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5E Lesson Model for

Heat Island Satellite Imagery Analysis

by Sister Marie Dianne, Bishop O'Connell High School


Source: Goddard Space Flight Center

Washington D.C. and Metro Area (including Arlington, VA) This is a composite image, showing progressive growth from 1973 to 1996. Arlington is slightly SW of the Western corner of D.C.
Population and motor vehicles have increased population and total number of vehicles in the D.C. area have increased roughly 13% and 22% respectively since 1990. [Blue indicates the Capital Beltway, and Purple the D.C. boundaries.]

Abstract: Students will be introduced to Remote Sensing Imaging of Thermal Data in order to investigate whether growing amounts of Impervious Surfaces in the Baltimore-Washington D.C. area are causing an increase in local atmospheric temperatures.

Background Preparation Procedure References
5E Lesson Model
Identify Objectives:Scientific Principles Identify a Real-World Problem: Engagement to Extension Exploration: Design Investigation & Collect Data Explanation 1: Develop Question Series Explanation 2:
Modify Misconceptions		 Evaluation: Scoring Tools
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Earth Observering System Lesson Plan Format

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Chesapeake Bay Watershed with Tributaries
Source: USGS
  • Identify Objectives:Scientific Principles
       A. Student Objectives:
        1. Prior to this lesson, students will define remote sensing and the foundations of satellite remote sensing as related to radiation theory. They will also describe the basics of image processing,including image composition, pixels, and false color enhancements.
        2. Students will define what a heat island is and some effects tht research has found associated with it.
        3. Students will investigate whether Arlington, VA is a "heat island" or not, whether it drains into the Potomac River and, hence, into the Chesapeake Bay Watershed.
        4. After they are introduced to the basic concepts of satellite remote sensing, students will use the ArcVoyager processing software to conduct image analysis on Landsat image data.
        5. Students will identify Internet sources for satellite image interpretation tutorials and Landsat image download locations.
        6. While using remotely sensed data, they will discover the relationship between land processes (erosion, changes in land use patterns, etc.) and the ecology of the Chesapeake Bay.
    B. Principles (Concepts)
[Heat Island,  Chesapeake Bay Watershed, latitude and longitude, Impervious surface, near surface air temperature]
           1. "...Global climate is determined by energy transfer from the sun at and near the earth's surface. This energy transfer is influenced by dynamic processes such as cloud cover and the earth's rotation, and static conditions such as the position of mountain ranges and oceans..."[Source:NSES]
        2. "...interrelationship of geologic processes, biologic processes, and human activities on its composition and dynamics..." [Source: VA SOLs: ES12 ]
        3. "...A system in equilibrium may return to the same state of equilibrium if the disturbances it experiences are small. But large disturbances may cause it to escape that equilibrium and eventually settle into some other state of equilibrium...." [Source: Benchmarks]
        4. Students will use a global positioning satellite receiver (GPS), in-situ measurements, and modeling to conduct hands-on experiments relating to temperature and land-air interactions.
  • Engagement to Extension: Identify a Real-World Problem
    A.  Begin with articles on Heat Island Effect:
        1. Are we part of a Heat Island?
        2. Follow-up Lesson: Are we affecting rainfall downwind of D.C.?
        3. Can we suggest practical changes in land use legislation that can lessen or stop this HI effect?
    * Articles Online: [N.B. I suggest that learners do a search through their favorite search engine for "Heat Island News" to keep this list current.]
        1. Feb.21,"00 "Urban Sprawl..."
        2. Heat Island Project
        3. Heat Hunters
        4. Cool Neighborhoods (California)
        5. Chicago    (Apr.17,"00)
        6. Phila. Heat Islands (Analysis from Univ. of Delaware)
        7. Univ. of British Columbia (Model Lesson)
    * Questions and Class Discussion
            1. What is a "Heat Island"?
            2. What is the Chesapeake Bay Watershed? Is O'Connell High within it? Is your home within the boundaries of the watershed?
            3. What is your home location in latitude and longitude? [Go to: www.mapblast.com to discover this.]
            4. What's an Impervious surface? Please give several examples (at least 5)
            5. Does land use affect near surface air temperature? [Give supporting reasons for your hypothesis.]
  • Exploration: Design Investigation & Collect Data
        1. Students will locate their residential home latitude and longitude, using their zip code and Mapblast's website.(After "Create Map" is chosen, your lat/long. is at the Northeast Top corner of screen.) [Then volunteers will combine all GPS points into one large map for our geographic area. [Use MapSource CD ROM for Garmin's GPS Receiver.]
        2. Students will organize into data collecting groups and begin taking measurements of temperatures of near-impervious surface (roads/parking lots,etc.) Vs. near-vegetative surface (grassy,forested,etc.).
            ** This is to see if [Hypothesis] near impervious-surface air is warmer than near-vegetative surface air. [More Details for Offline Student Temperature Investigation ]
            * [ Record 15 temperature trials (on different days, same time) for each area (both IMP and VEG areas within 10 ft. of the impervious surfaces).] *Be sure to record these in CELCIUS degrees. (If you use a Fahrenheit thermometer, you will need to convert to celcius at: The Weather Man's website.  [http://dmmw.com/weather/index.html#convert]
            * Combine all data into an Excel spreadsheet, and analyze the results. Can we generalize from our conclusions that our mini-heat islands can contribute to the "...hot-air "domes" over cities that can keep temperatures as much as 12 degrees Fahrenheit warmer overnight than in suburbs or neighboring woodlands." (Source: Marshall Space Flight Center Report,Sept.,2000)
  • Explanation 1: Develop Question Series
    • Set of questions comparing the five Landsat channel images are at: http://www.globe.gov/hq/landcover/training.pdf
    • Set of questions for Offline Student Temperature Investigation is below:
        1. Locate their residential home latitude and longitude, using their zip code and Mapblast's website.(After "Create Map" is chosen, your lat/long. is at the Northeast Top corner of screen.) [Then volunteers will combine all GPS points into one large map for our geographic area. [Use MapSource CD ROM for Garmin's GPS Receiver.]

