eq: how is the atmosphere important to living things?

EQ: How is the atmosphere important to living things?

Subject: Science Topic: Earth Systems, Structures and Procedures Teacher(s): Ellie Atkins and Jamie Mosley Date: Day 1 of ISLP implementation Standards:

7.E.1.1 Compare the composition, properties and structure of Earth's atmosphere to include mixtures of gases and differences in temperature and pressure within layers.

Activity Description of Activities and

Setting Materials and Time

I. Focus and Review (Establish prior knowledge)

Students will be seated in their cooperative learning groups of three or four. They will then complete the Bean Lab, which is attached below.

Time: 20 – 30 Minutes Materials: Bean Lab Materials

II. Statement (Inform student of objectives)

Learning Target:

I can identify the main components of the Earth’s atmosphere.

I can differentiate between the different layers of the atmosphere and what occurs in each.

Time: 2 Minutes Materials: None

III. Teacher Input (Present tasks, information, and guidance)

I will present a PowerPoint presentation that has four different videos that present students new information about the different layers of the atmosphere. The PowerPoint is attached. During the PowerPoint students will be creating a six tab foldable that will include each layer of the atmosphere: Exosphere, Ionosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, and Troposphere.

Time: 20 – 30 Minutes Materials: Construction Paper Scissors Tap Colored Pencils PowerPoint

IV. Guided Practice (Elicit performance, provide assessment and feedback)

(If time allows) Students will watch the Magic School Bus video on the atmosphere, for a fun approach to a somewhat new topic.

Time: 25 Minutes Materials: Video

V. Independent Practice -- Seatwork and Homework (Retention and transfer)

If time allows students will complete a Web Quest assignment on their own to reinforce material learned today. Students will also be given the links to two very fun articles about the affect of cow flatulence on the atmosphere.

Time: 25 Minutes Material: Computers Web Quest Paper (Attached)

VI. Closure (Plan for maintenance)

Students will provide an ‘exit ticket’ to me. On this ticket they will complete at 3-2-1. 3 – Three new things they learned today. 2 – Two things they found interesting. 1 – One question they still have for me.

Time: 2 Minutes Materials: Sticky Notes

Vocabulary:

• Composition

• Properties

• Structure

• Atmosphere

• Gas

• Temperature

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Exosphere

• Ionosphere

Scientist:_____________________Date:____________ Core:_________

Lab: Atmospheric Composition

Purpose: The purpose is to have an understanding of the composition of the air. Materials: dried pinto beans, dried black beans, dried split peas, beaker, calculator DRIED PINTO BEANS = NITROGEN DRIED BLACK BEANS = OXYGEN SPLIT GREEN PEAS = ARGON AND OTHER TRACE GASES Procedure:

1. The goal of this investigation is to fill your beaker with three hundred “air” particles. The “air” in your beaker should have the same composition as the air in our atmosphere.

2. The atmosphere is 78% nitrogen. Use your math skills to calculate 78% of 300. Count out that many nitrogen particles and add them to your beaker.

3. Calculate 21% of 300. Count out that many oxygen particles and add them to your beaker.

4. Calculate 1% of 300. Count out that many trace gas particles and add them to your beaker.

5. Place your hand firmly over the top of the beaker and shake it to mix the particles. BE CAREFUL!

Data Analysis:

1. Look at your beaker. What type of gas makes up most of the air?

2. Which gas in the atmosphere is most important to sustaining life?

3. What might happen if the composition of air changed over time?

4. What might alter the levels of certain gases in the air?

Air Quality Webquest

You will explore a few websites to learn more about air pollution and what kinds of pollutants affect our air quality. You’ll also learn how air quality is measured and how it affects our health.

First Stop: http://www.airnow.gov/ 1. On the right, under “Air Quality Basics,” click “Air Quality Index.”

a. What is the AQI (air quality index)? What does it tell you?

b. Which 5 major pollutants are covered by the AQI?

c. Which two pollutants are the greatest threats to human health? For each color below,

d. Indicate the AQI range and the level of health concern.

Color AQI Range Level of Health Concern

Green 0-‐50 Good (no concerns)

Yellow

Orange

Red

Purple

Maroon

2. Go back to the AQI main page. What does the AQI look like for North Carolina today?

3. Back on the main page -‐ On the right, under “Air Quality Basics” , click

“Particle Pollution” a. What is “particulate matter” and why is it dangerous?

b. What are 4 different sources of ‘particulate matter’?

4. Back on the main page -‐ On the right, under “Air Quality Basics” , click “Ozone”

a. What type of Ozone is good?

b. What type of Ozone is bad?

c. Where does this ground-‐level ozone come from? Next Stop! http://www.airnow.gov/index.cfm?action=student.main 1. Under “Animations”, Watch the short clip “Particle Pollution”. (It's the 3rd down)

a. What is particle pollution made of?

b. What kind of particle pollution is the most dangerous for humans

and why?

c. Where does particle pollution come from?

