Lesson 14.2: Air, Water, and Noise Pollution

Overview

This lesson focuses on learning about how pollution can change the environment we live in and develops the skills to analyze how pollution can affect health.

Learning Targets

  • Explain how air pollution can affect health.
  • Identify four common sources of indoor air pollution.
  • Identify two causes of water pollution.
  • Explain how noise pollution can affect health.
  • Analyze influences on air and water pollution.

Preparation

For the Warm-Up Activity: Write the journal question on the board, or identify (and copy as needed) the worksheets you plan to use:

For the Content Focus: Open the Lesson 14.2 PowerPoint slides, or make copies of the Lesson 14.2 Note-Taking Guide.

For the Lesson Focus: Copy the Lesson 14.2 Analyzing Influences on Air and Water Pollution Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet.

Warm-Up Activity

Select a warm-up activity to help get your class focused and on task.

  • Journal Question: Do you think you are exposed to much pollution in your daily life? Explain your answer using specific examples.
    • Option: Write or project the question, and have students respond in their journals as they enter class.
    • Option: Have students discuss the question with a partner or in a small group.
  • Vocabulary Review: Have students work individually, in partners, or in small groups to complete the Lesson 14.2 Vocabulary Review Worksheet.
  • Quiz: Have students complete the Lesson 14.2 Quiz to assess their prior knowledge.
    • Option: Collect the quizzes, and use them alongside posttests to demonstrate student learning.
    • Option: Have students share their answers with a partner, and then go over the answers together as a class.

Lesson Content

Review the content from the textbook lesson.

Option: Use the Lesson 14.2 PowerPoint slides to review the chapter content.

Option: Have students use the Lesson 14.2 Note-Taking Guide to review chapter content. Ask students to work alone, in pairs, or in small groups. Review the questions as a class if time permits.

Lesson Focus: Analyzing Influences on Air and Water Pollution

  1. Provide each student with one copy of the Lesson 14.2 Analyzing Influences on Air and Water Pollution Skill-Building Challenge Worksheet.
  2. Ask students to complete the first portion of the worksheet by themselves.
  3. Once students have finished the first portion of the worksheet, have students pair up to complete the worksheet.
  4. Ask for volunteers to share their list. Ask other students to listen for similarities between lists. After sharing the lists, ask students to discuss their reflection questions with a different pair of students.

Challenge Activity

Have students who need an additional challenge work on the following critical-thinking task.

If you were able to write three rules that would reduce pollution in your community and everyone had to follow them, what would they be and why? Explain the rules you decide on and the reason for each.

Reflection and Summary

Review the critical content from today’s lesson. Review the learning targets, and ask students to answer each question posed.

Can you…

  • Explain how air pollution can affect health?

    Air pollution can trigger asthma and allergy attacks; sleepiness; headaches; and irritation of the eyes, nose, throat, and skin. The quality of the air we breathe affects the health of all people at all stages of life.

  • Identify four common sources of indoor air pollution?

    The quality of indoor air can be affected by ventilation (access to outdoor air); humidity; mold; chemicals; tobacco smoke; dust; and other allergens, such as pollen and pet dander.

  • Identify two causes of water pollution?

    Humans using chemicals on lawns and weeds and washing cars in driveways, chemicals used in the manufacturing of products, and human and animal waste that is improperly disposed of.

  • Explain how noise pollution can affect health?

    Noise pollution can damage hearing and cause high blood pressure, difficulty sleeping, and poorer performance at school and work. Individuals exposed to constant noise can also become irritable and suffer from depression or anxiety.

  • Analyze influences on air and water pollution?

    Humans and natural events (natural disasters)

Assessment

Complete one or more of the following assessment tasks for this lesson.

  • Quiz: Have students take the Lesson 14.2 Quiz.
  • Vocabulary Review: Collect the Lesson 14.2 Vocabulary Review Worksheets, and evaluate them for accuracy.
  • Note-Taking Guide: Collect the completed Lesson 14.2 Note-Taking Guides, and spot check one or more items for completion and accuracy.
  • Skill-Building Worksheet: Have students submit the Lesson 14.2 Analyzing Influences on Air and Water Pollution Skill-Building Challenge Worksheets, and use the Analyzing Influences Holistic Rubric to evaluate their skill development.
  • Journal Question: Ask students to respond to the journal question again, adding information they learned from today’s class. Require a one-paragraph response that uses proper grammar.

Take It Home

Pay attention to the noise in your environment. Keep track of the types of noises you encounter on a typical day. Once you have made your list, come up with ways to reduce your exposure to the noises. For example, if you hear construction noise on your walk to school, could you take a different route?