Handbook of Engaged Learning Projects
Science/Chemistry, Environment - Air Pollution
High school chemistry students
Students will investigate the problem of air pollution in a given location
and research possible solutions using a variety of tools (laboratory technology,
Internet resources, multimedia technology, etc.). They will select the best
solutions and present them to the class with the results of their research.
Learner Outcomes: Students will know and be able to:
- Describe types, sources and effects of air pollutants.
- Describe methods of controlling air pollution.
- Develop an awareness of the potential benefits and limitations of science
As students work they will demonstrate an ability to:
Alignment with Standards (National
Standards): This project demonstrates some elements of the following:
- Formulate questions, gather information, and organize ideas.
- Represent and organize data.
- Interpret and apply gathered information to solve problems.
- Make informed decisions about issues involving science and technology.
- Communicate results and conclusions to an audience.
- Work cooperatively in small groups.
- Record their progress and reflect on their activities in journals.
Plan an inquiry-based science program
Guide and facilitate learning
Engage in ongoing assessment of teaching and student learning
Design and manage learning environment
Develop communities of science learners
Participate in ongoing planning and development of science program
Consistent with the decisions they are designed to inform
Achievement and opportunity to learn science
Quality of data matched to decisions and actions taken
Science as inquiry
Earth and space science
Science and technology
Science in personal and social perspectives
History and nature of science
Consistent with other standards
Developmentally appropriate, interesting, and relevant
Coordinated with mathematics program
Access to appropriate and sufficient resources
Equitable student access
This project helps teachers address a number of Illinois State Goals for Learning
in science and mathematics. Teachers will introduce restructured project-oriented
lessons that model the science research process and require students to
use methods of data collection and analysis and predict and judge reasonableness
Assessment of Students:
- Science Goals:
- 11: Understand the process of scientific inquiry and technological
design to investigate questions, conduct experiments and solve problems
- 12. Understand the fundamental concepts, principles and interconnections
of the life, physical and earth/space sciences
- 13. Understand the relationships among science, technology and society
in historical and contemporary contexts
- Mathematics Goals:
- 7. Estimate, make and use measurements of objects, quantities and relationships
and determine acceptable levels of accuracy
- 10. Collect, organize and analyze data using statistical methods, predict
results and interpret uncertainty using concepts of probability
Assessment will be ongoing. Students will keep daily logs of their work
and complete weekly group self-evaluations. They will be assessed using
a variety of scoring rubrics that will assess their chemistry knowledge,
their ongoing work during the project and their final project.
Author: Karen Bardeen, firstname.lastname@example.org, Oak Park River Forest High School, Oak Park, IL.
Handbook of Engaged Learning
Projects sponsored by Fermi National
Accelerator Laboratory Education Office
and Friends of Fermilab.
Funded by the North Central Regional Technology
in Education Consortium based at the North
Central Regional Educational Laboratory (NCREL).
Created: July 18, 1996 - Updated: July 18, 1997