Plastics Pollution
A PROJECT CRITICAL WEB QUEST
Mr. N. Osti
Chemistry 11 th Grade
How many times each day do you use
something made out of plastic? From a toothbrush to a soda pop bottle, from a grocery
bag to a garden hose, plastics are part of our daily lives. When plastics are
thrown away, they become part of the solid wastes that end up in sanitary landfills.
You probably know that plastics are made from petroleum, a nonrenewable resource. Plastic, the wonder material that we use for
everything, is perhaps the most harmful of this trash because it does not
readily break down in nature and causes pollution.
In this web
quest, you and your group members will consider yourselves advisers to the
President of
GOOD LUCK ! YOUR GROUP HAS A
CRITICAL JOB! YOU MAY BE ABLE TO SAVE THE LIVES OF MILLIONS. NOW GO TO WORK!
YOUR COUNTRY NEEDS YOU!
Your job in this Web Quest is to learn
about the different types of plastics and how they pollute our environment. You
will explore the history of plastics and find out what properties make a
material a plastic. Why do people use plastics? How can we reduce the use of
plastic in our everyday life? How does plastic bring social problem? Working in groups of four your task is to identify the
cause of pollution due to plastics, consequences of pollution, existing policy
to prevent use of plastics and long term solution for the prevention of plastic
pollution. Develop a power point presentation of your findings.
Each group member will hand in the following for grading
1: A 4-6
page typewritten power which includes all the steps from the PPA
2: The six
worksheets from the PPA-all completed using resource web sites
3: Each
group will make a TEN minute ORAL presentation to the class
explaining
their findings and based on the Public Policy Analyst format.
4: Each
group will produce a POSTER or PAMPHLET that will be presented
during their Oral Report;
Working in
groups of four, you will complete the Public Policy Analyst handouts to
complete the task. Your teacher will
place you in groups of four. You may
split up the work anyway you prefer.
Just make sure that all the PPA handouts are completed.
You must print out each of the six worksheets and answer ALL
questions as a group. When you hand in
your final research paper (4-6 pages), and you must all hand in the completed
worksheet. You will work on the handouts
in class and complete the final paper after school.
Each member of the group will have to play a role as
follows:
Group Leader: would be responsible for
making sure that all members work together and stay on task
PPA Leader: responsible for making sure that all of the
worksheets are completed
Paper Writer: You will be responsible for the final paper
for the group
Presenter: Will present the findings of the group to the
entire class
THE SIX-STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST
1.
Defining the
problem. In this task, you have to find the social problem related to the
pollution because of Plastic. For this task you can follow the following link: https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html
http://www.botany.uwc.ac.za/Envfacts/plastic/index.htm
2. Gathering evidence in support of your
problems
Collect the
evidences as much as possible to support your problems. The evidences are the
signs that are seen due to the problem. You can use the followings link to go
through this task.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html
http://sacoast.uwc.ac.za/education/resources/envirofacts/plasticpollution.htm
3. Identifying
the Causes of the Problem
In this section, your task
is to find the causes of plastics pollution. The given link is useful to find
the causes of your selected problem.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html
4.
Evaluating Existing Public Policies
Here, You have to go through
the present public policies and find out whether the current policies are
working or not to reduce the use of plastics or it need to modify or need to
bring totally new policies to overcome the problem. You can use the given link
to do this task.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html
http://www.plasticsindustry.org/public/fire.htm
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/cgi-wrap/getdoc/slac-pub-2609.pdf
5.
Developing Public Policy Solutions
In order to solve the
problem, you have to propose some public policies that can solve the existing
problem of plastics pollution. Use the following link to get the best public
policy.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html
6.
Selecting the Best Public Policy Solution
When you propose some of the possible public policies then you have to
select one of them, which is best to solve the problem. You can go through this
link to select best public policy.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html
Look at the Web sites given here to find the
information that will enable you to complete the table and worksheets on
plastics pollution.
