Objectives 
In this lesson, students will: 

• Collect data on the number of school absences for a random selection of dates during the school year.
• Research the weather conditions on those dates
• Research the relationship between weather and allergies
• Utilize Excel to prepare a graph of the data collected
• Write a paragraph detailing the relationship between weather, allergies, and school absences.

Time Frame
Six 30 minutes sessions over the course of two week near the end of the school year.

Materials
1. Computer and Internet connection 
Sites for allergy research:
MedLine Plus http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/allergy.html
American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology http://www.healthfinder.gov/HTMLGen/HFOrgPass.cfm?OrganizationID=HR1534&OrgLoc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eaaaai%2Eorg
American Academy of Otolaryngic Allergy & Foundation  http://www.healthfinder.gov/HTMLGen/HFOrgPass.cfm?OrganizationID=HR3239&OrgLoc=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Eentallergy%2Eorg%2Faaoa%2Findex%2Ecfm
Weather Health and Allergies http://www.weather.com/health/allergies/?par=button&site=homepage&promo=health

Sites for weather research:
Weather Database http://www.accuweather.com/wx/accudata/index.htm  
Historical Weather Database http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/weather/historical/historical.htm
2.  Printed materials
3.  Attendance records
4.  Excel
5.  Allergy.zip file

Procedure
1. Divide students into groups of 4 members each with one of the following duties:

• Absence data collection
• Weather data collection
• Allergy data collection
• Graph preparation