INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 1

Inquiry-Based Project Proposal: Atmosphere and Greenhouse Gases

Zachary T. Regan

Arizona State University

INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 2

Abstract

This inquiry-based project explores the causes and effects that greenhouse gases has on

the atmosphere and how those effects impact humans and ecosystems. Students will explore

what the reasons are behind the cause of greenhouse gases and how a community could slow its

effects. After this 10-day lesson, students will have had the ability to research about this topic

and present to students and a greater audience to describe the research they have found and a

proposal to answer the question, “how can we create a cleaner atmosphere today to save our

future?”.
INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 3

Applicant and School Environment Narrative

I have been teaching for 5 years at New School for the Arts in Tempe. I got my

bachelor’s degree from ASU in secondary education. I believe every student, with the support

they need, is capable of achieving greatness inside and outside the classroom. Being a leader in

the classroom will impact the students I teach outside the classroom and it is a responsibility of

mine to ensure the students leave with life skills as well as content knowledge.

I believe that students gain more when they work together and are able to safely

collaborate with their peers to achieve a goal. Projects are perfect for allowing students to be

creative and bounce ideas off one another to obtain knowledge. Projects show not only that a

student is capable of completing a big assignment but how their thought process developed

through the stages of the project.

Integrating technology into a classroom is essential for students especially if they want to

go on to higher education. I have used multiple technology resources to drive learning in my

classroom, so the students can start to gain knowledge about how to use devices and programs

for future learning.

At New School for the Arts school there are a lot of students that suffer from poor

performance even when they show signs of brilliance. Since it is a charter school that focuses on

artistic talents, students focus on the arts portion of the school more than the content courses.

Also, a lot of these students come from poor socioeconomic backgrounds and have problems to

deal with outside of the classroom. As a school, their graduation rate is fairly low due to the fact

that a lot of these kids are artist and will make jobs out of their talents without the need for

higher education.
INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 4

New School for the Arts has a fairly big front building where most of the art classes are

including music, drama, dance and art. It also contains an auditorium with a stage and stands and

the principal’s office. There is actually no school nurse but a place where they can go to rest or

wait to be picked up. When you step out back there is a warehouse that stores most of the paint

and other art supplies. There is no cafeteria so there is a food truck that comes for lunch every

day. There are multiple smaller (portable-like) buildings that contain the content classes such as

math, science, English, and history. I am in one of these buildings and they are bigger than they

seem on the outside. The school population is about 75% female with White and Hispanic

making up the majority of the ethnicity in the school. 30% of the teacher base is male as well. In

my class, there is about 80% female students. There are 2 classes each for 6th, 7th, and 8th

grades. Outside the small building, there is a small court yard where they sell snacks and drinks

to the students. The students are required to bring a lunch or money since there is no cafeteria.

This project will take place around Tempe and Mesa which is where the students live. It will be

outdoors and revolve around protection of our environment.

Summary of Project and Project Impact

Summary of Project

This project has to deal with our atmosphere make up and the future impacts human

development may have on the Earth due to global warming. As global warming becomes more

prevalent, students need to learn early how they are affecting our local community and even

globally and ways they can help in the effort to fight the effects of global warming. Students will

develop theories about what is causing the planet to heat up, they will determine what needs to

happen to reduce carbon emissions and why it’s important, and finally they will create a program

or activity that will benefit the fight against global warming. This project will engage the
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 5

student’s interest by showing how they might be one person, but they can make a huge impact in

the community.

Project Impact

There are about 55 students that will participate in the project. If this project is

successful, it could affect the entire city of Tempe in two to three years. If green house gases

lower in the city of Tempe due to this project, then the air everyone breathes will be cleaner.

Future students can also build off of past student’s projects and make it better than before. I think

letting the students take the lead will empower them to be creative. I also believe that most of the

students will enjoy a challenge to create something that could affect thousands of people.

As a teacher I believe that this project will show a lot of creativity in my students and the

true ability that they are capable of. If other schools start to do this project, then it will create

more students who are aware of the impacts they have on the environment and make the world a

better place by the time they leave my class which is what every teacher strives to do.

For my entrance activity I will be using a graduate student at ASU to help the students

gain interest and help the ASU student show their presence in the community. This project is

trying to help combat global warming so if it is successful, then Tempe would benefit since the

greater phoenix area has very high pollution.