          2. Students will organize into data collecting groups and begin taking measurements of temperatures of near-impervious surface (roads/parking lots,etc.) Vs. near-vegetative surface (grassy,forested,etc.).

              ** This is to see if [Hypothesis] near impervious-surface air is warmer than near-vegetative surface air. [More Details for Offline Student Temperature Investigation ]

              * [ Record 15 temperature trials (on different days, same time) for each area (both IMP and VEG areas within 10 ft. of the impervious surfaces).] *Be sure to record these in CELCIUS degrees. (If you use a Fahrenheit thermometer, you will need to convert to celcius at: The Weather Man's website.  [http://dmmw.com/weather/index.html#convert]

  • Explanation 2: Modify Misconceptions
                1. The educator will use overhead transparencies to demonstrate satellite analysis in general. Student feedback will be encouraged, and responded to by the teacher.
                2. A computer projection device will be used to demonstrate step-by-step the data analysis method which will be used later by students with Arc Voyager processing software. Student questions will be addressed at this time.
                3. Students will discuss the results of their research and data collection throughout this unit, and the teacher will respond to this feedback with directive questions and affirmation of student efforts.
                4. Students' science journal will be checked regularly (and teacher feedback provided) for clarification of concepts and misconceptions.
  • Evaluation: Scoring Tools
            1. Students will receive credit for the quality of their data collection, summarizing charts, and careful and complete records.
            2. Students will be graded on the quality of their individual contributions to oral class discussions, as well as their respectful and affirmative response to all other classmates who are working on this unit.
            3. Students will be informally graded on their focus to the task at hand while conducting in-class experiments, and while listening to other students' presentations and explanations of the work at hand.
           4. Other informal evaluations:
Informally throughout the learning process; discussion performance, cooperative attitude and quiet helpfulness,short written concept test, and final group presentation evaluation.
            5. Formal evaluation:  Students will score at least 80% on a unit test.
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