Littering In Community Parks

Tiffany Richards

trichards2@schools.nyc.gov

Mosaic Preparatory Academy Class 502

 

INTRODUCTION:

Imagine visiting your favorite local park in East Harlem only to find it cluttered with trash plastic bottles in the grass, snack wrappers on benches, and overflowing bins. Littering not only tarnishes the beauty of our parks but also endangers wildlife and pollutes our environment. In this WebQuest, you'll become an environmental advocate, investigating the causes and impacts of littering in East Harlem community parks and devising strategies to combat it.

 

TASK

Your mission is to collaborate with your team to create a compelling multimedia campaign that raises awareness about littering in community parks. This campaign will aim to educate peers and community members, encouraging them to take action in keeping our parks clean and safe.

You will:

●    Conduct research to understand the scope of littering.

●    Develop a problem statement.

●    Investigate the causes and evaluate current policies.

●    Brainstorm and propose solutions.

●    Present your findings in a multimedia format (video, slides, or digital poster).

Timeframe: 3 Weeks

 

PROCESS

1. Define the Problem

●     Define the Problem

●    Begin by clearly articulating the issue of littering in community parks.

●    Consider questions such as:

○    What specific problems does littering cause in our parks?

○    How does littering affect the environment, wildlife, and community members?

○    Why is it important to address this issue?

●    Resource: https://www.coolkidfacts.com/littering-facts-for-kids/

2. Gather the Evidence

●     Conduct surveys or interviews with park visitors and staff.

●     Observe and document areas with significant litter accumulation.

●     Research statistics on littering in parks locally and nationally.

●     Review existing reports or studies on the environmental impact of litter.

●     Resource:https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ee18-sci-waterpol/kids-go-green-litter-and-our-oceans/

3. Identify the Causes

●    Analyze the information gathered to determine underlying causes of littering:

○    Are there insufficient trash and recycling bins?

○    Is there a lack of public awareness or education about littering?

○    Are park maintenance schedules inadequate?

○    Is enforcement of anti-littering laws lacking?

●    Use tools like cause-and-effect diagrams to map out contributing factors.

●    Resource: https://youtu.be/sJauEg2e1a4?si=cDSmpa2v_cTe7Aaj

4. Evaluate an Existing Policy

4.   Evaluate an Existing Policy

●    Examine current policies or initiatives aimed at reducing litter in parks:

○    What strategies are currently in place?

○    How effective have these measures been?

○    What are the strengths and weaknesses of existing policies?

○    Assess whether these policies address the root causes identified earlier.

●    Resource: https://youngzine.org/u-write/u-report/why-we-need-stop-littering

5. Develop Solutions

●    Brainstorm potential solutions to mitigate littering:

○    Educational campaigns or workshops.

○    Installation of more waste disposal units.

○    Community clean-up events.

○    Incentive programs for maintaining cleanliness.

●    Ensure that proposed solutions are innovative and tailored to the specific needs of your community.

●    Resource: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1coDL6cImmXpb5lnGLUHA0-fmYuxyynyhiRTWHELnd_g/edit?usp=sharing

6. Select the Best Solution (Feasibility vs. Effectiveness)

Evaluate the proposed solutions based on:

●    Feasibility: Can the solution be realistically implemented given available resources and constraints?

●    Effectiveness: Is the solution likely to significantly reduce littering?

Choose the solution that offers the best balance between practicality and impact.

 

RESOURCES

Litter and Pollution Prevention: https://youtu.be/sJauEg2e1a4?si=cDSmpa2v_cTe7Aaj

Litter and Our Oceans:

https://www.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/ee18-sci-waterpol/kids-go-green-litter-and-our-oceans/

12 Must Know Facts About Littering: https://www.coolkidfacts.com/littering-facts-for-kids/

Why We Must Stop Littering:

https://youngzine.org/u-write/u-report/why-we-need-stop-littering

Worksheets:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1coDL6cImmXpb5lnGLUHA0-fmYuxyynyhiRTWHELnd_g/edit?usp=sharing

 

EVALUATION RUBRIC :

 

CONCLUSION

By completing this WebQuest, you've taken a significant step toward becoming an environmental steward. Your efforts not only educate others but also contribute to the preservation and enhancement of our community parks. Remember, every action counts, and together, we can make a lasting difference.

 

STANDARDS: 

5R1: Locate and refer to relevant details and evidence when explaining what a text says

5R8: Explain how claims in a text are supported by relevant reasons and evidence, identifying which reasons and evidence support which claims. (RI&RL)

5W6: Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, and to build knowledge through investigation of multiple aspects of a topic using multiple sources.

5W7: Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from multiple sources; summarize or paraphrase; avoid plagiarism and provide a list of sources.