Email:
ABookal@hotmail.com
INTRODUCTION
Your friends went camping at a wonderful campsite along the
Long Island Sound and had a fantastic time.
They came to school raving about the campgrounds and all of the
wonderful activities that were offered.
The best part of the trip was when they went fishing. They spoke of the beautiful, glistening
waters in which they caught fish for the first time. They said there were so many fish that even a
beginner was bound to catch something.
You have finally convinced your family to take you and a few
friends to this campsite. You are so
excited to go hiking, observe wildlife, canoeing, kayaking, swimming, and
snorkeling. You and your friends are
anxiously awaiting the fishing expeditions.
When you get to the campsite, you rush to sign up for fishing. Much to your dismay, you are advised that
they are not allowing anyone to fish because many of the fish have died and
they are trying to preserve the existing ones.
Your curiosity forces you and your three friends to go to the lake and
what you witness is harmful algal bloom. You want to find out why lakes such as this
one and other bodies of water throughout the world have so much algae growth.
TASK 
You
will work with your three friends that accompanied you on the trip to
investigate the problem and present it along with solutions to the City Council. You
will:
1. Complete the linked worksheets so as
to gather all of the information required.
2.
Create a visual presentation that
illustrates and explains the problem. Your
visual presentation may be accomplished via any of the following: PowerPoint, story board, photo journal,
newsletter.
3.
Present your findings to your class
in a 5 minute oral presentation.
PROCESS 
As young
Science Public Policy Analysts, you will follow the steps provided to gather all
of the information necessary for your presentation at the upcoming City Council
Meeting. You will use the worksheets in each of the following links to complete
the steps. On the worksheet, you will write your individual response as
well as the response that the group subsequently agrees upon. Next to the group response, give credit to
the group member that proposed it by writing their name in parentheses.
SCIENCE PUBLIC POLICY ANALYSIS STEPS:
Within your groups, you will choose 2 internet
researchers to gather the information from the RESOURCES listed at the end of
this webquest. You will also have 2 presenters
that will be responsible for the oral and visual presentations as indicated in
the Task section.
2. Gather evidence
of the problem
3. Identify the
cause of the problem
4. Evaluate existing
public policies which address your social problem
5. Develop
alternatives to existing public policies
6. Select the best
public policy solution
If
for any reason you cannot access the description and worksheet for the link(s)
you will go to the following site: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html
RESOURCES 
NOTE: ALTHOUGH LISTED IN ONE CATEGORY, YOU MAY
FIND THAT SOME OF THE RESOURCES MAY BE USED FOR SEVERAL OF THE PROCESSES.
HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOM
National Centers for Coastal
Ocean Science
Northwest Fisheries Science Center
University of
Southern California
CAUSES
Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency
EPA Mid Atlantic Integrated
Assessment
STATISTICS
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
PUBLIC POLICIES
NYS Dept. of
Environmental Conservation
EVALUATION
ORAL AND VISUAL PRESENTATIONS
|
ACTIVITY |
Exemplary |
Proficient |
Partially Proficient |
Incomplete |
Omitted |
POINTS |
|
Worksheets |
12 points Completed all six PPA worksheets |
8 points Included information from four or five PPA
worksheets. |
4 points Included information from two or three PPA worksheets. |
2 points Included information from one PPA worksheet |
0 points Excluded public policy entirely. |
|
|
Introduction |
8 points The introduction presents the overall topic and
draws the audience into the presentation with compelling questions or by
relating to the audience's interests or goals. |
6 points The introduction is clear and coherent and
relates to the topic. |
4 points The introduction shows some structure but does
not create a strong sense of what is to follow. May be overly detailed or
incomplete and is somewhat appealing to the audience. |
2 points The introduction unclear and does not appear
interesting or relevant to the audience. |
0 points There is no introduction or it does not orient
the audience as to what will follow. |
|
|
Content |
10 points The content is written clearly and concisely with
a logical progression of ideas and supporting information. The project includes motivating questions and
advanced organizers that provide the audience with sense of the project’s
main idea. Information is accurate, current and comes mainly
from * primary sources. |
8 points The content is written with a logical progression
of ideas and supporting information. Includes persuasive information from *primary
sources. |
6 points The content is vague in conveying a point of view
and does not create a strong sense of purpose. Includes some persuasive information with few
facts. Some of the information may not seem to fit. *Primary source use is not always clear. |
4 points The content lacks a clear point of view and
logical sequence of information. Includes little persuasive information and only
one or two facts about the topic. |
0 points Information is incomplete, out of date and/or
incorrect. Sequencing of ideas is unclear. |
|
|
Text Elements |
4 points The fonts are easy-to-read and point size varies
appropriately for headings and text. Use of italics, bold, and indentations enhances
readability. Text is appropriate in length for the target
audience and to the point. The background and colors enhance the readability
of text. |
3 points Sometimes the fonts are easy-to-read, but in
a few places the use of fonts, italics, bold, long paragraphs, color or busy
background detracts and does not enhance readability. |
2 point Overall readability is difficult with lengthy paragraphs,
too many different fonts, dark or busy background, overuse of bold or lack of
appropriate indentations of text. |
1 point The text is extremely difficult to read with long
blocks of text and small point size of fonts, inappropriate contrasting
colors, poor use of headings, subheadings,
indentations, or bold formatting. |
0 points The text is one or two big chunks. The point size
is too small and unchanged throughout. Headings, subheadings, bold, italics, and
indentations are not used. |
|
|
Layout |
4 points The layout is aesthetically pleasing and
contributes to the overall message with appropriate use of headings and
subheadings and white space. |
