Hosted by OSOS , contributed by yairbh_nc on 15 April 2019
This is a Citizen Science project focused on radon gas.
Radon is a gas without flavor, odorless and colorless. It comes from the ground and from building materials such as cement and ceramics, dispersing in the air, so that each structure has a certain concentration of radon. Even at home and in your class. Radon levels are usually small and harmless, but long-term exposure to high concentrations of radon can have serious medical consequences.
The Radon Survey is a new project designed to map the radon concentrations in buildings in Israel and thus raise awareness of the presence of gas and ways to protect it. The Radon Poll project was developed in cooperation with the Center for Excellence in Citizen Science at the School and the Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Technion, and offers an opportunity for students to take part in a unique and authentic environmental study. In the framework of OSOS we take the basic project and develop in to be used as a platform for kids-teaching-kids.
Project Objectives
The aim is that students will learn about the characteristics of the gas and the health risks involved in it. After learning about the problem, the students conduct measurements in their own homes and in public buildings in their local surrounding. They use both the theoretical knowledge they gain and the empirical findings to raise the public's knowledge about this rather unfamiliar phenomenon.
Acquired knowledge and skills
Participation in the project enables the development of statistical thinking among students through research, in an environment enhanced technology. For this purpose, the CODAP site is used, which provides an environment for statistical performance in an inviting and non-computational manner, thus enabling the development of statistical understanding.
Radon gas is linked to science curricula in different subject matters:
- Chemistry: gases, radioactivity, adsorbents, activated charcoal
- Biology: respiratory system
- Environment studies: radon, radiation
- Health care systems, health sciences
Opportunities to collaborate with stakeholders
As part of the project, teachers will have a short training by proffesionals from the Center for Citizen Science (TCSS) at the Technion Institute.
The students will study three to six lessons (according to the teacher's preference) on radon and its measurement, using lesson plans written by the TCSS. They will also learn about the subject with a lecture given by one of the researchers.
Later on, the students will perform radon gas measurements at the school and in their homes, and upload the data to the national database of the project. This will include involvement of the students' families.
At the end of the process, a product will be prepared to help raise awareness of the issue among the community and / or other schools (by transferring activities to primary school students). The project has a national contribution to society and the community: It is a national educational project that provides important information to the public on the Radon problem by increasing awareness of Radon gas, its dangerous effects and methods of risk reduction.
Feel
What is Radon?
Radon is a gas without taste, smell or color. It originates in soil and in building materials such as cement and ceramics. Radon diffuses in the air, so that in each structure there is a certain concentration of radon - in homes and classrooms. Radon levels are usually low and harmless, but long-term exposure to high levels of radon can have adverse health consequences. Because Radon is a gas that cannot be detected by sight or smell, it is very difficult to locate it even when it is in high concentrations. The discovery of high radon concentrations allows tenants to address the problem and protect their health.
Citizen Science
The Radon Gas Survey is a unique project of "Citizen Science", designed to create cooperation between teaching staff, students and researchers from academia.
Citizen Science is a rapidly growing genre of research that engages citizens (and students) with scientific research on various topics around the world. Citizen Science projects invite volunteers to participate in activities such as monitoring climate phenomena, water quality, bird circulation, analysis of historical documents, and the discovery of new planets and galaxies. It has the unique potential to simultaneously contribute to science, citizens (students) and to the environment.
Imagine
Why Radon gas is dangerous to health?
The risk of long-term exposure to Radon is lung cancer. The health problem is not caused by the respiration of radon gas itself from these short-lived "daughters", that is, the products of the decomposition of radon gas. This is because when radon gas breaks down in the air, it creates "daughters" which enter the airways and lungs. Where they break down even further and cause radioactive exposure to the lung tissue, especially to alpha radiation. Alpha radiation can cause disruptions in the cells' genetic code. These dislocations may turn these cells into malignant cells.
Epidemiological surveys conducted by mining workers have shown that prolonged exposure to high concentrations of radon caused an increase in lung cancer.
Create
During the course of the project, students are exposed to the Radon gas, its characteristics and dangers, and take part in monitoring the gas (each student at home) by placing an active carbon column that absorbs the gas. All students in the class will be sent to the teacher together and a class inquiry will be conducted with the results of the measurement of the students.
After collecting samples, the students transfer them as soon as possible (usually up to two days) to the laboratory, where they are tested for Radon. Than, the students receive the data and statistically analyse it using the CODAP site.
The PPDAC Model is a methodological framework for applying the scientific method to an analytical or research question. It is a sequence of steps that describe the statistical method. The acronym PPDAC stands for these sequential steps:
- Problem
- Plan
- Data
- Analysis
- Conclusions
Share
Although the dangers inherent in radon gas are known to many researchers in various fields, the public seems almost unaware of the dangers inherent in the accumulation of radon gas in homes. We do not know the amount of gas in different parts of Israel and we cannot predict where the gas will appear in a larger quantity. Therefore, at this stage, it is not possible to provide the residents of the State of Israel with an accurate map of Radon quantities according to the location of the residents.
However, it is important to raise the awareness of the public to the existence of Radon gas and it's dangers.
After the statistical work is done, the students put their analysed data on a map, which can be presented to the public. The schools in encouraged to have a public event in which the students will be able to pass over their knowledge and incurage people to learn more about Radon and the health risks it involves.
In addition, these is a great potential for making connections between middle or high schools and primary schools - as the older students can conduct new measurements with the younger ones.