Resources for Activity 4: Risk Assessment: Tools of the Trade

Overview:
When attempting to determine the degree of risk associated with an event, experts conducting risk assessments rely on a variety of tools of the trade to generate a risk estimate. In this activity, students will learn about the applications of some of these tools, interpret information generated from using different tools, and understand how the information can be used to set priorities and make decisions.

Student Pages:
What's Going On???
Table of Tools
Examples of Risk Assessment Tools
Fault Tree for Car Failing to Start
A Second Look at Saccharin

Additional Resources:
National Institute of Health's Chemicals, the Environment, and You: Explorations in Science and Human Health (7th-8th grade curriculum supplement)

TOXMAP helps users visually explore data from the US EPA concerning the release of toxic chemicals into the environment.

Tox Town uses color, graphics, sounds, and animation in lessons that show the connections between chemicals, the environment, and the public’s health. It lists everyday locations where you might find toxic chemicals, gives nontechnical descriptions of chemicals, gives additional links, etc.

Teaching About Controversial Topics in Science
This new series in NSTA Reports is based on the NSTA Press book Thinking Scientifically About Controversial Issues: Clones, Cats, and Chemicals. The book examines 10 dilemmas from the fields of biology, chemistry, physics, earth science, technology, and mathematics to help challenge students to confront scientific and social problems that offer few black-and-white solutions. It provides the facts and the framework to provoke classroom debates.

Earth & Sky Radio Correlations
This activity can be supplemented with related Earth & Sky radio shows that you can download for use in your classroom. Learn about the PLT and Earth & Sky Initiative.

Related Earth & Sky Shows:
- Chris Austin Explains How Robots Could Soon Replace Animals in Toxicology Testing  (2009)
- John Incardona Links Car Exhaust to Heart Disease (2009)