Image of smog with people walking through. Text, "Killer Smog"
Illustration by Gary Hanna; Shutterstock.com (letters)
Narrative Nonfiction,

Killer Smog

How a deadly environmental disaster changed our ideas about the air we breathe 

By Lauren Tarshis
From the April 2024 Issue

Learning Objective: to identify key ideas and details in a narrative nonfiction article

Complexity Factors
  • Purpose
    “Killer Smog” describes the causes and effects of a deadly smog that enveloped London in 1952.
  • Structure
    The text weaves together narrative and informational passages and is mainly chronological.
  • Vocabulary
    Contains higher-level vocabulary such as industrialized, respiratory, slathered, and toxins.
  • Knowledge Demands
    The article refers to Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge.
Lexiles: 900L, 790L
Featured Skill: Key Ideas and Details,
Other Key Skills: author’s craft, figurative language, inference, central ideas and details
Common Core Standards
  • Anchor Standards
    R.1, R.2, R.3, R.4, R.5, R.7, W.2, SL.1, SL.2
  • Grade 6
    RI.6.1, RI.6.2, RI.6.3, RI.6.4, RI.6.5, RI.6.7, W.6.2, SL.6.1, SL.6.2
  • Grade 7
    RI.7.1, RI.7.2, RI.7.3, RI.7.4, RI.7.5, RI.7.7, W.7.2, SL.7.1, SL.7.2
  • Grade 8
    RI.8.1, RI.8.2, RI.8.3, RI.8.4, RI.8.5, RI.8.7, W.8.2, SL.8.1, SL.8.2
TEKS Standards
  • Grades 6, 7, 8
    1c, 1d, 2a, 2b, 3a, 4a, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d, 5e, 5f, 5g, 5h, 5i, 6a, 6b, 6c, 6d, 6e, 6f, 6g, 6h, 6i, 6j (grade 8 only) 8d, 8f, 9a, 9b, 9c, 9d, 9e, 9f, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d, 10e, 11a, 11b, 11c, 11d, 12d, 12e, 12f, 12g, 12i, 12j

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Lexile® measure

  • 900L
  • 790L
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Reading Level (790L)
Spanish-Language Version
AS YOU READ

Think about the causes of the Great Smog of 1952.

Killer Smog 

Like so many terrible things, the dark cloud seemed to appear out of nowhere. It swept over London, England—black and poisonous. It brought terror and sickness. 

It would kill 12,000 people.  

The cloud was not a monster from a nightmare. It was not a super storm or an alien invasion. This killer cloud was air—a massive brew of toxic, polluted air. For five days, it blanketed London, causing fear, panic, and death. It became known as the Great Smog of 1952, and it remains one of the deadliest environmental disasters in history. 

Like so many terrible things, the dark cloud seemed to appear out of nowhere. It swept over London, England—black and poisonous. It brought terror and sickness. 

It would kill 12,000 people.  

The cloud was not a monster from a nightmare. It was not an alien invasion. This killer cloud was air—toxic, polluted air. For five days, it blanketed London. It caused fear, panic, and death. It became known as the Great Smog of 1952. It remains one of the deadliest environmental disasters in history.

Plunged Into Darkness

Plunged Into Darkness

Courtesy of Brian Bone

Brian Bone, about two years before the Great Smog, with his dog, Tarzan

December 5, 1952, was a quiet day. Brian Bone, 9, was at home with his parents and his 15-year-old brother, Hugh. When Brian opened the backdoor to let out his dog, a German shepherd named Tarzan, he noticed that the morning was damp and hazy. That wasn’t unusual for London at that time of year though. Tarzan trotted into the fenced-in yard, and Brian shut the door and went about his day. 

It was only later, when Brian went to call Tarzan in, that he realized something was horribly wrong. The hazy morning had turned midnight black. The air had a sharp smell—a mixture of chemicals and rotten eggs. Brian and his parents called for Tarzan, but the dog had escaped through a hole in the fence. Normally, Tarzan would have been able to sniff his way home. But even a dog’s powerful sense of smell was no match for the smothering smog. For hours the family searched the neighborhood, braving the darkness as they called for Tarzan. Yet he remained hopelessly lost.

Across London, millions of people had been plunged into the same darkness. Buses screeched to a halt. Trains stopped on their tracks. Cars crashed. People stumbled along the streets, unable to find their way home. A few got so lost they fell into the Thames River and drowned. Staying indoors provided no escape. Black air crept under doors and through keyholes, filling up homes and offices and hospitals. 

