Air Quality Health Index classroom kit
Educators can choose from six 30-minute learning centres for their grade 5 or 6 students, building skills in literacy, communication, reflection, and problem-solving. Developed directly from provincial and territorial curriculum documents, topics include: ways to prepare for and predict various weather and/or air quality conditions, how media, peers and family affect decisions, outdoor safety, and environmental health issues.
read |
smile |
think |
redefine |
choose |
solve |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Station | 1. Science in the News | 2. Behind the Scenes: Canada's Next Top Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) Model! | 3. Jumping to Conclusions | 4. Getting Ready for Work | 5. Air Qualitopoly | 6. Kids Know Best! |
| Summary | Students read about science in the news and describe ways to respond to, prepare for, or choose outdoor activities for various weather conditions. | Students use weather and AQHI to make choices about how to prepare for different outdoor activities. | Students describe and predict local air quality conditions using real-time weather data. Then they write conclusions using a new twist to an old-fashioned fill-in-the-blanks. | Students use narrative to reflect on how they make decisions and communicate their personal, family, and community attitudes towards healthy lifestyles and safety. | Students use cooperative learning to design a board game on air quality and sun health. | Students identify and solve local environmental health issues by engaging in a collaborative, problem-solving cycle. |
| Materials | Highlighters (at least two colours) | 3 hats or boxes Digital camera Clothing/gear Equipment/tools White paper Markers/crayons Computer |
Scissors Tape or glue |
2 or 3 dice | Bristol board (1 per group) Markers/crayons Game pieces Scissors Glue/tape |
Optional: Additional resources with information to support each initiative. |
| Preparation | Student Instructions Handout 1 (1 per student) Articles (1 per group) |
Student Instructions Handout 2 (1 per student) Weather condition hat cards (1 per group) |
Student Instructions Handout 3A (1 per group or student) Handout 3B (1 per group or student) Bookmark website |
Student Instructions Handout 4 (1 per student) AQHI Health Message chart (1) Data Sheet (1) |
Student Instructions Handout 5 (1 per group) Air Quality Impact Cards (1 per group) |
Student Instructions Handout 6 (1 per group) Fact Cards (1 set) |
| Curricular Theme | Outdoor Safety & Weather: Heat Exhaustion, Hypothermia, Wind, Air Quality | Appropriate Dress for Conditions; Importance of Forecasts | Describing and Predicting Weather; Recording & Interpreting Information | Healthy life-styles, Decision-making, Attitudes on Safety | Appropriate Clothing and Safety for Outdoor Conditions | Effects of Environment on Human Health; Community Action |
