5.  Use the " Amazing Air " activity to show that air occupies space.  Students can work in pairs or groups to do this activity.  Discuss their results.

6.  Ask, "Why does warm air take up more space than cold air?"  To demonstrate, stretch a balloon slightly and pull it over the neck of a soda bottle.  Place the bottle in a pan of hot water and let it stand for several minutes.  The balloon will begin to inflate.  Explain that the air in the balloon expands when it is heated because the molecules move faster and are farther apart.  Relate it to the real world by stating that warm air outside the balloon is less dense than cold air.  It takes up more space than the same amount of cold air and weighs less than the amount of cold air occupying the same space.

7.  Use the activity, How Much Oxygen is in the Air? to determine the percentage of oxygen in the air.   Explain that oxygen is necessary for respiration in animals.  Organisms need oxygen to release energy from their food.  Oxygen is a gas that supports burning.

8.  To show the composition of the atmosphere, pass out the dried kidney beans, popcorn, dried green peas, and 1 liter glass jar with lid to each group of four students based on their calculations using the following procedure:  Nitrogen (essential to all plants and animal tissue)  makes up 78% of the lower atmosphere, so they can calculate 78% of 300:  0.78 x 300 =  234.  Count out 234 beans to represent nitrogen.  Calculate the parts of oxygen (utilized in respiration) by finding 21% of 300, since oxygen makes up 21% of the lower atmosphere:  0.21 x 300 =  63 .  Count out 63 pieces of popcorn to represent oxygen.  Trace gases (the most abundant are argon, carbon dioxide, and water vapor) are only 1% of the atmosphere.  Calculate the parts of trace gases and count out 3 peas to represent these gases:  0.01 x 300 =   3 .  Put all parts of the beans, popcorn, and peas into the jar, screw the lid on firmly  and shake the jar.  Ask the following questions:

• Does it take very much carbon dioxide or other trace gases to warm the atmosphere?
• If humans add more carbon dioxide or other trace gases to the atmosphere, what might happen?
• How does nature mix the gases?

9.  To show these percentages another way, construct a pie chart.  A circle contains 360 degrees.  The pie will have three pieces, one each of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases.  Nitrogen:  0.78 x 360 degrees = 281 degrees.  Oxygen:  0.21 x 360 degrees = 75 degrees.  Trace Gases:  0.01 x 360 degrees = 4 degrees.  With a compass, construct a circle with a radius of about 5 cm.  Then use a protractor to figure the sizes of the angles and construct
a pie chart.  Be sure to label the various pieces of the atmospheric pie.

10.  Test for carbon dioxide:  Give each student or group 1/4 glass of bromothymol blue solution or lime water.  Have students blow through a straw into the glass for several seconds and note any changes they observe.  Discuss.  Tell them if the bromothymol blue solution turned yellow or the lime water turned milky white, carbon dioxide was present.  Explain that carbon dioxide is an odorless, colorless gas that does not support burning and is used by plants in the process of photosynthesis.  It is the gas that we exhale into the air.  Also point out that nitrogen gas is used to make living matter.  Plants and animals do not use nitrogen directly from the atmosphere.  Plants obtain it from the soil, and animals obtain it from eating plants.

11.  Bookmark the following sites for students to use as an introduction to the layers of the atmosphere.   Divide the class into four groups and assign each group one layer of the atmosphere to research (Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, and Thermosphere).  Have each group write a one page paper about their findings.  Attach a long length of butcher paper from floor to ceiling in the classroom.  Give each group a copy of the Layers of the Atmosphere.  Ask each group to post their research paper on the corresponding layer of the chart and illustrate their  layer of the chart to show what may be found there (e.g., satellite, a space shuttle, meteorites, etc.)

12.  Have students paste Styrofoam packing pieces onto large oak tag in an arrangement that represents the molecules in each of the four layers of the atmosphere.  Students will model how molecules in the bottom layer are tightly packed; whereas, molecules higher up spread farther and farther apart.

13.  Access Scholastic and project the site using a data projector to see a list of questions and answers about the earth.  (Click Content-Science-Earth and Space-Weather-Weather).   After viewing this site, click on Earth's Atmosphere.  Discuss variables that cause air pressure to change (altitude, air masses, temperature changes), why the changes occur, and what high pressure and low pressure mean.

