University of Texas at El Paso



WEB RESOURCES FOR BORDER AIR QUALITY EDUCATIONAuthors of the web site reviews: Rita Farina, Jeanette Cubillos-Dominguez, Lacey Bustamante, Theresa Turner, Blanche Herrera, Ian Hanna, Rosetta Baquera, Veronica Allen, Tiffany Stringfield, Maribel Chavez, Sarah Escandon, Sylvia Montoya, Nancy Barraza, Teresa Pena, Eric Pichardo, Francisco Casillas, Jessica Favela-Casillas, Donna GrayThis site provides an air quality index (AQI) map for air quality forecast, the current AQI, and an AQI animation for locations listed by state and zip code. This tool describes the AQI using a color coded system listing conditions from “Good” to “Hazardous.” It also defines the pollution details such as ozone levels and particulates in parts per million. The information can also be linked to Google Earth to offer graphic imaging to interpret AQI data. A treasure trove of background information and current topics. It is subdivided into various topics of environmental concern such as air, water, and waste. It provides basic background information on pollution topics, personal action plans, discussions on pollution sources, environmental impacts and technological tools and advancements. The site also provides resources for education such as funding opportunities, grant listings, links, laws, and regulations, as well as jobs and internships. This is a MUST stop site for those who are looking for relevant, timely, and research based information or resources.educationWhen visiting this site I chose the Teacher Resources tab and proceeded to the EPA’s internal resources to the Energy Topics where I visited the Energy Star Kids. I found an animated graphic lesson that allows students to make a journey from basic definitions to personal action plans. It also allows them to download activity books featuring Dr. Seuss characters such as the Lorax to engage them in environmental thinkning. The external partner resources provided more topics on AIR with grade/age specific links to sites such as PBS’s eekOworld for a “Clean Air Detective” activity; NSF’s Eco-Schools USA site where we are linked to the Cool School Challenge; NASA’s Climate Kids website for games, activities and resources; and finally the Missouri Botanical Gardens Earthways Center’s “In The Air” award winning website. Free educational materials for use in classrooms or communities is available to download. Good up High and the Bad Near By, created by EPA, offers in-depth information on ozone: what it is; the difference between good and bad ozone; and what we can do about it. A downloadable brochure covers all the information in one quick reference guide and includes plenty of visuals, data, and resources for more information. The brochure could sever as an excellent classroom resource for learning about ozone. is a whole unit on the topic. I looked at the activity on p 44. They darken the room, throw flour up in the air, and shine a flashlight to illustrate particulate matter. Some the ideas in this unit might be worth trying. 's-orange-day-web.pdf You can order copies (free) of this good children’s book, Why is Coco Orange? It is about asthma and breathing clean air.This is not one of the more intuitive sites that I have investigated. While visiting this site I chose the EELinked Networks tab to the EEResources Page; here I can filter my selection by topic or time to view items posted by members of the network. I chose to filter by topic and then selected resources to take me to classroom. Here I was given further choices; and I selected fossil fuels which resulted in one lesson choice. I returned to the filter by topic menu, selected classroom again and scrolled over to lessons for grades 5-8. This resulted in 59 items. I browsed the tagged indicators for topics that would be appropriate for my target group of 5th graders studying air quality and alternative energies. I selected the alternative energy tag which demonstrated one lesson. This brought me to a review of a NISSAN Leaf Education program including a link to the website and a spot to post a comment. website (from Earth Science Teacher’s organization) could be your major textbook. Great website for understanding the whole climate change issue and CO2’s impact. Lots of solid science reports to back up the climate change events. nice inclusive Teachers’ Guide to a unit from Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources. “These educational materials are designed to introduce preschool children to the concepts of respiratory health, air quality, and caring for the environment. Background information on children’s respiratory health issues and air pollution is provided for the educator. The lesson plans incorporate in-class and take-home activities to create an introduction to respiratory health, the environment, and air quality for both children and their families.” is the best thing I have seen to explain carbon and what it does in the air. This website leads to a series of 5 videos of about 5 minutes each. They are animations targeting the middle school level, and they do a very memorable job of explaining the chemistry of carbon. They cover the basics of how carbon forms and breaks bonds, specifically why it forms CO2 and fossil fuels; as well as a link to climate change. This site would be good for a variety of grade levels, particularly as an introduction to carbon.The focus explains how carbon atoms form bonds, break apart and create the conditions that can lead to global warming. The videos include: making carbon bonds, breaking carbon bonds, how carbon makes us rich, and how carbon makes us warm. Also, this website includes different links about climate change and how it is affecting our earth. the Carbon Dioxide Emission Analysis Center. This is a collection of scientific data about climate change. There is information about the amount of CO2 emissions over time; as well as the amount of emissions per country. This site provides wonderful graphing activities. have a lesson posted on , the activity goes through a review process to ensure that the science is accurate and that the pedagogy is standards-based. They are excellent, somewhat critical and complex, and appropriate for middle school and above. CLEAN-stands for the Climate Literacy And Energy Awareness Network. It shares a host of digital resources reviewed and annotated by educators and scientists. These resources build on the Essential Principals of Climate Science established and launched in November 2010 as part of the Science Digital Library Network (NSDL) Pathways Project. CLEAN facilitates browsing for resources by grade level, resource types, climate literacy principles or regional