What was happening?

December 5, 1952, was a quiet day. Brian Bone, 9, was at home with his parents and his 15-year-old brother, Hugh. Brian opened the back door to let out his dog, a German shepherd named Tarzan. The morning was damp and hazy. That wasn’t unusual for London. Tarzan trotted into the fenced-in yard. Brian shut the door and went about his day. 

Later, when Brian called for Tarzan, he realized that something was horribly wrong. The hazy morning had turned black. The air had a sharp smell—a mixture of chemicals and rotten eggs. Brian and his parents called for Tarzan. But the dog had escaped through a hole in the fence. Normally, Tarzan would have been able to sniff his way home. But even a dog’s powerful sense of smell was no match for the smothering smog. The family searched the neighborhood for hours in the dark. Yet Tarzan remained lost.

Across London, millions of people had been plunged into the same darkness. Buses screeched to a halt. Trains stopped on their tracks. Cars crashed. People stumbled along the streets, unable to find their way home. A few got so lost they fell into the Thames River and drowned. Staying indoors provided no escape. Black air crept under doors and through keyholes. It filled up homes and offices and hospitals. 

What was happening?

 Central Press/Hulton Archive/Getty Images (London); Monty Fresco/Hulton Archive/Getty Images (police officer)

WHEN DAY TURNED TO NIGHT

Londoners make their way through darkened streets during the Great Smog of 1952 (above, left). A police officer directs traffic in the smog (above, right). 

Pea Soup Smog

Pea Soup Smog

For centuries, London had been famous for its fog, a swirling white mist that wrapped itself around the city on chilly days. The fog was as much a part of the city as Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge. It appeared in countless paintings and inspired celebrated poems and haunting ghost stories. 

True, the fog made London gloomy at times, but it was natural and harmless. Fog, after all, is simply microscopic drops of water trapped in the air. 

By the mid-1800s, however, as the city grew more crowded and industrialized, it wasn’t only fog swirling around London. It was also pollution from factory smokestacks and home chimneys. 

Much of this pollution came from the burning of coal, which produced an especially sooty and oily smoke. On foggy days, this smoke stuck to the drops of water in the foggy air. Trillions of tiny water bubbles slathered with dirty oil filled up every inch of open space.

In 1905, this dirty fog was given an official name: smog. By then, smog had become a serious problem in London. It was especially bad on cold winter days. When the temperature dropped, people burned more coal to keep warm, and the smoke belching from millions of chimneys created a hideously green “pea soup” smog.

For centuries, London had been famous for its fog. It was as much a part of the city as Buckingham Palace and Tower Bridge. The swirling white mist wrapped itself around the city on chilly days. It appeared in countless paintings. It inspired poems and ghost stories. 

True, the fog made London gloomy. But it was natural and harmless. Fog is microscopic drops of water trapped in the air. 

By the mid-1800s, however, the city had grown more crowded and industrialized. It wasn’t only fog swirling around London. It was also pollution from factory smokestacks and home chimneys. 

Much of this pollution came from burning coal, which produced a sooty and oily smoke. On foggy days, this smoke stuck to the drops of water in the air. Trillions of tiny water bubbles slathered with dirty oil filled up every inch of open space.

In 1905, this dirty fog was given a name: smog. By then, smog had become a serious problem in London. It was especially bad on cold winter days. When the temperature dropped, people burned more coal to keep warm. The smoke coming from millions of chimneys created a hideously green “pea soup” smog.

 Chris Young/AFP via Getty Images (Waterloo Bridge, morning fog); Courtesy of Penguin Classics (Bleak House)

London’s fog appears in many  of artist Claude Monet’s paintings (above, left). Charles Dickens used London’s fog as a symbol of society’s problems in his 1853 novel, Bleak House (above, right). 

A Fact of Life?

A Fact of Life?

London was not the only city where air pollution was a problem. The early 1900s was a time of growth for cities across Europe as well as in the United States. Smog from factories and steel mills blanketed American cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Kids playing outdoors would return home with blackened clothes, their lashes and brows coated with dark slime that could be removed only with strong detergent. 

In London, coal was the cheapest way to heat a home, and most Londoners could not afford cleaner heating systems. The owners of factories and power plants insisted that reducing pollution would be too expensive. Besides, what would happen if they closed their factories? People would lose their jobs. 

Many assumed that nothing could be done to make the air cleaner. Smog, it seemed, was just a fact of modern urban life.

