Bronx Leadership Academy HS - Ms P. Cortez

Teaching Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

A Web Quest for English 2

(9^th grade)

The Inhumane Treatment of Whales: A Critical Analysis of

Herman Melville’s Moby Dick

“Vengeance on a dumb brute!” cried Starbuck, “that simply smote thee from blindest instinct…Madness!” (Chapter 36)

INTRODUCTION You will be sailing with Ahab and his

crew to compare the whale hunting

regulations then and now. The

Internet and the Power Point

applications will help you learn

about the laws and social views of

whale hunting. Your mission is to

research and document the inhumane

treatment of whales. Your focus

should stem from Ahab’s obsession

with Moby Dick and from contemporary regulations regarding whale hunting.

Your Power Point presentation will

illustrate why whale hunting is

inhumane.

TASK

You will create a 7-slide Power Point slide show. Your slide show must focus on the problem of the inhumane treatment of whales as a result of whale hunting. Your analysis should focus on Ahab’s obsession with Moby Dick and our contemporary society’s regulations regarding whale hunting.

Your first 6 slides must follow the 6-step public policy approach. Your last slide is your MLA credit slide.

THE 6-STEP PUBLIC POLICY APPROACH

1. The social problem is the inhumane treatment of the whales as a result of whale hunting.

2. Gather evidence of this problem by reading through the sites in the “Resources” section.

3. Identify the causes of this problem by reading through the sites provided.

4. Describe and evaluate past and present policies regarding this problem.

5. Create your own 3 original public policies regarding this problem.

6. Select one of your three original public policies that would address this problem. Use the effectiveness/feasibility matrix.

PROCESS

These are the steps you have to follow to complete this web quest.

z Read through the Internet sites, in the “Resources” section in order to respond to the research questions

z Complete all 6 public policy worksheets before creating ‘slide boards’ for your 7-slide Power Point slide show

z Create your seven slides on MS Power Point

z Each slide must focus on one of the 6 steps of your public policy analysis

z Print a hard copy of all your seven slides

z Cite your research M.L.A. style on the 7^th slide

z Present your slide show to our class on your scheduled

date

Research Questions

1. What is the Whaling Center’s of New England’s mission or job?

2. Describe the “Adopt a Whale” program.

3. List 5 facts about African-Americans in the whaling industry.

4. Describe Ahab’s from Ishmael’s point of view (chapter 28).

5. What is the origin of the name “Moby Dick”?

6. Explain Melville’s analogy of “whale blubber” and his novel

Moby Dick.

7. Why was the International Whaling Commission created?

8. What is the U.S. Humane Society’s view on commercial whaling?

9. How did Japan bypass and ignore the whaling regulations?

10. List 2 public policies regarding commercial whale hunting as stated by the International Whaling Commission?

11. What important incident occurred with the Makah tribe regarding whale hunting?

12. Summarize the article “Controversy Swells Around Whaling Commission Meeting.”

13. What was Ex-President Clinton’s position on Japanese whaling?

14. List 8 facts about the history of whaling.

15. List 1 fact about each of the following whales: Beluga, Bowhead, Blue, and Humpback.

RESOURCES

Texts

: A Play Adaptation of Melville’s Moby Dick

: Selected excerpts from Melville’s novel Moby Dick

Web Sites:

6 TIPS Public Policy Analysis- http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal

6 The Whale Center of New England- www.whalecenter.org/

6 Heroes in the Ships- www.kwm.org/collections/exhibits/heroes/home.htm

6 Moby Dick, the complete text- www.americanliterature.com/MD/MDINDEX.HTML

6 How to read Herman Melville’s Moby Dick- www.pthompson.addr.com/moby

6 The Life and Works of Herman Melville- www.melville.org/

6 Herman Melville’s Quotes- www.melville.org/hmquotes.htm

6 International Whaling Commission- http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/iwcoffice/iwc.htm#History

6 Whales Not Whaling- www.hsus.org/specials/whaling/solutions.html

6 Whale Hunt Soon to Resume?- www.awitness.org/news/january_2001/whale_hunt.html

6 Whaling: General Background- http://members.surfeu.fi/whale/now/stopwhaling/part1.htm

6 Whale Hunt (a brief article)- www.findarticles.com/m1590/1_56/56459842/p1/article.jhtml

6 The U.S. Humane Society Urges Sanctions Against Japan’s Whaling Policies- www.sdearthtimes.com/et1200/et1200s9.html

6 Controversy Swell Around the Whaling Commission Meeting- www.cnn.com/2000/NATURE/06/29/whaling.enn/

6 Clinton Sends Congress Report on Japanese Whaling- http://detnews.com/2000/business/0012/30/business-169396.htm

6 Welcoming our Whales: A History of Whaling-

www.cape-whaleroute.co.za/routinf3.html

6 Endangered Animals, Reports- www.tenan.vuurwerk.nl/reports/sunny/natalie.htm

EVALUATION

You will be judged on your effective use of MS Power Point and on your oral presentation. The guidelines below have been created to give you a clear understanding of what is expected. Your own originality and creativity will help you acquire greater points. Allow your own creativity to shine through both in your slide show and in your oral presentation.

Guidelines for creating your Power Point slide show

6 All your 7 slides must be original.

6 Your first 6 slides must reflect your work from the six worksheets.

6 Your seventh slide must have your name, my name, date, class, and an M.L.A. “Works Cited” page (see examples).

6 Submit a printed copy of your 7 slides.

6 Each of your slides must have 1 picture from

“Clip Art” or from the Internet

6 Each slide must have a color background.

6 Each slide must have color in its font.

6 At least one slide must use “Word Art.”

6 You will be scheduled to present your slide show to the class.

Worksheet 1: What is the social problem?