Project Narrative

Day Learning Goals and Outcomes Project-Based Learning Activities Assessment Technology &Support

1 -DQ: How can we create a
cleaner atmosphere today to
save our future?
-Why is a clean atmosphere
important?
I will dress as an “atmospheric
chemist from the future” and will
speak with the students and share
the extreme weather/climate of
future Earth. Students will use
The students will Students will be using
formulate 2 reasons laptops to do research
why global warming and using their online
is getting worse and 2 portfolio (Weebly) to
ways on how to stop document their
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES
-What makes the atmosphere
dirty?
-SWBAT create and discuss
questions about the atmosphere
and the effects of global
warming.
-Goals: to engage students and
have them practice the first and
second steps of the scientific
method (observing and
questioning observations)
-Content standard:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b,
6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
2 -How does an atmosphere
contribute to the greenhouse
effect?
-SWBAT understand how an
atmosphere contributes to the
greenhouse effect and create a
goal for their project based off
their understanding.
-Goals: To observe and discuss
their observations from the
water bottle experiment.
-Content standards:
6.E1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2d, 3a, 3b, 3c,
4a, 4b, 4d, 5a, 5b, 6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
6
laptops to research answers to the its effects as an exit research throughout
driving question and will form ticket. the class period.
any need to know questions they
may have. Then, in groups, they
will discuss what they have found
and any answers they have found.
They will record these questions
and answers (if they found any) in
their online portfolio. In their
groups, they will then present
their important information to the
class. During research time, I will
walk around and ask to see their
research and portfolio. Since this
is a student driven learning
project I will be able to help 1 on
1 with the students that need more
help with guidance.
Each group of students will get The students will get Using thermometers
two 2-liter bottles filled with their goals signed by and laptops they will
about 3 inches of dirt. Students me as an exit ticket be able to organize
will tie a string to the water bottle any observations and
so that it is roughly 1 inch from important information
the surface of the dirt. I will come about the experiment.
around and poor 50 mL of water They will experience
in each of the bottles. The screen-casting and
students will cap one of the how it is used to help
bottles and set both bottles in demonstrate activities.
direct sunlight. The students will
put the experiment in their
Weebly with their predictions.
They will know how to set up the
experiment from the screencast
that I will provide them that
shows step by step how to set it
up. After 15-20 minutes they will
look at their thermometers and
write down the temperatures and
any other observations they have.
As a class we will have a student
lead discussion as to why one was
hotter. They will record any
important information into their
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 7

portfolio and in their groups

3 -How do you design an
outline?
-What goes in an outline?
-SWBAT design an outline for they are able to hit the milestones
their projects that includes 6
days of progress
-Goals: To create an outline for template they can use) and let
the project by the end of the
day
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 3c,
3d, 4a, 4c, 4d, 5a, 6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
4 -How can the science
community help aid them in
their project?
-SWBAT summarize and
discuss, in their groups, what
the main ideas were of the
guest speaker.
-Goals: To understand how the Students will then discuss within
science community will help
their projects progress.
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 3d, 4a,
4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
5 -What is the Ozone layer and
what is it made up of?
-What causes Ozone layer
depletion?
-SWBAT understand the ozone their project. After their reading
layer and explore its makeup
create a goal for their projects.
Students will use their goal and The outline will be The use of laptops to
prior research to create an outline shown to the class help create a
for their project work days, so and their peers will document that shows
review it and help how they will progress
in their project. I will provide make any revisions. I on their project.
resources to design an outline (i.e. will sign off on their
corrected revisions
them know what I want to see in before they leave
their outline. class
A guest speaker will talk with the They will show other Using Padlet to
students about different areas of groups their collaborate with the
study that have to do with the justification for their class to summarize the
atmosphere and climate change. chosen science speaker’s presentation.
The students will ask questions as community.
needed and will summarize the
talk on Padlet with the class.
their groups about who might be
able to support their project and
will write a brief explanation to
justify why they chose the certain
community.
I will hand out 2 articles that have Student-teacher Individual laptop
information about the Ozone conferences to see research.
layer and the students will reflect where they are, what
on the articles to help progress they need to work on
and what their
they will work on their projects homework for the
individually and continue with weekend is.
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES
-Goals: To find out more about
the Ozone layer and its
importance.
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 3a, 3b, 3c,
3d, 4a,, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 6a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
6 -What are greenhouse gases?
-What causes the greenhouse
gases and why is it important
that we reduce them?
-SWBAT discover what
greenhouses gases are and why
they are important
-SWBAT create a presentation
that gives a broad overview of
their project.
-Goals: To put the information
they have gathered from the
past week into a presentation
in their groups.
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b,
6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
7 -“What if” questions during
and after presentations.
-SWBAT present their
information and answer any
questions their peers have.
-Goals: To critically think
about “holes” in their project
and how they will fix them.
8
research on the laptops. I will
walk around and help those that
need more 1 on 1 time.
I will show the students a video Students will create a Google slides to
that explains what greenhouse presentation that talks present information
gases are and why they are about their project
important (broad).
(https://climatechangeconnection.
org/science/climate_causes/green
house-effect/). Students will take
notes on important information.
After the video, the groups with
the same goals will put their
information into google slides and
create a short presentation that
will talk about their vision for the
project and what information they
have found in their research.
Students will present in their Peer review of Use of google slides
groups about their projects and presentation. Ability and cloud sharing
the information they have found to answer follow up capabilities.
useful. Students that are not questions to their
presenting will listen and ask presentation.
questions. They will also fill out a
rubric of the presentation. At the
end of each presentation I will ask
them questions to help them fill
any holes in their plan for the
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 9

