A
Project Legal Web Quest
By Mrs. Serpa
Does it seem like the last few summers were hotter
than ever! Does the weather seem to be
more severe than ever? Why have there
been so many frequent hurricanes, tornados, droughts, diseases, and other
environmental changes?
Some people attribute these changes and
disturbances to normal planetary ups and downs.
Some people attribute this to a concept known as global warming. Global warming occurs when the carbon
dioxide levels in our environment build up and cause an increase in atmospheric
temperatures on Earth. As a result, our polar ice caps on
Earth are melting and causing, not only the ecosystem of the polar region to
change, but other ecosystems throughout the world to change as well.
Scientists are studying these changes and are
growing more and more concerned about them.
If we hurt our environment, destroy ecosystems, we ourselves as a
species can become endangered and at risk of extinction. We depend on our environment and in many ways
our environment depends on us as well.
However, we are the only species on earth that is capable of changing
the course of the future and stop these environmental changes.
Would you like to help stop the problem of
global warming and help to save the human species? We all need the Earth and we hope your ideas
can help. To assist you in your efforts
to change the effects of global warming, you and your classmates will act as Environmental
Protection Agency workers. Your goal is
to convince our federal and local government agencies to write legislation that
would put an end to this problem. Get
ready to be a part of a team dedicated to saving our Earth and all its living
creatures!
You are acting as a group of public policy
makers and will be following the “Six Step Public Policy Analyst” format. This
format will help you to create a poster for your oral and visual
presentation. You will use this web quest
to do research and complete your projects.
Be sure to include:
Ø
The
problem and its causes
Ø
Evidence
or proof the problem exists (data, statistics, pictures)
Ø
Visual
Aides and pictures
Ø
Current
existing policies
Ø
Possible
solutions to help stop this problem
The class will be divided into six groups of
five. As a group, your task will be to
complete a 10-15 minute long oral and visual presentation utilizing a tri-fold
poster that is aimed at convincing the federal government to create legislation
to stop global warming. In order to
fulfill your task as EPA agents you must use the Public Policy Analyst format
and gather as much information about global warming as possible. Here are the six steps you will need to
complete.
The Six
Steps of a Public Policy Analyst
Step 4: Examine the Existing Policy
Step 6: Select the Best Possible Solution/Policy
You will find that if you click on the above
steps, there are the worksheets you will need to complete your task and
ultimately convince lawmakers to help solve this pressing issue in our society. It may be helpful if the group members have
specific roles. However, all members of
the group will need to work together to and follow all the steps of the Public
Policy Analyst. For example, one person
may be:
v
A
Historian - The person who studies global warming issues and causes of the
past.
v
The
Current Events Reporter – The person who searches for current information and
policies of today.
v
The
Legal Expert – The person who will examine the laws and current policies in
place today that are aimed at helping to stop global warming.
v
The
Data Analyst – The person who will study the evidence and the trends of the
data.
v
The
Problem Solver- The person who will research and explore possible solutions to
this problem.
The project must also be organized, clearly presented.
It should be colorful and appear
attractive. It should demonstrate good effort. A rubric will be used to evaluate this
project.
What
is our community doing about global warming?
Data and
Evidence about Global Warming
More on Legislation and Policies of Our Country
50 Facts and Tips to Help
Stop Global Warming
|
|
CATEGORY
|
4- Excellent |
3- Very Good |
2- Satisfactory |
1- Not Acceptable |
|
Enthusiasm |
Facial expressions and body language generate a strong interest
and enthusiasm about the topic in others. |
Facial expressions and body language sometimes generate a strong
interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others. |
Facial expressions and body language are used to try to generate
enthusiasm, but seem somewhat faked. |
Very little use of facial expressions or body language. Did not
generate much interest in topic being presented. |
|
Preparedness |
Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed. |
Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple
more rehearsals. |
The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal
was lacking. |
Student does not seem at all prepared to present. |
|
Time-Limit |
Presentation is 5-6 minutes long. |
Presentation is 4 minutes long. |
Presentation is 3 minutes long. |
Presentation is less than 3 minutes OR more than 6 minutes. |
|
Speaks Clearly |
Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, and
mispronounces no words. |
Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, but
mispronounces one word. |
Speaks clearly and distinctly most ( 94-85%)
of the time. Mispronounces no more than one word. |
Often mumbles or can not be understood OR mispronounces more
than one word. |
|
Posture and Eye Contact |
Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye
contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. |
Stands up straight and establishes eye contact with everyone in
the room during the presentation. |
Sometimes stands up straight and establishes eye contact. |
Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation.