What is Plastics Pollution? http://www.ocean.udel.edu/mas/masnotes/plastic.html
Problem of Plastic Pollution: http://www.ocean.udel.edu/mas/masnotes/plastic.html
Use of Plastics: http://www.americanplasticscouncil.org/benefits/about_plastics/uses.html
What policy do we have?
http://www.plasticsindustry.org/public/fire.htm
http://www.slac.stanford.edu/cgi-wrap/getdoc/slac-pub-2609.pdf
Recycling http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/resources/InformationSheets/Plastics.htm
Curb use of
plastics: http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=politics06_mar15_2006
GENERAL WEB SITE SEARCH ENGINES:
These will give you a general
search for information on plastics pollution
Worksheets
Grade
A: All questions answered
thoughtfully and completely
Grade
B: All questions are answered thoughtfully however some are not complete
Grade C: The questions
are not thoughtfully answered or the
information is copied word for word with no student input
Grade
D: The answers are not done or incomplete
Oral Presentation Rubric
A B
C D
|
- Everyone in group
presents - Excellent eye contact - clear and loud speech - Creative use of visual
aides |
- Everyone in group
presents - Most people maintain
decent eye contact - volume and clarity of
speech is sufficient - Visual aides used appropriately
|
- 1or 2 people in group
present - Eye contact half of the
time - Can understand most of time - some use of visual aid,
may be inappropriate |
- Only one person in group
presents -Little eye contact - Difficult to understand
and hear - No or minimal use of
visual aid |
Poster or Pamphlet Rubric
A B C-D
|
Collaboration |
There is strong evidence that all group members participated equally
for the assignment |
There is some evidence that all group members participated equally
for the assignment |
There is little or no evidence that all group members participated
equally for the assignment |
|
Visual Piece |
Poster/ Pamphlet is appealing; images and themes represent the social
issue being discussed |
Poster/Pamphlet captures the social issue and themes but is not as
relevant as category 3 |
Poster/Pamphlet does not capture the social issue or the themes of
the assignment |
|
|
CATEGORY |
4 EXCELLENT
|
3 SATISFACATORY
|
2 NEEDS IMPROVEMENT
|
1 UNSATISFACTORY
|
|
Organization
|
Information
is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings. |
Information
is organized with well-constructed paragraphs. |
Information
is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed. |
The
information appears to be disorganized. 8) |
|
Amount
of Information |
All topics
are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about
each. |
All topics
are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about
each. |
All topics
are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each. |
One or
more topics were not addressed. |
|
Sources
|
All
sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired
format. |
All
sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are
not in the desired format. |
All sources
(information and graphics) are accurately documented, but many are not in the
desired format. |
Some
sources are not accurately documented. |
|
Paragraph
Construction |
All
paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and
concluding sentence. |
Most
paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and
concluding sentence. |
Paragraphs
included related information but were typically not constructed well. |
Paragraphing
structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the
paragraphs. |
|
Internet
Use |
Successfully
uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these
sites easily without assistance. |
Usually
able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within
these sites easily without assistance. |
Occasionally
able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within
these sites easily without assistance. |
Needs
assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate
within these sites. |
|
Diagrams
& Illustrations |
Diagrams
and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader's understanding of
the topic. |
Diagrams
and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the
topic. |
Diagrams
and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader's
understanding of the topic. |
Diagrams
and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader's
understanding of the topic. |
Date
Created: Mar 18, 2006 03:58 pm (CST)
GRADING: “A” = 21-24
POINTS “B”= 16-29 POINTS “C”= 11-15 POINTS
“F”=BELOW 11 POINTS
In the process of
completing this Web Quest, your group has become informed about what plastics
are, what types of plastics exist, and how each of these cause pollution. You have thoroughly
researched this issue using the Internet the Public Policy Analyst. You have learned
a little about the history of plastics and about the chemistry behind the
plastics that you use every day. You have worked in groups and have written a 4-6-page
research paper that will help the government to make the plan for future. You
have learned the six steps of the Public Policy Analyst that you can use in
solving any social problem. Now you can
understand how vital public policy analysts have become in our ever increasing
world of technological pollution. They are the watchdogs of our democracy and
our well being. Without plastics, we would be unable to enjoy our lifestyle.
However, is the sacrifice too great? You have made that decision. Thanks for
your participation
SCIENCE
Standard 1: Analysis, Inquiry, and Design
.Students will use scientific inquiry to pose
questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.
Standard 2: Interconnectedness: Common Themes
Student 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 3: 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.
ENGLISH
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.