FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT US AT connect@space.rice.edu Funded by NASA as part of the Earth Science Information Partners   Activity 12: Polluting Populations Level: Grade 7-8, but easily adaptable for older (Algebra 1 or Science) students Learning Objective: Students will take pollution emission data and compare the levels of pollution emitted versus the number of people in the country. The students will discover that this is not a simple linear relationship - that some countries emit much more pollution that countries with larger populations. Specific Science Content Standards Changes in earth and sky Populations and ecosystems Understanding science and technology Populations, resources and environments Geography: How humans modify the physical environment Specific Mathematics Content Standards Variables and data Plotting and graphing Linear equations Earth Update: Biosphere Introducing the activity: Tell students that humans frequently emit pollutants as a result of their activities (burning fossil fuels, deforestation, etc.) But each person on Earth does not emit the same amount of pollutants - certain countries, especially the United States, have much more pollution "per capita" than others. The students will learn from the graph how much more pollution a typical American emits than a person from other countries. Activity 12: Polluting Populations You will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader to view this activity. To download, click on the link below. http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

Last Update: December 12, 2001