|
|
Collaboration with Peers |
Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts
of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together. |
Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of
others in the group. Does not cause "waves" in the group. |
Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of
others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member. |
Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of
others in the group. Often is not a good team member. |
|
Content |
Shows a full understanding of the topic. |
Shows a good understanding of the topic. |
Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. |
Does not seem to understand the topic very well. |
|
|
CATEGORY
|
4 -Excellent |
3- Very Good |
2- Satisfactory |
1- Not Acceptable |
|
Attractiveness |
The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design,
layout, and neatness. |
The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and
neatness. |
The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit
messy. |
The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is
not attractive. |
|
Title |
Title can be read from 6 ft. away and is quite creative. |
Title can be read from 6 ft. away and describes content well. |
Title can be read from 4 ft. away and describes the content
well. |
The title is too small and/or does not describe the content of
the poster well. |
|
Mechanics |
Capitalization and punctuation are correct throughout the
poster. |
There is 1 error in capitalization or punctuation. |
There are 2 errors in capitalization or punctuation. |
There are more than 2 errors in capitalization or punctuation. |
|
Grammar |
There are no grammatical mistakes on the poster. |
There is 1 grammatical mistake on the poster. |
There are 2 grammatical mistakes on the poster. |
There are more than 2 grammatical mistakes on the poster. |
|
Content - Accuracy |
At least 7 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. |
5-6 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. |
3-4 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. |
Less than 3 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. |
|
Knowledge Gained |
Student can accurately answer all questions related to facts in
the poster and processes used to create the poster. |
Student can accurately answer most questions related to facts in
the poster and processes used to create the poster. |
Student can accurately answer about 75% of questions related to
facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster. |
Student appears to have insufficient knowledge about the facts
or processes used in the poster. |
|
PPA Format |
The poster includes all required elements as well as additional
information. |
All required elements are included on the poster. |
All but 1 of the required elements are
included on the poster. |
Several required elements were missing. |
As citizens, future
voters, and possible policy makers, you have learned how to go about making
change in the community and the world in which you live. Where else in the world are the people truly
able to influence lawmakers and actively help to pass laws? Well, it is in our country,
It is important that you
continue to put the word out to your family and your friends about global
warming and ways we can work towards stopping it. Remember, you are the future and what happens
here on Earth depends on you! Thank you
for working so hard to make this world a better, cleaner, safer place for us to
live.
Throughout
the year, we will continue to work on projects in science, social studies,
literacy, and mathematics that center around this topic. I hope you had fun and enjoyed this
experience!
Social
Studies
Standard 1: History of the
Students will use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras,
themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the
Standard 2: World History
Students will use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras,
themes, developments, and turning points in world history and examine the broad
sweep of history from a variety of perspectives.
Standard 3: Geography
Students will use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the
interdependent world in which we live—local, national, and global—including the
distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth’s surface.
Standard 4: Economics
Students will use a variety of
intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States
and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to
allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the
United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the
scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to
demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments;
the governmental system of the
English
Language Arts
Standard 1: Language for Information and
Understanding
Students will listen, speak,
read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers,
students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts,
and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and
electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and
written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language
to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.
Standard 2: Language for Literary Response and
Expression
Students will read and listen to
oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American
and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and
develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural
dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers,
students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted
conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and
Evaluation
Students will listen, speak,
read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers,
students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by
others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they
will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the
English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and
judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction
Students
will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use
oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English
language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As
readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to
enrich their understanding of people and their views.
Mathematics,
Science, and Technology
Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
Students will use mathematical
analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as
appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.
Standard 2: Information Systems
Students will access, generate,
process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.
Standard 3: Mathematics
Students will understand
mathematics and become mathematically confident by communicating and reasoning
mathematically, by applying mathematics in real-world settings, and by solving
problems through the integrated study of number systems, geometry, algebra,
data analysis, probability, and trigonometry.
Standard 4: Science
Students will understand and
apply scientific concepts, principles, and theories pertaining to the physical
setting and living environment and recognize the historical development of
ideas in science.
Standard 5: Technology
Students will apply technological
knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and
systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.
Standard 6: Interconnectedness: Common Themes
Students will understand the
relationships and common themes that connect mathematics, science, and
technology and apply the themes to these and other areas of learning.
Standard 7: Interdisciplinary Problem Solving
Students will apply the knowledge
and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address
real-life problems and make informed decisions.