Pollution vs. Purity

Mimoza Hasanbelliu

Walton High School

Albanian_culture@yahoo.com

 

A Web Quest for Biology New Curriculum in High School

(Adapted for Spec. Ed. Students)

 

 

 

Introduction

Pollution is a change to the environment that has a harmful effect on humans and other living things. Pollution can come from a single smokestack or from many different sources all over the world. As you study this chapter, your project is to help communicate the importance of preventing pollution and protecting air or water quality.

 

 

Task

You are member of NYC Citizens Committee. Your mission is to create a project such as a report, experiment as a game or power point presentation that can educate younger students about air or water quality in New York City after the terrorist attack of WTC in September 11. Members of group one will write a written report of two pages, group three will elaborate an experiment, and group two will prepare a 7 slides power presentation. Your products should

 

q   Present facts about the causes and effects of a form of pollution

q   Engage your audience while informing them about the topic

q   Include steps that your audience can take to be part of your investigation and “pollution solution”

q   What effects does the pollution have on the environment

q   Survey the chapter to see what types of pollution are discussed

q   Research internet for links that you can use during the investigation and preparation of your product.

For this project you are to present the six steps of public policy  

1.    Define and describe the problem

2.    Gather evidence for this problem

3.    Identify causes for this problem

4.    Describe and evaluate the existing policy

5.    Develop solutions of the existing policy

6.    Select the best policy for the problem

 

Process

You will work in groups of five. Each group will refer to the

following guidelines to complete the project that has been chosen.

 

Guidelines

1.    research the internet sources listed in this web-quest

2.    as a public analyst use the worksheets of the six steps of PPA before completing your project

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS.html

3.    after completing the worksheets start to create the first draft of your project (report, power point presentation, experiment as a game)

4.    Present your project to the class showing the problem as a real danger to the environment and your policies to solve the existing problem

 

Research Questions

1.    What causes photochemical smog?

2.    How is the ozone layer important?

3.    What are climate predictions based on?

4.    What happens during a temperature inversion?

5.    Observe how many sources of pollution can you spot in your house.

6.    How many in your neighborhood?

7.     How many in the Bronx?

8.    Why is it important to install carbon monoxide detectors in homes?

9.    What was to blame for the lost ozone in the ozone layer?

10.What happens when the free oxygen atom collides with an oxygen molecule?

11. what gases in the atmosphere trap heat near Earth’s surface?

12. One possible result of global warming is that melting ice could cause ocean levels to rise. What effects might this have?

13. How do pollutants affect plant and animal growth?

14. What about us?

15. Why is fresh water a limited resource?

16. What are the major sources of water pollution?

17. How might pesticides sprayed on a field affect fish that live in nearby pond?

18. Identify human activities that can be sources of water pollution.

19. Explain why finding the source of water pollution can be difficult.

20. In what way can heat pollute a body of water?

21. How can technology help control air pollution?

22. How can technology help water pollution?

23. Explain how laws can play a part in reducing pollution.

 

 

Resources

 

I. Textbook

1. Environmental Science - Prentice Hall Science Explorer

Chapter 5

 

II. Computer Software

1.    Prentice Hall - Science Explorer

 

III. Web Sites:

Air Pollution

http://www.epa.gov/airnow/

http://www.4cleanair.org

http://www.ewg.org/air/

http://www.epa.gov/airmarkets/emissions/

http://www.capita.wustl.edu/CAPITA/

http://www.climatehotmap.org

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming

 

     Water Pollution

http://www.epa.gov/ebtpages/waterpollution.html

http://www.refdesk.com

http://www.encarta.com

https://www.google.com

http://www.encyclopedia.com

http://www.mhss.edu

http://www.techies.com

http://www.neiwpcc.org

http://www.cnn.com

 

 

Evaluation

 

     You will be evaluated based on the individual projects that you

have completed in your groups.

Group 1 - Written Report

 

Introduction - Presentation of the general concept by highlighting your

(25 pts)      research problem and a review of the studies done previously.

 

Task -         Including evidence that problem exists, the causes and effects

(35 pts)      of the problem scientific data found during your research

 

Discussion - This will include explanation of the existing policies about

(30pts)       the problem

Your proposal to change the existing policy

Bibliography and web sites

 

Group 2 - Power Point Presentation

 

Guidelines

·       presentation must contain 7 slides

·       six slide are to focus on six steps of PPA, one is to be credit slide

·       each one of the six slides must contain one picture from Clip Art or Internet that you downloaded

·       each slide must contain template as background

·       each one of the six slides must contain the analysis of the problem based on PPA

·       you will have an oral presentation of the PPP which has to be dynamic

·       the seventh slide has to contain your name, class, and the list source used in your research

·       print power point slides boards

 

Rubric for PPP

 Score                            1                 2                 3                           4                          

                   -shows no       - little          - show            - superior knowledge

                   knowledge     knowledge   an                   of PP

                   of PP               of PP           acceptable      -presents an

                   - minimum     -few             knowledge     exceptional

              amount of       sources        of PP              amount of data

                   data to             of data        - enough          to support the

support            to                data in             policy

the analysis     support       logical            - excellent use

of PPA            the PPA      and           of a variety

                 - too few          -enough      organized            of references

                 references       references    format to             relevant to

                   - does not        relevant        support             support the     

                   use the             to PPA         PPA                 policy

                   textbook          - uses few    - many  - uses many

                                           specific        references        specific

                                           references    supporting       references

                                           from             the                    from the

                                           textbook       policy              text

                                                                  - uses some

                                                                  specific       

                                                                  references   

                                                                 from text

 

 

Your group will be graded based on the rubric numbers:

 

1.   = 60 points

2.   = 70 points

3.    = 80 points

4.   = 90 points

 

Group 3 -Experiment (game)

 

                              Guidelines

·       choose the problem based on the topic of the chapter

·       gather the information

·       start the experiment

·       collect information by observing, begin putting it in logical order

·       base your experiment on the scientific method

·       using an outline or a storyboard can help you organize your thoughts

·       your bibliography and internet research

·       your conclusion

·       present your project.

·       Bring in the product

·       Share your finished project with a group of younger students, ask them what they like and didn’t like about the project.

·       Keep notes about the remarks done by them

·       In your project notebook, write a short evaluation of your project:

                What parts of the projects do you feel worked best?

                Which ones were more difficult?

What challenges did you face in communicating information to the younger students? (100 words)

·       prepare a summary of your findings (50 words)

                              Experiment - 35 pts

                              Present product - 20 pts

                              Evaluation - 15 pts

                              Summary - 10 pts

                              Oral presentation - 10 pts

 

N.B. Each student in each group will receive the extra ten points towards an average score based on the participation in the group work, participation and originality.