Minds On
Healthy air
People, plants and animals need clean air to breathe so they can grow and be healthy.
Explore these pictures of the air. Do you think this air is clean? Why or why not?
Record your thoughts on paper, on the computer, or in a recording.
Action
UN Sustainable Development Goals
Connecting to the world
The United Nations (UN) is a group of many countries from around the world that have come together to create a better future for people and the environment. They have created 17 goals called the Sustainable Development Goals.
This learning activity is connected to Goal #3 which is called Good Health and Well-being. This means everyone should have what they need to live a healthy life.
Clean air is an important need for people, animals and plants to grow and be healthy. When living things can breathe clean air, they are stronger and healthier.
Why might the air not be clean in some areas of the world?
In some places, dust, smoke, and even some unpleasant smells can get into the air. When this happens, people or animals can breathe this air into their bodies. This is called air pollution.
How do these particles get into the air?
Sometimes, communities in the world that have a lot of cars, trucks, buses, and factories can create air pollution.
In some areas of the world, there are volcanoes that put smoke and other pollutants into the air.
There is a volcano that has smoke covering the top of the peak. There is also a second volcano in the distance that has smoke coming from the top.
There are also times when dust gets into the air. This dust gets breathed in by people and animals in the area. It makes the air unclean.
Think about it!
Do you think there are ways that people can help to keep the air in their environment clean?
Record your ideas on the computer, on paper, or in a recording.
Cleaning the air
In some homes and communities, people are taking action and trying to keep the air around them clean.
Did you know that planting trees can help make the air cleaner?
A tree in an outdoor space. On the top left, it says "Trees breathe in the polluted air and breathe out clean air." On the bottom left, it says "If there are more trees, there is more clean air breathed out into the environment".
Think about it!
How can trees in a community help to keep the air clean?
Record your answer on the computer, on paper, or in a recording.
Did You Know?
Did you know?
Did you know that trees can live for many years? Some trees live for 15 years but some trees live for 50 years! These trees can keep the air clean for many years.
Does your community have many trees?
Each tree that you notice helps cleans the air for your community!
Use your learning about clean air and trees to fill in the blanks!
For each sentence, select the missing word from the drop-down menu.
Consolidation
Share your learning
Clean air is important for the living things in our communities.
Share what you have learned about clean air and trees in a poster or recording that can be posted in a community space.
If you think of a different way to share this information, you can do that as well.
You can also use the space here to record your message.
What information should be in your message?
- why living things need clean air in their community
- what is air pollution
- how trees can help clean the air
- what people in the community can do to help
Complete the Tree Chart in your notebook or using the following fillable and printable document. If you would like, you can use speech-to-text or audio recording tools to record your thoughts.
Reflection
How do you feel about what you have learned in this activity? Which of the next four sentences best matches how you are feeling about your learning? Press the button that is beside this sentence.
I feel…
Now, record your ideas about your feelings using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.