a cup and pencil model of a cyclone to better understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.

Students observe and discuss a vacuum cleaner model of a baghouse to better understand how this pollutant recovery method functions in cleaning industrial air pollution.

In this activity, students will capture and examine the particles to gain an appreciation of how much dust, pollen and other particulate matter is present in the air around them. Students will place "pollution detectors" at various...

Students learn about air pollution caused by cars and what engineers are doing to try to help with the problem. Students then design their own environmentally friendly car and give a presentation to experience how engineers have to be...

Students are introduced to the concepts of air pollution and air quality. The three activity parts focus on the prerequisites for understanding air pollution. First, students use M&Ms to create a pie graph that expresses their...

Students develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion demonstration, a "smog in a jar" demonstration, building simple particulate matter collectors, and exploration of engineering roles related to air...

Learners are introduced to some essential meteorology concepts so they more fully understand the impact of meteorological activity on air pollution control and prevention. First, they develop an understanding of the magnitude and...

Looking at models and maps, students explore different pathways and consequences of pollutant transport via the weather and water cycles. In an associated literacy activity, students develop skills of observation, recording and reporting...

Students are introduced to acids and bases, and the environmental problem of acid rain. They explore ways to use indicators to distinguish between acids and bases. Students also conduct a simple experiment to model and discuss the...

Students explore the causes and effects of the Earth's ozone holes through discussion and an interactive simulation. In an associated literacy activity, students learn how to tell a story in order to make a complex topic (such as global...

During this lesson, middle schoolers will learn what causes air pollution and how to investigate the different pollutants that exist, such as toxic gases and particulate matter. Students will investigate the technologies developed by...

This lesson introduces students to the concepts of air pollution and technologies that have been developed by engineers to reduce air pollution. Students develop an understanding of visible air pollutants with an incomplete combustion...

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] Describes how air pollution affects human health.

[Free Registration/Login may be required to access all resource tools.] How air pollution affects human health.

Each year EPA tracks the levels of pollutants in the air and how much of each pollutant (or the pollutants that form them) is emitted from various pollution sources. The Agency looks at these numbers year after year to see how the...

Links to fact sheets, articles, and educational tools on air pollution.

[Free Registration/Login Required] An informational text about the increased risk of asthma for children living in areas with air pollution. A question sheet is available to help students build skills in reading comprehension.