-Content Student standards: project. Students will put

6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11, presentation in their online
7.E1U1.5 portfolio.
-ISTE standards: 1a, 1b,1d,
2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d,
4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b, 6a, 7a,
7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
8 -What does the project need to Students will use the peer They will show me Using their laptops
be complete reflection from their presentation the modifications and prior knowledge
-SWBAT modify their project to modify their project and they made to their to help modify their
by using the peer reflection develop a brief project proposal projects via their presentations.
from their presentation. that could answer the driving online portfolio.
-Goals: Refine their project question.
and their power point to fill
any gaps or questions
surrounding their final product.
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b,
6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
9 -“What if” questions during Students will present to the class Reflection blog on Being able to blog
and after presentations. again to show how they modified their portfolio on how about their
-SWBAT present their their project to answer any their think has understanding of what
information and answer any questions that arose from their evolved through their they learned.
questions their peers have. first presentation. research.
-Goals: To show a final
outcome of their research and
their plan for their project
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b,
6a, 7a, 7d
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 10

-ISTE Educator standards:

1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a
10 -SWBAT present their final Students will finalize their To show me their
project to a board of projects and work on their final
professionals at ASU presentations of their project presentation/product.
-Goals: To complete their proposals for the board. Students
project and prepare for their will present to the board this
presentations. night.
-Content standards:
6.E.1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11,
7.E1U1.5
-ISTE Student standards: 1a,
1b,1d, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 3a, 3b,
3c, 3d, 4a, 4b, 4c, 4d, 5a, 5b,
6a, 7a, 7d
-ISTE Educator standards:
1a, 1c, 2c, 3b, 3c, 3d, 5a, 5b,
5c, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 7a

This project will show students what they are capable of and how they can drive their

own learning. They will develop a sense of understanding to how a science project is created and

the sort of things that are involved in project development. Students will learn how to research,

outline, and present a project to a professional board.

Budget Table and Narrative

Item Number and Cost Where to Purchase Possible Funding Source

Pencils Pack of 72 - $16.09 Staples DonorsChoose.org
Paper Pack of 120 - $2.39 Staples DonorsChoose.org
Laptops 35 - $71.89 each Best Buy -NEA Foundation Student
Achievement Grants
-NWA Sol Hirsch Education Fund
Grants
2-Liter Bottle Pack of 6 - $14.99 Amazon.com Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit Grant
Thermometer 6 - $1.95 each HomeScienceTools.com Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit Grant
String 1 - $3.43 Amazon.com DonorsChoose.org
Visa Gift Card 1 - $200 Fry’s AIAA Foundation Classroom Grant
Program
Total $2882.36 N/A N/A
INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 11

For this project, pencils and paper will be needed for students to use for notetaking while doing

research on their projects. Since they are basic classroom supply’s that don’t cost that much,

DonorsChoose.org is a perfect place to fund these items. This project has a lot of student-based research

and having enough laptops for every student in the classroom will ensure that the students can work on

their projects daily instead of waiting a day or two in order to gain access to the laptop cart that is

shared between all teachers. The NEA Foundation Student Achievement Grant is a grant that is awarded

to teachers that develop critical thinking and problem solving in their lessons. As this is a project,

student-lead lesson, this grant’s description is exactly what will be taught in this lesson. The NWA Sol

Hirsch Education Fund Grant awards classrooms that strengthen the education of meteorology. This

project deals with the atmosphere and how it can affect earth’s climate and weather patterns, so this

grant is in line with this project proposal. Within this project, there is an experiment that needs string,

thermometers, and 2-Liter bottles. The string is cheap and can be funded on DonorsChoose.org. The

other two materials needed can use Elmer’s Teacher Tool Kit Grant which is given to fund projects that

foster creativity and critical thinking. This project develops both creativity and critical thinking. The $200

gift card is for the guest speaker and can be funded by the AIAA Foundation Classroom Grant Program

since it’s a STEM grant that is awarded for the use in teaching STEM subjects by incorporating new ways

to teach STEM subjects.

