GLOBAL WARMING WEBQUEST
Henry Zymeck
Earth Science
Computer School II
8th Grade
INTRODUCTION
Global warming… sounds serious! Is our planet really heating up? If yes, who or what is to blame? Is it a normal natural cycle of climate change or have human activities created the problem? If humans are responsible, which activities are the most stressful to the planet’s temperature equilibrium? Are there costs associated with addressing these issues? Are the costs worth the benefits? Are the same groups that bear most of the costs receiving most of the benefits? Will there ever be enough international agreement to make the kinds of changes necessary to stabilize worldwide climate?
TASK
The goal of this WebQuest is for each team of students to produce a Slide Show presentation on the topic of global warming from the perspective of one of the primary stakeholders. Your team will present its policy recommendations to the Keep the Earth Cool Council, a body of representatives from each stakeholder interest group. This council will analyze these recommendations and attempt to formulate a new policy that stakeholders would find acceptable given their own priorities. They will present their presentation to a class-wide council. A student from each stakeholder group will present for their group. The other three students will present to the body and then
PROCESS
Step One:
The class will be divided into groups of four. Each group will represent a specific group of international stakeholders. Aspects will include:
The Organization of Industrialized Nations
The Alternative Energy Association
The Coalition for Ecosystem Preservation
The Flood Prevention Society
The Organization of Oil Producing Nations
The World Agricultural Society
The World Health Organization
The Keep the Earth Cool Council
Student roles within groups will include:
Lead researcher / investigator
Technical expert
Creative director
Group Advocate
Step Two:
Each stakeholder will complete the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) process below. You will formulate new recommendations for best policy solution that will incorporate the unique needs of each stakeholder.
1. Identifying the
Problem, and Worksheet #1
2. Gathering Evidence,
and Worksheet # 2
3. Identify Causes of
the problem, and Worksheet # 3
4. Evaluate the
Policy, and Worksheet #4
5. Develop a solution
to the Problem, and Worksheet #5
6. Selecting the Best
Solution, and Worksheet #6
Step Three:
The lead researcher/investigator, technical expert, and creative director for each stakeholder group will prepare a PowerPoint presentation for the Keep the Earth Cool Council.
Step Four:
The group advocate from each stakeholder group will present their findings in the form of the PowerPoint to the Keep the Earth Cool Council at The International Global Warming Summit.
Step Five:
The Keep The Earth Cool Council will issue a final report on the findings.
RESOURCES
The EPA Global Warming Kids Page
Environmental Protection Agency
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
White House and Global Warming
EVALUATION
|
CATEGORY |
4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
|
Mechanics |
No
misspellings or grammatical errors. |
Three or
fewer misspellings and/or mechanical errors. |
Four
misspellings and/or grammatical errors. |
More than
4 errors in spelling or grammar. |
|
Content |
Covers
topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent. |
Includes
essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good. |
Includes
essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors. |
Content is
minimal OR there are several factual errors. |
|
Attractiveness |
Makes
excellent use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance the
presentation. |
Makes good
use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance to presentation. |
Makes use
of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. but occasionally these detract from
the presentation content. |
Use of
font, color, graphics, effects etc. but these often distract from the
presentation content. |
|
Originality |
Product
shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. |
Product
shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. |
Uses other
people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original
thinking. |
Uses other
people's ideas, but does not give them credit. |
|
Requirements |
All
requirements are met and exceeded. |
All
requirements are met. |
One
requirement was not completely met. |
More than
one requirement was not completely met. |
STANDARDS
This Web quest meets the following NY State Science and English Standards:
English
· · E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.
· · E2a: Produce a report of information.
· · E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.
Science
· · S7b: Argues from evidence.
· · S7e: Communications in a form suited to the purpose and the audience.
· · S5c: Uses evidence from reliable sources to develop descriptions, explanations, and models; and makes appropriate adjustments and improvements.
· · S5d: Proposes, recognizes, analyzes, considers, and critiques alternative explanations; and distinguishes between fact and opinion.
· · S6c: Collects and analyzes data using concepts and techniques in Mathematics Standard 4.
CONCLUSION
You have learning about the public policy issues associated with global warming. By have completed this WebQuest you have used research skills. You have also learned the six-step process of being a Public Policy Analyst. In addition, you have written and presented your findings to the Keep the Earth Cool Council with best policy solution recommendations. As a Keep the Earth Cool Council member you have written a final report summating the findings of the whole group with best policy solution