Breathing Room! Nation Science Education Standards

Breathing Room! ‌ Lather Up! ‌ More Than Skin Deep! Safe Not Sorry! ‌ Wet Your Whistle! National Science Education Standards Breathing Room! Indoor Pollution Activity Handbook Challenge 1 Challenge 2 Challenge 3 Challenge 4 Challenge 5
Challenge 1
GRADE	CATEGORY	SUB-CATEGORY	STANDARD	EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Design and conduct a scientific investigation.	In the Inside/Outside: How Pollutants Spread activity, students model tightly sealed and well-ventilated houses to observe the movement of indoor and outdoor air pollution.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.	In the Inside/Outside: How Pollutants Spread activity, students use models to obtain information and analyze results.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.	In the Inside/Outside: How Pollutants Spread activity, students use evidence from the investigation to describe their results.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading asks students to research air purifiers and report to others what their research reveals.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some involve discovery of new objects and phenomena; and some involve making models.	In the Scavenger Hunt activity, students observe and describe possible sources of air pollutants in the home. In the Inside/Outside: How Pollutants Spread activity, students use model homes to observe the movement of pollutants.
5–8	Physical Science	Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter	A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading discusses pollutants that vaporize easily at room temperature (VOCs) and those that are odorless and invisible, such as CO and radon.
5–8	Physical Science	Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter	Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form new substances (compounds) with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances often are placed in categories or groups if they react in similar ways; metals is an example of such a group.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading discusses how CO is a product of the incomplete combustion of fuels.
5–8	Life Science	Structure and Function in Living Systems	Disease is a breakdown in structures or functions of an organism. Some diseases are the result of intrinsic failures of the system. Others are the result of damage by infection by other organisms.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading gives examples of health problems and diseases that may occur from repeated exposure to indoor pollutants.
5–8	Life Science	Regulation and Behavior	All organisms must be able to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external environment.	In the Scavenger Hunt activity, students learn about the conditions and resources organisms such as molds, spiders, and dust mites need to grow and reproduce. The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading discusses the conditions that molds, bacteria, viruses, and dust mites need to grow and reproduce.
5–8	Life Science	Populations and Ecosystems	The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors, such as quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition. Given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase at rapid rates. Lack of resources and other factors, such as predation and climate, limit the growth of populations in specific niches in the ecosystem.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading discusses how molds and dust mites need moisture and food to survive. Methods to eliminate these resources to prevent the growth of these contaminants are discussed.
5–8	Science and Technology	Understandings about Science and Technology	Perfectly designed solutions do not exist. All technological solutions have trade-offs, such as safety, cost, efficiency, and appearance. Engineers often build in back-up systems to provide safety. Risk is part of living in a highly technological world. Reducing risk often results in new technology.	In the Inside/Outside: How Pollutants Spread activity, students are asked to think about the trade-offs between tightly sealed and well ventilated buildings.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Personal Health	The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading demonstrates how poor indoor air quality is a risk to health and illustrates ways in which this risk can be identified and removed or reduced.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Personal Health	Natural environments may contain substances (for example, radon and lead) that are harmful to human beings. Maintaining environmental health involves establishing or monitoring quality standards related to use of soil, water, and air.	The Scavenger Hunt activity and the Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading illustrate how natural sources such as moisture and radon can contribute to poor indoor air quality.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Risk analysis considers the type of hazard and estimates the number of people that might be exposed and the number likely to suffer consequences. The results are used to determine the options for reducing or eliminating risks.	The Scavenger Hunt activity and the Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading address how indoor air pollution may affect the health of some individuals and discuss options to reduce or eliminate the risk.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).	The Scavenger Hunt activity and the Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading address risks associated with chemical and biological pollutants in the home.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.	The activities and reading in Challenge 1 provide information for making decisions on the risks and benefits of reducing indoor pollutants.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Science and Technology in Society	Science influences society through its knowledge and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment. The effect of science on society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading discusses how new building codes arose in response to indoor air pollution and the associated health risks.
5–8	History and Nature of Science	Nature of Science	In areas where active research is being pursued and in which there is not a great deal of experimental or observational evidence and understanding, it is normal for scientists to differ with one another about the interpretation of the evidence or theory being considered. Different scientists might publish conflicting experimental results or might draw different conclusions from the same data. Ideally, scientists acknowledge such conflict and work towards finding evidence that will resolve their disagreement.	The Introduction to Indoor Air Pollution reading discusses a controversy over the effectiveness of some types of indoor air cleaners.