 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 12

Appendix A

Inquiry-Based Lesson Plan

INQUIRY (5E) LESSON PLAN TEMPLATE

Teachers: Zach Regan Subject: Atmosphere Grade: 6-7

Common Core State Standards:

 6.E1U1.6, 6.L2U3.11
 7.E1U1.5
Objective (Explicit):
 SWBAT create and discuss questions about the atmosphere and the effects of global warming.
Evidence of Mastery (Measurable):
 Include a copy of the lesson assessment.
 Provide exemplar student responses with the level of detail you expect to see.
 Assign value to each portion of the response

Student can formulate 2 reasons why global warming is getting worse and 2 ways to slow its effects as an exit ticket.

Sub-Objectives, SWBAT (Sequenced from basic to complex)

 How will you review past learning and make connections to previous lessons?
 What skills and content are needed to ultimately master this lesson objective?
 How is this objective relative to students, their lives, and/or the real world?

 SWBAT use prior knowledge to understand and collaborate with their peers
 SWBAT explore reasons why a clean atmosphere is important

Key vocabulary: Materials:

Engage
 How will you activate prior knowledge?
 How will you hook student attention?
 What question will you pose, based on your objective, that students will seek to answer in Explore?
Teacher Will: Students Will:
Dress as an “atmospheric chemist from the future” and speak with the Listen and ask any questions to the “atmospheric chemist” and
students and share the extreme weather/climate of future Earth. I will be respectful to whomever is speaking.
ask at the end, “How can we create a cleaner atmosphere today to save
our future?”

Explore
 How will you model your performance expectations? (Remember you are not modeling what you want students to discover but need to
model expected behavior or required procedures.)
 How will students take the lead and actively use materials to discover information that will help them answer the question posed in the
Engage?
 What questions or prompts will you be prepared to use with students while they are “exploring”?
Teacher Will: Students Will:
Help students start asking questions and be sure that they have Get a laptop and start researching answers for the driving
recorded their questions in their portfolio’s question. They will form any questions they have about the
driving questions and put them in an online portfolio (Weebly).
Co-Teaching Strategy
 What co-teaching approach will you use to maximize student achievement?

Differentiation Strategy
 What accommodations/modifications will you provide for specific students?
I will provide laptops and certain websites to get the students started on their research. As this is student driven learning, I will be able to
work closer to the students that need more help.
 How will you anticipate students that need an additional challenge?
 INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 13

Explain
 How will all students have an opportunity to share what they discovered?
 How will you connect student discoveries to correct content terms/explanations?
 How will all students articulate/demonstrate a clear and correct understanding of the sub-objectives by answering the question from the
Engage before moving on?
Teacher Will: Students Will:
Create groups (since I know the students and how well they work with Discuss what they have found in their research and the questions
certain people) they need to know about the driving question. They will put these
questions and any answers that a peer has given them into the
portfolio.
Co-Teaching Strategy
 What co-teaching approach will you use to maximize student achievement?

Differentiation Strategy
 What accommodations/modifications will you provide for specific students?
I will change groups as needed if the group members do not work as well as I’d planned or if some are further than others.
 How will you anticipate students that need an additional challenge?
Elaborate
 How will students take the learning from Explore and Explain and apply it to a new circumstance or explore a particular aspect of this
learning at a deep level?
 How will students use higher order thinking at this stage (e.g. A common practice in this section is to pose a What If? Question)?
 How will all students articulate how their understanding has changed or been solidified?

Teacher Will: Students Will:

Ask the “what if” questions to help drive critical thinking about their Present in their groups to the class about what information they
research. have found and any answers they obtained off their “need to
know questions”.

Co-Teaching Strategy
 What co-teaching approach will you use to maximize student achievement?

Differentiation Strategy
 What accommodations/modifications will you provide for specific students?
I will make sure everyone in the group speaks about their information they have found
 How will you anticipate students that need an additional challenge?
Evaluate
 How will all students demonstrate mastery of the lesson objective (though perhaps not mastery of the elaborate content)?
 How will students have an opportunity to summarize the big concepts they learned (separate from the assessment)?

Teacher Will: Students Will:

Collect the exit ticket and check their portfolio to see how their Formulate 2 reasons why global warming is getting worse and 2
thinking has grown ways to slow its effects as an exit ticket.
INQUIRY-BASED PROJECT PROPOSAL: ATMOSPHERE AND GREENHOUSE GASES 14

Appendix B

Laptops to be purchased

Figure 1Laptop from https://www.bestbuy.com/site/dell-inspiron-11-6-laptop-amd-a6-4gb-memory-32gb-emmc-flash-memory-

gray/6188326.p?skuId=6188326