Define the Problem:

GLOBAL WARMING: THE SEA-LEVEL IS RISING

A Project Critical WebQuest

The High School for Math, Science & Engineering @ CCNY

Model United Nations Club

NY-underwater-copyright2

1. The Introduction
You’re almost half-way to living under water! New York City along with thousands of other low-lying coastal communities in the United States and worldwide are at serious risk for coastal flooding. Case study scenarios purport that the damage could be catastrophic for sea-level areas in your global community as polar ice caps melt due to global warming. As Model United Nations delegates-in-training, you and your partner/group will receive a country assignment, research the problem, evaluate existing policy and propose new or revamped policy to be presented at the “United Nations”.

2. The Task
Delegates to the United Nations write position papers that outline the issue being discussed in their respective committees, they also address the problems and local policies related to the topic under discussion (Global Warming and the Rising Sea-Level) that their country faces and they propose solutions to this problem in order to secure their own country’s safety or interests as well as protect the interests of other countries. Your partnership will write a one page, typed, single-spaced position paper and a one minute speech about your country’s position. Additionally, you and your partner will engage in spontaneous discussion of the various countries’ positions. Presentations will be moderated by a peer-chair and will be presented to the committee (your classmates, advisors and guests) for evaluation.

3. The Process
In order to complete your task, you and your partner need to first become public policy analysts and go through the following six steps, which will give you the foundational information required to write a position paper, from which you will draw for the content of your speech and discussions.

Research

Step 1. Define the Problem

Step 2. Gather Evidence

Step 3. Identify Causes

Analysis

Step 4. Evaluate a Policy

Step 5. Develop Solutions

Step 6. Select Best Solutions

The Paper

Once you have written the first draft using the research and analysis tools previously outlined, you will present your draft to a peer editor. When you receive feedback you will rewrite your draft and submit a final paper to your advisors.

The Speech

While your draft is being edited you will work on your writing your speech. Once you have written your speech you will practice it with a presentation coach. Your speech will be presented during a group meeting that is moderated by a peer chairperson.

The Discussion

When all papers have been read and speeches have been made, you and your partner will engage in a moderated discussion wherein the merits of each plan, including your own, are debated. The ultimate goal of this discussion is to synthesize ideas and come to a more creative approach to problem solving between nations.

4. The Resources

Make sure to track and cite resources!

GENERAL

The United Nations

Environmental Protection Agency

UNAUSAMUN – Global Warming

The United Nations – Climate Change

Central Intelligence Agency World Factbook

National Geographic

Flood Maps

The Kyoto Protocol

Articles of Interest or Relevance

BACKGROUND / SIGNS THAT IT EXISTS

Greenhouse Growing Greener on Patches of Earth, Study Finds

Antarctica Gives Mixed Signals on Warming

Climate Change Upped Earth’s Vegetation, Study Finds

Is Warming Causing Alaska Meltdown?

Everest Melting? High Signs of Climate Change

Global Warming

Sea Level Rise Due to Global Warming

Sea-Level Rise Reports

Pacific Island Cultures Brace for Climate Change

CONSEQUENCES

Global Warming Could Flood New York City

Warming to Cause Catastrophic Rise in Sea Level?

