INTRODUCTION:

In an effort to modernize the Middle East, countries have looked to increase their water resources to support large urban populations. Currently in the Middle East there is a movement underway for alternative methods of obtaining water. What it comes down to is that there are no other ways to get water. There is not a lot of water sitting around the mid-east except undrinkable salt water in the seas. There are limited fresh water resources.

TASK:

The United Nations has asked your class to help them develop policy regarding water resource management in the middle-east. The Secretary General wants for you to research the topic and create a PowerPoint presentation highlighting your research and findings and give him policy solution recommendations.

PROCESS:

You will be divided into three groups. Each group will be responsible for assessment of the resources below and for developing possible policy solutions.

Interest Groups:

Group One: Locals

Group Two: Westerners

Group Three: Local merchants, business

Each group will have four members. Each member will have a specific role to perform. The group will have:

A Group Leader-You are responsible for making sure that the group stays on task and completes all of the work

A Public Policy Analyst-You are responsible for making sure that all of the group participates in completing the worksheets. You are responsible for completing the worksheets.

A Researcher-You are responsible for making sure that you use the Internet Resources provided to look for possible solutions.

A PowerPoint Designer and Presenter-You are responsible for putting together the final presentation for the group. Make sure that you include input from the entire group. You will also present the findings to you class for your group.

Each group will follow the steps of the Public Policy Analyst below:

You will be assigned to work in one of three interest groups. You will use the worksheets to record your research. These worksheets can be found using the links below and are to be used to complete your project.

1. Define the problem (worksheet 1)

2. Gather evidence of the problem (worksheet 2)

3. Identify the causes of the problem (worksheet 3)

4. Evaluate (look at) existing (current) public policies (worksheet 4)

5. Develop new policies that could be used to solve the problem (worksheet 5)

6. Select the best policy (solution) for the problem (worksheet 6)

RESOURCES:

http://www.worldbank.org/watsan/waterweek2004/17.htm

http://www.un.org/Depts/dhl/me_water.htm

EVALUATION:
PPA Policy Followed	All questions were answered completely and rationales for the answers were clearly stated.	All questions were answered completely, but rationales for the all the answers were not clearly stated.	Not all questions were answered completely, or greater than 2 rationales for the all answers were not clearly stated.	All questions were not answered completely.	____
Power Point Presentation	- Clear and full presentation of material (10 slides) - Shows sophisticated control of elements of power point program - Demonstrates full control of language conventions	- Clear presentation of material (10 slides) - Shows control of elements of power point program - Demonstrates control of language conventions with very few mistakes	- Basic presentation of material (less than 4,5 slides) - Basic control of elements of power point program - Some errors in language conventions get in way of presentation	- Insufficient and/or unclear presentation of material - Little control of power point program - Significant errors in language conventions which get in way of presentation	____
Process: Teamwork	It is evident that a mutual effort and cohesive unit created the final product.	The team worked well together, but could have utilized each other's skills to a better degree.	The team had problems working together. Little collaboration occurred.	The final product is not the result of a collaborative effort. The group showed no evidence of collaboration.	____
Process: Originality	The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate a high degree of originality.	The ideas expressed by the body of work are mostly original.	The ideas expressed by the body of work demonstrate lack of originality.	There were no original ideas expressed in this project.

STANDARDS:

GLOBAL HISTORY STANDARDS:

Social Studies: Standard 2

The student 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.

Social Studies: Standard 3

The student 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.

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS :

English Language Arts Standard 1: 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 to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standards obtained from New York State Education Department

CONCLUSION:

By having completed this WebQuest you have learned about water resource management in the middle-east. You have also learned the six-steps of being a Public Policy Analyst. You have used research tools and have gathered information for a PowerPoint presentation. You have worked cooperatively in your group and have contributed to the final project.