Dust Catcher Results

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Once the students realized that Berry Elementary was having a dust problem and the air wasn’t as clean as it should be, they set out to find the dustiest place on campus. First, the students created and decorated dust catchers using paper plates and petroleum jelly.  The 3^rd graders then had to decide where to place each dust catcher (classroom, cafeteria, office, library, and hallway). Once the location was decided upon, then they had to figure out where to put the dust catcher in each location (on a bookshelf, cabinet, floor, and desk). The dust catchers were left in their locations for one week. There were around sixty dust catchers collecting dust/data! When the week was up, the
students collected their dust catcher and examined their data. Students created lab reports with their findings, including graphing the number of dust particles found in each location. This was difficult, as dust particles are
hard to see. When all the dust had settled, so to speak, it was found that the dustiest place at Berry Elementary was the library. Dust catchers placed in the library had on average 20 more particles of dust on them. As a result of these
findings, the custodial staff now knows to take special care when cleaning the library—the shelves and their contents need to be wiped down.