Health Lesson: Air Quality
Lesson Plan
1 hourGrades9, 10, 11, 12Health
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Written by Suzanne Horsley
About this lesson
This lesson introduces the connections between air quality and environmental justice.
Inquire: Students measure and compare resting and post-movement heart rates to reflect on breathing and air quality.
Investigate: Students complete a playlist of five activities to explore how air quality impacts the respiratory system, public health, and environmental justice.
Inspire: Students analyze a statement linking air quality, health, and environmental injustice, then engage in structured discussion and movement-based reflection to share perspectives and synthesize ideas.
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Everything you need to teach it
How to edit these materials (video)Teaching tips
Suggestions
- This lesson treats movement not just as exercise, but as a way to understand how environmental conditions affect the body, health, and access to wellness.
- New Jersey teachers can use resources from the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to support student learning.
- Depending on class time or grade level, students can choose three of the five learning activities in the Investigate playlist menu. Alternatively, students can explore one to two activities as a whole class, pausing to discuss and reflect as needed.
- If students have engaged in a fishbowl discussion before, they can use pre-established fishbowl norms or other pre-established discussion-based norms.
- Classes can engage in other discussion formats for the Inspire section.
- For a more local context, students can explore air quality data from their own community.
- Teachers can invite public health professionals in respiratory or cardiovascular health to share about air quality impacts in their fields.
- Teachers can invite environmental justice advocates or community organizers focused on clear air or equitable access to health to speak about their work.
Prerequisites
- Teachers should feel comfortable offering choice and allowing students independence and autonomy in their learning. This lesson encourages open conversation and monitoring regarding student-led discussions.
- Teachers may use a large timer during the playlist activity to help students manage their time.
- Teachers can create a sample guide for the independent playlist activity.
- Teachers can embed the necessary adjustments into the playlist for students with special needs or considerations.
- This resource is helpful for facilitating a fishbowl discussion.
- Students will need access to the Teacher Slideshow in order to conduct their independent work.
Differentiation
- Students who need lower-intensity movement can do seated breathing exercises or stretching.
- Students who thrive physically can lead the warm-up or model breathing techniques.
- Students are able to work independently for the playlist activity, but teachers can scaffold certain steps for students who need additional support.
- Teachers can add a sixth checkbox to the playlist activity that includes a chat with the teacher so that all students check in with the teacher, asking questions and demonstrating understanding of learning.
- Students can research and identify air quality issues in their community, including areas that are more impacted than others.
- Students can research local policy efforts related to air quality.
- Students can research and engage with local environmental justice advocates or a community event related to air quality or equitable access to health.
From the scientist review
This lesson illustrates how air quality is related to cardiorespiratory health and how environmental injustice exacerbates these issues in marginalized communities. A well-sourced list of resources is provided where students can learn about human respiration, environmental justice, air quality in New Jersey, and what is being done to address environmental injustice by both the state and the New Jersey Environmental Justice Alliance. Students are tasked with reviewing these sources and then sharing what they learned in a fishbowl discussion. This lesson is recommended for teaching.
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About the teacher writer
Suzanne Horsley
Suzanne is a PreK- 5 Wellness teacher at Hopewell Valley Regional School District. She has been teaching for over 25 years and is the 2019 recipient of the NJ Society of Health and Physical Educators (NJSHAPE) Teacher of the Year. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she serves on many committees in the district and is a blended and personalized learning instructional coach for district faculty. Outside of school, Suzanne enjoys running, hiking, reading and spending time with her family.