3 points The layout uses horizontal and vertical white space
appropriately. |
2 point The layout shows some structure, but appears
cluttered and busy or distracting with large gaps of white space or uses a
distracting background. |
1 point The layout is cluttered, somewhat confusing, and
does not use spacing, headings and subheadings to enhance the readability. |
0 points The layout is totally confusing and suggests a
lack of effort. |
|
|
Citations |
6 points Sources of information are properly cited so that
the audience can determine the credibility and authority of the information
presented. All sources of information are clearly identified
and credited using MLA citations throughout the project. |
4 points Most sources of information use proper MLA
citation, and sources are documented to make
it possible to check on the accuracy of information. |
2 points Sometimes copyright guidelines are followed and
some information, photos and graphics do not use proper MLA citations. |
1 point A couple of sources are documented but do not use
proper MLA citations. |
0 points No way to check validity of information. |
|
|
Graphics, Sound
and/or Animation |
6 points The graphics, sound and/or animation assist in
presenting an overall theme and make visual connections that enhance
understanding of concept, ideas and relationships. Original images are created using proper size and
resolution, and all images enhance the content. There is a consistent visual theme. |
4 points The graphics, sound/and or animation visually
depict material and assist the audience in understanding the flow of
information or content. Original images are used. Images are proper size, resolution. |
2 point Some of the graphics, sounds, and/or animations
seem unrelated to the topic/theme and do not enhance the overall concepts. Most images are clipart or recycled from the WWW. Images are too large/small in size. Images are poorly cropped or the color/resolution
is fuzzy. |
1 point The graphics do not enhance understanding of the
content, or are distracting decorations that create a busy feeling and
detract from the content. |
0 points The graphics, sounds,
and/or animations are unrelated to the content. |
|
|
Writing Mechanics |
10 points The text is written with no errors in grammar,
capitalization, punctuation, and spelling. |
8 points The text is clearly written with little or
no editing required for grammar, punctuation and spelling. |
6 points Spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors
distract or impair readability. (3 or more errors) |
4 point Errors in spelling, capitalization, punctuation,
usage and grammar repeatedly distract the reader and major editing and revision
is required. (more than 5 errors |
0 points Obviously, there was no editing or revision
attempted. |
|
|
Teamwork |
10 points The group documents how members
brainstormed, discussed, assumed roles and solved problems. Provides evidence that group members helped one
another, shared ideas, developed and evaluated their finished
product(s). The project is clearly a group effort. |
8 points The group documents how members divided tasks,
shared the workload and managed problems in a way that advanced the group goal.
|
6 points The group occasionally helped one another but
required teacher assistance to resolve differences. A couple people document that they did most of
the work and/or problems were not managed in a way that advanced the group
goal. |
4 points The group required teacher assistance with
dividing tasks and resolving differences. One person documents that he/she did most of the
work. |
0 points The group was disorganized even after receiving
teacher assistance. No one contributed their fair share of work. |
|
|
Speech |
10 points The speaker was
enthusiastic, loud and clear. |
8 points The speaker was
clear and understandable. |
6 points The speaker was
somewhat clear but their volume fluctuated in a sporadic manner. |
4 points The speaker was
barely understandable. |
0 points The speaker was
not clear or understandable. |
|
|
Eye Contact |
10 points Eye contact was
made with the entire audience throughout the speech. |
8 points Eye contact included
one sided of the room more than the other. |
6 points Eye contact was
made but only with a few people. |
4 points There was barely
any eye contact. |
0 points There was no eye
contact. |
|
|
Familiarity with Material |
10 points The speaker
referred to note cards once or twice. |
8 points The speaker
referred to note cards a few times. |
6 points The speaker
heavily relied upon note cards. |
4 points The speaker read
from note cards. |
0 points The speaker did
not make use of note cards and seemed lost. |
|
|
TOTAL POINTS |
/100 |
|||||
CONCLUSION
Based on your successful completion of
the task and having followed the TIPS Science Public Policy Analyst Steps, you
should now comprehend the role that these analysts play within our
infrastructure. You should also have a
thorough understanding of one type of water pollution that being algal bloom
and its causes. You should further
comprehend the impact that the uncontrolled growth of algae has on the
ecosystem and the economy. As you
continue on your journey to be successful public policy analysts, you will have
a positive impact on your community and those of others.
STANDARDS
MATHEMATICS, SCIENCE, AND TECHNOLOGY
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 2:
Information Systems
Students will access,
generate, process, and transfer information
using
appropriate technologies.
Standard 4:
Science
Students will understand
and apply scientific concepts, principles,
and
theories pertaining to the physical setting and living
environment
and recognize the historical development of ideas in
science.
Standard 5:
Technology
Students will apply
technological knowledge and skills to design,
construct,
use, and evaluate products and systems to satisfy
human
and environmental needs.
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.
SOCIAL STUDIES
Standard 4:
Economics
Students will use a
variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate
their
understanding of how the
develop
economic systems and associated institutions to allocate
scarce
resources, how major decision-making units function in
the
economy
solves the scarcity problem through market and
nonmarket mechanisms.
Standard 5: Civics, Citizenship, and Government
Students will use a
variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate
their
understanding of the necessity for establishing governments;
the
governmental system of the
the
United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American
constitutional
democracy; and the roles, rights, and
responsibilities
of citizenship, including avenues of participation.