Web Quest: 

 

 

 


Garbage Disposal Methods Create

Environmental Hazards For Bronx Residents

 

By Linda Mercado

I.S. 184, Special Education

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

Take a look around you.  What do you see?  You see buildings, streets, cars, and parks.  All of these things make up your environment.  Your environment is everything that is around you.  Sometimes there are problems with the environment.  Take another look around you.  Do you see garbage in the street and in the park?  Does the air look foggy and smell like chemicals?  When you look at the water in the river does it look dark and dirty?  The garbage that we create causes pollution.  Where does all this garbage come from?  Where does all this garbage go?  Why is it harmful? Together we will investigate this problem.

 

TASK:

The new mayor of New York City has appointed you to a special “Sanitation Commission.” Your task will be, to investigate the causes of pollution in your community  (The Bronx). At the end of this research you and your group will report your findings to the class.

 

PROCESSS:

 

Step One:

You will be introduced to the TIPS Public Policy Analyst Web Site https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/ppae/ppae2.html

You are to complete the six steps outlined in the website to complete you assignment.

 

Step Two:

You will create a graphic organizer by brainstorming with your fellow students answering the question “What is Pollution?”

 

Note: Your answers to this question will be displayed on a chart in front of the classroom.

 

Step Three:

You will view a video about how pollution effects our environment. You will then write a brief paragraph (4 or 5 sentences) about what you learned from the video.

 

Step Four:

You will be placed into groups of 3 or 4 students. You will then receive your research topic. “Pollution”  (Land, Water, or Air.)

 

Step Five:

You will visit the school Library and our school’s computer classroom and you and your group will research your report topic.

 

Step Six:

You and your group will report on the current public policy, and give some suggestions about how to improve the quality of life in your community.

 

Note: Some Suggestions and things to keep in mind

 

  1. Use the information you received on what is public policy.
  2.  Remember what you have learned about pollution.
  3.  Make sure to write down all suggestions made by all group members.
  4. Remember

a)     Suggestions should be workable.

b)     Use the group’s suggestions to create a project (diorama, collage or poster.)

  1. Be sure that your project shows a form of pollution and how to solve the problem.
  2. Using the computer, you and the class will create a Power point presentation using all the ideas from each group.
  3. All completed projects will be presented to the class, with an oral presentation by you and your group.

 

 

INTERNET RESOURCES:

 

WEBSITES:

Use these sites to help you with your research

 

-Keep America Beautiful: Info on Waste Management www.kab.org/litter1.cfm

 

-U.S. Department of Energy: Office of Waste Management

 www.em.doe.gov/em30/

 

-Household Hazardous Waste:  http://healthdept.co.pierce.wa.us/sourceprotection/water.html

 

-Precycling: How to Shop for Future Generations

 www.edf.org/pubs/Brochures/RecyclingWorld/b_Precycling.html

 

-Get the Facts on Recycling

 www.edf.org/clickable_gcan/

 

-Recycle City

            www.epa.gov/recyclecity/

 

-The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

 www.epa.gov/

 

-The Environmental Defense Fund

www.edf.org/

 

-EnviroLink Library

 www.envirolink.org/elib/

 

-Environmental Organization Web Directory

 www.webdirectory.com/

 

-Environmental News Network

 www.enn.com

 

-EcoMall

 www.ecomall.com/homepage.htm

 

PUBLIC LIBRARY RESOURCES

 

BOOKS

 

-Where Does Garbage Go?

By Isaac Asimov

 

-Why Is The Air Dirty?

By Isaac Asimov

 

-Garbage: Our Endangered Planet

By Karen O”Connor

 

-Too Much Garbage

By Patricia Lauber

 

-Trash!

By Charlotte Wilcox

 

 

PLACES TO WRITE:

You may wish to write to an organization to receive more information about your topic. You can use the following addresses:

 

Household Hazardous Waste Project

1031 East Battlefield, Suite 214

Springfield, Missouri 65807

 

Greenpeace Foundation

185 Spadina Avenue, 6th floor

Toronto, Ontario  M5T 2C6

 

Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries, Inc.

