RAISE STUDENT’S AWARENESS OF PROTECTING THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH STUDYING THE AIR POLLUTION

THE BRIEF OUTLINE
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Contents
PART A: INTRODUCTION
Rationales
Aims of the study
Limitation of the study
The object of the study
Method of the study
PART B: CONTENT
Preparation

Procedure
Warm - up
Presentation
The definition of air pollution

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The causes of air pollution

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The effects of air pollution

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The solution to reduce air pollution

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Practice
The results

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PART C: CONCLUSION
PART D: REFERENCES

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Experience initiative
English Extracurricular session with the topic : “Raise students’ awareness
of protecting the environment through studying about the air pollution”
PART A: INTRODUCTION
1. Rationales.
English has played a vital role in society and made considerable
contribution to education, culture, science and technology. The number of
people learning English for various purposes such as job, business, traveling,…
is continually on the increase everyday.
In our country, English has been regarded as the most important foreign
language nowadays, especially since the Vietnamese government carried out the
open door policy. English has been taught for a long time in Vietnam and
becomes a compulsory subject. However, the emphasis on transmission of
structural rules and forms often serve as the principal method of teaching
English in Vietnamese schools. Most of Vietnamese teachers tend to focus on

teaching as much grammar and vocabulary as possible. This can not do much
for students to assure a successful communication in daily life.
Therefore, to help my students both practice speaking skill and raise the
awareness of protecting environment, I have decided to organize an extracurricular session of English and choose: “Raise students’ awareness of
protecting the environment through studying about the air pollution” as the
theme for my study.
2. Aims of the study.
Each work has its own aims, so does this study. The aims of my study are:
• To help students master English more and develop skills of group-work.
• To help students raise students awareness of protecting the environment
• To fulfill my career passion and improve my teaching skills
3. Limitation of the study.
In this study, I mostly concentrate on environmental pollution around where my
students live with four main events:
1. The state of environmental pollution around where my students live.
2. Some reasons cause the environmental pollution.
3. The consequences that might occur.
4. Some possible solutions.
4. The object of the study.
+ Class 11A4 consists of 42 students.

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+ The students’ awareness of protecting environment before and after the
extra-curricular English session.
5. Method of the study.
• Asking students observing the environment where they live to prepare
well for their work.
• Using analytic methods

• Observing and asking colleagues for ideas and experiences
• Practising the application of the study
PART B. CONTENT.
1. Preparation: One week before the extra-curricular session.
1.1 Teacher:
• Prepares 4 questions to ask students before and after the extra-curricular
session.
Questions for the survey.
Name : ..........................................Class: .........
Please answer the following questions honestly, thank you so much!
Question1. Which of the following statements about pollutant are true:
A. Pollutant only harmful for humans.
B. Pollutants alter the environment in a negative way.
C. Pollutants refer specifically to toxic inorganic substances made by humans.
D. Pollutants are harmful organic substances that negatively effect plants
and animals.
Question2. The following are all atmosphere pollutants, with one except.
Choose the exception:
A. Carbon monoxide
B. Nitrogen dioxide
C. Nitrogen gas
D. Ozone
Question3. Which one of the following is an example of a diffuse source of
pollution?
A. highway carrying heavy traffic
B. chimney stack
C. sewerage pipe
D. pipe discharging waste from a manufacturing plant
Question4. Air pollution affects to?
A. human health

B. animals
C. plants
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D. all A, B, C are correct
Total mark 10 mark 9 mark 8 mark 7 mark 6 mark 5 < mark 5
42
0
7
10
21
3
0
1
• Divides the class into 4 groups.:
1. Group 1(12 students. From 1 to 12 in the list of the class)
Leader : HOANG DUC AN. Vice: NGO NGOC ANH
2. Group 2(12 students. From 13 to 24 in the list of the class)
Leader : BUI THANH HUYEN. Vice: TRINH VIET HOANG
3. Group 3(12 students. From 25 to 36 in the list of the class)
Leader : VU THUY LINH. Vice: PHAM THI LINH
4. Group 4(12 students. From 37 to 48 in the list of the class)
Leader : TRAN HAI YEN. Vice: MAI THANH XUAN
• States the assignment obviously.
Group 1: What is the air pollution? How many kinds of air pollution?
Group 2: The causes of air pollution
Group 3: The affects of air pollution
Group 4: The solution to protect the environment
1.2 Students:

