AirActions Pilot with Medtronic in Sonoma County
Starting in 2022, TD Enviro’s AirActions curriculum was introduced via the Sonoma County Office of Education to be piloted by six teachers in different schools across the county. TD Enviro held a workshop for teachers and Medtronic engineers to discuss the curriculum, model the labs, and explore air quality with AirBeam handheld air sensors.
“The AirBeams and Burning Food Lab were very good for understanding. It was a hands-on activity which made it more interactive and I truly think that having more activities like that will better improve students to understand what they’re learning.”
Medtronic then purchased 30 AirBeams for teacher use. Their engineers ensure the air sensors are charged, in good working order, and ready for teachers to borrow. A few options exist for teachers interested in using the devices: some, now familiar with the devices, simply pick them up for use in their classrooms. Other teachers get support from Medtronic’s engineers, who come out to help them use the devices. Students do walk-around studies of their school site with the air sensors, followed by classroom time where they debrief and analyze the data they collected, and then use the air sensors to explore an AirActions lab that investigates combustion products.
This past year, this AirActions pilot in Sonoma County engaged teachers and their classrooms from 4 cities across the region on the science of air quality. Interested in air quality education? Contact us to collaborate on K-12 transformative projects!
