Mr. Castro

The School for Excellence (at Morris HS)

The Destruction

of Natural Resources

in the Bronx, New York

A WebQuest

INTRODUCTION:

Did you know that it is a common practice, in some areas of the Bronx, to show a lack of consideration for our monuments and statues, public facilities, vegetation, and, in general, our environment? In our parks, for example, you might, on any given day, find bottles and cans strewn about as well as inhale unsavory odors that are unhealthy, especially for children, who always want to play there. Children, as a matter of fact, can get hurt very easily in these polluted parks, and they will grow up without appreciating a clean park or a healthy environment. Taking their cue from what they see around them, they will likely grow up harming the environment themselves, having developed bad and uncaring habits toward the things around them.

You, however, are different. You love your neighborhood and your environment. You have grown up respectful of everything around you, but you are concerned about the lack of respect shown by others. You have formed a group called Save the Bronx, whose mission is to investigate the problem of environmental pollution in the Bronx, critique the public policies already in place regarding pollution, and, finally, to propose new and better solutions to the problem.

TASK:

You will work in small groups, and each member of your group will play a specific role: a company owner, a director of an advertising firm, a budget specialist, and a data collection specialist. Your group will be responsible for producing a 3-5-page typewritten report, which you will present to the class in a 3-5-minute oral presentation.

PROCESS:

Follow these steps in producing your report and oral presentation:

1. Your group will identify a specific location in the Bronx (e.g., your own neighborhood, your neighborhood park, your neighborhood swimming pool, etc.) on which you will focus your investigation.

2. Each member of your group will have a specific responsibility:

a. company owner: you will decide the best way to implement the policies and the best way to get the policies approved by the city.

b. director of an advertising firm: you will find ways to persuade the public to interact better and take care of the environment in the Bronx.

c. budget specialist: you will present a global budget on the whole implementation of the project (including costs for lab testing, advertising, extra police and park workers, etc.)

d. data collection specialist: you will collect specific evidence that will show (in statistics) the damage produced by contaminants.

3. Your group will follow the six-step Public Policy Analyst format to help you frame your report and presentation.

a. Define the problem: Worksheet #1

b. Gather evidence of the problem: Worksheet #2

c. Determine the causes of the problem: Worksheet #3

d. Evaluate an existing public policy: Worksheet #4

e. Develop an original public policy solution: Worksheet #5

f. Select the best solution: Worksheet #6

RESOURCES:

Your group will use the following Internet web sites to help you in your research:

www.press1.com

www.newscientist.com

www.sciencedaily.com

www.artigen.com/newswire/scitech.html

www.gene.com/ae/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/profit_health.html

www.ljx.com/practice/health/

Your group should also use anecdotal evidence (i.e., first-hand observations and interviews, etc.) to enhance your research.

EVALUATION:

Rubric for Research Paper and Oral Presentation

Excellent	Satisfactory	Minimal Satisfactory	Unsatisfactory
Organization Student’s presentation is logical, clear and fully captivates audience interest.	Organization A student presentation is logical, clear ad somehow captivates audience interest.	Organization Student’s presentation is logical and somehow clear but not captivating.	Organization Student’s presentation is illogical and distorted.
subject knowledge Students demonstrate full subject matter and beyond.	subject knowledge Students demonstrate knowledge of subject matter.	subject knowledge Students demonstrate a little knowledge of subject matter.	subject knowledge Students do not know subject matter.
accuracy No grammatical errors.	accuracy Very few grammatical errors.	accuracy Some grammatical errors.	accuracy Too many grammatical errors that distorts the meaning of the words.

Science Standards

Standard 1: Students will use science inquiry to pose questions, seek answers, and develop solutions.

Standard 2: Students will access, generate, process, and transfer information using appropriate technologies.

Communication Arts Standards

Standard 1: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

Standard 2: Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis ad evaluation.

E3c: Prepare and deliver an individual presentation

CONCLUSION:

Upon completion of this project, you are now equipped to understand the issue of pollution, especially in your borough, the Bronx. You have investigated the problem thoroughly and understood its causes. You have also evaluated public policies in place to deal with this problem, and, perhaps most importantly, you have developed your own public policy solutions. Now you are prepared to make a difference in the quality of life in the Bronx.