Written by Evelyn Otero

Evelyn Otero

Evander Childs H.S.

Living Environment

The Struggle to Save Biodiversity

Introduction:

The future of biodiversity throughout the globe is in serious jeopardy. As a result, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural resources has hired your group to investigate this problem. There is a rapid loss of biodiversity that is sweeping our planet.

As you already know, many species play a crucial role in the fabric of our ecosystems. As species become extinct, other populations within the ecosystem are affected and create a loss of biodiversity. Your job will be to find out what’s causing the rapid extinction of so many species. In your investigations, you will find evidence that will demonstrate the importance of protecting all species throughout the world. Good Luck!

Task:

Your job will be to complete a “Web Quest” that asks you to complete the following project as part of your final grade.

1. Your team will collectively work to investigate the Problem of the decline in biodiversity by using the Public Policy Analyst.

2. Your team will be responsible for creating a Power Point slide show ( See PowerPoint Guidelines below)

3. Your group will make an oral presentation to the entire class of about 3 minutes, presenting your results.

4. You will use the internet web sites, media, library, etc as your sources in your research.

Process:

· Form teams of 3 or four students.

· Follow the steps from the PPA model provided below.

( When you click on the underlined/highlighted words it will take you to specific sites)

Steps to follow:

1. Define the problem.

2. Working independently to gather evidence.

3. You will identify the causes of the problem.

4. Your team will collectively evaluate the problem.

5. Your team will develop solutions to the problem.

6. Your team will select the best public policy.

Your group will complete worksheets #1 through 6 on the “PPA” website using the “Standard Version”

You will also be responsible for completing:

1. Submitting the first draft of your PowerPoint outline. (Due date 10/20/03).

2. Completing and including Policy worksheets from each step of the PPA.

3. Submitting your final deadline (Due date 10/22/03).

At the end of this project, you will turn in the following items:

· 3 ½ Disk or CD with your PowerPoint presentation (7 piece Slide show) .

· Your group will give an oral presentation based on your slide show to the class for evaluation.

At the end of this project, you will turn in the following items:

· 3 ½ Disk or CD with your PowerPoint presentation (7 piece Slide show)

· Give an oral presentation based on your slide show to the class for evaluation.

Guidelines for Power Point Presentation

1) Your presentation represents work from your entire team.

2) Your slide show must be original work.

3) Your presentation must show 6 slides of information and one slide of credits ( your resources ).

4) Your slides will be based on the 6-step PPA (Public Policy Analysis).

Your report will:

Ø Focus on the problem of how Biodiversity is threatened.

Ø Follow the 6-step public policy analyst format.

Ø Include a cover sheet with your name, group members’ names, class code, teacher’s name, date, and the title of your report.

Ø Be typed, double-spaced, and in 12-point font.

Ø Use the MLA style for citing references.

Resources:

· Loss of biodiversity

http://www.ciesin.org/TG/LU/biocause.html

· Causes and losses

http://www.life.uiuc.edu/animalbiology/349/lectures/17

· Biodiversity

http://esa.sdsc.edu/biodiv2.htm

· Making choices, getting involved

http://www.nrel.colostate.edu/IBOY/biomonth/pdf/difference.pdf

· Environmental activists

http://www.slac.com/tree/links.html

http://www.wri.org/wri/biodiv/b08-gbs.html

http://archive.greenpeace.org/~comms/97/summit/forest.html

http://www.biodiversity911.org/swf/fish.html

Pictures:

http://ology.amnh.org/biodiversity/goinggoinggone/index.html

www.turtles.org/ffs/

mauinews/mnbndt.jpgwww.accesskent.com/living/

images/th_bird.jpg

www.seaworld.org/teacherguides/ orcas/orcasintro.htm

Search Engines: Click here to go directly to a particular server of your choice

https://www.google.com/

http://www.aol.com/

http://www.yahoo.com/

http://www.discovery.com/

http://www.altavista.com/

Evaluation:

Ø Your Web Quest will be evaluated based on your power point show and oral presentation. Your team will present the slide show to the class and the class will evaluate your team using a rubric based on the presentation. Your teacher will then combine the scores from the class along with your own self-assessment. Your final grade will be a combination of your

Slide show and an oral presentation.

Power Point Slide

Criteria

	*Excellent*	*Satisfactory*	*Needs Improvement*	*Unsatisfactory*
Introduction/ Topic	Student(s) properly generate questions and or problems around a topic.	Student(s) generate questions and or problems.	Student(s) require prompts to generate questions and or problems.	Questions or problems are teacher generated.
Conclusions Reached	Numerous detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	Several detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	Some detailed conclusions are reached from the evidence offered.	A conclusion is made from the evidence offered.
Information Gathering	Information is gathered from multiple electronic and non-electronic sources and cited properly.	Information is gathered from multiple electronic and non-electronic sources.	Information is gathered from limited electronic and non-electronic sources.	Information is gathered from non-electronic or electronic sources only.
Summary Paragraph	Well organized, demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure.	Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure.	Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing and sentence structure.	Weakly organized.
Power Point Presentation	Produced original public policy using data, graphics,web sites	Powerpoint Presentation presents information but lacks logical sequencing.	Public policy weakly supported by both data and resources used.	Proposed policy unclear Data not properly documented.

NEW YORK STATE PERFORMANCE STANDARDS

Science Standards

S5 Scientific Thinking

S5d: Proposes, recognizes, analyzes, considers, and critiques alternative explanations; and distinguishes between fact and opinion.

S5e: Identifies problems; proposes and implements solutions; and evaluates the accuracy, design, and outcomes of investigations.

S5f: Works individually and in teams to collect and share information and data.

S6 Scientific Tools and Technologies

S6d: Acquires information from multiple sources.

S7 Scientific Communication

S7a: Represents data and results in multiple ways.

Communicates in a form suited the purpose and the audience.

English Standards

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E3c: Prepare and deliver an oral presentation.

E4b: Analyze and revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

Social Studies Standards

Standard 5 Explore how citizens influence public policy in a representative democracy.

Conclusion

At the completion of your Web Quest, you will have

Ø Ø Learned how to use the PPA to create a public policy that addresses the problem of what causes A Loss of Biodiversity.

Ø Ø Used multiple sources, conducted collective team discussions, and chosen your position on a loss of Biodiversity to support your policy.

Ø Ø Presented a cost effective policy that demonstrates a strong understanding of the social problems with a loss of biodiversity.

Ø Ø You will have seen that a loss of biodiversity is a major problem in our society. It is not easy to create viable public policy for this social problem.

Ø Ø A possible future web quest might be to the loss of biodiversity around the world and compare the public policies of foreign countries to your ideas and the current public polices in existence.

Ø Ø Have funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.