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Introductory Activity
Overview
In this activity, students will share their previous knowledge of pollen,
pollen counts, and allergies. They will participate in hands-on activities
that demonstrate how pollen travels through the air. They will make a hypothesis
about what weather conditions affect the amount of pollen in the air.
Objectives
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Learner will relate new information to previous knowledge.
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Learner will be able to explain and demonstrate how pollen travels through
the air.
Materials
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Powdered Jell-O
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Overhead or Filmstrip Projector
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Fan
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Chalk Dust
Time
One class period
Preparation
Before introducing this unit, the teacher should familiarize himself
with background information on pollen. The following sites provide
information for the teacher on pollen sources, allergies, and count.
Hands-On Activity
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Lead a brief discussion about what pollen is (grains that must be carried
from plant to plant in order for the plants to reproduce).
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Ask the students how they think the pollen travels from plant to plant.
(wind, animals)
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Lead them to the conclusion that most pollen is airborne.
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Demonstrate how pollen is carried by the wind by doing one or both of the
following activities:
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Place brightly colored powdered Jell-O in a shallow dish and use a fan
to blow it across the room
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Turn the lights off in the classroom and use an overhead or filmstrip projector
to show how chalk dust travels. Have a student clap two blackboard erasers
in front of the light.
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Optional Activity: If microscopes are available, use either
prepared or student made slides to view pollen grains.
Discussion
After the students have seen the demonstrations, lead a class discussion
asking questions such as:
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How many students have pollen allergies?
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Do you notice that your allergy symptoms are worse on certain days?
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What do you think accounts for this?
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On what kind of days do you think pollen count is highest?lowest?
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What information would you need to determine what kind of day would have
the highest pollen count?
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Can you make a hypothesis/guess about what weather conditions would produce
a high or a low pollen count day?
Extension Activity
"Pollen and Allergies"
Direct students to access the Pollen
Report and Pollen
and Air Quality sites to answer the following questions in their journals:
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How does one develop an allergy?
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What are some of the symptoms of an allergy sufferer.
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What is an allergic reaction?
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Are allergies seasonal or do they last all year round?
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What medical treatment is recommended for allergies?
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What could you do to make living with allergies more bearable?
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If both your parents have allergies, is there a high probability that you'll
have allergies?
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