Ozone independent research (TOMS)

BACKGROUND PAGE

Assumed background: Before any project begins, it is assumed that:

- students have a general understanding of latitude and longitude

http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/latlon.html (TOMS website - NASA)
http://www.geosys.com/cgi-bin/genobject/mapskills_latlong/tigdd27 (GEOsystems)

- students have a general understanding of what ozone is

http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/science/q_a.html (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/science/sc_fact.html (EPA fact sheet)

- students have a general understanding of why low ozone is harmful to life

http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/science/q_a.html (EPA)
http://www.epa.gov/docs/ozone/science/sc_fact.html (EPA fact sheet)

- students are familiar enough with the TOMS website to retrieve desired information. (See "The Sky is Falling?" activity) or http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/main.html (TOMS website - NASA)

Introduction & Background:
Ozone layer-It is obvious that the depletion of the ozone layer has been a major concern of the 20th century. By the mid 1980s, scientists found that Antarctic ozone values nearly halved in a 20 year period. This concern that a lack of ozone leads to an increase of tissue-damaging UV sun rays prompted the first real world-wide environmental policies. The Montreal Protocol (1986) was responsible for decreasing the production of CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons), and later the Copenhagen Amendment later banned CFC production by the end of the century.
These projects- There are 5 projects on this sheet. It is designed to serve as a way for students to interact with the latest real-time ozone data on the web. Most satellite data is accessible within 24 hours, and it only takes seconds to view on the web browser. Each project is also constructed to be independent of the others, therefore, feel free to modify any project to suit your needs.
Before doing a project- These projects are meant to compliment the activities in "The Sky is Falling?", however, any of these projects can be used as long as the student has an idea of what kind of data is available on the TOMS website, and how to retrieve it.
The project options- You can print out a copy of all 5 projects by accessing the OVERVIEW SHEET.

...for specific summaries of each individual project, please print the individual TEACHER COPY

Procedure: Simply assign the project and monitor student progress.

Coding: ...for specific standards for each individual project, please print the individual TEACHER COPY
Maryland Core Learning Goals (Science):
National Standards (Science):
National Standards (Geography):
National Standards (Mathematics):

Investigation Discussion and Questions: Simply refer to and print your individual TEACHER COPY

Feedback: Please email: Matthew_Binder@mail.hempfield.k12.pa.us

Credits: Developed by Matthew Binder, 8th grade Earth Science- Centerville Middle School - Hempfield School District (Landisville, PA) for the Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch at NASA-GSFC

Advised by Dr. Paul Newman, Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Branch