Energy Crisis

Emily Ackerman

Introduction

Energy sources can take many forms, including renewable and nonrenewable resources. With the use of these sources, nuclear energy, fossil fuels, wind, solar, geothermal, and hydropower, electricity is created. The electricity flows through the power line and it is transmitted to our homes and businesses.  Each source of energy used is a controversial topic due to many advantages and disadvantages of each resource.

Task

Mayor Bill DeBlasio is looking to determine which source of energy will be best to use for the City of New York. You will be given a source of energy to research, create an advertisement and letter to try and convince the Mayor to use your source of energy. Be prepared to present your energy source to the class and at the end vote for the source you believe will be the best for New York State.

Process

You will be placed in six groups. Within each group, each member will be assigned a job; facilitator, account manager, team captain, and skeptic. By using the following steps will you support your source of energy based on your research and knowledge for what was learned in class.

You will follow the Public Policy Approach (PPA)

1.    Define the problem as outlined in the introduction.

Define the Problem: Worksheet#1

2.  Gather evidence about your source of energy.

Gather the Evidence: Worksheet #2

3.  Determine the cause of the crisis and the importance of using the form.

Identify the Causes: Worksheet #3

4.  Evaluate existing policies that already exist to deal with the problem

Evaluate an Existing Policy: Worksheet #4

5.  Develop solutions that your group is promising

Develop Solutions: Worksheet #5

6.  Select the best solution from the alternative you selected in the previous 5 steps.

Select the Best Solution: Worksheet#6 

Resources

Evaluation

Conclusion

At the end of the web quest activities, students would have displayed their understandings of the different sources of energy. In addition, they contribute/ask questions to other groups advertisements and letters to enable them to consider the alternative sources of energy.

Standards

ELA

·         CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.6.1 Cite textual evidence to support analysis of what the text says explicitly as well as inferences drawn from the text.

·         CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.1.A Come to discussions prepared, having read or studied required material; explicitly draw on that preparation by referring to evidence on the topic, text, or issue to probe and reflect on ideas under discussion.

·         CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.6.4 Present claims and findings, sequencing ideas logically and using pertinent descriptions, facts, and details to accentuate main ideas or themes; use appropriate eye contact, adequate volume, and clear pronunciation.

·         CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.2 Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

·         CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.6.7 Conduct short research projects to answer a question, drawing on several sources and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate.

Science

·         PS 4.1b:  Fossil fuels contain stored solar energy and are considered nonrenewable resources.  They are major source of energy in the United States.  Solar energy, wind, moving water, and biomass are some example of renewable energy resources.

·   PS 4.4d:  Electrical energy can be produced from a variety of energy sources and can be transformed into almost any other form of energy