Introduction:  As a true scientist, students will collect air ozone data from the upper atmosphere.  They will learn how this data changes around the world and with different latitudes and longitudes.  Their task is to graph and analyze their collected data in order to discover trends and relationships that may exist between the various constituents.  These graphs will assist the students in formulating some generalizations about "Good Ozone" in the stratosphere.

Objectives:

1. Students will be able to locate sites on a map using longitude & latitude.
2. Students will obtain real scientific data using today's technology.
3. Students will follow written directions.
4. Students will record scientific data in a useable concise manner.
5. Students will graph data.
6. Students will analyze graphs by applying best-fit lines and looking at trends.
7. Students will formulate algebraic equations to make conversions and ratios.
8. Students will predict unknowns using their graphs.
9. Students will compare predictions to an alternative source of real time ozone data.
10. Students will explain types of error.
11. Students will be able to identify systems of interacting components.

This is an exercise that allows students to apply basic math techniques to real time ozone data.  By doing so, students may discover many relationships that occur between various environmental constituents.  "Good Ozone" is a result of many different variables.  Most of these variables are explored in this project.  We are exploring the variables of two types of ozone units of measurements and temperature. Altitude does play a part in the amount of ozone in the upper atmosphere.  This information is mentioned in the sites accessible in our resource section.

Since this project incorporates real time data, teachers should be aware of the difficulties in using such data. It is suggested that immediately before the lesson, the teacher checks and reviews the entire Internet links that are needed to complete the project.  At times, due to uploading of data or server problems, you may experience problems accessing the data.

Materials:

1. Internet Access
2. Table or Means of Collecting Data
3. Graphing Program such as Excel Spreadsheet or simple graph paper.

1. Toms Database
2. Latitude & Longitude (An Interactive tutorial)
3. NOAA World UV-Index
4. How Far Is It - PARC MapServer
5. WorldFactBook Reference
6. Worldmap

Procedure:

1. Lead the students in an open discussion of their knowledge of ozone, ozone holes & UV-Index.
2. Explain how the lesson questions should be added to their journal.
3. Students should have prior experience in finding sites on a map using latitude and longitude.
4. Teacher will act as a facilitator as each group follows the stop-by-step directions in the Real Time Data Project #1.

Follow-up:

1. The students will compare their graphs to discover the relationship between ozone and UV Index.
2. The teacher will act as a facilitator as each group gives a brief hypotheses and conclusion of both graphs. Their conclusion should include:
• The relationship of UV-Index to Dobson Units
• The relationship of temperature to UV-Index and Dobson Units
• The effect of different latitudes on UV-Index and Dobson Units.
3. Students may interpret their graph as an algebraic equation.
4. Students will use there graph to predict the UV index of their "home town" as determined in the Pre-Activity Project.