Robert Hechler
Evander Childs
Global
warming is a social problem of epic proportions. It threatens to affect all aspects of our
life on this planet. Fertile planes will
be turned to deserts, effecting employment, and food production, this will
cause massive shifts in population and contribute not only to wide spread
hunger in many parts of the world, but increase poverty and disease.
INTRODUCTION
It
was only a few years ago that scientists who warned of global warming and its
effects were denounced as alarmists and ridiculed by many in both the
scientific and political community.
Unfortunately the proof is mounting and pointing is finger squarely in
the face of man-made pollution, the cause of our newfound ills. One of the first places that the effects of
global warming is being seen is in our oceans, more specifically, the oceans
coral reefs. The coral reef is an
extremely delicate ecosystem that is easily affected by even the slightest
changes in environment. It is not
surprising that the coral reefs are the first of earth delicate ecosystems to
show the effects of global warming.
You are part of a task force of marine biologists studying coral reefs and the effects of global warming on them. You have been contacted a Washington D.C. lobbying group that works for the sierra club. Although they believe that global warming is real and a serious problem they know little about its effects and even less about coral reefs and their ecology. Their question to your group is what is a coral reef? Why are they important to the earth’s environments and exactly what are the effects of global warming on the coral reefs? What social problems can be caused by the destruction of coral reefs?
Ø
Coral reef support a wide variety of
life and are extremely important to the health of the commercial fishing
industry.
Ø
Coral reefs form a first line barrier
against the destructive powers of the world’s oceans.
Ø
Global warming is thought to be caused
almost exclusively by the release of greenhouse gases, or carbon dioxide. The primary sources of these gases are power
plants, automobiles and industry. These
are all-important parts of our lives and cannot simply be done away with.
Ø
What sacrifices would you be willing
to make in order to assure the health coral reefs as well as the rest of the
earth?
Ø
Do you think that lobbyists for
business group have to great an influence on our government’s decision-making
process and if so how is what your group doing any different?
Ø
Global warming causes extreme and
unpredictable weather conditions.
Your task will be in two phases. First your group will identify a section of the coral reef in which you are all interested. You may chose from the fringing reef, patch reef, back reef, reef crest, upper fore reef, or the deep fore reef.
ü
Each member of
your group will research not only the section you chose but each member will
chose one of it’s inhabitants to research.
You can choose a fish, invertebrate, crustaceans or coral.
ü
Each student
will produce a one-page paper that is typed and double-spaced.
ü
Gather evidence that a problem exists,
evaluate the current public policy of our government on global warming.
ü
Create a new public policy that your group
feels will best serve the county and the planet. Remember to be responsive to both.
ü
Your group will produce a four-page paper,
typed and double spaced, with a bibliography of web sites.
ü
Your group will give a short oral
presentation of five to ten minutes. You
will identify and define all present and possible future social problems caused
by global warming and their effects on society.
You will also discuss possible solutions arrived at by your group.
ü
To best organize your results use the
public policy analysis work sheets, which can be found at on the tips web site
at www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips.html
http://www.climatehotmap.org/namerica.html
http://www.newscientist.com/hottopics/climate
http://www.state.gov/www/global/global_issues/coral_reefs
http://www.marinebiology.org/coralbleaching.htm
http://www.coralreefalliance.org/aboutcoralreefs/threats.html
http://www.ucsusa.org/environment/gw.impactmap.html
http://www.guardian.co.uk/globalwarming/0,7368,395145,00.html
http://www.cato.org/dailys/04-29-02.html
http://www.globalissues.org/EnvIssues/GlobalWarming.asp
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/environment/jan-june01/warming_3-28.html
http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2002/02/20020214-5.html
A excellent
v Creative cover should be visually pleasing
and utilizes several of the techniques that we have learned in Photoshop.
v Written report should be well developed
v There should be evidence of each group
members participation in the final products
v Report should take a position and
adequately defend it
v Presentation (oral) well delivered informative and
interesting
B Very
Good
v Position stated but not adequately
defended
v Spelling and grammar good but not totally
mistake free
v Creative cover simple but competently
composed
v Group participation is evident
v Presentation (oral) is informative
C Satisfactory
v Some attempt at creating an interesting
cover
v Some knowledge of the subject is evident
v Some of the group members participated
(non-participating
Group members will
fail)
v Spelling and grammar errors are present
v
Presentation (oral) shows some lacks of preparation
D Unsatisfactory
v Report is not thought out, or typed
v There is no creative cover to speak of
v Spelling and grammar mistakes are glaring
v Paper does not demonstrate even a
rudimentary
Knowledge of the subject matter
v Oral presenter is obviously unprepared and
presentation
Is “off the cuff”
F Totally unacceptable
v No work what so ever
v Students will be boiled in oil
New York State Language arts performance
standards
Standard 1
“Language for information
and understanding” Students will
Listen, speak, read, and
write, for information and understanding.
As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts and ideas;
discover relationships concepts and generalizations; and use the knowledge
generated for oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral
and written language that follows the accepted conventions of English language
to acquire, interpret, apply and transmit information.
Standard 4
“Language
for social interaction” Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social
interaction. Student will use oral and
written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language
for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the
social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and
their views.
Social Studies performance Standards
Standard 5
“Civics, Citizenship and
government” Students will use a variety of skills to demonstrate their
understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental
system of the United States and other nations; the united states constitution;
the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the role,
rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation
Upon completion of this web quest students will have a greater understanding of delicate nature of the planet they live on. They will have been forced to make difficult decisions in order to balance the needs of our complex society with our most basic need to preserve the planet on which we live. Using what they have learned they will have created a public policy balancing the needs of both people and planet.
