Why is CoCo Red?
Ebooks
Grades3, 4, 5English Language Arts, Health
This resource has been reviewed by SubjectToClimate's climate scientists and verified for scientific accuracy and up-to-date information. Learn about our review process →
Provided by EPA
What it is
- This downloadable picture book is about a chameleon named CoCo and his experience with poor air quality, including information about wildfires, controlled burns, and asthma.
- The ebook also includes a glossary, comprehension questions, an answer key, and resources to learn more about air quality and childhood asthma.
Teaching tips
Positives
- Students with asthma will be able to identify with CoCo.
- This story has a balance of providing a lot of information while not being overwhelming.
Prerequisites
- Some students may benefit from having the glossary terms defined before reading.
- The Preparing for Wildfires (CDC) link is broken.
Differentiation & Implementation
- Teachers can use this book to segue from a unit about animal adaptations to a unit about air quality or health.
- If students aren't familiar with chameleons, teachers can show them images from the internet or read an informational text about them.
- After reading the story, students can discuss the difference between wildfires and prescribed or planned burns.
- Students can practice accessing the AirNow website.
- Older students can use the questions at the end as a comprehension assessment.
- Older students can discuss how climate change and human activity exacerbates poor air quality.
From the scientist review
This resource from the EPA Regions 8, 9, and 10 includes a short story, vocabulary, a teacher and parent question and answer sheet, and additional resources to learn about air quality. The story, vocabulary, and questions are well thought out and provide students with a learning opportunity based on data from a reputable federal agency. The story is engaging and is a valuable resource for educators seeking to enhance climate-related learning experiences in the classroom.
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Hosted on document.airnow.gov
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