"The sky is falling?”
BACKGROUND PAGE

Assumed background: Before the lesson begins, it is assumed that:

- students have a general understanding of latitude and longitude
http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/teacher/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 (or teachers) have a general understanding of how to access a specific webpage

Introduction & Background:

The 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.

This lesson- There are 4 sections to this activity. Each section in this activity is also designed to be independent of the other sections. Therefore, feel free to remove any section as a whole. Most of the ozone data can be accessed within 24 hours of its retrieval from the TOMS satellite, and student retrieval on the web takes seconds.

The lesson options- This activity contains a worksheet that can be printed and copied to students (ACTIVITY SHEET). This activity sheet can be used by a student, or a group of students at a computer, or it can be completed as the teacher accesses the computer information for the class. If desired, a student can complete the activity directly on the computer while copying their answers on to a blank answer sheet (WEB SHEET).

How to assess this lesson- Another purpose of this activity is to teach your students how to access the TOMS data for independent research purposes. If you are interested in project ideas to test the objectives, take a look at “Ozone independent research projects (TOMS)”.

Procedure:

Simply print out the ACTIVITY SHEET (or blank web answer sheet) and hand it out to your class. Make sure your students have the required background before beginning the activity.

Coding:
Maryland Core Learning Goals (Science):
National Standards (Science): A1,3; F3,4; G3
National Standards (Geography): 1, 17, 18
National Standards (Mathematics): 2.4, 10.1

Investigation Discussion and Questions: Simply refer to and print your 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