PROJECT CRITICAL

A MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEM IN NEW YORK CITY

PRESENTED BY: M. Barberos

Wadleigh Secondary School

New York City, NY

What would happen to NYC 50 years from now if climatic temperature will continue to increase?

http://www.blog.thesietch.org/wp-content/uploads/2007/05/globwarm_ttl.jpg

INTRODUCTION:

The vast majority of the world’s leading scientists now agree that human activities may lead to substantial impacts on the global climate. Consensus estimates warn of an average increase in temperatures of between 2 and 10 degrees Celsius over the next century, leading to more severe drought, rising sea levels, shifting seasons, and increased cases of disease.

In New York, this could lead to a number of problems. Projections show temperature increases of about 4 degrees year round. These higher temperatures and more frequent heat waves could increase heat-related deaths and illnesses from insect-borne diseases like malaria and West Nile virus. Increased temperatures would make the state more habitable to mosquitoes that carry the virus, likely leading to increased human infections.

Forecast for New York City this century: HOTTER and WETTER-and DANGER!

It will not happen the day after tomorrow nor a decade from now.

As a student of NYC, you know for a fact that New York City is surrounded by bodies of water. How could you help save our city from sinking years from now? In your simple way, how can you protect the city from global warming for the next generation to come?

You have been assigned as an EPA (Environmental protection Agency), it will be your job to find public policies solutions to the problems caused by global warming.

Study of effects of climate change finds that if global warming and its effects continue at present rates for the rest of the century, New York City will face much more frequent and more severe floods, more sickness and death from heat, and loss of fragile marshes.

You have a very important role to save the future generation in NYC. You will become a “public policy analyst” in this web quest. You have an opportunity to find policy solutions that the government can implement to save our planet.

Good luck.

You will be divided into groups and each group will be responsible for completing the following products

PowerPoint Presentation:

o 15 slides including a title slide

o You will use charts, graphs, pictures etc as Graphics

o Each slide will include text

o All six steps of the Public Policy Analyst must be included in the power point presentation

v Research Paper

v The paper will be a 5 to 7 pages

v MS Word will be used to construct the paper

v You will use all six steps of the Public Policy Analyst in your paper. You may use the PPA as an outline

vInformational Poster

Each group will construct a post board using the Public Policy Analyst as the information guide. This will be discussed in detail during class time. The Poster Board must include:

o Pictures from magazines, books, and the internet.

o Graphs and charts to address the PPA worksheets

o Writing pieces explaining each picture on the board.

vInterviews/questionnaires

o Ten adults will be interviewed to find out their level of awareness regarding Global Warming. The Questionnaires will have 10 -15 questions that the groups will make to find out helpful or harmful practices being done by individuals.

· ORAL PRESENTATION

· Each group will prepare a 10 minute minimum oral presentation

· The presentation will use the questionnaire, power point and poster board as part of the lesson

· Be sure all the steps of the PPA are addressed

Step 1: Your teacher will divide the class into five groups. Each student in the group will have a specific role.

Student Researchers:

Two students will be responsible for researching the topic, and gathering the necessary information. These students will record, organize and write the information they gathered from the Internet, their class text, and library books that have relevant information.

STUDENT ORGANIZERS

> One student will collect and organize pictures and other graphics.

> One student will put together the questions for the questionnaire and interview sheet after his/her group has discussed this.

These students will be responsible for organizing the ORAL PRESENTATION

STUDENT ARTIST

One student will be the artist responsible for pictures to be drawn, as well as help with the layout of the entire presentation when making the group’s poster board.

Step 2:

Your group will complete worksheets in the six-step Public Policy Analyst to investigate and solve the problem of Global Warming. Your group will use these worksheets as an outline for completing the tasks.

Each group will use the Internet sites listed in the resource section to complete the worksheets. The worksheets will then be used as resource material for completing the worksheets.

The Information gathered on the Questionnaire will also be used on completing worksheets. These worksheets will be the basis for completing the product of your task.

a) Identify the Problem using Worksheet #1.

b) Gather Evidence using Worksheet # 2.

c) Identify Causes of the Problem using Worksheet # 3.

d) Evaluate the Policy, using Worksheet #4.

e) Develop a solution to the Problem using Worksheet #5.

f} Select the Best Solution using Worksheet #6.

Step 3:

Your group will now prepare to make an oral presentation to the class. Remember to include your research findings and any pictures or other graphic representations you have. The class will then score your performance based on the rubric provided below.

General Sites

www.google.com

www.yahoo.com

www.Ask.com

Specific Sites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol

http://www.cnn.com/EARTH/9804/07/global.warming/index.html

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/

http://globalwarming.enviroweb.org/ishappening/ishappening_frameset.html

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/12/1206_041206_global_warming.html

http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/globalwarming.html

http://www.worldviewofglobalwarming.org/

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNSATISFACTORY
Content - Accuracy	At least 7 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. USES ALL STEPS OF PPA	5-6 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. USES FIVE OF THE SIX STEPS OF THE PPA	3-4 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. USES ALL STEPS OF THE PPA WITH SOME ERRORS	Less than 3 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. . INCORRECTLY USES OR FAILS TO USE PPA STEPS
Graphics - Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. Most borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Graphics -Clarity	Graphics are all in focus and the content easily viewed and identified from 6 ft. away.	Most graphics are in focus and the content easily viewed and identified from 6 ft. away.	Most graphics are in focus and the content is easily viewed and identified from 4 ft. away.	Many graphics are not clear or are too small.
Labels	All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Several items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled.
Knowledge Gained	Student can accurately answer all questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer about 75% of questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student appears to have insufficient knowledge about the facts or processes used in the poster.

This rubric will be used to grade all products

Scoring Device: A…..20 – 16 points

B…..15 – 11 points

C…..10 – 5 points

D…... Below 5 points

After completing this Web quest, you should be familiar with global warming and how we as human beings have played a major role in increasing local temperatures. You will become more aware of the problems our planet is facing as you think critically and evaluate the existing public policies. You will be able to suggest the best policies to prevent the increase in temperature after evaluating the role humans play in global warming. You also now should be aware of the role of the public policy analyst. It is this professional who researches major social problems and finds public policy solutions to help all.

Can we all now try to make a difference in the world today to save our wonderful and beautiful planet, Earth?

SCIENCE

Standard 1: The central purpose of scientific inquiry is to develop explanations of natural phenomena in a continuing, creative process.

Science Standard 4, Key Idea 5: Plants and animals depend on each other and their physical environment.

Science Standard 4, Key Idea 6: Human decisions and activities have had a profound impact on the physical and living environment.

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.

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.