Air Quality
by Maura Keogh
Lesson I - Greenhouse Effect
Objectives:
1. The students will learn what a greenhouse looks like.
2. The students will learn the purpose of a greenhouse.
3. The students will learn how a greenhouse affects plants.
4. The students will learn to make predictions.
Materials:
soil
seeds
water
2 or more containers with clear lids (i.e., from take-out food)
paper
markers
Tap Prior Knowledge:
1. Ask the children the following questions to tap their prior knowledgeand get them thinking about the activity. Have you ever seen a buildingwith a glass roof? Have you ever been to the greenhouse at your local zoo?Describe what you think a greenhouse might look like? Have you ever seenplants grown inside?
2. Have the students draw pictures of what they think a greenhouse mightlook like.
Procedure:
Show the students a picture of a greenhouse. Ask the students if they thinkplants would grow better outside or inside a greenhouse. Break the studentsinto groups according to their answer. The students who think plants growbetter in greenhouses will make a greenhouse using the canister, seeds,soil and water. The other students will do the same, however, they willleave their canister uncovered. All canisters will be placed in the windowand watered the same amount everyday.
Assessment:
Each group will make predictions of how their plants will grow.
Additional Activities:
Grow a few different types of plants.
Lesson II - Greenhouse Effect
Objectives:
1. The students will learn how to collect data.
2. The students will learn how to graph data.
3. The students will learn how to make observations.
4. The students will learn how to measure.
Materials:
graph paper
markers
rulers
chart paper
Tap Prior Knowledge:
Have the groups read their predictions to the class. Ask the students ifthey know how tall they are. Ask them if they can show you how long a footis. Ask how many feet are in a ruler? Have the students measure each other.
Procedure:
The students will keep a daily chart of how tall their plants are and howmany leaves are on their plants. The students will compare their resultswith their predictions and modify their predictions in a log as needed.
Assessment:
The students will graph their data at the end of a given time period (maybe3-4 weeks). The teacher may want to model how to graph using a set of madeup data. Each group will share their graph with the class. The class willmake one large graph depicting all the group results. This graph will beused for discussion.
Additional Activities:
The students keep plant journals. The students write stories about theirplants. Have the students research where the plant is found. The studentsmake posters advertising their plants. The students pretend they are plantsand write about it. For example, what it would be like to have roots insteadof legs.
Lesson III - Greenhouse Effect
Objectives:
1. The students will learn how to compare/contrast using observations.
2. The students will learn how to interpret graphs.
3. The students will learn the importance of a greenhouse.
Materials:
paper
markers
Tap Prior Knowledge:
Discuss the graphs the students made in Lesson II. Ask the students wherethey have seen similar graphs. Ask the students what they have used graphsfor in their lives.
Procedure:
Discuss all the ways in which graphs are useful. Ask the students what theycan learn by looking at their graphs. After a discussion, fill in a Venndiagram from looking at the graphs. After using the Venn diagram to comparethe plants, discuss the importance of a greenhouse.
Assessment:
Have each group think of a way in which a greenhouse would be useful tothem. Share the ideas.
Additional Activities:
Read Fish is Fish by Leo Lionni. The students write stories from a plant'spoint of view. Learn about different types of graphs. Graph additional data,for example, student's favorite flowers or vegetables.
Lesson IV - Greenhouse Effect
Objectives:
1. The students will experience a working greenhouse.
2. The students will learn about the climate of a greenhouse.
3. The students will observe the plants in the greenhouse.
Materials:
local zoo with greenhouse
Tap Prior Knowledge:
Discuss ideas of what they might find in the greenhouse. Make predictionsof what the weather will be like inside the greenhouse.
Procedure:
The students will take a field trip to their local zoo and visit the greenhouse.The class will study the temperature inside and outside the greenhouse.The different types of plants will be observed and compared to the typeof plants we usually see in our town.
Assessment:
The students will make a poster or brochure advertising the greenhouse atthe zoo.
Additional Activities:
The students make a Venn diagram comparing the plants inside the greenhousewith the plants outside the greenhouse. The students research where theplants are found and compare that climate with the local climate. Have theclass make a prediction of what would happen if these plants were in thelocal climate. The students make a banner representing the plants in thegreenhouse. Discuss the colors of the flowers in the greenhouse. Play aplant guessing game.
Lesson V - Greenhouse Effect
Objectives:
1. The students will make their own greenhouses.
2. The students will apply what they have learned about greenhouses.
3. The students will develop critical thinking skills.
4. This activity will foster creativity.
Materials:
recycled materials
clear plastic
glue
tape
Tap Prior Knowledge:
Look at the greenhouse the students drew in Lesson I. Discuss what theyhave learned throughout the lessons.
Procedure:
The students will make their own greenhouses using the materials mentionedabove. They will be given complete control over what they make. There willbe no stipulations and the children should be encouraged to think freelyand be creative.
Assessment:
The students will share their greenhouses with the class. Each child willbe given the chance to explain his or her greenhouse to the class.
Additional Activities:
The students may want to display the greenhouses for the school. The studentscan write about their greenhouses. This may include what types of plantsthey might include in their greenhouses. The students describe their favoriteplant.