Name: ________________________ Date: ____________

1. The social problem is that as a result of whale hunting, whales are treated inhumanely.

2. Identify all the players involved in this problem.

3. List at least 3 disadvantages that result from this problem.

4. Write a short description that summarizes the social problem and its effect on society as a whole.

Worksheet 2: Gathering evidence of this problem

Name: ___________________________ Date: ___________________

List the evidence of this problem. Cite the sources of your information.

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Worksheet 3: Identifying causes of the problem

Name: _____________________________ Date: ____________

List at least 10 causes of this problem. Cite the titles of the sites you researched.

Worksheet 4: Evaluating the existing public policy

Name: __________________________ Date: ___________________

The problem is (as stated throughout this web quest):

1. State one major existing policy that attempts to deal with this problem.

2. What are the advantages of this policy? (effectiveness, public acceptance, enforcement):

3. What the disadvantages of this policy? (effectiveness, public acceptance, enforcement):

4. Based on your evaluation of the advantages and disadvantages, should the current policy be totally replaces or improved? Explain your reasons.

Worksheet 5: Developing public policy solutions

Name: _______________________ Date: ___________________

The problem is (as stated throughout this web quest)

1. Propose at least 3 original public policies. Make sure that all three of your public policies are at the same historical, geopolitical, and social level as the problem. Each of your unique public policies must specify the social agencies that will be responsible for carrying out your proposed policy. Rate each of your policies 1 to3 (1 being the most promising).

2. Explain why you prefer the first policy to the other two policies.

Worksheet 6: Selecting the best public policy solution

Name: __________________________ Date: ____________

The problem is:

A. List your 3 original public policies from worksheet 5. Create a short title or phrase that summarizes each of your public policies.

1._________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

B. Rate each of your policies’ “effective and feasibility” factors. Use the matrix below:

FEASIBILITY

EFFECTIVENESS	*High*	*Medium*	*Low*
*High*
Medium
Low

C. Explain the results of the matrix. Explain the effectiveness and feasibility factors for each of your original public policies.

Sample slide boards:

Slide # 1

Use this slide to define and describe the problem.

(Picture)+(Some written explanations)

Based on worksheet 1

Slide # 2

Use this slide to show your audience the evidence of the problem from our present day society and from Moby Dick.

(Picture)+(Some written explanations)

Based on worksheet 2

Slide # 3

Use this slide to alert your audience of the causes of the problem.

(Picture)+(Some written explanations)

Based on worksheet 3

Slide # 4

Use this slide to evaluate 1-2 past and existing pubic policies regarding the problem.

(Picture)+(Some written explanations)

Based on worksheet 4

Slide # 5

Use this slide to show your 3 original public policies.

(Picture)+(Detailed and brief explanations)

Based on worksheet 5

Slide # 6

Use this slide to show your number one most effective, feasible and original public policy. Describe the agency or persons who will be responsible for making this policy effective.

(Picture)+(Detailed and brief explanations)

Based on worksheet 6

Slide # 7

Your name, EI-TIPS, the date, and an M.L.A. “Works Cited” page

RUBRIC

Name: _________________________ Date: _______ 2002

BEGINNING

DEVELOPING

ACCOMPLISHED

EXEMPLARY

SCORE

Power

Point

Slide Show

-exhibits no

knowledge of the uses of P.P.

-presents a minimum amount of data to support the original public policies

-does not follow the conventions of standards written English

-exhibits little knowledge of the uses of P.P.

-presents audience with several sources of data in a logical format to support the original public policies

-exhibits an inconsistent use of the conventions of standards written English

-exhibits an acceptable amount of knowledge of the uses of P.P.

-presents the audience with enough data in a logical, creative, and organized format to support the original public policies

-exhibits an acceptable and independent use of the conventions of standard written English

-exhibits a superior knowledge of the uses of P.P.

-presents the audience with an exceptional amount of data to support the original public policies

-exhibits a superior and independent usage of the conventions of standards written English

Rubric

Score=

Grade=

______%

Web Sites Research

-too few references that are relevant to the original public policies

-enough references that are relevant and support the original public policies

-many references that are relevant and support the original public policies

-excellent use of a variety of references that are relevant and support the original public policies

Rubric

Score=

Grade=

_______%

References from Melville’s

Moby Dick

-does not use any specific references from Melville’s work

-uses few specific references from Melville’s work

-uses some specific references from Melville’s work

Uses many specific and detailed references from Melville’s work

Rubric

Score=

Grade=

______%

Grades and due dates

& All printed Power Point slide boards are due in 3 weeks.

& All 7-slide Power Point slide shows on disks are due one week after the slide boards are submitted.

& All scheduled oral presentations will take place 1 week after all disks are submitted.

& This project is worth 300 points.

& The following percentages correspond to the rubric numbers:

1 = 60 points

2 = 70 points

3 = 80 points

4 = 90 points

N.B. Everyone will receive an additional 5 points towards the average score for their participation, enthusiasm, and originality.

This web quest focuses on the following English Language Arts Performance Standards:

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E3a: Participate in one to one conferences with the teacher.

E3c: Prepare and deliver individual presentations.

E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and

effectiveness.

This web quest concentrates on the following New York State Standards:

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding

Standard 2: Language for Literary Response and Expression

Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction

This web quest focuses on the following Social Studies Standards:

Standard 5 : Civic Citizenship and Government

Standard 4: Economics

This web quest focuses on the following Science Standards:

S2: Living Environment

Texts

Worksheet 3: Identifying causes of the problem

Worksheet 4: Evaluating the existing public policy

Worksheet 5: Developing public policy solutions

Worksheet 6: Selecting the best public policy solution

Medium

Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding