An oil tanker, the Valdez II, has just hit a sand bar and is now leaking gallons of oil into the Long Island Sound. The mayor of Milford is standing on the edges of Anchor Beach wringing his hands. It appears that there is no emergency clean-up plan in place. Therefore, it is up to you, East Shore Middle School students, to accept the mission to devise a plan to meet the emergency. This plan should also consider the other kinds of pollution that might occur in Long Island Sound (sewage spillage, litter from careless boaters and beach goers, and aftermaths of severe weather).
After your studies, you, as the experts will present your marine emergency plan to the "mayor" . In your research you should be able to identify and describe the marine animal life and how a natural or man-made disaster would affect Milford's marine life.
Your Task should include the following: (all information should help you decide on the action you would take in the event of a disaster in Long Island Sound.)
You'll begin with everyone in your group getting some background before dividing into roles where people on your team become experts on one part of the topic. Part of your background information will come from a field trip to the area affected by the oil spill. Your team must gather vital statistics that show how this oil spill is affecting the marine life of Milford.
INSTRUCTIONS:
1. Read through the files linked to your group. If you print out the files, underline the passages that you feel are the most important. If you look at the files on the computer, copy sections you feel are important by dragging the mouse across the passage and copying /pasting it into a word processor or other writing software.2. Note: Remember to write down or copy/paste the URL of the file you take the passage from so you can quickly go back to it if you need to to prove your point.
3. You will work in groups of four and each person will select a role to play from the list below.
You will identify the species of marine animals in Long Island Sound and describe the environment in which they live. Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Marine Biologist:
In this role, you will have to know how to clean up the specific types of pollution. Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Pollution Safety Engineer:
You will take pictures and make a map of Anchor Beach, Milford, Connecticut that shows the estuaries, the tide pools and salt marshes with a description of what species lives in each. Use the Internet information linked below to answer these questions specifically related to Cartographer/Photographer:
You will need to monitor the oil spill impact in order to understand the effects of the spill and how to improve the response to future spills. Use the Internet information linked below to to gather information that will address this important issue specifically related to the Environmentalist.
You have all learned about a different part of Marine Animal Life on the Long Island Sound. Now group members come back to the larger WebQuest team with expertise gained by searching from one perspective. You must all now answer the Task / Quest(ion) as a group. Each of you will bring a certain viewpoint to the answer: some of you will agree and others disagree. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc. from the Webpages you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task / Quest(ion). Your WebQuest team should write out an answer that everyone on your team supports with the information they gathered.
You and your teammates have learned a lot by dividing up into different roles. Now's the time to put your learning into a letter you'll send out for real world feedback. Together you will write a letter that contains opinions, information, and perspectives that you've gained. Here's the process:1. Begin your letter with a statement of who you are and why you are writing your message to this particular person or organization.
2. Give background information that shows you understand the topic.
STATE THE TASK / QUEST(ION) AND YOUR GROUP'S ANSWER.
3. Each person in your group should write a paragraph that gives two good reasons supporting the group's opinion. Make sure to be specific in both the information (like where you got it from on the Web) and the reasoning (why the information proves your group's point).
4. Have each person on the team proofread the message. Use correct letter format and make sure you have correctly addressed the email message. Use the link below to make contact. Send your message and make sure your teacher gets a copy.
This was a cooperative learning exercise. The need to share information to come up with a concise emergency plan was paramount, otherwise your conclusion would not be conclusive. You worked well in your groups and gathered information particular for your role. Nice Work! With the skills you have used in completing this webquest could you come up with a solution for the lobster industry? Newspapers and television have been following the massive death of the lobsters in Long Island Sound and scientists studying the problem have not reached a conclusion.Remember, learning never stops.
Last revised March 15, 2004