Challenge 2
GRADE	CATEGORY	SUB-CATEGORY	STANDARD	EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Design and conduct a scientific investigation.	In the Follow Your Nose activity, students investigate how well their noses can track an odor by mapping where they smell certain scents. In the Look at One Part Per Million activity, students conduct an investigation of what one part per million (ppm) looks like.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.	In the Look at One Part Per Million activity, students create a model to gather information on the concept of ppm.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.	In the Look at One Part Per Million activity, students develop a description and understanding of what ppm means.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some involve discovery of new objects and phenomena; and some involve making models.	In the Follow Your Nose activity, students investigate how well their noses can track an odor by mapping where they smell certain scents. In the Look at One Part Per Million activity, students conduct an investigation of what one part per million (ppm) looks like.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Current scientific knowledge and understanding guide scientific investigations. Different scientific domains employ different methods, core theories, and standards to advance scientific knowledge and understanding.	The Something Smells Funny reading discusses what is currently known about the synergistic effects of chemical toxicities. The reading shows why further studies are needed on multiple chemical sensitivity and sick building syndrome.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Mathematics is important in all aspects of scientific inquiry.	The Look at One Part Per Million activity addresses calculations of ppm.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Science advances through legitimate skepticism. Asking questions and querying other scientists' explanations is part of scientific inquiry. Scientists evaluate the explanations proposed by other scientists by examining evidence, comparing evidence, identifying faulty reasoning, pointing out statements that go beyond the evidence, and suggesting alternative explanations for the same observations.	The Something Smells Funny reading addresses medical issues and scientific skepticism of multiple chemical sensitivity and sick building syndrome.
5–8	Physical Science	Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter	A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.	The Something Smells Funny reading discusses the chemical characteristics of VOCs, hydrogen sulfide, CO, and radon.
5–8	Earth and Space Science	Structure of the Earth System	The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases that include water vapor. The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations.	The Something Smells Funny reading shows and discusses the atmospheric components of indoor air.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Personal Health	The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.	The Something Smells Funny reading discusses how ACGIH, NIOSH, and OSHA use threshold limit values (TLVs) to protect individuals from overexposure to hazardous chemicals in the workplace.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).	The Something Smells Funny reading discusses air pollutants in buildings and associated potential health risks, such as multiple chemical sensitivity, irritant rhinitis, and sick building syndrome.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Science and Technology in Society	Science influences society through its knowledge and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment. The effect of science on society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental.	The Something Smells Funny reading discusses the implementation of TLVs in buildings based on current scientific knowledge.

Challenge 3
GRADE	CATEGORY	SUB-CATEGORY	STANDARD	EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Design and conduct a scientific investigation.	In the Growing Mold activity, Students perform an investigation to determine the conditions necessary for mold growth.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.	In the Growing Mold activity, students use a technique that keeps all variables constant except for certain conditions, such as moisture.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.	In the Growing Mold activity, student develop explanations of the data and make predictions about where other molds might grow in the home based on evidence from mold growth in the activity.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Communicate scientific procedures and explanations.	In the My House Is Bugging Me reading, students research and report advice on cockroach extermination and the safe use of pesticides.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some involve discovery of new objects and phenomena; and some involve making models.	In the Growing Mold activity, students set up an experiment to determine the conditions needed for mold growth.
5–8	Life Science	Regulation and Behavior	All organisms must be able to obtain and use resources, grow, reproduce, and maintain stable internal conditions while living in a constantly changing external environment.	The My House Is Bugging Me reading discusses the resources that molds, bacteria, dust mites, and cockroaches need to live.
5–8	Life Science	Populations and Ecosystems	The number of organisms an ecosystem can support depends on the resources available and abiotic factors, such as quantity of light and water, range of temperatures, and soil composition. Given adequate biotic and abiotic resources and no disease or predators, populations (including humans) increase at rapid rates. Lack of resources and other factors, such as predation and climate, limit the growth of populations in specific niches in the ecosystem.	In the Growing Mold activity, students discover that a lack of resources (moisture) will limit mold growth. The My House Is Bugging Me reading discusses limiting resources that molds and other biological contaminants require to grow.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Personal Health	The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.	The My House Is Bugging Me reading discusses the potential for allergy problems from biological indoor air pollutants and how these pollutants can be reduced.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).	The My House Is Bugging Me reading discusses the potential for allergy problems from biological indoor air pollutants and how these pollutants can be reduced.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Science and Technology in Society	Science influences society through its knowledge and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment. The effect of science on society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental.	The My House Is Bugging Me reading discusses “toxic mold” and the media hype associated with it. The reading also discusses information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicating that a link between some illnesses and toxigenic mold has not been proven.