London was not the only city with an air pollution problem. The early 1900s was a time of growth for cities across Europe and the United States. Smog from factories and steel mills blanketed American cities like Pittsburgh and Cleveland. Kids playing outdoors would return home with blackened clothes. Their lashes and brows were coated with dark slime. 

In London, coal was the cheapest way to heat a home. Most Londoners could not afford cleaner heating systems. The owners of factories and power plants said that reducing pollution would be too expensive. Besides, if they closed their factories, people would lose their jobs. 

Many assumed that nothing could be done to make the air cleaner. Smog, it seemed, was just a fact of urban life.

Bettmann/Getty Images

America’s Toxic Brew

In 1948, the smog in Donora, Pennsylvania, turned lethal, sickening half the town and causing 20 deaths. The air had been polluted by the city’s railroads and steel and zinc plants. The tragedy led to the Air Pollution Control Act of 1955—the first federal law aimed at reducing air pollution.

A True Disaster

A True Disaster

What few people understood was that smog wasn’t just dirty and smelly—it was also dangerous. The smog contained toxic chemicals and particulates—very small bits of particles that get trapped in the air. In the case of London’s smog, those particulates included tiny specks of unburned coal. As Brian and his family searched outside for Tarzan, this poison was filling their lungs. 

Even before scientists fully understood smog’s impact on the human body, there were signs that it was harmful. On pea soup smog days in London, schoolkids hunched over their desks, wheezing and hacking as they tried to do their work. Elderly people collapsed in the streets. Emergency rooms routinely filled with patients showing signs of smog-related respiratory problems, such as asthma and pneumonia. 

Chemicals and particulates in smog can damage the lungs—permanently. Still, decades went by and few steps were taken to reduce air pollution.

Until the Great Smog of 1952. 

This smog was different from others before it, more extreme and longer-lasting. Frigid weather meant that people were burning more coal than usual to stay warm. What’s more, a weather system was causing cold air to be trapped under the warmer air above it. There was no wind—nothing to clear away the smog. 

So day after day, London remained dark. Schools stayed closed. Workers couldn’t get to their jobs. Even funerals were canceled; grieving relatives couldn’t see well enough to drive from churches to cemeteries to bury their loved ones. 

By day three of the smog, there was some good news at the Bone house: Tarzan had somehow made his way home. But Brian couldn’t do much celebrating. He was sick in bed with a burning, painful cough. He felt as though the smog itself was trapped inside his chest. 

All over London, others were falling ill too—thousands and thousands of people. At first, most doctors believed people were suffering from the flu or other common winter illnesses. Even scientists did not immediately make a direct connection between the smog and the many coughing and wheezing people staggering into hospitals. 

London was in the grips of a disaster. The smog wasn’t just making people sick. It was killing them. 

By the time the smog finally cleared on the fifth day, more than 4,000 people had died. In the coming months, roughly 8,000 more would die from smog-related illnesses. 

But smog wasn’t just dirty and smelly—it was also dangerous. The smog contained toxic chemicals and particulates—very small bits of particles that get trapped in the air. With London’s smog, those particulates included tiny specks of unburned coal. As Brian and his family searched outside for Tarzan, this poison was filling their lungs. 

Even before scientists fully understood smog’s effect on the human body, there were signs that it was harmful. On pea soup smog days in London, schoolkids wheezed and coughed as they sat in the classroom. Elderly people collapsed in the streets. Emergency rooms filled with patients. They showed signs of smog-related respiratory problems, such as asthma and pneumonia. 

Chemicals and particulates in smog can damage the lungs—permanently. Still, decades went by. Few steps were taken to reduce air pollution.

Until the Great Smog of 1952. 

This smog was different from earlier ones. It was more extreme and longer-lasting. Frigid weather meant that people were burning more coal than usual to stay warm. What’s more, there was no wind—nothing to clear away the smog. 

So day after day, London remained dark. Schools stayed closed. Workers couldn’t get to their jobs. Even funerals were canceled. 

By day three of the smog, there was some good news at the Bone house. Tarzan had made it home. But Brian couldn’t do much celebrating. He was sick in bed. He had a painful cough. He felt as though the smog itself was trapped inside his chest. 

All over London, thousands and thousands of people were sick. At first, most doctors believed people were suffering from the flu or other common illnesses. Even scientists did not immediately connect the smog with the coughing people staggering into hospitals. 

London was in the grips of a disaster. The smog wasn’t just making people sick. It was killing them. 

