New
New
Year 9

Fieldwork: Planning an air pollution enquiry and collecting data

I can collect data about air pollution as part of a fieldwork enquiry.

New
New
Year 9

Fieldwork: Planning an air pollution enquiry and collecting data

I can collect data about air pollution as part of a fieldwork enquiry.

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. Though most air pollution is not visible to the naked eye, particulate matter can be captured using simple methods.
  2. Questionnaires are a good way of gauging public opinion about an issue.
  3. Secondary data can support the primary data that is collected in the field.

Keywords

  • Particulate matter - tiny particles held in the air such as dust, ash and soot

  • Primary data - data that is collected by geographers themselves in the field

  • Secondary data - data that has been collected by someone else but not necessarily an expert in that topic area

Common misconception

Secondary data has to have been collected by an expert in the data and the topic area.

Though geographers often use secondary data that has been researched and produced by experts, it does not have to be: it can come from other students.


To help you plan your year 9 geography lesson on: Fieldwork: Planning an air pollution enquiry and collecting data, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

Students might like to look into how researchers collect particulate matter data and how that method compares to the one they will be using.
Teacher tip

Equipment

PM Capture cards; clipboard; printouts of questionnaire surveys; map of the local area

Content guidance

  • Risk assessment required - outdoor learning

Supervision

Adult supervision required

Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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Prior knowledge starter quiz

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6 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Anthropocene,Time period when human activity affects the planet

Time period when human activity affects the planet

Correct Answer:Climate change,Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns

Long-term changes in temperature and weather patterns

Correct Answer:Biodiversity,The variety of life in a particular habitat or area

The variety of life in a particular habitat or area

Correct Answer:Deforestation,Cutting down forests, often for farming or timber

Cutting down forests, often for farming or timber

Q2.
Which term describes the current geological age influenced by humans?

Holocene
Correct answer: Anthropocene
Jurassic
Palaeolithic

Q3.
Climate refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.

Correct Answer: change

Q4.
What is biodiversity?

A type of farming
Pollution from cities
Correct answer: Variety of life in a habitat
Rain falling in forests

Q5.
Which of these is a human activity that contributes to climate change?

Planting trees
Walking to school
Correct answer: Burning fossil fuels
Recycling paper

Q6.
What is one result of deforestation?

Correct answer: Loss of animal habitats
More rainfall
Cleaner air
More biodiversity

Assessment exit quiz

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4 Questions

Q1.
Match the keywords to their definitions:

Correct Answer:Particulate matter,Tiny particles, like dust or soot, found in the air

Tiny particles, like dust or soot, found in the air

Correct Answer:Primary data,Data collected first-hand by geographers

Data collected first-hand by geographers

Correct Answer:Secondary data,Data collected by someone else

Data collected by someone else

Q2.
Which of these is an example of primary data?

Air quality report from a website
Correct answer: Counting passing vehicles at a busy road
Reading an article about pollution
Downloading air quality data from a government database

Q3.
matter refers to tiny particles like dust and soot in the air.

Correct Answer: Particulate

Q4.
Which of these is true about secondary data?

It must come from a scientist
It’s less reliable than primary data
It can’t be used in geography
Correct answer: It doesn’t have to be collected by an expert

Additional material

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