“Paving paradise and putting up a parking lot”

Humans have a significant impact on their environment.

http://parkandco.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/e-waste-1.jpg

JNevins

Binghamton High School

Living Environment

Team 9D

nevinsj@binghamtonschools.org

Introduction:

Isn’t it exciting to read the newspaper headlines?

“Gulf Dead Zone could reach size of New Jersey”

“Americans use 2.5 million plastic bottles per hour”

“Water tainted by gas forces evacuation”

These headlines were found in 2.3 seconds on the internet with about 5 gazillion trillion others. Human activity can have a detrimental effect on our natural world. If the United States’ population is not aware of the environmental issues that our society faces, the world as we know and love it will disappear.

Task:

The goal of this webquest is for each team to produce a poster detailing an environmental issue that the United States faces which will include your recommendations based on your research on what the United States should do to combat and/or to prevent this issue.

Process:

§ The class will be divided into 6 teams. Teams will be determined by me (the supreme ruler of this classroom). Each team will be randomly assigned an environmental issue.

o Within each group, jobs will be assigned to each student. Before you even begin to start the project, you MUST submit to me (the supreme ruler of this classroom) a list of which student is doing which job.

o The jobs are described in detail on the handout/rubrics provided.

o The jobs include:

§ Project Leader

§ Recorder

§ PPA expert

§ Researcher

Everyone should help each other out; it will definitely be irritating to me (the supreme ruler) if someone just sits back and does not practice good PBIS behavior and help other people with their jobs.

EVERYONE will work on the poster.

o At the end of this webquest/project, you will anonymously grade your peers on their participation in this group project.

§ In order to effectively evaluate this issue, we will be using the PPA process. PPA stands for Public Policy Analyst. Each team will use the worksheets provided to work through each of the steps of the PPA. Links to each worksheet are provided below the links to the steps. You will use the websites under resources to help you complete the six worksheets.

§ The following are the steps used in PPA

o 1. Define the Problem

§ Worksheet #1

o 2. Gather the Evidence

§ Worksheet #2

o 3. Identify the Causes

§ Worksheet #3

o 4. Evaluate an Existing Policy

§ Worksheet #4

o 5. Develop Solutions

§ Worksheet #5

o 6. Select the Best Solutions (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)

§ Worksheet #6

This is exactly what your team should be turning into me at the end of this PPA webquest:

1. The six completed worksheets for each step of the PPA.

2. A poster (rubric will be provided) which must visual demonstrate your PPA investigation.

Resources:

General Resource Sites:

EPA (environmental protection agency)

Yahoo

Google

DEC (NYS department of environmental conservation)

British Antarctic Survey

Environment Agency

Topic Resource Sites:

Global Warming

§ Global changes

§ Global warming facts

§ White house and Global Warming

§ Global Warming for Kids

§ Union of Concerned Scientists

§ United States Global Change Research Program

§ NOAA –global warming frequently asked questions

Solid Waste Disposal

§ Broome County Solid Waste Management

§ Recycling Facts

Acid Rain

• NY Times Articles on Acid Rain
• NY Watershed
• Scientific American--Articles
• USGS –Acid Rain
• Acid Rain and The Adirondacks

Deforestation

• Biodiversity and Conservation
• Sierra Club
• Habitat Loss/Fragmentation (the humane society)
• National Parks Conservation Association
• US Fish and Wildlife Service
• National Zoo
• Save America’s Forests
  
  

Overfishing

• overfishing.org
• Greenpeace:overfishing
• NOAA: fisheries
• OceanWorld: overfishing

Ozone Depletion

• ozone : EPA
• national geographic: ozone depletion
• ozone hole watch: NASA
• NY Times: Article: Ozone depletion

Water Pollution

• Water pollution: umich
• EPA: water pollution
• NRDC: water contamination

Gas Drilling

§ Gas Drilling in NYS-DEC

§ WBNG: Susquehanna River Concerns

§ Times Union Article: Hydrofracking

Oil Spills

§ CNN: tracking of gulf oil spill

§ National Geographic: Gulf Oil Spill

§ Exxon Valdez oil Spill

Evaluation:

As stated above you are being graded on 3 major items.

1. Six worksheets completed while working through PPA. Your team only needs to hand in 1 set. (18 points)

2. Poster (rubric provided below) (20 points)

3. Peer evaluation (which you should already have!!!) (12 pts)

POSTER RUBRIC

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Required Elements	The poster includes all required elements as well as additional information.	All required elements are included on the poster.	All but 1 of the required elements are included on the poster.	Several required elements were missing.
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.	Many 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.
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. Some borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. One or two borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Attractiveness	The poster is exceptionally attractive in terms of design, layout, and neatness.	The poster is attractive in terms of design, layout and neatness.	The poster is acceptably attractive though it may be a bit messy.	The poster is distractingly messy or very poorly designed. It is not attractive.
Grammar	There are no grammatical/ mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 1-2 grammatical/ mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are 3-4 grammatical /mechanical mistakes on the poster.	There are more than 4 grammatical/ mechanical mistakes on the poster.

Conclusion:

Hey guess what? If you have made it this far…you are most likely…DONE! CONGRATULATIONS! Wasn’t that the most fun? You should now be an expert on your environmental issue having the ability to discuss the problem, current policy concerning the problem (or lack of policy) and your current recommendations based on your research as to what should be done to combat the problem.

Standards:

This webquest meets the following NYS learning standards

Standard 4 - 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.

Standard 5 - Technology

Students will apply technological knowledge and skills to design, construct, use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy human and environmental needs.

Standard 6 - Interconnectedness: Common Themes

Students 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 7 - Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.