What’s Up There Besides Air?

 Grade: 5

Subject: Science, Language Arts 

 NGSS (DCI) Connections: ESS3.C

Time: 1 to 2 Class Periods

• Define air pollution

• Demonstrate the presence of air

pollution in the air around us

• Hypothesize on the sources of air

pollution in the air around us

• Notebook and pencil for each student

• A milk carton for each student, team or

group of students

• Double-sided carpet tape

• Waterproof marker

• Directional compass

• Magnifying glass

• Colored pencils, markers or crayons

• Flashlight (optional)

• Posters (optional)

Clean air is healthy for us to breathe. However, air 

can become polluted - that is, contaminated with 

particles and gases that are not supposed to be 

there - making the air dirty and unhealthy. In 

general, air pollution is any visible or invisible 

particle or gas found in the air that is not part of the 

normal composition of air.

Some air pollution is from natural causes, but 

much of it comes from man-made sources such as 

cars, factories, fires, and products that we use. It is 

important to note that both indoor air and outdoor 

air can be polluted. This lesson is focused on 

outdoor air. Air pollutants can be in one of two 

forms: particulate or gaseous. Particle pollution is 

in the form of small solids or droplets. Dust, smoke, 

sand, ash, smog and pollen are examples of particle 

pollution. Particle pollution is often easy for us to 

notice because it can make the air look dirty or 

smell unusual. Sometimes we can see particle 

pollution when it settles out of the air and 

accumulates on surfaces - our cars can be covered 

with yellow pollen, outdoor surfaces can be covered 

with dust and statues can become dirty from 

deposited soot.

Gaseous air pollutants are in the form of a gas: 

carbon monoxide, radon, ozone, and sulfur dioxide 

are a few examples. Some gaseous pollutants are 

invisible and odorless, making them more difficult to 

detect than particle pollution. Two such pollutants 

are carbon monoxide and radon.

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Student Objectives

Materials

Background Information

December 2020

Adapted from the Air and Waste Management Association

Environmental Resource Guide for AirQuality

EPA-456/F-20-004
What’s Up There Besides Air?

Others are more obvious because we can 

smell them or immediately feel their effects.

Gaseous pollutants can combine with water vapor 

and other elements to create other pollutants.

For example, ozone is created by an interaction of 

volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen 

oxides, natural atmospheric gases, and sunlight.

How do we know when air pollutants are 

present? As mentioned previously, sometimes 

we can see them or smell them. Other times we 

might experience noticeable effects of the 

pollutants, such as difficulty breathing when 

there’s a lot of ozone in the air or watery eyes 

when there is excessive pollen in the air. We rely 

on technology, government agencies, the news 

media and social media to inform us of the air 

quality conditions or forecast. 

What is Air Pollution?

• Students will discover ways in which they

can tell that the air is polluted, learn that

there are both particulate and gaseous air

pollutants, and define (in their own

words) the term air pollution.

• The class will take a "walking" field trip

outside in the area around the school or

learning environment. Each student should

have a notebook and pencil or pen for

recording their observations. (NOTE: This

does not work as well immediately after a

rain, because the air and surfaces have been

cleansed of most air pollution.)

• Before going outside, students should respond

to the following in their notebooks using the

NASA Kids air pollution site

(https://climatekids.nasa.gov/air-pollution/):

o What causes air pollution? (solid and liquid

particles and gases suspended/floating in

the air)

o Why is it important to keep track of

pollutants in the air? (because they can be

harmful to people and the environment)

• Now take the students outside. Have

students "smell" the air. Ask them if it smells

clean, the way it does right after it rains, or if

they can detect any other smells. Ask

students to record what they smell in their

notebooks.

• Ask students to look at the air, both

right around them and toward the

horizon. Is it clear or hazy? Ask them to

record their observations in their

notebooks.

Environmental Resource Guide for AirQuality

Background Info (Cont.)