2. Watch the 2nd clip about ozone – “Good up High, Bad Nearby” a. What is Ozone?

d. Where is Ozone located?

e. What type of Ozone can be bad for your health?

f. What is ground level Ozone caused by?

g. How can ground level Ozone be harmful to human health?

h. Is the Ozone layer helpful or harmful in the Stratosphere?

-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐-‐ Next Stop: Click Smog City 2 1) At the top – click “visitor’s tour” guide to read about Smog City and how to play! 2) Go back -‐ Click “Create your own Experience!” **Before your begin…look at the blue box in the left corner 1. Click Air Quality Index and summarize – What is the Air Quality Index? (2 sentences) 2. Click “Particle Pollution” and summarize – What is Particle Pollution? (2 sentences) Your Experiments/Challenges! 1. MAKE SMOG CITY AS UNHEALTHY AS POSSIBLE!! Experiment until you

have the highest possible AQI. a. What conditions created the unhealthy AQI?

b. What AQI color have you created in smog city? What level of health risk is this?

2. CHANGE THE WEATHER: With your AQI still high, start changing the

weather controls one at a time.

a. Which weather factor seems to make the most difference in the AQI?

3. CHANGE EMISSIONS LEVELS: With your AQI still high, start changing the

emissions controls one at a time. a. Which emissions source seems to make the most difference in the

AQI? What is included in this category? 4. CHANGE THE POPULATION: With your AQI still high, try changing the

population level. a. How does changing the population affect the AQI?

5. Go back – and try 1. “ Save smog city from ozone!”

2. “Save smog city from particle Pollution!”

EQ(s): How is the atmosphere important to living things?

How does the water cycle relate and affect our atmosphere, weather, and climate?


7.E.1.2 Explain how the cycling of water in and out of the atmosphere and atmospheric conditions relate to the weather patterns on earth.




Students will be seated whole class. I will ask them what they know about the water cycle. What does it affect? I will have them throw out as many vocabulary terms as possible during this time to gain more specific feedback on their prior knowledge of this particular topic. Students will record their own feedback in their journals and will reflect on it at the end of the lesson, by adding or taking away information, and going deeper into their learning.

Time: 20 – 30 Minutes Materials: Dry Erase Board Student Notebooks


Learning Target:

I can describe the path of water through one complete circuit of the water cycle.

I can identify and explain each part of the water cycle.



I will be providing a demo. Students will gather around my front table on foot. I will have a five-gallon bucket full of water. This bucket represents the entire world’s water supply.

- 2 ¼ cups will be removed to represent the world’s fresh water supply. The remaining will represent salt water.

- From the ‘fresh water’ I will remove 1½ cups. This represents the water contained in the polar ice caps.

- Then ¼ a cup of water will be removed from the remaining ¾ cup of ‘fresh water’ to represent water tied up in the soil or the atmosphere.

- The ½ cup of remaining water represents the fresh ground and surface water.

I will discuss how little of the world’s water is usable for us. This demo will allow students minds to start working.

Time: 15 – 20 minutes Materials: 5 gallon bucket Measuring cups Beakers Water


Students will define all of the parts of the water cycle as a group after watching 3 different videos.

- Bill Nye - Water Cycle Rap - Water Cycle Cup Song

Time: 10 – 15 minutes Materials: Videos


Students will use the videos on Haiku, their books, and the internet to draw and label the water cycle in their notebooks. When they label their drawings they will need to indicate where all of the vocabulary terms above will occur in their water cycle.

Time: 25 Minutes Material: Notebooks Colored pencils Markers Labels


Students will be split up into two teams and playing Pictionary for their exit ticket

Time: 15 Materials: Dry Erase Board Dry Erase Markers

Vocabulary:

Evaporation

Transpiration

Condensation

Precipitation

Runoff

Groundwater



Subject: Science Topic: Earth Systems, Structures and Procedures Teacher(s): Ellie Atkins and Jamie Mosley Date: Day 3 & 4 of ISLP implementation Standards:

7.E.1.3 Explain the relationship between the movement of air masses, high and low pressure systems, and frontal boundaries to storms (including thunderstorms, hurricanes, and tornadoes) and other weather conditions that may result.




We will quickly review the water cycle with a group discussion on the process and how it works. We will then talk about storms and

Time: 3 – 5 Minutes Materials: None


Learning Target:

I can describe how air movements affect our weather.

I can explain the relationship between air masses; high and low pressure systems, fronts, and the formation of storms.

I can explain the causes and effects of four different storms: thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes and winter storms.



Students will watch a movie which takes an in depth look at storms and how they form. This movie shows real life storms and disasters and the people the affected. The students will have a quiz that goes along with the movie that they will take in small groups during or after the movie is viewed.

Time: 70 minutes Materials: Movie Quiz Sheet


Students will follow along the PowerPoint that will contain build on information students were presented in the movie on air pressure and the conditions required for certain weather conditions.