The smog finally cleared on the fifth day. By then, more than 4,000 people had died. In the coming months, roughly 8,000 more would die from smog-related illnesses.

Sakib Ali/Hindustan Times via Getty Images

Air Pollution Today

Air pollution continues to be a problem around the world. This photo of Ghaziabad, India, appears to have been taken at night, but it was actually taken in the morning.

New Laws for Cleaner Air

New Laws for Cleaner Air

The Great Smog of 1952 changed the way people thought about air pollution. For the first time, there could be no doubt that smog was a deadly problem. Over the next three years, the British government passed laws designed to make air cleaner. Polluting factories were moved outside the city. The government helped people purchase cleaner heating systems that didn’t rely on coal. 

America passed clean-air laws of its own. Since 1955, these laws have enabled research on air pollution and set limits on the toxins that can be released into the air by factories, power plants, cars, and other sources of pollution.

In England and the United States, there have been no killer smogs since 1962. But dirty air continues to be a problem in many parts of both countries, due to cars and trucks as well as farming, factories, and power plants. 

In other parts of the world, smog remains a deadly problem. Lahore, Pakistan, and Delhi, India, are just two of dozens of cities frequently shrouded in pea soup smogs from factories, burning coal, and car exhaust. Indeed, according to the World Health Organization, air pollution is one of the world’s most dangerous environmental problems. Millions suffer from pollution-related health issues such as asthma. Each year, about 6.7 million people die from exposure to particulates.

Few understand the dangers of air pollution better than survivors of the Great Smog of 1952—like Brian Bone. Thankfully, Brian recovered from his illness. Throughout his life, however, he suffered from lung problems that may have been caused by the smog. 

And he always understood what a gift it is to be able to take a deep breath of sweet, fresh air.

The Great Smog of 1952 changed the way people thought about air pollution. There was no more doubt that smog was a deadly problem. Over the next three years, the British government passed laws designed to make air cleaner. Polluting factories were moved outside the city. The government helped people purchase cleaner heating systems that didn’t rely on coal. 

America also passed clean-air laws. Since 1955, these laws have led to research on air pollution. And the laws have set limits on the toxins that can be released into the air by factories, power plants, cars, and other sources of pollution.

In England and in America, there have been no killer smogs since 1962. But dirty air continues to be a problem in both countries due to cars, trucks, farming, factories, and power plants. 

In other parts of the world, smog remains a deadly problem. Lahore, Pakistan, and Delhi, India, are just two of dozens of cities frequently shrouded in pea soup smogs from factories, burning coal, and car exhaust. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution is one of the world’s most dangerous environmental problems. Millions suffer from pollution-related health issues such as asthma. Each year, about 6.7 million people die from exposure to particulates.

Few understand the dangers of air pollution better than survivors of the Great Smog of 1952—like Brian Bone. Thankfully, Brian recovered from his illness. Throughout his life, however, he suffered from lung problems that may have been caused by the smog. 

And he has always understood what a gift it is to be able to take a deep breath of sweet, fresh air.

How To Reduce Smog

Cleaning up the air starts with us.

1. Walk, bike, or skateboard.

Shutterstock.com

If you’re going somewhere nearby, walk, ride a bike, or skate instead of having someone drive you. Most vehicles emit exhaust that contributes to smog and climate change.


2. Organize a carpool.

Shutterstock.com

For longer trips, organize a carpool with your friends. You will pollute less, and everyone will spend less on gas.


3. Plant trees.

Shutterstock.com

Trees can improve air quality. They remove pollutants from the air by filtering them through their leaves.


4. Turn off lights and electronics.

Shutterstock.com

Generating electricity contributes to smog, but even little changes can make a difference—like turning off lights when you leave a room and turning off computers, TVs, and other electronics when you’re not using them.


How To Reduce Smog

Cleaning up the air starts with us.

1. Walk, bike, or skateboard.

Shutterstock.com

If you’re going somewhere nearby, walk, ride a bike, or skate instead of having someone drive you. Most vehicles emit exhaust that contributes to smog and climate change.

If you’re going somewhere nearby, walk, ride a bike, or skate instead of having someone drive you. Most vehicles emit exhaust that contributes to smog and climate change.

2. Organize a carpool.

Shutterstock.com

For longer trips, organize a carpool with your friends. You will pollute less, and everyone will spend less on gas.

For longer trips, organize a carpool with your friends. You will pollute less, and everyone will spend less on gas.