1627 K Street NW, 7th floor

Washington, D.C.  20006

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

EVALUATION:Your Grade will be based on the following items.

BELOW STANDARDS

(0-1)

MEET STANDARDS

(2-4)

ABOVE STANDARDS

(5)

PARTICIPATION (includes)

In-Class work

Group Work

Home Work

 

-little to no homework

-little to no class discussion

-repeats what has already

been said

-little to no work within a group

-occasionally misses homework

-occasionally

participates  in class discussion

-able to form ideas from material

-able to work with

group members

-never misses

homework

-always participates in class discussion

-able to form own ideas and opinions

-able to lead group and work well with others

RESEARCH (includes all forms of information)

Books, Internet, Video, and Class notes

-little or no evidence of use of resources given in class

-evidence of use of  some resources given in class

-evidence of the use of most or all

resources given in class

VISUAL PRESENTATION

(includes) diorama, collage or poster.)

 

-sloppy

-unorganized          -very little graphics

-little to no captions

--neatly done

-organized

-use of some graphics

-use of captions

-very neatly done

-well organized

-good use of graphics

-all work is captioned

ORAL

PRESENTATION

(includes) explanation of your project, in a clear voice and manner. Your ability to answer questions about your topic without the use of notes.

-the presenter is

unable to clearly and fluently discuss topic 

-the presenter shows little to no interest in topic

-the presenter is unable to clearly

answer questions

-the presenter is able to comfortably discuss topic and answer questions

-the presenter shows a substantial interest in topic

-the presenter is able to clearly and fluently discuss topic and answer questions

fully

-the presenter shows enthusiasm for topic

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

At the conclusion of this project you will have accomplished several tasks.  You will have gained an understanding of how your community works and how the government helps to make life easier for everyone. You will have had the opportunity to help the government make life even better in your neighborhood. You will have had the opportunity to work with others to help solve a problem in your community. You will have become an expert on a topic about “Pollution and how it affects you and your environment

 

Teacher Notes:

 

  1. This Lesson is for grades 6 and higher
  2. At the end of this exercise students will be able to:

a)      Understand the meaning of public policy and the job of the public policy analyst.

b)      Define land, air and water pollution using Internet resources.

c)      Create their own public policy involving environmental issues and possible new solutions.

d)      Create a power point presentation.

e)      Complete a group project, including dioramas, collages and posters depicting pollution.

f)        Present an oral report to the class using a variety of presentation materials.

 

  1. New York State Standards met by this lesson:

 

MST 1 E SCIENTIFIC INQUIRY

 

A.                          Ask "why" questions in attempts to seek greater understanding concerning objects and events they have observed and heard about

B.                          Question the explanations they hear from others and read about, seeking clarification and comparing them with their own observations and understandings

C.                          Develop relationships among observations to construct descriptions of objects and events and to form their own tentative explanations of what they have observed

D.                          Develop written plans for exploring phenomena or for evaluating explanations guided by questions or proposed explanations they have helped formulate

E.                          Share their research plans with others and revise them based on their suggestions

F.                           Organize observations and measurements of objects and events through classification and the preparation of simple charts and tables

G.                          Share their findings with others and actively seek their interpretations and ideas Investigate prior solutions and ideas from books, magazines, family, friends, neighbors, and community members

H.                          Generate ideas for possible solutions, individually and through group activity; apply age-appropriate mathematics and science skills; evaluate the ideas and determine the best solution; and explain reasons for the choices

I.                              Plan and build, under supervision, a model of the solution using familiar materials, processes, and hand tools

 

This webquest focuses on the following English Language Arts Performance Standards:

S3:       Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

This web quest focuses on the following Social Studies Standards:

S5:       Civics, Citizenship and Government:  use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. and other nations; the U.S. Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.