Greenland Melt May Swamp LA, Other Cities, Study Says

Climate Studies Point to More Floods in this Century

REMEDIES

New Zealand to Cap Gaseous Sheep Burps

You Can Fight Global Warming, Authors Urge

Plant Covered Roofs Ease Urban Heat

Sea Levels and Global Warming

Rising Sea Level Forcing Evacuation of Island Country

Rising Seas, Coastal Erosion, and the Takings Clause

How Are People Changing The Climate

5. The Evaluation

Position Paper Rubric

Category	4	3	2	1
Research	Incorporates relevant outside information. Includes relevant facts, examples and details, but discussion may be more descriptive than analytical.	Incorporates limited or no relevant outside information. Uses some facts, examples and details, but discussion is more descriptive than analytical.	Presents no relevant outside information. Presents few facts, examples and details; simply restates contents of the documents.	Presents no relevant outside information. Attempts to complete the task, but essay demonstrates a major weakness in organization.
Mechanics	Communicates with full control and understanding of the conventions of English grammar and usage. Experiments with sophisticated language and varied sentence structures.	Writes a satisfactory developed essay, demonstrating a general plan of organization. Restates the theme in the introduction and concludes with a simple restatement of the theme.	Communicates with partial control and understanding of the conventions of English grammar and usage. Uses familiar language and simple sentence structure.	Communicates with a lack of control and understanding of the conventions of English grammar and usage. Uses inappropriate and/or incorrect language and sentence structure.
Purpose	Establishes and maintains clear focus: evidence of distinctive voice and appropriate tone.	Focuses on a purpose, evidence of voice and suitable tone.	Attempts to establish and maintain purpose and communicate with the audience.	Limited awareness of audience and purpose.
Policy Development	Depth and complexity of policies supported by rich, engaging and pertinent details; evidence of analysis, negotiation, reflection and insight.	Depth of policy development and success of negotiation supported by elaborate, relevant details.	Lack of elaborated policy development, unelaborated or repetitious details, little evidence of successful negotiation.	Minimal policy development, limited or unrelated details, no evidence of successful negotiation.
Real World Reference	Frequent reference to international treaties, international organizations and real-world stakeholders.	Numerous references to international treaties, international organizations, and real-world stakeholders.	Some references to international treaties, international organizations, and real world stakeholders.	Few references to international treaties, international organizations and real-world stakeholders.

Source for Position Paper Rubric: UNAUSAMUN

Oral Presentation Rubric

Category	4	3	2	1
Content	Shows a full understanding of the topic and uses many examples.	Shows a good understanding of the topic and uses some examples.	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic and uses few examples.	Does not seem to understand the topic very well.
Speaks Clearly	Speaks clearly and distinctly all the time, and mispronounces no words.	Speaks clearly and distinctly all the time, but mispronounces one word.	Speaks clearly and distinctly most of the time. Mispronounces a few words.	Often mumbles or can not be understood OR mispronounces many words.

Individual Rubric

Category	4	3	2	1
Individual Work in a Team	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.

5. The Conclusion

You should now have a basic understanding of how people’s actions in one country affect the safety of others. Make your voice heard and DO SOMETHING! Start an awareness campaign, join a community group to learn more or educate others on the topic or submit proposals for what we can do in OUR community regarding this issue. Contact the Mayor or write a letter to an elected official. This project marks the beginning of your training to represent the High School for Math, Science & Engineering as a Model United Nations Delegate. At a conference, it is MOST important for you to understand your issue and be able to speak comfortably with others about it.

6. The Standards

This Webquest adheres to the NYS ELA STANDARD 4 and NYS SOCIAL STUDIES STANDARD 5

STANDARD 4

go to Reading & Writing

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for social interaction.	Students will use oral and written 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. Key Idea: Listening & Speaking Oral communication in formal and informal settings requires the ability to talk with people of different ages, genders, and cultures, to adapt presentations to different audiences, and to reflect on how talk varies in different situations. Performance Indicators--Students:

ELEMENTARY		INTERMEDIATE	COMMENCEMENT
• listen attentively and recognize when it is appropriate for them to speak		• listen attentively to others and build on others’ ideas in conversations with peers and adults	• engage in conversations and discussions on academic, technical, and community subjects, anticipating listeners’ needs and skillfully addressing them
• take turns speaking and respond to others’ ideas in conversations on familiar topics		• express ideas and concerns clearly and respectfully in conversations and group discussions	• express their thoughts and views clearly with attention to the perspectives and voiced concerns of the others in the conversation
• recognize the kind of interaction appropriate for different circumstances, such as story hour, group discussions, and one-on-one conversations		• learn some words and expressions in another language to communicate with a peer or adult who speaks that language	• use appropriately the language conventions for a wide variety of social situations, such as informal conversations, first meetings with peers or adults, and more formal situations such as job interviews or customer service
		• use verbal and nonverbal skills to improve communication with others

Social Studies Standards

Students will:

Standard 1 Key Ideas 1 2 3 4 Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities	History of the United States and New York use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.
Standard 2 Key Ideas 1 2 3 4 Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities	World History 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 Key Ideas 1 2 Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities	Geography 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 Key Ideas 1 2 Alternate Assessment for Student with Severe Disabilities	Economics 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 U.S. and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.
Standard 5 Key Ideas 1 2 3 4 Alternate Assessment for Students with Severe Disabilities	Civics, Citizenship, and Government use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.