Investigating Changes in the Size of the Ozone Hole: An Inquiry-based Learning Activity

1. DRAFT How does the size of the ozone hole change throughout the year? Activity to experience an inquiry based learning experience. Ashlee and Jessica (vmarion@ursuline.edu)

2. Research Focus • Using selected data sets from the past ten plus years describe the changes indicated in the size of the Ozone hole. Support your response with evidence. Further determine if there are other meteorological factors occurring at the same time. The size of the ozone hole does fluctuate, however, other meteorological factors may be occurring (not occurring) in tandem. You will need to determine this. See rubric for scoring of this section of the assignment. • In addition you are to replicate this activity/process for seventh graders. See separate set of directions and rubric. Baseline Content • http://www.ozonelayer.noaa.gov/science/basics.htm • http://www.ozonelayer.noaa.gov/science/ozhole.htm • http://www.ozonelayer.noaa.gov/science/o3depletion.htm • http://jwocky.gsfc.nasa.gov/teacher/ozone_overhead_v8.html (information on content) • http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006AtmRe..81..124L • http://www.inderscience.com/search/index.php?action=record&rec_id=6855&prevQuery=&ps=10&m=or • http://ams.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1175%2F1520-0469(1960)017%3C0195%3ARBOAMP%3E2.0.CO%3B2&ct=1 • http://www.cosis.net/abstracts/EMS2008/00301/EMS2008-A-00301.pdf • http://www.ratical.org/ratville/ozoneDepletion.html • http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/320/5880/1201?hits=10&RESULTFORMAT=&FIRSTINDEX=0&maxtoshow=&HITS=10&fulltext=the+sensitivity+of+polar+ozone+depletion+to+proposed+geoengineering+schemes&searchid=1&resourcetype=HWCIT • United Nations (2007, October 22). Antarctic Ozone Hole Shrinking Because Of Mild Weather, Not Recovery. ScienceDaily. Retrieved January 7, 2009, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2007/10/071021114804.htm • http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/10/071021114804.htm Your final activity will be to adapt this activity or process for use with seventh graders

3. Data • http://www.ozonelayer.noaa.gov/data/data.htm • http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/meteorology/flux_2008.html • You are permitted to use additional data sets if these two do not suit your needs.

4. Context: • Middle school students share a belief that humanity has ruined the world for them and they now have the responsibility to save it. • The widening of the ozone hole is one global concern. • Content of activity directly relates to state standards.

5. Data Summary: • Describe Using only two sets of data, one of the measurement of the ozone hole in Antarctica and another of heat flux in Antarctica include the graphs, tables, or figures you created to organize your data. • http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/polar/gif_files/ozone_hole_plot.png • (Technological trouble inserting sample tables)

6. Sample of table 1

7. Sample of table 2

8. Method • Reviewed state standards and selected an “indicator”. • Reviewed and selected websites and data sets related to said indicator. • Constructed question related to state indicator and could be answered from studying and using given websites. • Reviewed and analyzed the 20+ years of graphs depicting the size of the ozone hole. (http://www.cpc.ncep.noaa.gov/products/stratosphere/polar/polar.shtml) and identified patterns. It was at this point that “seasonality” or changing of size was noted. • Constructed second question. Are other meteorological factors changing at the same time? • Reviewed and analyzed http://ozonewatch.gsfc.nasa.gov/meteorology/flux_2008.html • These two data banks offer reliable and presumed, accurate information. • Explain the method that you plan to use to examine the data. • This section should be written in bullet statements, not in paragraph form.

9. Data Summary • There is a widening of the ozone hole. However, at times it also narrows. (Need more time to analyze the data to learn if and when it narrows, does it ever narrow to a size 20 years ago?) • As the ozone hole widens (this is where I fall short of the scientific terms) there is something happening as evidenced by the changing measurement of heat flux, or is it?

10. Conclusion • Describe the insight the data/process provided in answering your question. • Did not realize that the size of the ozone hole changes in size. • Data is not given for all of the months, why? • There is data on the ozone hole and on the ozone level. Students will need to make sure they know what the data is actually reporting.

11. Implications • If you had more time to work on this project or if someone were to pick up where you left off, describe what else would you do or what additional questions would you pursue if you had time and data available

12. Educator Implications • My lack of baseline information hindered my ability to generate a research question. Once I did some reading I started to think that I might be able to do this. Finding data sets was the second problem encountered. • I made modifications for my students as I constructed this power point. Hence, all the websites given in the first few slides. I believe that giving a road map to the pre-service teachers will also model for them what they will need to do for their future students.