• Get the assignment
• Work in groups at home or during the break at school to search for the
information needed.
• Exchange and make a complete report.
• Prepare 5 questions to ask other groups in the coming session.
2. Procedure:
2.1. Warm- up:
Teacher introduce about the topic of extra-curricular session: The air pollution
- Teacher shows four questions that related to the environment and gave to the
students to prepare at home
- Teacher calls leader of each group to answer
- Teacher gives feedback and comment
- Teacher leads to topic and announces the extra- curricular session starts
2.2. Presentation.
The representative of each group will present what they have collected in front
of the class and the rest listen to them carefully.
2.2.1 Group 1. Presenter: HOANG DUC AN
The content: The definition of air pollution
HOANG DUC AN: First, I present the definition of pollution
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Pollution is the introduction of contaminants into the natural environment
that cause adverse change, in the form of killing of life, toxicity of the
environment, damage to ecosystem and aesthetics of our surrounding
(Wikipedia)
Pollution has become a serious issue after World War II in developing
countries due to unchecked rapid industrialization. Pollution is the root cause of
many diseases that kill and disable living organisms.

Picture 1: A broader view of pollution
Air pollution is contamination of the indoor or outdoor environment by
any chemical physical or biological agent that modifies the natural
characteristics of the atmosphere.
Air pollution is the introduction of chemicals particulate matter, or
biological materials that cause harm or discomfort to humans or other living
organisms, or cause damage to the natural environment or built environment
into atmosphere.
A substance in the air that can cause harm to humans and the
environment is known as air pollution.
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2.2.2 Group 2. Presenter: BUI THANH HUYEN
The content: The causes of air pollution
Air pollution can result from both human and natural action or out door
pollution and indoor air pollution

Picture 2: The causes of air pollution
2.2.2.1 Natural air pollution:
Natural events that pollute the air include forest fires, volcanic eruptions,
wind erosion, pollen dispersal, evaporation of organic compounds and natural
radioactivity.
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All these things are examples of serious air pollution that happen without
any help from humans; although we can adapt to natural air pollution, and try to
reduce the disruption it causes, we can never stop it happening completely. For
the rest of this article, we'll consider only the "unnatural" types of pollution: the

problems that people cause—and the ones we can solve

Picture 3: Forest fires are one completely natural cause of air pollution
2.2.2.2 Traffic

In Vietnam, air pollution is rising at an alarming rate, especially in big
cities such as Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. Air pollution can result from
transportation, industry, handicrafts and construction activities. According to the
experts, air pollution in urban caused by traffic accounts for 70 %.
According to reports on ambient air situation for the period 2008 -2012, NO
(nitrogen oxide) tends to increase in the rush hours in the morning and
afternoon. The concentration of dust parameters tend to remain at high level,
especially along the roads and highways with high traffic density. Dust
pollution around construction sites is relatively serious and maintains at high
level for long period of time during the construction period.

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Picture 4: Air pollution in Ha Noi
2.2.2.3 Exhaust from factories and industries
Manufacturing industries release large amount of carbon monoxide,
hydrocarbons, organic compounds, and chemicals into the air thereby depleting
the quality of air. Manufacturing industries can be found at every corner of the
earth and there is no area that has not been affected by it. Petroleum refineries
also release hydrocarbons and various other chemicals that pollute the air and
also cause land pollution.
The Ozone layer considered crucial for the existence of the ecosystems
on the planet is depleting due to increased pollution. Global warming, a direct
result of the increased imbalance of gases in the atmosphere has come to be

known as the biggest threat and challenge that the contemporary world has to
overcome in a bid for survival.

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Picture 5: Air pollution from factories and industries
2.2.2.4 Indoor air pollution
Household cleaning products, painting supplies emit toxic chemicals in
the air and cause air pollution. Have you ever noticed that once you paint walls
of your house, it creates some sort of smell which makes it literally impossible
for you to breathe.
Suspended particulate matter popular by its acronym SPM, is another cause of
pollution. Referring to the particles afloat in the air, SPM is usually caused by
dust, combustion etc.
The National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) defines
indoor air as air within a building occupied for at least one hour by people of
varying states of health. This can include the office, classroom, transport
facility, shopping centre, hospital and home. Indoor air quality can be defined as
the totality of attributes of indoor air that affect a person's health and well being.
A major concern with respect to indoor air quality is the use of gas
cookers and unflued gas heaters. These two sources can often contribute a large
percentage of the pollutants found in domestic dwellings.
Increasingly, as dwellings have become better sealed from the external
environment, pollutants being released from indoor sources are being found at
higher concentrations.

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Picture 6: Indoor air pollution
2.2.3 Group 3. Presenter: VU THUY LINH
The content: The effects of air pollution
The nature of air pollution has changed over the past 40 years. Emissions of
smoke and sulphur dioxide associated with smog of the past have declined,
while the proportion of pollution from vehicles has increased. The health effects
of air pollution are still, however, significant. Evidence from the Government’s
Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution (COMEAP) suggests that
some 29,000 deaths per year (4,000 in London alone) are brought forward by
exposure to man-made particulate air pollution at current levels. Their current
work suggests that a similar scale of premature deaths are caused by NO2
pollution, although further work is being carried out to establish to what extent
these impacts overlap.

