Six Common Air Pollutants

Think Earth

  The Adventures of Parti & Ozi Curriculum

     Why is Coco Orange?

      MDAQMD Clean Power Education Center (CPEC)

       Idle Free School Program

         Wood Smoke Children's Activity Book

Think Earth

The Think Earth Curriculum - nine units from preschool to middle school - has been used since the 1990's to teach students about the importance of a clean, healthy environment and about what they can do to conserve natural resources, reduce waste and minimize pollution.

Sponsored in part by the MDAQMD, the units are undergoing an extensive update and revision so that they can be published online and available to teachers everywhere.

The Kindergarten Unit (Jay Trees) and first Grade Unit (Bernie the School Bus) are now available for download, complete with accompanying worksheets, videos and original music.

Register for access to online Think Earth Curriculum Materials!

"The Adventures of Parti & Ozi"                                                                  

Standards-Based Air Quality Curriculum Created for High Desert Middle & High School students.

The Lewis Center for Educational Research recently worked with District staff to develop four standards-based air quality lesson plans designed for middle through high school students. “The Adventures of Parti and Ozi” is the title of this engaging, combination live action/animated lesson plan series, which is designed to help connect students to the actual size of particulate matter and understand other pollutants they might possibly be exposed to, and how their density and concentration can dramatically impact their world.

“The Adventures of Parti and Ozi” air quality curriculum was developed by the LCER using funds awarded by the District from the settlement of air quality violations. The MDAQMD often recommends the implementation of a Supplemental Environment Project or “environmental component” as part of a penalty agreement for violations of air quality laws within the MDAQMD’s jurisdictional boundaries.

Objectives

Lesson objectives include understanding the density of air and the causes and effects of ozone. Students can also create their own statistics about recycling in their classroom and design ways to make a concrete contribution in the fight against air pollution.

• Lesson 1: Students will understand how to compute volume of a rectangular solid and consider the density of Particulate Matter in the air.
• Lesson 2: Students will better understand the causes and effects of Ozone in their geographic area and what can be done about it by writing a research paper or creating a video presentation.
• Lesson 3: Students will create their own statistics about recycling in their classroom.
• Lesson 4: Students will make a concrete contribution to fighting air pollution.

Subjects

• Recycling Suggestions - Help Our World!: Tips for teachers and students on ways to recycle.

• 6th Grade
  • Energy in the Earth System (Earth Science)
  • Ecology (Life Science)
  • Resources
  • Investigation & Experimentation
  • Number Sense
  • Algebra
  • Measurement & Geometry
  • Mathematical Reasoning,
  • Data Analysis & Probability
• 7th Grade
  • Investigation & Experimentation
  • Number Sense
  • Algebra
  • Measurement & Geometry
  • Mathematical Reasoning
• 8th Grade
  • Density & Buoyancy (Life Science
  • Investigation & Experimentation
  • Geometry
• High School
  • Ecology
  • Energy in the Earth System (Earth Science)
  • Structure & Composition of the Atmosphere
  • Investigation & Experimentation
  • Geometry

Standards

• California Math Standards 2009 (Microsoft Excel File)
• California Science Standards 2009 (Microsoft Excel File)

Live Action/Animated Video Series

1. The Density of Parti - The Day of The Big Fire (Lesson 1) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)
2. Ozi and Me - The Day of The Big Fire (Lesson 2) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)
3. Percentage of Recylclers - The Day of Rapid Transit (Lesson 3)- Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)
4. How Can I Help? - The Day of Rapid Transit (Lesson 4) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)

ISO Files (to be burned to DVD for classroom use)

For instructions on how to burn an ISO Image File to a CD or DVD CLICK HERE!

1. The Density of Parti - The Day of The Big Fire (Lesson 1) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)
2. Ozi and Me - The Day of The Big Fire (Lesson 2) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)
3. Percentage of Recyclers - The Day of Rapid Transit (Lesson 3) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)
4. How Can I Help? - The Day of Rapid Transit (Lesson 4) - Grade Level 6-8 (middle school); 9-12 (high school)

For more information on this curriculum, contact the MDAQMD's Community Relations & Education Office at (760) 245-1661, ext. 6104.

Coco the chameleon can’t change colors, and his asthma is acting up. Read how Coco and his friends at Lizard Lick Elementary solve this mystery as they learn about air quality and how to stay healthy when the air quality is bad. This picture book was produced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for all children — especially those with asthma — and their caretakers. www.airnow.gov/picturebook.

Located in the lobby of the MDAQMD's Victorville offices, the CPEC was designed to promote renewable, clean sources of energy and educate the public about their benefits to the environment, the economy and future energy demands. The display includes a 1/48 scale working model of the District's Solar Electric System, a diagram of how a solar cell works, and an actual-size PV solar panel. To schedule a tour for your school or community group of the District office which includes the CPEC, contact the MDAQMD Communications Section at 760-245-1661, ext. 3002.

The Idle Free Schools Toolkit includes all of the information needed to run an effective idling reduction campaign at a school in order to reduce student exposure to toxic vehicle exhaust. It also provides the resources to make this a student-run science or community involvement project, providing students with the opportunity to learn how to run public service campaign while expanding their science and math skills.

• Why is it bad to idle vehicles? Idling vehicles contribute to air pollution and emit air toxins, which are pollutants known or suspected to cause cancer or other serious health effects. Monitoring at school has shown elevated levels of benzene, formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and other air toxics during the afternoon hour coinciding with parents picking up their children. Children's lungs are developing, and when they are exposed to elevated levels of these pollutants, children have an increased risk of developing asthma, respiratory problem and other adverse health effects. Limiting a vehicle's idling time can dramatically reduce these pollutants and children's exposure to them.
• How can the Toolkit be used at a school? The Idle Free School Toolkit includes everything a school needs to institute this simple, yet vital and effective idling reduction campaign. Schools can use all of the materials and follow the recommended schedule as written or can implement an idling reduction campaign of their own, using the materials that fit with the school's desires and capabilities.

EPA Region 10, with the help of the Burn Wise Alaska program in the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and the Quinault Tribe, published a children’s activity book related to wood smoke that is relevant to tribes across the country. Children can read the story about best burning practices, color the pictures, and do the activities included in the book. It’s a great resource to share with tribes.

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