Ready for action?
Resources
Tangible Resources
Pens, paper, information on the amount of pollution produced by different vehicles
Human Resources
Extra adults to facilitate field trip
Preparation
Explore where surveys could be carried out before the LU, prepare paperwork for off-site visit if necessary, find examples of pictograms.
Goals, messages & concepts
Specific goals
- Students will collect data on pollution produced by cars in their local area.
- Students will compare pollution produced by cars in 2 different locations in their local area.
Specific messages
- There are different levels of car pollution in different locations.
- Different vehicles can produce different levels of pollution.
Main terms
- measuring pollution
- data
- comparison
- analysis
- pictograph (symbol)
- pictogram (chart)
Practices & skills
STEM practices
- Analysing and interpreting data
- Constructing explanations and designing solutions
- Engaging in argument from evidence
- Obtaining, evaluating, and communicating information
- Using mathematics and computational thinking
- Asking questions and defining problems
- Planning and carrying out investigations
Soft skills
- Teamwork and collaboration
Management skills
- Planning
- Use of resources
Course of activity
step 1
The class will carry out a scientific investigation to find out about the air pollution caused by traffic in their local area. They will be split into two groups to explore two different street areas close to the school. Each group has to count and categorise the vehicles they see.
step 2
Students will then go back to the classroom to organise the data they have collected, and estimate pollution levels in each area using data on the pollution of different vehicle types.
step 3
Next, students will design pictographs for vehicle types and create a pictogram to see which vehicles are the worst pollutants (i.e. 10 cars is equal to 1 lorry). They will add a key to the pictogram to show which vehicles give off the most/least amount of pollution.
step 4
They will reach a conclusion as to which area is most polluted and why, taking into account different factors such as the type of vehicle, quantity, stationary or moving, etc.