Fossil Fuels: Air Pollution and the Greenhouse Effect

California Academy of Sciences

This lesson contains two activities to demonstrate two consequences of burning fossil fuels: air pollution and the greenhouse effect. In the first activity, students simulate the greenhouse effect with an enclosed beaker, water, Alka Seltzer, and a light source. In the second activity, a candle produces soot on a jar to simulate air pollution. Teachers should lead a wrap-up discussion to relate the two activities to the burning of fossil fuels.

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Notes from our reviewers

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This is a greenhouse gas demonstration, which could be useful for introducing climate change topics and air pollution. This lesson is simple and best suited for students in grades 4-5 because of how it aligns with NGSS standards. If done with students in these grades, the teacher may want to separate the introduction (as a brainstorm), activities, and reflection activities into separate days. Teachers for grades 4-5 will want to model the experiment with the candle. If teachers use this lesson with students up to Grade 8, they may want to embed the activities in more extensive lab experiments with controls and variables to make them more engaging. After completing the "Take Action" survey, the teacher could help students track and graph their combined data for CO2 saved each year and develop a plan to minimize the emissions when students are in the classroom. Teachers may want to extend the lesson to how corporations are also contributing to emissions and compare those emissions to their own.
Two experiments are used to model how greenhouse gases impact air pollution and climate change. Students will either observe the demonstration or run the experiment (older students) and collect temperature data. Teachers are provided with background refreshers about fossil fuels, greenhouse gases, and air pollution. There are also in depth references, teaching tips to run the lesson, and supplemental videos. While misconceptions are hinted at in the background section, it is not clear enough for students that the greenhouse effect is essential to life on Earth. Some recommendations from reviewers to address this are (1) include a control experiment to represent the greenhouse effect without additional fossil fuels, (2) rename greenhouse effect activity to human/fossil fuel amplified greenhouse effect, or (3) teach the importance of the greenhouse effect before the lesson. Students will need some background knowledge of terms like fossil fuels, climate change, air pollution, and greenhouse gases. "Take Action" surveys emphasize individual action without the importance of corporate actions. Educators may want to allow students time to think about their actions and also give them time to think about actions larger entities could take to help reduce emissions. Passed initial science review - expert science review pending.
The demonstration is a model experiment of how increasing CO2 can increase temperatures. This lesson includes two group demonstrations with a worksheet and supplemental survey to take home and complete with family. Teaching tips listed to help with the flow of the activity. This lesson is well organized and filled with necessary background information for teachers. It includes (1) an introduction with ideas for priming, discussion, and a video, (2) two easy-to-follow experiments with tips and data-collecting worksheets, and (3) steps to engage students in a wrap-up discussion. To prepare, teachers can read through the 6-page, easy-to-read lesson plan, which also includes related terms, a teaching background, related standards, and linked references. To strengthen the overall outcome of the lesson, teachers can embed this lesson in a larger unit about climate change or teach a connected lesson (described further in the teaching tips section). The lesson is an engaging one for students overall and gives them the opportunity to feel empowered with a "Taking Action" survey.
This is a simple activity that demonstrates the concept effectively. There are step-by-step instructions with guidelines on timing. This lesson is well organized and easy to use, with common materials found in most science classrooms. Alka seltzer may need to be purchased. Preparation time is around 45 minutes.