focus. As I previewed the lessons listed under the guiding principles, I came across an exciting resource, “Earth, the Operator’s Manual” which provides downloadable videos, activities and enriching tools for the classroom. I watched several segments that would help deliver my 5th grade classroom’s environmental science concepts in an engaging, highly educational manner. The videos are closed captioned which helps our ESL or hearing impaired students follow the dialogue, but this option can also be turned off. I decided to log on and register at this site so I could download higher resolution videos for use in my classroom. A truly amazing site! is a ‘one stop’ resource center-site for both new and experienced teachers and administrators. It offers a wide array of helpful tools in all subject areas. Lesson plans are available for teachers in every subject for most grade levels, although the primary focus is K-8. A very neat and organized sitemap is available that includes school resources, lesson plans, professional development opportunities, technology, and other “specialties” such as educational games, fact finders, etc. Templates are available including calendars and classroom organizers. Although it is very useful and resourceful, is somewhat limited in air quality education. Some earth science links take you to recycling awareness and cleaning of the environment and others take you to water conservation. Wise (Web Based Inquiry Science Environment) Is a free interactive website for students of all grade levels (k-12). A Quick Start guide gives detailed instructions on setting up the site and even creating a practice student Log On, so that the teacher can see the page from the student’s point of view. A classroom run is set up for any project that is interesting and that the teacher wishes to assign. An option for grading is also available for grading of the projects. It allows teachers to give assignments that range from subject (ie. General, Earth, Life Science) to appropriate grade level and language desired for the project (so this would be good for dual language classes or to help ELL students). WISE also gives educators the opportunity to upload and create new curriculum units. Project options allow students to answer questions by filling in the blank-- dragging pictures into appropriate box to complete diagrams, a sort of matching activity, which gives the opportunity for students to check their work. Countdown to Your Carbon In this interactive website we are all able to calculate our carbon emissions that occur through daily life activities and also learn ways to stop or reduce our carbon emissions. It provides background information on global warming, how our lifestyle choices aid in carbon emissions, and information on how the use of electricity, driving cars, and using hot water adds to the carbon in the atmosphere. A carbon emissions calculator gives us the opportunity to decrease our carbon emissions by providing suggestions on the reduction of carbon, just by changing our lifestyle choices, like recycling, and using clean energy alternatives. The goal of this calculator is to reduce our emission by 1,000,000,000 lbs. When we add our attempts to reduce carbon output, they are added to the calculator and we become a part of hundreds of thousands of people that are all working together to decrease global warming. This site also gives other web references to find more information to help us reduce our carbon footprint, such as NRDCs global warming map or the Rainforest Action Network advocacy campaign. comprehensive source from American Lung Association about asthma – background, treatment, prevention. is a lesson plan where you use some of the climate data in your classroom. Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA). I chose this as a site because I use it frequently in my classroom. It is a fun site to navigate, designed very well, and has much information with pictures and graphics. It is easy to navigate as my 3rd graders explored how to measure climate, how to upload highly detailed maps and videos, and to read interviews with scientists on almost any subject. Children can use the site to check on weather, climate conditions, pollution, and drought. As an educator I appreciate that there are opportunities such as scholarships, internships, fellowships, grant information, workshops, and online self-directed learning. From the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Information about biofuels production, who uses them, how they are used, and how they affect the price of foods. For a first-hand look at how biofuels decreases cost of energy in wealthy nations but increases the cost of food in developing nations, see Up to date about the demolition and remediation of ASARCO in El Paso. Interesting article about how growing corn for bio fuels is diminishing the food and land resources for poor farmers in Guatemala. ORDER free COAL samples AT: Map of US Coal reserves fern imprint in coal Global carbon emissions chart Discovery Channel quick video about how climate change is measured Time-laps of global greenhouse gas emissions 400 years Great YouTube clip -- Annual variation of CO2 in earth’s atmosphere since 1980(Intro from the website. It’s a great map!) The?#USofEnergy?map visualizes our country’s energy potential by charting current sources of energy production and identifying future resources and known deposits. Energy resources surveyed include: natural gas, oil, coal, nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, solar and biomass. Compiled data from a broad range of industry and government sources, including the?National Renewable Energy Laboratory,?U.S. Geological Survey,?U.S. Energy Information Administration,?U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,?Nuclear Research Council?and?American Wind Energy Association. computer game to help the gorilla recycle ítems. Primary grades. air quality. Interactive home telling students where inorganic and organic pollutants might be found. will love this, and it is very important. You can find schools in your community and see their ranking for air quality. Try Ramona Elementary! the information you need for background on wind-generated electric power. COUNT OF CURRENT OZONE LEVELS IN TEXAS CITIESncbi.nlm.pubmed/23312396 Jan 2013 study: Associations between urban air pollution and pediatric asthma control in El Paso, Tx. A very thorough study showing that children in schools near the El Paso and Ciudad Juárez high traffic areas have higher exposure to pollutants and higher risks for health problems. ................
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