3. Plant trees.

Shutterstock.com

Trees can improve air quality. They remove pollutants from the air by filtering them through their leaves.

Trees can improve air quality. They remove pollutants from the air by filtering them through their leaves.

4. Turn off lights and electronics.

Shutterstock.com

Generating electricity contributes to smog, but even little changes can make a difference—like turning off lights when you leave a room and turning off computers, TVs, and other electronics when you’re not using them.

Generating electricity contributes to smog, but even little changes can make a difference—like turning off lights when you leave a room and turning off computers, TVs, and other electronics when you’re not using them.

Copyright ©2024 Lauren Tarshis

Copyright ©2024 Lauren Tarshis

Meet a Clean Air Hero 

How one teen is planting trees to reduce pollution

By Adee Braun

Ironwood Tree Experience

Jesus Mendoza

Imagine standing on a scorching treeless street on a 117-degree day. Miserable and sweaty, right? Not only that, but experts now know that high temperatures and lack of shade tend to increase air pollution too.

Just ask Jesus Mendoza, 17. He lives in Tucson, Arizona, one of the hottest cities in the United States. But Jesus and other volunteers are on a mission to make things better. 

How? By planting trees. 

A lot of trees.

Imagine standing on a scorching treeless street on a 117-degree day. Miserable and sweaty, right? Not only that, but experts now know that high temperatures and lack of shade tend to increase air pollution too.

Just ask Jesus Mendoza, 17. He lives in Tucson, Arizona, one of the hottest cities in the United States. But Jesus and other volunteers are on a mission to make things better. 

How? By planting trees. 

A lot of trees.

How Trees Help

How Trees Help

Jesus volunteers with an organization called Tucson Clean and Beautiful. Its goal is to plant 1 million trees in Tucson by 2030. Trees are beautiful, and they also create much-needed shade. 

That’s good news for air quality. The shade lowers the temperature on sidewalks and in the air. As a result, people use less air-conditioning, which helps reduce air pollution. Trees also help clean the air by absorbing pollution through their leaves. 

“It’s like a roof over your head, but it provides wind and shade for everybody,” says Jesus.

To date, Tucson Clean and Beautiful has planted more than 100,000 trees throughout the city.

Jesus’s environmental work, however, encompasses more than trees. Since he was 15, Jesus has also worked with an organization called Ironwood Tree Experience. He interviewed Tucson residents about how air pollution affects them. As a result of what he learned, he became an advocate for free public transportation as a way to reduce pollution from car exhaust.

“Air pollution is everywhere, in every single city and country,” says Jesus. “And it gets worse and worse with time. What we can do to prevent it and reduce it is get together as a community.”

Jesus volunteers with an organization called Tucson Clean and Beautiful. Its goal is to plant 1 million trees in Tucson by 2030. Trees are beautiful, and they also create much-needed shade. 

That’s good news for air quality. The shade lowers the temperature on sidewalks and in the air. As a result, people use less air-conditioning, which helps reduce air pollution. Trees also help clean the air by absorbing pollution through their leaves. 

“It’s like a roof over your head, but it provides wind and shade for everybody,” says Jesus.

To date, Tucson Clean and Beautiful has planted more than 100,000 trees throughout the city.

Jesus’s environmental work, however, encompasses more than trees. Since he was 15, Jesus has also worked with an organization called Ironwood Tree Experience. He interviewed Tucson residents about how air pollution affects them. As a result of what he learned, he became an advocate for free public transportation as a way to reduce pollution from car exhaust.

“Air pollution is everywhere, in every single city and country,” says Jesus. “And it gets worse and worse with time. What we can do to prevent it and reduce it is get together as a community.”

Looking Ahead

Looking Ahead

So what’s next for Jesus? 

He plans to stay in Tucson, continue his important work, and study environmental science at the University of Arizona.

“I really want to make a difference,” he says, “no matter how big or small that difference is.”

So what’s next for Jesus? 

He plans to stay in Tucson, continue his important work, and study environmental science at the University of Arizona.

“I really want to make a difference,” he says, “no matter how big or small that difference is.”

Icon of a lightbulb

Writing Prompt

What positive changes came from the Great Smog of 1952? In what ways can we continue to clean up the air today? Answer these questions in a well-organized essay. Use text evidence from the article and sidebars. 

Writing Prompt

What positive changes came from the Great Smog of 1952? In what ways can we continue to clean up the air today? Answer these questions in a well-organized essay. Use text evidence from the article and sidebars. 

This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue.

This article was originally published in the April 2024 issue.

