Air Care Air Quality Education Program

The Think Earth Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to environmental education, developed and implemented an air quality education program entitled "Air Care". The curriculum is designed for middle school students - the intent is to help pre-driving age teens develop the knowledge, attitudes, and life long habits they need to reduce future air pollution. The program was designed to extend Think Earth's elementary school environmental curriculum to the middle school level. The intent was to provide participating schools a well developed, classroom validated instructional program on transportation and air quality, recognizing that smog is a serious problem in Los Angeles and many other metropolitan areas across the country. The Air Care curriculum teaches students about air quality, the health impacts of air pollution, and the contribution motor vehicles make to the overall air pollution problem. Students learn what government and industry have done to reduce air pollution, and what technological solutions are under development. During program development, Think Earth created the following teaching materials: AirCare 101 Video - a 28-minute, fast-paced, live-action presentation of both the problems and solutions of air pollution; The "Last Gasp Gazette" Newspaper - an eight-page, tabloid-style, full-color newpaper with articles, illustrations, and photographs designed specifically for middle school students; Teacher's Guide - a 48-page manual containing instructional procedures and activities for teaching the program. To assist in curriculum development, the expertise of Educational Development Specialists, the curriculum development firm that created the Foundation's elementary school program, was enlisted. An advisory committee was formed, consisting of the Think Earth Board Members, project sponsors, middle school science teachers, public officials from the Southern California Association of Governments, and recognized technical experts. This advisory committee reviewed all program elements at each stage of development. Prior to final production of the curriculum materials, the program was field tested. A total of 12 teachers at nine middle schools taught the Air Care program during December, 1999. Significant results from the field test included: Most students (81%) were interested or very interested in the information presented in Air Care; Most Students (96%) felt it is important or very important for students to learn this information; More than half of the students (57%) stated that they will now be more careful to do things that help reduce air pollution as a result of the program. The teacher responses indicated that 100% would teach the Air Care program again. In Spring 2000, Air care was produced and distributed to middle school teachers. The goal is to reach 750,000 students within five years.