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Picture 7: causes and effects of air pollution: (1) greenhouse effect, (2)
particulate contamination, (3) increased UV radiation, (4) acid rain, (5)
increased ground level ozone concentration, (6) increased levels of nitrogen
oxides.
The effects of air pollution are alarming. They are known to create
several respiratory and heart conditions along with Cancer, among other threats
to the body. Several millions are known to have died due to direct or indirect
effects of Air pollution. Children in areas exposed to air pollutants are said to
commonly suffer from pneumonia and asthma.
2.2.3.1 Effect on Human health
We know air pollution is a bad thing without even thinking about it. Have
you ever coughed when a truck drove past belching out its sooty exhaust?
Instinctively, you cough to clear your lungs and protect your body and you

might even cover your face with your handkerchief or sleeve to filter the air
until it feels safe to breathe deeply again. You don't have to be told that
pollution like this might harm your health to want to steer clear of it: your body
takes action automatically. The only trouble is, we can't always see or smell air
pollution, tell when it's affecting us, or know how it might harm us days,
months, or even years in the future.
Deaths aren't the only human consequence of air pollution. For every
person who dies, hundreds or thousands more suffer breathing problems such as
asthma and bronchitis. Workers exposed to high levels of dust sometimes suffer
years of misery before dying from illnesses such as silicosis.

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Picture 8: Effects of pollution on human health
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), air pollution is one
of the world's biggest killers: it causes around two million people to die
prematurely each year. Many of these deaths happen in developing countries
(over half a million in India alone), but wealthier industrial nations suffer too: in
the United States, for example, around 41,000 people a year are estimated to die
early because of air pollution. Imagine how much media coverage there would
be if two million people (that's roughly the population of Houston, Texas or the
West Midlands conurbation in England) were killed in a terrorist incident or
an earthquake. Because air pollution kills quietly and relentlessly, and its finger
is hard to detect on the trigger, people barely seem to notice—or care.
2.2.3.2 Effect on agriculture and plants
Pollution from car exhaust, factory emissions, fuel combustion and other
sources can hang a brown cloud over some cities. Air pollution not only
contributes to respiratory diseases in humans and damages buildings, it can also
affect plants. The effects of air pollution on plants develop over time and can't

be undone. Some plants are more susceptible to pollution damage than others
according to Fred Davis, a chemist from Kent State University.
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Chemicals such as sulfur dioxide, ozone, fluorides and peroxyacyl nitrate
damage the leaves of plants. If enough leaves are damaged, the entire plant will
die. Sulfur dioxide, a by-product of burning fossil fuels such as oil, coal and
gasoline, causes changes in the colors of leaf tissue. Some sulfur dioxide
converts to sulfuric acid, which eats holes in the leaves. Ozone damage on
leaves appears as mottled spots, which may be yellow, black or brown.
2.2.3.3. Other effects
Acid Rain: Harmful gases like nitrogen oxides and sulfur oxides are released
into the atmosphere during the burning of fossil fuels. When it rains, the water
droplets combines with these air pollutants, becomes acidic and then falls on the
ground in the form of acid rain. Acid rain can cause great damage to human,
animals and crops.
Depletion of Ozone layer: Ozone exists in earth’s stratosphere and is
responsible for protecting humans from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. Earth’s
ozone layer is depleting due to the presence of chlorofluorocarbons, hydro
chlorofluorocarbons in the atmosphere. As ozone layer will go thin, it will emit
harmful rays back on earth and can cause skin and eye related problems. UV
rays also have the capability to affect crops.
Global warming: Another direct effect is the immediate alterations that the
world is witnessing due to Global warming. With increased temperatures world
wide, increase in sea levels and melting of ice from colder regions and icebergs,
displacement and loss of habitat have already signaled an impending disaster if
actions for preservation and normalization aren’t undertaken soon.