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Activities (12)
Preparing to Read
Reading and Discussing
Skill-Building Activities
The Core Skills Workout
Quizzes (1)
Answer Key (1)
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Slideshows (1)
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Activities (12)
Preparing to Read
Reading and Discussing
Skill-Building Activities
The Core Skills Workout
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Answer Key (1)
Step-by-Step Lesson Plan

Close Reading, Critical Thinking, Skill Building

Download the Lesson Plan

Table of Contents

1. Prepare to Read

2. Read and Discuss

3. Write About It 

4. Support for Multilingual Learners

5. Connected Reading

Essential Questions: What responsibility do we have for our environment? How does human activity affect the environment? How can we reduce air pollution?

Essential Questions:What responsibility do we have for our environment? How does human activity affect the environment? How can we reduce air pollution?

1. PREPARE TO READ (20 MINUTES)

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Project the Vocabulary Slideshow on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. The audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Highlighted words: industrialized, mills, respiratory, slathered, toxins

Watch a Video (10 minutes)

  • Watch the Behind the Scenes video, in which author Lauren Tarshis discusses descriptive writing and shares three key writing techniques she used to write “Killer Smog.” Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or pairs.

Preview Vocabulary (10 minutes)

  • Project the Vocabulary Slideshow on your whiteboard. Review the definitions and complete the activity as a class. The audio pronunciations of the words and a read-aloud of the definitions are embedded on the slides. Highlighted words: industrialized, mills, respiratory, slathered, toxins

Watch a Video (10 minutes)

  • Watch the Behind the Scenes video, in which author Lauren Tarshis discusses descriptive writing and shares three key writing techniques she used to write “Killer Smog.” Have students respond to the Video Discussion Questions (available in your Resources tab) in small groups or pairs.

2. READ AND DISCUSS (45 MINUTES)

  • Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 5 or at the top of the digital story page.
  • Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the audio read-aloud of the article while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
  • Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)

  1. Reread the first three paragraphs. Why might Lauren Tarshis wait until paragraph three to reveal that “this killer cloud was air”? (author’s craft) Tarshis likely waits to reveal that the “killer cloud was air” to create suspense and hook the reader’s attention. She also sets the reader up for a surprise; most people do not think of air as dangerous. This surprise draws the reader more deeply into the narrative—they will want to know how air can kill.
  2. Tarshis writes, “Black air crept under doors and through keyholes, filling up homes and offices and hospitals.” What literary device is Tarshis using here? What effect does it have? (figurative language) Tarshis is using personification to describe the poisonous smog that was present in London in 1952. By using the word “crept,” Tarshis is portraying the smog as a dangerous or sinister person who is sneaking into homes and offices and hospitals, looking to cause harm. The line creates an ominous and frightening mood.
  3. Why is air pollution like smog dangerous? (key ideas and details) Air pollution is dangerous because it contains toxic chemicals and particulates. Breathing in these toxins can damage the lungs and lead to serious health problems like asthma and pneumonia.
  4. Why did the British government do little to reduce air pollution in London before the Great Smog of 1952? (key ideas and details, inference) There are several likely reasons the government did little about the smog problem for many years. For one thing, most people didn’t fully understand the serious health consequences of air pollution. Plus, most Londoners could not afford to heat their homes with anything other than coal. In addition, factory owners worried that reducing pollution would be too expensive and could lead to factories closing and people losing their jobs—and the government likely took these concerns seriously.
  5. In the section “New Laws for Cleaner Air,” Tarshis writes, “The Great Smog of 1952 changed the way people thought about air pollution.” How does she support this statement? (central ideas and details) Tarshis supports this statement with the following details: After the Great Smog of 1952, the British and American governments passed laws to make air cleaner, pollution-producing factories were moved outside London, and the British government began helping residents pay for cleaner heating systems.
  • As a class, discuss the following questions.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  1. What are some obstacles to reducing air pollution? How can they be overcome? Obstacles include: the expense; a lack of awareness about the causes and the dangers; government or industry resistance to regulating pollution; and individuals feeling unable to change their lifestyles. Ways to overcome the obstacles include: governments creating laws to limit pollution further; increasing awareness about the causes and dangers; taking small steps like turning off lights, reducing cars on the road, carpooling when driving is necessary, and planting trees; and re-evaluating our priorities. (Answers will vary.)

