Ms. Rosenbaum

Frederick Douglass Academy

7^th Grade Mathematics

INTRODUCTION

Asthma is the fastest growing chronic disease in the United States. Almost a quarter of Harlem’s children are afflicted with this respiratory condition. Although the link between air pollution and asthma is not completely clear, smog and smoke can trigger asthma attacks. Many residents as well as politicians are concerned with the high rank of pollution in the South Bronx and Harlem and the health problems it causes.

You now have a chance to make a change! In this web quest you will become a Public Policy Analyst. You will study the problem of air pollution and its link to the high rate of asthma in the South Bronx and Harlem. You will study graphs, tables and other information to determine how air pollution and asthma are related. Your group will compose a letter, which will be sent to your local Congressman. This elected representative has the ability to implement public policy through new legislation. Your recommendations will get serious attention if they are constructive e and feasible. So GOOD LUCK!

YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! You can help find solutions to lessening air pollution and therefore benefiting the health of all New York City’s children.

TASK

Your task is to research the problem of air pollution in the South Bronx/Harlem and how it affects children with asthma. The health of all NYC residents can be improved if rates of air pollution are lowered. Your group of four will complete the six steps in the public policy analyst to decide on one best public policy solution that will result in healthier air in South Bronx/Harlem. After completing the six steps in the process, your group will write a letter to your Congressman, suggesting policy changes to improve air quality. The letter must include all the elements of the SIX-STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST listed in the “Process” section of the web quest. You should state the severity of the problem, show evidence and causes for asthma and detail feasible public policy solutions. Your letter should be a minimum of THREE pages of text accompanied by graphs, charts and relevant illustrations. You must use Ms Word to write your letter.

The six worksheets from the PPA will also be collected after your group has completed the task.

PROCESS

· To complete the “TASK” students will be divided into groups of four to work cooperatively to complete the task. Each group will follow the structure stated below. The group will be responsible for completing the

SIX-STEP Public Policy Analyst worksheets, which will then be used in constructing the letter to your

Role #1: Project Manager/Lead Researcher--Keeps track of the group's daily work and reports to the teacher any problems. This role also involves leading the group’s research and directing the other group members to the websites listed and also any additional sites recommended by the teacher. The Project Manager/Lead Researcher will compile all the research of the group, removing irrelevant or unnecessary information. He/she may also choose to do additional research on the issue or policy.

Role #2: Author--Writes the letter to the member of Congress detailing your suggested policy changes

Role #3: Editor--Edits/revises the text on the policy analysis worksheets/letter

Role #4: Number Cruncher--Organizes the research/facts/numbers/statistics

NOTE: ALL STUDENTS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE TO HELP RESEARCH THE INTERNET

· All groups will use the “Public Policy Analyst” to complete the task. Click on the links below to access the “PPA”. Each step contains a worksheet that will be completed by the group using the INTERNET sites in

the RESOURCE section of the web quest. These worksheets will then be used as research notes to complete the task.

THE PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

STEP # 1: DEFINE THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

STEP # 2: GATHER THE EVIDENCE FOR THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

STEP # 3: FIND CAUSES FOR THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

STEP # 4: EVALUATE EXISITING PUBLIC POLICY

STEP # 5: DEVELOP SOLUTIONS FOR THE SOCIAL PROBLEM

STEP # 6: SELECT THE BEST SOLUTION

RESOURCES

General Search Engines

· www.google.com

· www.yahoo.com

· www.ask.com

Asthma and Air Pollution

· http://www.environmentaldefense.org/cleanairforlife.cfm?subnav=da_asthma

· http://www.icisnyu.org/south_bronx/AsthmaandAirPollution.html

· http://www.med.nyu.edu/SBEHPS/index.html - LOOKS LIKE A GOOD SITE BUT CAN’T GET LINKS TO WORK

· http://www.gothamgazette.com/article//20050919/200/1581

Air Pollution Solutions

· http://www.nrdc.org/air/transportation/psmoke.asp

EVALUATION

	4	3	2	1
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.	____
Letter	- Clear description of policy solution - Includes information from all 6 steps of the Public Policy Analyst. - Demonstrates full control of language conventions	- Clear description of policy solution - Includes information from most steps of the Public Policy Analyst. - Demonstrates control of language conventions with very few mistakes	- Basic description of policy solution - Includes information from less than 4 steps of the Public Policy Analyst. - Some errors in language conventions get in way of presentation	- Insufficient and/or unclear presentation of material - Includes information from less than 4 steps of the Public Policy Analyst. - 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.

CONCLUSION

From completing this web quest you should have learned the significance of the problem of air pollution.

Air pollution affects the health of all NYC residents, especially those that suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses. You also have learned the importance of the Public Policy Analyst in our society and the possible policy solutions that can alleviate this critical problem.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION

NEW YORK STATE STANDARDS ADDRESSED

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.

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 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.

Health, Physical Education, and
Family and Consumer Sciences

Standard 1:   Personal Health and Fitness

Students will have the necessary knowledge and skills to establish and maintain physical fitness, participate in physical activity, and maintain personal health.

Standard 2:   A Safe and Healthy Environment

Students will acquire the knowledge and ability necessary to create and maintain a safe and healthy environment.

Social Studies

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 United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.