Emily’s Big Idea:
Students explored air quality and environmental inequity in the Twin Cities. They practiced their science and engineering skills by designing a city-wide experiment, collecting air quality data, analyzing the data to then create an action plan to communicate their findings and make recommendations for how to recognize body symptoms from hazardous air quality, what to do to keep safe, and how to reduce air pollution.
Students used their science and engineering skills to understand air pollution as an environmental justice issue and determined how it impacts families more negatively. Students read and analyzed text describing a current issue facing the Phillips community in Minneapolis, a location targeted as a future Superfund site. Students engaged in a Socratic Seminar around the topic of clean air laws and regulations. They collected and analyzed local air quality data from St. Paul and created an action plan for sharing their findings with the community. Lastly, they organized a bike-to-school week.
Objectives included:
- Analyzing text;
- Discussing issues;
- Collecting and analyzing data;
- Creating and executing an action plan to encourage improved outcomes.
Interesting Fact:
Emily wants to empower students to make and advocate for changes that will protect the Earth, as well as improve the lives of people in their own community.
