A
PROJECT CRITICAL WEB QUEST
GLOBAL WARMING
A Social Problem of Major Proportions
Presented
by: Ms. L. Colon
High
School for Law & Public Service
Your INTRODUCTION
Let’s find a policy
solution!
It is Friday. You have spent a week in sweltering
weather riding the bus to school. The
sweat is rolling down your face. It
feels like it is 100oC outside and its 8 o’clock at night! What is causing these terrible conditions?
Some scientists think “man” is the culprit. The planet is under “fire” because
of unbridled use of fossil fuels and other contaminants. Could this be true? Just when you think you
can not handle the heat anymore the telephone rings. You have just been assigned by the Mayor to a
special task force of scientists who are investigating the causes of the recent
increase in temperature in
YOUR GROUP TASK 
1: The class will be divided into groups of FIVE
2: Each group will be responsible for of a Poster Project
3: Each member of the group will have an individual
responsibility that will be decided upon by the group as a whole
4: THE POSTER BOARD
--Each
group will construct of POSTER BOARD, similar to the ones shown below
-The
poster board will include a study of GLOBAL WARMING
-The
headings for the poster board will follow the PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST
format describe in the process. You will have SIX headings
mirroring the
SIX-STEP
PUBLIC POLCIY ANALYST
--The
poster board should be attractive and have graphs, charts, pictures,
illustrations and text materials
SHOWING THE PROLEM OF GLOBAL WARMING AND TEMPERATURE CHANGE
5: Your group will use the Poster Board
to give a 10 minute minimum oral report to the Mayor’s task force. You will
include all SIX STEPS of the Public Policy Analyst in your oral report and your
poster board.
Your PROCESS
1: The class will be divided into groups
of FIVE and group responsibilities will be divided by consensus of the group
members
2: THESE ARE THE INDIVIDUAL ROLES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
-
TWO- students will do RESEARCH:
research information using the internet and books about your topic
-STATISTICS
ANALYST-research statistics and create graphs and charts that represent the
statistics that will be used on the poster board
TWO RECORDER/ORGANIZERS/WRITERS-record group findings and
work closely with the researchers and statistic analyst to organize the data.
These members will complete the PPA worksheets hyperlinked below. These
students will organize the date from the work sheets and complete the poster
board
ONE-POSTER
MAKER and ORAL REPORT DIRECTOR-work closely with the organizer to display
your commission’s findings on a poster which includes important written
information, illustrations, charts, graphs. This MEMBER will also proof read
all material for accuracy and content. This member will also be the time
keeper, making sure deadlines are met. All group members will take part in the
oral report to the mayor’s task force.
THE SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY
ANALYST
Each step
of the PPA must be included on the poster board. Focus should be made on the
public policy
Step # 5 and step # 6. All worksheets must be
filled out and the essays for each step must reflect the completed worksheets.
The worksheets will form the basis for your products. Click on the links below
1) Defining the
Social Problem
2)
Gathering
Evidence of the Problems
3)
Identifying
Causes of the Problems
4) Identify and
Evaluate Existing Pubic Policy
5) Develop Public
Policy Solutions
The worksheets above should be completed using the
INTERNET sources found in the resource section below and by use of print
material, magazines, newspapers and text books.
Your RESOURCES from
the Internet 
GENERAL WEB SITES –
READ THE FOLLOWING
LINK FOR HELP-“Conducting Internet searches”
SPECIFIC WEBSITES—Use these
links to focus in on the six-steps
NOTE: You do NOT have to use all sites.
These sites are for your convenience. Your group is to choose those sites they
feel fulfill the task.
GLOBAL
WARMING-A HISTORY
POSTER PICTURES AND
EXPLANATIONS
POLICY
SUGGESTIONS and PICTORAL EXPLANATIONS
U.S.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
HUMAN IMPACT ON
GLOBAL WARMING
NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
EVALUATION-RUBRIC
|
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. |
“You Should Have Learned”—CONCLUSION
After completing this Web quest, you should be
familiar with global warming and the role human beings play in increasing local
temperatures. You also should have
understood the gravity of the situation and the possible effects on the future
of our planet. Climate change has been an inevitable fact of life for planet
earth. However, you should have determined if man’s role has negatively
impacted the future. The lives the next generations are at stake. Your public
policy innovations could make a difference!
You also have sharpened your critical thinking skills
as you evaluate the existing public policies and suggest the best policies to
prevent the increase in temperature. You
evaluated 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. You have played that role. Let’s hope you helped the
mayor solve his problem—Thanks for your participation.
Let’s hope you and your group made a difference!
STANDARDS
SCIENCE
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.