Setting the Stage

2 | Page

December 2020

Adapted from the Air and Waste Management Association

Environmental Resource Guide for AirQuality

EPA-456/F-20-004
What’s Up There Besides Air?

• Have students inspect objects in the

vicinity to see if they can find any

physical evidence of air pollutants

(stationary objects that collect dust,

dirt, etc.) and record their descriptions

in their notebooks.

• When they have finished the field trip,

return to the classroom and ask the

students to share their findings. Ask them

the following questions:

o Do you think polluted air always

contains the same pollutants? (No)

What observations tell you this?

(Deposited pollutants look different,

sometimes I sneeze when I go

outside and sometimes I don't, etc.)

o Do you think air pollutants are

particles or gases? Why? (They can

be either. Some we can see; some

we can smell.)

o You mentioned several things that you

smelled or saw that let you know the

air contained pollutants. Which

indicate the presence of particulate air

pollutants and which indicate the

presence of gaseous air pollutants?

(Deposited particles indicate

particulate pollutants; smells indicate

gaseous or particulate pollutants.)

• Ask students to write a definition of the

term "air pollution” in their notebooks.

Catching Particle Pollutants

Students will collect particle pollutants to 

demonstrate the presence of particle pollution 

in the air around them. Have the students 

follow these steps to create particle pollution 

“collectors.” 

1. Wrap a piece of double-sided carpet tape

around the middle of the milk carton.

2. On the four "sides" of the carton, write the

directions north (N), south (S), east (E),

and west (W). Make sure that students

have the carton labeled in the correct

orientations.

3. Label the catchers 1, 2, 3, etc.

4. Place the cartons in various spots around

the school, using the compass to make

sure that N is facing north, etc. (NOTE:

Write on the bottom of carton the location

where it is placed.) Make a list showing

where each catcher was placed.

5. Have students write their predictions

about which side will "collect" more

pollutants and explain their rationale.

6. After a few days, collect the cartons and

examine them. On a chart write the

location where the carton was placed, how

much particulate matter was stuck to the

tape, what it looked like (use a magnifying

glass), and the direction from which the

majority of the pollutants came, etc.

Setting the Stage (Cont.) Activity

3 | Page

December 2020

Adapted from the Air and Waste Management Association

Environmental Resource Guide for AirQuality

EPA-456/F-20-004
What’s Up There Besides Air?

• Create and

share a simple map that shows all the 

locations where the cartons were placed, 

with potential pollutant sources 

identified (traffic, pollen sources, 

factories, etc.) 

• Use colored pencils, markers, or crayons,

to indicate the relative amount of

particulate matter "collected" at each of

the locations. This can be done as a group

or students can individually create these

maps.

• Discuss possible reasons more particles

were caught in some locations than in

others (proximity to road, exposure,

wind direction, etc.).

• Have students write a paragraph in their

notebooks that lays out the observed air

pollutants and hypothesizes on where

they may have originated.

• Turn off the lights in the room. Ask the students

if they think that the air in the classroom is

clean. Shine a bright flashlight in the dark room

and ask students to observe what they see

around the beam of light. Have each student

draw and describe in writing what they saw.

Discuss their findings. Ask the students what

senses were used and what senses were not

used and why.

• Have the students make a collage using pictures

cut from magazines. On one half of the paper,

glue pictures of people or things polluting the

air. On the other half, show pictures of people

cleaning up and taking care of the earth.

• Have students write a cinquain (5-line stanza) on

the topic of air pollution.

• Have students work in groups to create a "Don't

Pollute" poster. They can make up their own

catchy slogan. Display the posters around the

school.

• Have the students create an opinion survey and

ask older students or adults what they think are

the biggest contributors to air pollution. Have

the students record only what that individual

thinks is the largest contributor. Have the

students bring the results back to class and

discuss their findings.

Extension

4 | Page

December 2020

Adapted from the Air and Waste Management Association

Environmental Resource Guide for AirQuality

EPA-456/F-20-004