  2. What can we learn from Jesus Mendoza? Jesus Mendoza shows us that even though certain problems, like air pollution, can seem very daunting, there are simple things that we can all do to help make a difference, like taking public transportation or planting trees. Jesus also shows the power of community. If one person sets out to plant trees throughout a city, they might not get very far. But by banding together, Jesus and the other members of his volunteer group were able to plant more than 100,000 trees throughout their city of Tucson. When it comes to large-scale environmental problems like pollution, it will not take just one person to solve them; it will take all of us.

  • Invite a volunteer to read the As You Read box on page 5 or at the top of the digital story page.
  • Read the article once as a class. (Differentiation: Share the lower-Lexile version or the Spanish version of the article.) Optionally, have students listen to the audio read-aloud of the article while they follow along. The audio read-aloud is located in the Resources tab in Teacher View and at the top of the story page in Student View.
  • Divide students into groups to read the article again and respond to the following Close-Reading and Critical-Thinking Questions, also located in the Resources tab.

Close-Reading Questions (30 minutes)

  1. Reread the first three paragraphs. Why might Lauren Tarshis wait until paragraph three to reveal that “this killer cloud was air”? (author’s craft) Tarshis likely waits to reveal that the “killer cloud was air” to create suspense and hook the reader’s attention. She also sets the reader up for a surprise; most people do not think of air as dangerous. This surprise draws the reader more deeply into the narrative—they will want to know how air can kill.
  2. Tarshis writes, “Black air crept under doors and through keyholes, filling up homes and offices and hospitals.” What literary device is Tarshis using here? What effect does it have? (figurative language) Tarshis is using personification to describe the poisonous smog that was present in London in 1952. By using the word “crept,” Tarshis is portraying the smog as a dangerous or sinister person who is sneaking into homes and offices and hospitals, looking to cause harm. The line creates an ominous and frightening mood.
  3. Why is air pollution like smog dangerous? (key ideas and details) Air pollution is dangerous because it contains toxic chemicals and particulates. Breathing in these toxins can damage the lungs and lead to serious health problems like asthma and pneumonia.
  4. Why did the British government do little to reduce air pollution in London before the Great Smog of 1952? (key ideas and details, inference) There are several likely reasons the government did little about the smog problem for many years. For one thing, most people didn’t fully understand the serious health consequences of air pollution. Plus, most Londoners could not afford to heat their homes with anything other than coal. In addition, factory owners worried that reducing pollution would be too expensive and could lead to factories closing and people losing their jobs—and the government likely took these concerns seriously.
  5. In the section “New Laws for Cleaner Air,” Tarshis writes, “The Great Smog of 1952 changed the way people thought about air pollution.” How does she support this statement? (central ideas and details) Tarshis supports this statement with the following details: After the Great Smog of 1952, the British and American governments passed laws to make air cleaner, pollution-producing factories were moved outside London, and the British government began helping residents pay for cleaner heating systems.
  • As a class, discuss the following questions.

Critical-Thinking Questions (10 minutes)

  1. What are some obstacles to reducing air pollution? How can they be overcome? Obstacles include: the expense; a lack of awareness about the causes and the dangers; government or industry resistance to regulating pollution; and individuals feeling unable to change their lifestyles. Ways to overcome the obstacles include: governments creating laws to limit pollution further; increasing awareness about the causes and dangers; taking small steps like turning off lights, reducing cars on the road, carpooling when driving is necessary, and planting trees; and re-evaluating our priorities. (Answers will vary.)

  2. What can we learn from Jesus Mendoza? Jesus Mendoza shows us that even though certain problems, like air pollution, can seem very daunting, there are simple things that we can all do to help make a difference, like taking public transportation or planting trees. Jesus also shows the power of community. If one person sets out to plant trees throughout a city, they might not get very far. But by banding together, Jesus and the other members of his volunteer group were able to plant more than 100,000 trees throughout their city of Tucson. When it comes to large-scale environmental problems like pollution, it will not take just one person to solve them; it will take all of us.

3. WRITE ABOUT IT: KEY IDEAS AND DETAILS (45 MINUTES)

  • Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Key Ideas and Details. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 9 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

What positive changes came from the Great Smog of 1952? In what ways can we continue to clean up the air today? Answer these questions in a well-organized essay. Use text evidence from the article and sidebars.

  • Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

  • Have students complete the Featured Skill Activity: Key Ideas and Details. This activity prepares them to respond to the writing prompt on page 9 in the printed magazine and at the bottom of the digital story page:

What positive changes came from the Great Smog of 1952? In what ways can we continue to clean up the air today? Answer these questions in a well-organized essay. Use text evidence from the article and sidebars.

