WEBQUEST

Environmental Science Class

Evander Childs High School Mr. U. T. Akhmedov

Summer… Hot… Humid … Muggy… You would say: yeah, so what? It is supposed to be so – it is summer! Now think about two places you have probably been. In the streets, surrounded by concrete buildings you have most likely noticed how suffocating the heat may be! What is the place you are dreaming now when you in the epicenter of the heat? Many of you probably thought of an air-conditioned room and lots of cold drinks!

Do you know that cities are getting bigger and more and more people are moving into the cities? The bigger the cities the warmer it gets on the planet. Cities of industrial societies contribute the most to the GLOBAL WARMING.

Can we help reduce this harmful effect? Can we make people aware that through taking simple steps we can contribute to the worldwide solution of the GLOBAL WARMING? One of the ways is to become a famous journalist and an expert in environmental issues, and to collaborate with scientists to bring the newest and best ideas to the society’s attention.

Did you know that in the middle of summer you could actually be outside and still find a cooler place? Do you know such places? In the nature, where there are a lot of green trees, grass, wind blowing, stream of crystal clean water flowing through the woods you can find lots of places with cool and clean air. This means that nature has developed ways of keeping places under lower temperatures even in the midst of the hottest summer. If we, humans, only could have used nature’s ideas to lower high summer temperatures, would not it be great?

But did you know that scientists and engineers have already been designing such “natural” technologies? They are cold GREEN ROOFS!

Chiropractic Center

Here the fully mature roof blends with the surrounding landscape.

Location:	Hazelton, Pennsylvania	Roofing System:	Roofscapes
Date Planted:	June, 2001	Installer:	David Bros. Landscaping
Area Covered:	6,000 Sq. Ft.	Architect:	Van Der Ryn Architects

You are group of four best journalists ever in America!

Your tasks are:

To find solutions for reducing global warming problems by communicating with the scientists;

Describe the ideas and technologies used in GREEN ROOFS;

Make people in your community aware that the technologies you offer are the best;

Make people aware of the tremendous benefits of GREEN ROOFS;

Make a report/presentation that will convince politicians and the public to implement laws promoting and funding further research, development, and constructing GREEN ROOFS all over New York City

As journalists, you will become Public Policy Analysts, who will evaluate and propose better solutions of global warming problem. You will have to follow the steps presented in the Process section, use the worksheets and resources to develop your project.

In your presentation, you will have to

Describe what GREEN ROOFS are;

Underscore the importance of public and government support for building more GREEN ROOFS;

Convince your community and the society overall in beneficial effects of GREEN ROOFS.

You will also have to evaluate present public policies in this matter, and develop proposals that will help people reduce environmental damage via reducing global warming problem in the cities.

Always use the TIPS Website to make your statements specific.

You will have to make a printed report using Word Processing Program (e.g. Word for Windows, WordPad, Open Office Text Document)

You will have to follow the steps below in developing and presenting your work. Each link below will take you to the TIPS Website of Syracuse University, where you will find extended explanation for the terms. The worksheets will be given to you by the instructor. However, you may print out the worksheets on your own if you are working in the Public Library or other place with a printer available.

Below are the links that will help define the problem, gather evidence, etc. In the parentheses you will find questions you have to answer as you develop your presentation.

(1) Define the problem (Are people around you aware of GLOBAL WARMING? Do they know they can contribute into solving this global problem through simple easy steps?

(2) Gather evidence (Address questions from point 1 to your friends and neighbors, and collect their answers as a form of evidence.)

(3) Identify causes (Why do people so little about GLOBAL WARMING ? Why do they know so little about its possible solutions?)

(4) Evaluate a policy (Is the information they are getting enough? Is the education they are receiving satisfactory? Does the government pay enough attention to the issues of GLOBAL WARMING?)

(5) Develop solutions (What are GREEN ROOFS? How can they help us? What can you as journalists do to increase public knowledge about GREEN ROOFS? Offer at least 4 different suggestion on enhancing public and governmental awareness of new GREEN ROOFS solutions for GLOBAL WARMING in our cities?)

(6) Select best solution (Which solution in the present time would be the best from your groups point of view?)

Use the worksheets linked to this web site. They should help you to:

- define the problem – define how roofing technology contributes to the global warming problem;

- gather evidence – prove with examples that conventional roofing increases the chances of warming the climate, especially in the cities;

- determine the causes – why most people do not have no proper clear understanding of how their individual steps might be important in reducing global warming;

- outline the present public policies – how do different communities, organizations, and the government relate to developing GREEN ROOFS in our cities; Can these policies be improved?

- develop possible new solutions – what other proposals can you make to increase public awareness of the importance of GREEN ROOFS to our cities;

- select the best solution;

- evaluate potential benefits and costs of the suggested policy;

You will use the sources provided below. However, you are not limited to these resources. You are strongly encouraged to use newspaper articles, scientific journals and magazines.

You can also use:

and look up the unfamiliar words!

What is green roof? Check out some examples here and here. Find out its public and private benefits of green roofs?

What are the Current Public Policies? Find here about support that Government offers to those who increase energy efficiency of commercial and private buildings here. See some pictures also here. Find out what green roof plants are used for different purposes here. This document along with this website will help you to learn more about public policies today. Find information about NYC and watch short introductory movies on GREEN ROOFS.

As you are the group of famous and very important journalists and experts, community and the Government have high expectations for your report. In order to help fulfill the requirements and pursue public to develop more GREEN ROOFS, the product developed by your group will have to satisfy the requirements presented in the Rubric below.

Discuss your preliminary draft with your editor, Mr. U. T. Akhmedov, prior to turning it in.

Questions: How are we going to be graded? How to hit “A”?

Answers: When you gather from 18-20 points total you get an “A”!

15-17 points give you “B”.

11-14 points are worth of “C”.

Projects scoring less than 11 points will not get a satisfactory grade.

Evaluation of Your Paper Project

Research Report: Environmental Science

Teacher Name: Mr. Akhmedov

Student Name: ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Mechanics	No grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors	A few grammatical spelling or punctuation errors.	Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
Amount of Information	All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.	One or more topics were not addressed.
Internet Use	Successfully uses suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Usually able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Occasionally able to use suggested internet links to find information and navigates within these sites easily without assistance.	Needs assistance or supervision to use suggested internet links and/or to navigate within these sites.
Quality of Information	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples.	Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.	Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Paragraph Construction	All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well.	Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs.

Your report, as well as the report of your peers will help many people understand why it is important to take even smaller steps on the way of solving the huge problem of GLOBAL WARMING. New technologies that lean towards more nature –friendly environment in our cities will be making their ways to a more wide use only if you are able to explain people and the Government the importance of widespread involvements of ordinary people, companies, other organizations, and communities in the process. The most challenging part is to promote public policies that will provide continuous and wide spread support for such new solutions. And this is where your efforts are the most valuable. The project you will have accomplished will very significant step humankind makes on the way to the better world. Help make this world a safer and better place to live!

The present Web Quest focuses on the following Science Performance 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.

S6 Scientific Tools and Technologies

S6d: Acquires information from multiple sources.

S7: Scientific Communication

S7a: Represents data and results in multiple ways.

S7b: Argues from evidence.

This web quest also focuses on the following English Language Arts Performance Standards:

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a report of information.

E3c: Prepare and deliver an individual presentation.

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