Teaching Notes
Example Output
Users produce nine images showing the area of the ozone hole from 1996 through 2004. They use image analysis software to highlight, outline, and measure pixels that show ozone measurements of 225 Dobson Units or fewer (click the thumbnail for a larger view).
Measurement results are imported into a spreadsheet application to produce a graph showing how the size of each October's ozone hole changed over nine years (click the thumbnail for a larger view).
Grade Level
Learning Goals
After completing this chapter, users will be able to:
- Interpret satellite images to understand global distribution of ozone
- Identify the Antarctic ozone hole in satellite images
- Analyze images to quantify the area of the ozone hole over time
- Produce a graph showing area of the ozone hole over time
Rationale
This chapter gives users practice gathering data from satellite images. By examining images and the associated color scale, users learn to interpret color-coded satellite imagery. Identifying areas on images where ozone levels are below a threshold value gives users a way of visualizing what has been termed a "hole" in the ozone layer. This type of analysis can be extended to other data so users can interpret images depicting a wide variety of measurements.
Background Information
Information about ozone:
- Good Up High, Bad Nearby from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- Ozone Fact Sheet from NASA's Earth Observatory.
Information about Ozone Depletion and the Ozone Hole:
Science Standards
The following National Science Education Standards are supported by this chapter:
- 8ASI1.3 Use appropriate tools and techniques to gather, analyze, and interpret data.
The use of tools and techniques, including mathematics, will be guided by the question asked and the investigations students design. The use of computers for the collection, summary, and display of evidence is part of this standard. Students should be able to access, gather, store, retrieve, and organize data, using hardware and software designed for these purposes.
- 8ASI1.8 Use mathematics in all aspects of scientific inquiry.
Mathematics is essential to asking and answering questions about the natural world. Mathematics can be used to ask questions; to gather, organize, and present data; and to structure convincing explanations.
- 8BPS1.2 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.
- 8DESS1.8 The atmosphere is a mixture of nitrogen, oxygen, and trace gases that include water vapor. The atmosphere has different properties at different elevations.
Show remainder of standard 8ASI1.3
Hide- 12D1 Organize information in simple tables and graphs and identify relationships they reveal.
Geography Standards
The following U.S. National Geography Standards are supported by this chapter:
- How to use maps and other geographic representations, tools, and technologies to acquire, process, and report information from a spatial perspective
- The physical and human characteristics of places
- How physical systems affect human systems
Time Required
- Case Study: 10 minutes for reading and discussion
- Part 1: Up to 30 minutes via a 56K modem, less for faster connections.
- Part 2: 10 minutes
- Part 3: 30 minutes
- Part 4: 30 minutes
Other Resources
A printer-ready version of the instructions (Acrobat (PDF) 254kB Apr3 06)
A modifiable version of the instructions (Microsoft Word 213kB Apr3 06)
