Quality Air Experiment in School Yard

Grade Levels: 4 - 8 (Note: This experiment can be simplified or made more challenging depending on the developmental levels of your students. See Teacher Information.)

Approximate Time Involved: One 30 minute classroom planning session, one 30 minute setup session, two 45 minute data collection sessions to examine results, state conclusions, draw inferences and make recommendations. NOTE: Cards need to be left outside for a 24-hour period.

Teacher Information:

Particulates in the air vary from location to location within the schoolyard. A card covered with clear packing tape can be used to measure the particulates in the air. Students can see if there is a difference in different areas of the schoolyard as well as different elevations. They can also compare their collected data to other online data.

This should become a team exercise where your student groups might each develop and write a hypothesis, list the materials they would use (the same size card or piece of cardboard should be used so that the data can remain fairly consistent) the number of each item, and a procedure. An excellent way to assess this activity is to have the teams repeat each other's experiment to see if they achieve the same results. This will also replicate the real world challenges facing a research scientist.

Challenging Your Students to Be Problem Solvers:

Needed Materials: Index cards (7.5 X 12.5 cm.) or empty photo slides or tag board (enough for each group to have at least 3 collection cards), magnifying glass, clear packing tape, rulers, 5 mm. grid paper, calculators, masking tape, string, or clothespins, scissors, microscope (optional).

Safety Rule: Do not climb trees or other structures to place your cards.

Procedure:

NOTE: Temperature and wind are variables that will be difficult to control or intentionally manipulate in this experiment. However, from your experiments, you may be able to infer as to whether temperature or wind has any impact on the number and variety of particulates collected. The reporting form for this experiment is set up so that you can determine how many collecting boards you want to put out, where you want to place them, and what elevations you want to use. NOTE: Be sure to leave your collection boards out for a minimum of a twenty-four hour period.

Procedural Steps for Conducting the Investigation

1. Create a data collection sheet in a spreadsheet
2. Begin by cutting a 3 cm. X 5 cm. rectangle out of the center of your index cards or tag board. Decide how you will measure the particulates collected on your collection cards. NOTE: If you have empty photo slides the hole is already made.
3. Place clear packing tape on one side of the card or slide so the sticky part is exposed through the hole.
4. Choose a location for your collection cards or slides that will not get a lot of human interference for a minimum of a twenty-four hour period.
5. Write your group's name and the location you where will be placing the card or slide, on the back of either the card or the slide.
6. Once you have chosen the location you will be placing the card or slide, decide how you will attach your card or slide to this location (tape, string or clothespins).
7. Attach the cards or slides to the three locations you have chosen in the schoolyard.
8. After a minimum of 24 hours return to your cards and take them down.
9. Place your 5 mm. grid paper on the non-sticky side of the card or slide so that it shows through the packing tape.
10. 9. Using a microscope or magnifying glass, count and calculate the number of particulates in each 5 mm grid for a total area of 3cm2.
11. Be sure to enter all of your collected data onto your printed data collection sheet. After group and classroom discussions have occurred, enter your data. NOTE: Only numbers must be inserted into the spaces in order for your Excel spreadsheet to work properly.
12. Once all classroom data is submitted you can create data and develop charts and graphs in Excel