The Unusually Red Sky Project Blueprint

Problem Situation
You have been asked to investigate why Washington, D.C. has experienced scarlet red skies for the second week in a row. Despite the sky's beauty, reports of decreased air quality and news of a growing ozone hole over Antarctica have raised concerns in many government circles. As a member of an investigative team, you are to determine the cause of the unusually red sky and report your findings to the president and the citizens of Washington, D.C.

National Standards Addressed

Science (NSTA)

• Unifying Concepts and Processes
• Science Inquiry
• Physical Science
• Earth and Space Science
• Science and Technology
• Science in Personal and Social Perspective
• History and Nature of Science

Mathematics (NCTM)

• Measurement
• Problem Solving
• Reasoning and Proof
• Communications
• Representations
• Connections

Geography

• The World in Spatial Terms
• Physical Systems
• Environment and Society
• The Uses of Geography

ISTE Educational Technology (NET)

• Basic Operations and Concepts
• Social, Ethical, and Human Issues
• Technology Productivity Tools
• Technology Communication Tools
• Technology Research Tools
• Technology Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Tools

ITEA Technology Literacy

• The Nature of Technology
• Technology in Society

Key Facts in the Problem

• The red sky phenomenon has appeared both in the morning and at night.
• Reports of decreased air quality and an increasing ozone hole over Antarctica have people concerned.
• The president must be informed of the situation and given a plan of action.
• Citizens must be educated about any local or global environmental issues that surround the phenomenon.
• The investigation must include scientists' opinions from the fields of meteorology, atmospheric science, geology, and physics.

Criteria of the Problem

• Consider the findings of the various fields of science.
• Develop an action plan.
• Keep a problem log.
• Create a final report informing the committee about the cause of the unusually red skies and the effects on the local and global environment.

Problem Solver's Role

• Meteorologists
• Atmospheric Scientist
• Geologist
• Physicist

Resources for Learning Issues/Questions

• Research Rack: Internet sites, NASA web sites, books, trivia, glossary
• Dr. D's Lab Simulations and Experiments
• NASA SCIence Files™ television broadcast, The Case of the Mysteriously Red Sky
• NASA SCIence Files™ educator's guide for The Case of the Mysteriously Red Sky

Possible Hypotheses

• The red sky could be a reflection of something on Earth.
• The Sun gives of a bright red light causing the sky to be red too.
• Clouds could be causing the sky to be unusually red.

Learning Areas

• problem-solving process
• properties of light
• Earth's atmosphere
• electromagnetic spectrum
• volcanoes
• wind patterns

Lab/Activity Correlations

Home Activities in Dr. D's Lab

• The Coriolis Effect of Wind
• The Path of Light
• The Scattering of Light
• What is the Color of White?
• Wind and Weather

In-Class Activities

• As the World Turns
• The Edible Spectrum
• The Incredible Edible Wave
• It's a Bird. It's a Plane. No, It's an Aerosol!
• Magnificent Magma
• Pouring a Little Light on the Subject

Worksheets

• Validation Station

General Notes

• When preparing the final report for the problem, students are to select what format will best present their findings. Formats range from a simple report to a PowerPoint presentation that incorporates the images found in the Media Zone.
• This problem has multiple solutions, and the outcome will be determined by the direction the students take in their investigation!
• Encourage the use of the Problem Log. This tool will effectively guide the students in the problem-solving process and provide a solid evaluation tool.
• Invite local scientists to visit the classroom to discuss their duties, provide factual knowledge, or actively participate in the problem-solving process with the student teams!

Possible Solutions
This problem has multiple solutions, and the outcome will be determined by the direction the students take in their investigation!

Some causes of a red sky include these:

• A distant hurricane can cause a blood-red sunset. Weather systems generally move from west to east across North America
• When the western sky is especially clear, there is often a red sunset because the sun is low in the sky and its light passes through dust and pollution particles in the lower atmosphere; this is especially true if an area of high air pressure is present. This sinking air holds air contaminants near the Earth. These particles "scatter" the colors of sunlight and cause the red sky.
• Atmospheric aerosols, tiny solid or liquid particles that are suspended in the atmosphere, often remain suspended for days or weeks and can be transported over great distances. We often see evidence of these aerosols when viewing a red sunrise or sunset. The sunlight is being reflected and absorbed by these particles, resulting in a beautiful spectrum of color. The shorter wavelengths (violet and blue) scatter in many directions, causing the colors to separate many times. The longer wavelengths (yellow-orange-red) are able to pass through the clouds without being separated entirely and are the most visible.
• Volcanic aerosols, which appear in the lower atmosphere, can modify the size of cloud particles and change how the cloud reflects and absorbs sunlight. These aerosols can spread into the atmosphere and be carried by global wind patterns.
• Red sunsets are caused by fine dust-ash from pollutants, volcanic eruptions, or suspended salt particles in the air over the ocean.