S. ASOKAN

HERBERT LEHMAN HIGH

LIVING ENVIRONMENT

You just secured a job with the Department of Health in the picturesque town of New Hope. As an Environmental Scientist and a resident of the town of New Hope you make an alarming discovery. In its one hundred year history, only 69% of its residents lived past the age of sixty. Imagine! 31% of the population of New Hope had died due to cancer-related illness. Currently, many residents of New Hope show birth defects and the incidence of cancer continues. Why? What is the reason? These are questions racing through your mind. You are dedicated, smart and of course eager for a promotion. So take action! Begin by identifying the problem, causes, and developing solutions.

You will submit a two-page paper on cancer-related illness in the town of New Hope.

Use the PPA approach in the preparation of your report.

You will be work in pairs and divide and take responsibility for the assignment fairly.

In order to complete your assignments you will use the public policy analyst (PPA) method.

The PPA involves six steps.

1. Identify the problem.

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

2. Gathering evidence.

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

3. Identifying causes of the problem.

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

4. Evaluating existing public policies.

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

5. Developing Public Policy Solutions.

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

6. Selecting the Best Public Policy Solution.

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

q After you complete your six worksheets, begin writing your first draft.

http://www.zerowasteamerica.org

http://www.epa.gov

http://www.sierraclub.org/toxics/cancer/article.asp

Points	100-90	89-80	79-65	Below 65
Organization	Extremely well organized; logical format that was easy to follow; flowed smoothly from one idea to another and cleverly conveyed; the organization enhanced the effectiveness of the project	Presented in a thoughtful manner; there were signs of organization and most transitions were easy to follow, but at times ideas were unclear	Somewhat organized; ideas were not presented coherently and transitions were not always smooth, which at times distracted the audience	Choppy and confusing; format was difficult to follow; transitions of ideas were abrupt and seriously distracted the audience
Content Accuracy	Completely accurate; all facts were precise and explicit	Mostly accurate; a few inconsistencies or errors in information	Somewhat accurate; more than a few inconsistencies or errors in information	Completely inaccurate; the facts in this project were misleading to the audience
Research	Went above and beyond to research information; solicited material in addition to what was provided; brought in personal ideas and information to enhance project; and utilized more than eight types of resources to make project effective	Did a very good job of researching; utilized materials provided to their full potential; solicited more than six types of research to enhance project; at times took the initiative to find information outside of school	Used the material provided in an acceptable manner, but did not consult any additional resources	Did not utilize resources effectively; did little or no fact gathering on the topic
Creativity	Was extremely clever and presented with originality; a unique approach that truly enhanced the project	Was clever at times; thoughtfully and uniquely presented	Added a few original touches to enhance the project but did not incorporate it throughout	Little creative energy used during this project; was bland, predictable, and lacked "zip"

Science

Standard 1:  Analysis, Inquiry, and Design

Students will use mathematical analysis, scientific inquiry, and engineering design, as appropriate, to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

Standard 7:  Interdisciplinary Problem Solving

Students will apply the knowledge and thinking skills of mathematics, science, and technology to address real-life problems and make informed decisions.

English

Standard 1: Read and Comprehend Informational material

Students will read, comprehend, write or speak for information and understanding.

On completing their research paper, students will learn how to:

· Search the Web for information.

· Develop critical thinking and writing skills

· Apply scientific concepts to evaluate health issues.

· Question, analyze, evaluate and apply public policy issues.

· Understand health risks associated with exposure to chemical pollutants.