Air pressure is pushing on us all the time although we do not usually notice it. This activity will discuss the units of pressure and give the students a sense of just how much air pressure is pushing on them.

An interactive applet and associated web page that explain the area of a triangle. The applet shows a triangle that can be reshaped by dragging any vertex. As it changes, the area is continually recalculated using the 'half base times height' method. The triangle has a fixed square grid in its interior that can be used to visually estimate the area for later correlation with the calculated value. The calculation can be hidden while estimation is in progress. The text page has links to a similar page that uses Heron's Formula to compute the area. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

This is a simulation that shows how the boiling point of water changes as the altitude changes.

In this lesson, students will investigate error. As shown in earlier activities from navigation lessons 1 through 3, without an understanding of how errors can affect your position, you cannot navigate well. Introducing accuracy and precision will develop these concepts further. Also, students will learn how computers can help in navigation. Often, the calculations needed to navigate accurately are time consuming and complex. By using the power of computers to do calculations and repetitive tasks, one can quickly see how changing parameters likes angles and distances and introducing errors will affect their overall result.

An interactive applet and associated web page that demonstrate how Herons Formula can be used to find the area of a triangle when you know all three sides. A triangle is shown where the user can drag any vertex to reshape it. In real time while dragging, the side lengths change and the formula is recalculated on the screen. The formula can be turned off to facilitate class work. The text on the web page gives the full formula and discusses where is can be applied. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

In this lesson, students will learn how great navigators of the past stayed on course that is, the historical methods of navigation. The concepts of dead reckoning and celestial navigation are discussed.

Students develop an understanding of air pressure by using candy or cookie wafers to model how it changes with altitude, by comparing its magnitude to gravitational force per unit area, and by observing its magnitude with an aluminum can crushing experiment.

An interactive applet and associated web page that show the definition and properties of a trapezoid in coordinate geometry. The applet has a trapezoid with draggable vertices. As the user re-sizes the trapezoid the applet continuously recalculates its altitude and median from the vertex coordinates. The trapezoid can be rotated on the plane to show the more complex cases. The grid, coordinates and calculations can be turned on and off for class problem solving. The applet can be printed in the state it appears on the screen to make handouts. The web page has a full definition of a trapezoid when the coordinates of the points defining it are known, and has links to other pages relating to coordinate geometry. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

An interactive applet and associated web page that introduce the concept of a triangle. The applet shows a triangle where the user can drag the vertices to reshape it. As it is being dragged a base and altitude are shown continuously changing. Demonstrates that the altitude may require the base to be extended. The text on the page lists the properties of a triangle and lists the various triangle types, with links to a definition of each. Applet can be enlarged to full screen size for use with a classroom projector. This resource is a component of the Math Open Reference Interactive Geometry textbook project at http://www.mathopenref.com.

Students are introduced to some essential meteorology concepts so they more fully understand the impact of meteorological activity on air pollution control and prevention. First, they develop an understanding of the magnitude and importance of air pressure. Next, they build a simple aneroid barometer to understand how air pressure information is related to weather prediction. Then, students explore the concept of relative humidity and its connection to weather prediction. Finally, students learn about air convection currents and temperature inversions. In an associated literacy activity, students learn how scientific terms are formed using Latin and Greek roots, prefixes and suffixes, and are introduced to the role played by metaphor in language development. Note: Some of these activities can be conducted simultaneously with the air quality activity (What Color Is Your Air Today?) of Air Pollution unit, Lesson 1.

How does our climate affect us? How do we decide what to wear each day? What factors determine if our clothing choices are comfortable? What is the source of our water? Students explore characteristics that define climatic regions. They learn how tropical, desert, coastal and alpine climates result in different lifestyle, clothing, water source and food options for the people who live there. They learn that a location's latitude, altitude, land features, weather conditions, and distance from large bodies of water, determines its climate. Students discuss how engineers help us adapt to all climates by designing clothing, shelters, weather technologies and clean water systems.