Time: 15 Minutes Materials: PowerPoint


Students will create a foldable that will define and describe in detail each of the four main types of storms. They will view four videos located on the Haiku page, have access to their textbooks and graded video quiz.

Time: 25 Minutes Material: Notebooks Colored pencils Markers Labels Computers Scissors Tape


Students will be split into partners. Each Table will have a stack of notecards that have each of the vocabulary terms below. They will be playing Taboo. One partner will try to get the other to guess the word on the card by describing it without rhyming with it or saying the word or one of the words. They other group will monitor them to make sure they are doing it correctly, if they aren’t they lose the point and must proceed to the next word. Each table will keep score between the teams. The six winning teams will receive a

Time: 30 Materials: Vocabulary Stacks

prize.

Vocabulary:

• Air mass

• High pressure system

• Low pressure system

• Frontal boundaries

• Hurricane

• Thunderstorm

• Lightening

• Thunder

• Tornado

• Wind

• Winter storm

• Snow

• Hail

• Sleet

• Rain

• Snow

• Blizzard

• Fog

(Students will cute and tape the following notes in their notebooks)

Storms

An air mass is a huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure throughout.

• Form over continents, icecaps, or the ocean.

• Differences in air pressure cause change in winds and weather. o High pressure system: generally brings dry, clear weather.

o Low pressure system: causes precipitation or even storms.

What is a storm?

• Natural disturbance that involves air pressure, clouds, precipitation, and strong winds.

• 4 Main Types: o Thunderstorms o Tornadoes o Hurricanes o Winter storms

Video Questions Tornadoes:

1. Describe the air in a tornado (what motion does it have?)

2. What cloud shape do tornadoes have?

3. What is the scale called that measures tornadoes? What is its range?

4. What type of storm do tornadoes generally form from?

5. What are some of the most harmful characteristics about tornadoes?

6. What type of pressure is found inside a tornado? (high or low)

Thunderstorms:

1. Give characteristics of thunderstorms (precipitation? If so, what type?)

2. What turns a rain cloud into a thunder cloud?

3. What type of cloud does a thunderstorm form from? (Pg. 139 in book)

4. What causes lightning? When it strikes towards the ground, what does it always

go towards?

Hurricanes:

1. At what point on Earth do warm and cold air come together to form hurricanes?

2. Where does the wind come from to cause rotation in hurricanes?

3. How large can hurricanes get? (Pg. 144)

4. What are some of the ways that hurricanes cause damage? (Pg. 145)

Winter storms:

1. What determines if snow falls to the ground? (Pg. 146)

2. Name some of the conditions that winter storms can cause.




7.E.1. 5 Explain the influence of convection, global winds and the jet stream on weather and climatic conditions.




We will spend time discussing our previous knowledge about the jet stream and the effect of wind and currents on weather and climate around the world to get a feel for student base knowledge. We will also view a few short weather channel videos dealing with El Nino and our current weather.



Learning Target:

I can explain how convection helps to warm the atmosphere and oceans.

I can explain how differences in air pressure impacts wind intensity near coastlines.

I can describe the Coriolis effect and how it influences wind patterns in the Northern and Southern Hemisphere.


I can describe the effects of jet streams and the Gulf stream on wind and climate patterns.


Students will watch a short video on conduction, convection, and radiation to give them some base knowledge on how these three energy transfers affect the weather.

Time: 2 - 3 Minutes Materials: Video


None Time: None Materials: None


Students will follow the internet activities below in partners or small groups and complete the question. They will be turned in for a grade. I will grade them on accuracy and appearance, which means complete sentences and the correct information.

Time: 25 – 30 Minutes Material: Worksheet Computer


Students will be put back in their cooperative learning groups and given the unit review. They will complete this review in order to receive 5 extra points on their test, which will be the next day they are in class.

Time: 30 Materials: Review Sheets Cooperative Learning Peers Computers Textbooks Science Notebooks

Vocabulary:

• Convection

• Pressure-Gradient Force

• Troposphere

• Jet Stream

• Coriolis Effect

• Gulf Stream

Internet Activity

Use this interactive website that shows how warm and cold fluids circulate through a container (convection).

http://www.kscience.co.uk/animations/convection.htm

Answer the following questions:

1. As the water warms up, does it become more or less dense? Where does it go when it warms up?

2. When the water cools down, does it become more or less dense? Where does it then go?

Go to the following website and from this answer these questions:

http://www.kidsgeo.com/geography-for-kids/0098-sea-land-breezes.php

1. Does the wind blow towards or away from land during the day? What about at night?

2. In both cases, the air is moving to an area of high or low pressure?

Go to the following link and answer these questions:

http://www.stem-works.com/subjects/2-wind-energy/activities/25

1. In which months does the jet stream blow the fastest? In which months is it the slowest?

2. Why would a greater temperature difference between two areas make wind stronger?

Do a Google search on "Gulf Stream fishing N.C." and answer this:

1. How does the Gulf Stream affect fishing off of the N.C. coast?

eq: how is the atmosphere important to living things?

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