  • Alternatively, have students choose a task from the Choice Board, a menu of culminating tasks. (Our Choice Board options include the writing prompt from the magazine, differentiated versions of the writing prompt, and additional creative ways for students to demonstrate their understanding of a story or article.)

4. SUPPORT FOR MULTILINGUAL LEARNERS

These questions are designed to help students respond to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

  1. Is smog dangerous? Yes, it is.
  2. Before 1952, did people understand smog was dangerous? No, they didn’t.
  3. Was London the only city where air pollution was a problem in the 1900s? No, it wasn’t. 
  4. Did the Great Smog of 1952 change the way people thought about air pollution? Yes, it did.
  5. Did governments take steps to reduce air pollution after the Great Smog? Yes, they did. 

Either/Or Questions

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

  1. Does smog occur naturally or is it caused by human activity? Smog is caused by human activity.
  2. Did people try to reduce air pollution before 1952, or was it not seen as a problem? Air pollution was not seen as a problem.
  3. Did the Great Smog of 1952 lead to an increase or a decrease in air pollution in London? The Great Smog led to a decrease in air pollution in London. 
  4. Is air pollution still a problem around the world or has the problem been solved? Air pollution is still a problem around the world.
  5. Are there things we can do to reduce air pollution, or is it impossible to reduce air pollution? There are things we can do to reduce air pollution. 

Short-Answer Questions

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

  1. Why is smog dangerous? Smog is dangerous because it contains toxins that can hurt our lungs and cause other health problems. 

  2. How did the British government respond to the Great Smog of 1952? The British government passed laws to make air cleaner, moved pollution-producing factories outside London, and helped residents pay for cleaner heating systems.

Language-Acquisition Springboard: Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

  1. Who? (Which person or people is this article mainly about?) Brian Bone and his family
  2. What? (What event does this article describe?) one of the deadliest environmental disasters in history, when poisonous smog swept over London and killed 12,000 people
  3. When? (At what time did this event occur?) 1952
  4. Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) London, a city in England
  5. Why? (What was the reason for or cause of this event?) Pollution from factory smokestacks and home chimneys mixed with the fog that often hung over London, creating a smog filled with toxic chemicals and particulates.

These questions are designed to help students respond to the text at a level that’s right for them.

Yes/No Questions

Ask students to demonstrate comprehension with a very simple answer.

  1. Is smog dangerous? Yes, it is.
  2. Before 1952, did people understand smog was dangerous? No, they didn’t.
  3. Was London the only city where air pollution was a problem in the 1900s? No, it wasn’t. 
  4. Did the Great Smog of 1952 change the way people thought about air pollution? Yes, it did.
  5. Did governments take steps to reduce air pollution after the Great Smog? Yes, they did. 

Either/Or Questions

Encourage students to use language from the question in their answer.

  1. Does smog occur naturally or is it caused by human activity? Smog is caused by human activity.
  2. Did people try to reduce air pollution before 1952, or was it not seen as a problem? Air pollution was not seen as a problem.
  3. Did the Great Smog of 1952 lead to an increase or a decrease in air pollution in London? The Great Smog led to a decrease in air pollution in London. 
  4. Is air pollution still a problem around the world or has the problem been solved? Air pollution is still a problem around the world.
  5. Are there things we can do to reduce air pollution, or is it impossible to reduce air pollution? There are things we can do to reduce air pollution. 

Short-Answer Questions

Challenge students to produce simple answers on their own.

  1. Why is smog dangerous? Smog is dangerous because it contains toxins that can hurt our lungs and cause other health problems.

  2. How did the British government respond to the Great Smog of 1952? The British government passed laws to make air cleaner, moved pollution-producing factories outside London, and helped residents pay for cleaner heating systems.

Language-Acquisition Springboard: Fill in the five “W” words while reading, then use the answers to generate questions after reading.

  1. Who? (Which person or people is this article mainly about?) Brian Bone and his family
  2. What? (What event does this article describe?) one of the deadliest environmental disasters in history, when poisonous smog swept over London and killed 12,000 people
  3. When? (At what time did this event occur?) 1952
  4. Where? (In what place or location did this event take place?) London, a city in England
  5. Why? (What was the reason for or cause of this event?) Pollution from factory smokestacks and home chimneys mixed with the fog that often hung over London, creating a smog filled with toxic chemicals and particulates.

CONNECTED READING

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

Connected readings from the Scope archives:

Text-to-Speech