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How can we clean our classroom’s air?

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How can we clean our classroom’s air?

Earth & Space Science Engineering Is Lesson Plan STEM Middle School Grades 6-8

Sensemaking Checklist

Welcome to NSTA's Daily Do

Teachers and families across the country are facing a new reality of providing opportunities for students to do science through distance and home learning. The Daily Do is one of the ways NSTA is supporting teachers and families with this endeavor. Each weekday, NSTA will share a sensemaking task teachers and families can use to engage their students in authentic, relevant science learning. We encourage families to make time for family science learning (science is a social process!) and are dedicated to helping students and their families find balance between learning science and the day-to-day responsibilities they have to stay healthy and safe.

Interested in learning about other ways NSTA is supporting teachers and families? Visit the NSTA homepage.

What Is Sensemaking?

Sensemaking is actively trying to figure out how the world works (science) or how to design solutions to problems (engineering). Students do science and engineering through the science and engineering practices. Engaging in these practices necessitates that students be part of a learning community to be able to share ideas, evaluate competing ideas, give and receive critique, and reach consensus. Whether this community of learners is made up of classmates or family members, students and adults build and refine science and engineering knowledge together.

Lesson Snapshot

Middle school students, as scientists, investigate the problem of poor indoor air quality in
schools. Indoor air quality matters, because we spend about 90% of our time indoors.
Things in the air such as particulate matter (PM) and airborne viruses such as Sars-CoV-2
can have negative impacts on human health, especially for younger people whose
respiratory systems are still developing. Because classrooms have more people per unit
area, the air quality can be worse than other settings like homes and offices. In this lesson,
students define indoor air quality as an engineering problem, build an air purifier, and
analyze data about their classroom air. Then, students share their new understanding with
relevant stakeholders.

This lesson was developed by the UConn Indoor Air Quality Initiative.

Click the Download PDF button above for the complete Lesson Plan.

Materials

Student Materials
Per Student

Per Small Group (2 to 4 students)

  • Duct tape
  • Scissors
  • 20” box fans with boxes
  • MERV-13 filters
  • Tissue 

Teacher Materials

Optional Teacher Resources 

 

Asset 2