How the 2020 Creek Fire Impacted Air Quality

Overview

Students observe maps that show smoke and AOD levels during the 2020 Creek Fire. Then, students construct a claim identifying a relationship between fire and air quality data. To support their claim, students select evidence from the maps and use reasoning to draw connections to their claim.

Materials Required

For Students to View: 

• Video: Engine 331 - The Story of One of the First Engines to Respond  (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1xyiqr_KV0&t=193s)
• Article: Aerosol Optical Depth (https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/global-maps/MODAL2_M_AER_OD)

1 per Group of Students (printed or shared on Google Classroom): 

• Frayer Model: AOD
• AOD Images from the 2020 Creek Fire

Procedure

Engage 

(10 min) Capture students interest in the Creek Fire: 

• As students watch, Engine 331 - The Story of One of the First Engines to Respond , they will record: 

1. One question that they would ask Captain Juan Ybarra if given the opportunity. 
2. What they notice about the sky as Creek Fire grows
3. Turn & Talk: Students will share their question and observations with a partner. 
4. Share Out: Teacher will call on a few students to share out their question and observations.

​​​​​​Explain

(2 min) Framing the Lesson:  

1. Teacher explains that without any instruments we can observe the visibility or haziness of the sky to assess the air quality. However, scientists can also use satellites to make images of Earth’s atmosphere from above and take measurements of air quality. In these lessons, we will look at images surrounding the Creek Fire that show us Aerosol Optical Depth which is one way that we can measure air quality. 

(13 min) Acquire Background Knowledge: 

1. Students individually read the article Aerosol Optical Depth. 
2. In pairs, students create a Frayer Model for the term, Aerosol Optical Depth.
3. Teacher highlights key information shown on students’ Frayer Models and addresses any misconceptions that they observed in students’ Frayer Models. 
4. See the teacher answer key for a sample of possible answers.

Explore

• Materials: 
  • AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire
• (10 min) Observe Satellite Images 

1. Students observe AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire and record observations, questions, and connections to the engage and explain activities as well as to prior learning.
2. Technology options: teacher may project images for all students to view or 2-3 students may look on a shared laptop. 

Elaborate

(25 min) Claim, Evidence, Reasoning

• Students will create a Claim, Evidence, Reasoning statement that answers their own question related to the AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire. 
• While there are not precise answers, please refer to the answer key for the Creek Fire CER, which serves as a model of a scientific explanation based on AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire. 

1.  ​​​Construct your CER Question:  
   
   1. Choose one type of fire data shown on AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire. 
      • Containment of Creek Fire 
      • Acreage burned
      • Smoke Observations shown on True Color Maps 
   2. Choose one type of air quality data shown on AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire. 
      • Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) 
      • Air Quality Index (AQI)  
   3. Use the sentence frame below to write your CER Question.  

      • CER Sentence Frame: What is the relationship between ___________________ and ___________________ ? 

                     (fire data)                (air quality data) 

        OR create your own open-ended question! Just make sure to get it approved by a teacher. 

2. Select Evidence that will help you answer your question.  
   
   1. Collect evidence from AOD Images from 2020 Creek Fire that will help you answer your question. Take notes on data from specific dates. 
3. Construct an Outline
   
   1. Assess the evidence that you’ve collected and construct a 1-2 sentence claim that directly answers your CER question. 
   2. Select 2-3 pieces of evidence that best support your claim. 
   3. As reasoning, explain why these pieces of evidence support your claim.  
4. Construct a Scientific Explanation
   
   1. Construct a paragraph that begins with your claim and is supported by your evidence and reasoning.   ​

Evaluate 

(5 min) Assessment

1. Students self-assess their work using the rubric below. Based on their self-assessment, students revise their CER. 
2. After students have revised their CER, teachers use the rubric below to grade students’ work.

Answer Key:

Teachers who are interested in receiving the answer key, please complete the Teacher Key Request and Verification Form. We verify that requestors are teachers prior to sending access to the answer keys as we’ve had many students try to pass as teachers to gain access.

Sources:

1. (n.d.). YouTube. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e1xyiqr_KV0&t=193s
2. Global Map Aerosol Optical Depth Image 1. (n.d.). NASA Earth Observatory. Retrieved July 22, 2022, from https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/global-maps/MODAL2_M_AER_OD

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