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Picture 10 : Effect of acid rain
Effect on Wildlife: Just like humans, animals also face some devastating
affects of air pollution. Toxic chemicals present in the air can force wildlife
species to move to new place and change their habitat. The toxic pollutants
deposit over the surface of the water and can also affect sea animals.
2.2.4 Group 4: Presenter: TRAN HAI YEN
The content: The solutions to reduce air pollution
* Government:
- Government throughout the world should have already taken action against air
pollution by introducing green energy.
- should invest renewable resources: wind power, solar energy to minimize
burning of fossil fuels
- should enact laws forcing companies to be more responsible with their
manufacturing activities so that they are a lot controlled.
- should provide local transport to people to reduce burning fossil fuels.
* I and you:
There are simple steps we can take in our everyday life to help improve air
quality. Every time you drive to work or school, use your heater or air
conditioner, clean your windows or even style your hair, you make choices that
can reduce or increase air pollution.
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On the road:
- Walk or ride a bike when possible.
- Take public transportation.
- Organize and condense errands into one trip.
- When driving, accelerate gradually and obey the speed limit.

- Drive less, particularly on days with unhealthy air.
- Travel lightly and remove any unnecessary items that may weigh down your
vehicle.
- Limit idling your vehicle to no more than 30 seconds.
- When in the market for a new car, look for the most efficient, lowest-polluting
vehicle or even a zero-emission electric car.
At home:
- Turn the lights off when you leave a room.
- Replace energy-hungry incandescent lights with compact florescent light
bulbs.
- Ask your energy supplier for a home audit and inquire about alternative
energy solutions like solar or wind.
- Option for a fan instead of air conditioning
- Plant a tree! They filter the air and provide shade.
- Let your elected representatives know you support action for cleaner air
- Choose products that use recycled materials.
- Eat locally, shop at farmers markets and buy organic products.
- Buy products from sustainable sources such as bamboo and hemp.
At Work:
- Start a recycling program.
- Print and photocopy on both sides of paper
- Turn off office equipment, computers, printers, and fax machines, after hours.
- Harness the power of the sun: open the blinds and turn off the lights.
- Dress for the weather and adjust layers before adjusting the thermostat.
2.3 Practice.
Teacher lets students to play a game: WHO IS THE WINNER?
Before playing, the students listen to the teacher’s explanation: There are six
numbers. Teacher will give five questions in five box and one box is lucky
number that give you 10 points without answering The leader of each group
will choose the questions and have 3 minutes to prepare and answer. If the

answer is wrong, the other will have a chance to answer and get points. Each a
correct answer will have 10 points prepared carefully. In the end, which group
gets the highest score will be the winner.
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Question 1: Is air pollution a substance in the air that can cause harm to humans
and the environment?
Expected answer: Yes
Question 2: What cause the air pollution?
A: human action
B: natural action
C: both human and natural action
Expected answer: C
Question 3: In Viet Nam, Which cities be affected the best by air pollution?
Expected answer: In Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh city
Question 4: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), How many
people are died by air pollution each year?
Expected answer: two million people each year
Question 5: What can Acid rain great damage to?
Expected answer: human, animals and crops.
2.4 The result:
After playing the game, the points of each group:
Group 1: 20 points
Group 2: 10 points
Group 3: 30 points( the highest score)
Groups 4: 0 point
Group 3 will be winner
3. Acquirement.
After the session, Teacher hands out the questions to check the students’

acquirement. Asks students to circle the correct answers in 3 minutes then
collects and marks, jots down and analyses the result. Compare the result before
and after the extra-curricular session.
The result before the extra-curricular session.
Total
49

mark 10
0

mark 9
7

mark 8
17

mark 7
21

mark 6
3

mark 5
0

< mark 5
1

mark 6
1

mark 5
0

< mark 5
0

The result after the extra-curricular session.
Total
49

mark 10
15

mark 9
22

mark 8
7

mark 7
4

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As can be seen from the tables above, the knowledge of the students in class
10A2 was greatly enhanced. The excellent marks (9,10) increased from 7 to 37.
Especially, no mark was lower than 6. It is clear that The English extra
curricular session was definitely successful.

PART C. CONCLUSION.
Through the practice of the extra-curricular session, it is obvious that the
students of class 10A2 are definitely concerned about the topic “Raise students’
awareness of protecting the environment through studying about the air
pollution ”. They are eager to study and search for the information needed to
achieve deeper understanding about the issue. Much as it is quite a hard topic,
they quickly lose themselves in their duties and get a rather good result. They
are fully aware of their duties at present: study, study more, study forever to
become good citizens to constitute and protect the country.
The above composition is a report of an English extra-curricular session.
It can not help making mistakes although I have attempted to finish it.
Therefore, I would like to express my deep thanks to all of you for your
precious ideas to make my teaching session more perfect.
Thank you so much!
THE CONFIRMATION OF
THE HEADMASTER

MA. NGUYEN THI HA

Thanh Hoa, May 20th 2016
I hereby declare that this is my
experience initiative and that no parts
of the initiative have been copied or
reproduced by me from any other’s
work without acknowledgement.
Writer

Pham thi LINH

PART D: REFERENCES

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