14.  For this activity, each group will need a balloon, a jar, a rubber band, a straw, and a piece of plain paper.  Pass out the investigation sheet and results and conclusions sheet to each group and ask, "What is the relationship between air pressure and weather?"  Allow time for group discussion and have them write a hypothesis.  Place the barometers out of direct sunlight.  Each group can collect and record daily observations in a database.  After a few days, compare each group's results and conclusions.  Discuss any discrepancies in the group's data. Access the Internet for alternate directions for making a barometer    A  purchased barometer could also be used to collect and record daily observations throughout the rest of the unit.   For more information, students can access " How a Barometer Works ."

15.  Read the story "Weather Makers" (see teacher notes) to review the atmospheric concepts and air pressure.  Make a transparency and cut apart each picture.  Place the pictures on the overhead while the story is being told.  Fill in the blank concept map after reading the story, "Weather Makers," by using the weather phrases on the overhead or write in the words.  Use the concept key to check their answers.

Modifications:

• The activities should be modified according to each individual's IEP.
• Pair students with a partner or a peer helper.
• For students who have physical disabilities, they can dictate science journal entries and other writings to the teacher, a peer, or an adult classroom helper.
• Cooperative groups can be arranged so that students with learning disabilities are grouped with students who are on level or advanced.

Enrichment Activities:

• Choose a planet to compare its atmosphere to that of  earth's.   They can construct a chart to record the surface, composition, and atmosphere of each planet.  They can also Ask the Astronomer questions about their planet.
• Have groups of students investigate the possibility of human life existing elsewhere in our solar system.
• The Cartesian Diver activity can be used to show that air has mass.  It also shows that less dense substances float on more dense substances.  This activity can be set up as a center activity.
• Students can form a hypotheses and research the following questions.

• Have students define atmospheric pressure and explain the difference in the weight of air pressure above sea level.  They should include the weight of air pressure at sea level.
• Answer the question, "Does pressure increase/decrease with height?"  Explain.
• Draw a diagram and describe the layers of the atmosphere.
• Have students do the practice test on the Atmosphere after completing the above activities.
• Fill in the blank concept map, "Weather Makers."

National Standards:

West Virginia Instructional Goals and Objectives:

Language Arts:

• Listening and Speaking:  4.16, 5.12, 6.14
• Reading Comprehension:  4.40, 5.16, 5.23, 5.336, 6.34
• Writing:  4.53, 4.54, 5.56, 6.54
• Study Skills:  4.83, 5.162, 5.176, 5.177, 6.143, 6.147, 6.151

Science:

• Nature of Science:  4.2, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7, 5.2, 5.7, 5.8, 6.7, 6.8
• Scientific Attitudes and Habits of Mind:  4.9, 4.11, 6.10, 6.11
• Scientific Processes/Thinking Skills:  4.17, 4.24, 4.28, 5.17, 5.20, 616, 6.17,6.20
• Laboratory Investigation/Hands-On Learning:  4.27, 4.28, 5.22, 5.46, 6.22
• Science Themes and Subject Matter:  4.30, 4.47, 4.58, 4.59, 4.68, 5.24, 5.25, 5.46, 5.68, 5.69, 5.70, 5.71, 5.79, 6.66, 6.70, 6.76
• Computer/Technology:  4.79, 4.81, 4.83, 4.84, 4.85, 5.67, 5.73, 6.83, 6.85, 6.86, 6.88, 6.93, 6.98

Math:

• Fractions/Decimals:  4.6, 4.16
• Problem Solving/Statistics:  5.23, 5.26, 6.24
• Computation/Estimation:  5.14, 6.12

References:

a)  Resources cited
The Educator's Guide to the Internet, Virginia Space Grant Consortium, 1994.  Mandell, Muriel
Simple Weather Experiments With Everyday Materials, Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.  New York, 1990.
Earth's Changing Atmosphere , NASA Resources for Educators
Weather Makers.  Rezek, Allen & Carol Mathis, 1997.  Lakewood Elementary, St. Albans, WV
 

c)  Student resources
Weather Glossary  http://www.glacier.rice.edu/misc/glossary.html

d)  Internet links

http://www.schools.ash.org.au/paa/instruments.htm
Layers
Air Density

Authors:

 

Carol Mathis	cmathis@access.k12.wv.us	Lakewood Elementary
Donna Hebb	dhebb@access.k12.wv.us	2089 Lakewood Dr.
Yvonne Martin	ymartin@access.k12.wv.us	St. Albans, WV 25177

Lesson 1 Careers	Lesson 2 Atmosphere	Lesson 3 Seasons
Lesson 4 Water Cycle	Lesson 5 Temperature	Lesson 6 Wind
Lesson 7 Storms	Lesson 8 Man's Effect on Weather	Lesson 9 Forecasting

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