Challenge 4
GRADE	CATEGORY	SUB-CATEGORY	STANDARD	EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Design and conduct a scientific investigation.	In the Observing the Invisible activity, students investigate the reaction between oxygen and steel wool. In the Pour a Gas activity, students observe the effects of “pouring” CO2 on a candle flame.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.	In the Observing the Invisible activity, students investigate the reaction between oxygen and steel wool. In the Pour a Gas activity, students observe the effects of “pouring” CO2 on a candle flame.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Develop descriptions, explanations, predictions, and models using evidence.	In the Observing the Invisible activity, students are asked to provide evidence that oxygen reacted with the steel wool.
5–8	Physical Science	Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter	A substance has characteristic properties, such as density, a boiling point, and solubility, all of which are independent of the amount of the sample. A mixture of substances often can be separated into the original substances using one or more of the characteristic properties.	In the Observing the Invisible activity, students learn that air is a mixture of several components and that oxygen, which makes up 21% of air, is colorless, odorless, and tasteless. In the Pour a Gas activity, students observe that CO2 is denser than air and can actually be poured from a bottle.
5–8	Physical Science	Properties and Changes of Properties in Matter	Substances react chemically in characteristic ways with other substances to form new substances (compounds) with different characteristic properties. In chemical reactions, the total mass is conserved. Substances often are placed in categories or groups if they react in similar ways; metals is an example of such a group.	In the Observing the Invisible activity, students discover that oxygen in air reacts chemically with steel wool to produce rust. In the Pour a Gas activity, students learn than vinegar reacts with baking soda to produce CO2 gas.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Personal Health	The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.	The Sneaky Intruders reading discusses the hazards of carbon monoxide (CO), asbestos, and radon in the home and ways to reduce the risk of these pollutants.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).	The Sneaky Intruders reading discusses natural hazards posed by radon and CO2. The deaths of 1,200 people in Cameroon from a volcanic eruption of CO2 is cited. Chemical hazards from asbestos exposure and personal and social hazards from tobacco smoke are also discussed.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Science and Technology in Society	Science influences society through its knowledge and world view. Scientific knowledge and the procedures used by scientists influence the way many individuals in society think about themselves, others, and the environment. The effect of science on society is neither entirely beneficial nor entirely detrimental.	The Sneaky Intruders reading describes how asbestos was originally used in home products to strengthen them and provide fire resistance. Later, it was discovered that asbestos had detrimental health effects on people exposed to it.

Challenge 5
GRADE	CATEGORY	SUB-CATEGORY	STANDARD	EXAMPLE SUPPORTING STANDARD
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Design and conduct a scientific investigation.	In the Trapping Particulates activity, students investigate claims of vacuum bags and test how well they filter particles.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Abilities Necessary to Do Scientific Inquiry	Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.	In the Trapping Particulates activity, students use a table to record observations and data.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Different kinds of questions suggest different kinds of scientific investigations. Some investigations involve observing and describing objects, organisms, or events; some involve collecting specimens; some involve experiments; some involve seeking more information; some involve discovery of new objects and phenomena; and some involve making models.	In the Trapping Particulates activity, students investigate filtering capabilities of vacuum bags through experimentation and observations.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Current scientific knowledge and understanding guide scientific investigations. Different scientific domains employ different methods, core theories, and standards to advance scientific knowledge and understanding.	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses NASA experiments to reduce VOCs using houseplants.
5–8	Science as Inquiry	Understandings about Scientific Inquiry	Scientific investigations sometimes result in new ideas and phenomena for study, generate new methods or procedures for an investigation, or develop new technologies to improve the collection of data. All of these results can lead to new investigations.	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses how the NASA experiment using houseplants to reduce VOCs was the first real-world application using interior plants to reduce indoor air pollution.
5–8	Science and Technology	Understandings about Science and Technology	Science and technology are reciprocal. Science helps drive technology, as it addresses questions that demand more sophisticated instruments and provides principles for better instrumentation and technique. Technology is essential to science, because it provides instruments and techniques that enable observations of objects and phenomena that are otherwise unobservable due to factors such as quantity, distance, location, size, and speed. Technology also provides tools for investigations, inquiry, and analysis.	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses how the NASA experiment with houseplants also used a small prototype, fan-assisted, plant filter with the VOC removal capacity of 15 standard potted plants.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Personal Health	The potential for accidents and the existence of hazards imposes the need for injury prevention. Safe living involves the development and use of safety precautions and the recognition of risk in personal decisions. Injury prevention has personal and social dimensions.	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses ways to control indoor air pollutants.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Students should understand the risks associated with natural hazards (fires, floods, tornadoes, hurricanes, earthquakes, and volcanic eruptions), with chemical hazards (pollutants in air, water, soil, and food), with biological hazards (pollen, viruses, bacterial, and parasites), social hazards (occupational safety and transportation), and with personal hazards (smoking, dieting, and drinking).	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses ways to control indoor air pollutants.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Risks and Benefits	Important personal and social decisions are made based on perceptions of benefits and risks.	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses ways to control indoor air pollutants and the personal decisions one can make to improve the quality of air in the home.
5–8	Science in Personal and Social Perspectives	Science and Technology in Society	Scientists and engineers work in many different settings, including colleges and universities, businesses and industries, specific research institutes, and government agencies.	The Beating Indoor Pollution reading discusses how the NASA experiment using houseplants to reduce VOCs was the first real-world application using interior plants to reduce indoor air pollution.
HealthRICH: Health Risks, Information and Choices is funded by a Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) grant from the National Center for Research Resources of the National Institutes of Health. HealthRICH is a Center for Chemistry Education Terrific Science Program.