Frank Thornton
EDTC 6341-60
17 APR 12
Galveston Analysis – Teacher as Designer – Cycle C
INSTRUCTIONAL GOAL
The focus of the assignment is to expose the student learner (8th to 10th Grader) to the complexities of
the environment from an earth science, environmental, economic, and public policy perspective.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
1. Define the terms public and private sectors. Provide an example of each.
2. Research a type of system that monitors storms, such as hurricanes.
3. Identify multiple governmental organizations responsible for monitoring natural disasters.
4. Identify an international relief organization that provides assistance after natural disasters.
5. What is the name of the federal agency responsible for relief after natural disasters?
6. What long-term services does that agency offer?
7. Research the property and casualty industry.
8. Explain what is homeowners insurance and how it works?
9. Describe the media coverage prior to the event?
10. Name the key players in the governmental organizations.
INSTRUCTIONS & MATERIALS
The student will watch Act I and Act II of the documentary “When the levees broke,” and perform
research based on the learning objectives related. The goal of the video is to give the student a
comprehensive look at how natural disasters affect humanity and the role of government in solving the
problem. Student will utilize the Internet to perform research at .gov, .edu. , and .org sites. Wikipedia
is not allowed to quote in the assignment.
BACKGROUND
Today, the United States is one of the greatest nations on earth. In its young history, the United States
has positioned itself as a leader in economic, political, and military might. The federal government of
the United States has proposed and implemented various policies that have contributed to the growth
and influence of the nation. Preparedness and management of natural disasters and environmental
policy are a part of the government's duties. Finding a balance to meet the needs of the economy
through commerce and safety of the citizens is a delicate tight rope that governmental and economic
leaders make decisions on.
STEP 1 - SCENARIO
Hurricanes have been recorded for over a century and they can be tracked today through advanced
meteorological systems that can determine the category level of the storm well before it hits landfall.
You are a Zygon alien observer from a galaxy far, far, away and your species studies the trends of
ocean currents on planets. The Zygon team made its first observational study in1850, they have made
subsequent trips in 1900, 1950, 2000, and 2005. Three millenniums ago, your home planet experienced
similar trends of climate change that created cataclysmic disasters.
Your job is to observe the United States of America and record how it protects citizens from imminent
danger, particularly from hurricanes as natural disasters. Hurricane Katrina will be the focus of your
research and report. After you have recorded your findings, you will create a report (Step 8) about the
hurricane in it’s development, landfall, and after the storm to determine if the leaders should they be the
caretakers of the public and if they performed well under the circumstances.
STEP 2 – List your personal ideas, understanding, or hunches about the scenario. What do you know
about hurricanes? - Brainstorm and list the things that you know about hurricanes from a scientific
experience.
STEP 3 – What are the facts that are known? List all the pertinent facts that you can in regards to the
scenario.
STEP 4 – The scenario does not cover all the aspects of hurricanes and its spillover effects. List what is
unknown?
STEP 5 – Make a list of things that have to be done regarding the scenario.
STEP 6 – PROBLEM STATEMENT
Develop a problem statement based on the information that you have so far.
STEP 7 - GATHER INFORMATION
Gather more information to supplement your existing ideas to clarify or refute them.
APPROVED RESOURCES
Documentary Video - “When the levees broke: A Requiem in four acts”
Websites
http://www.earthday.org
http://www.pciaa.net/web/sitehome.nsf/main
http://www.aiadc.org/aiapub/
http://www.naic.org/
http://www.guaa.com/
https://www.ahou.org/default.aspx
http://www.noaa.gov
http://www.cnn.com
http://www.c-span.org
Http://www.encyclopedia.com
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/earth/stronger-hurricanes.html
STEP 8 – The REPORT
Create a report based on your findings.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – These questions need to be addressed in the final report.
1. Should governmental policy lean more towards protecting the coastal cities with stronger regulations
for building codes within a certain proximity to the coast?
2. Is it feasible to standardize the alarm systems and protocols, which give the citizens the ability to
prepare for the storm if they decide to stay or evacuate to a safer area inland?
3. Should economic policy for coastal cities be advanced above the safety of the citizens?
4. Does a hurricane proof structure exist?
5. Is it more prudent to invest in the development of housing stock that can withstand the elements of
natural disaster?
PBL RUBRIC
ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
Quality of Understanding:
Rating 5
Response is
complete and
correct.
Rating 4
Rating 3
Mostly correct
with no major
errors,
misconceptions or
omissions. May
contain up to 3
minor inaccuracies.
Partially correct
with one or two
significant
omissions, content
errors or more than
4 minor errors.
Rating 2
Misconceptions
about key content
in Earth system
interactions.
Rating 1
Not present
Depth of Reasoning:
Rating 5
Predicts future
Rating 4
Explains the
Rating 3
Descibes
Rating 2
Describes what is
Rating 1
Not present
effects (e.g.
positive feedback)
or transfers
understanding to
evaluate other
situations or
recommends
remediation (e.g.
negative feedback).
processes
responsible for the
causal claims
(S>S>S) in the
event or context
from a scientific
perspective.
interactions using
cause and effect
connections
including
secondary effects
that unfold over
time,
event>sphere>sphe
re.
happening in the
system, including
characteristics and
direct effects of the
event or the
context
(event>sphere).
Evidence: Scope, detail and accuracy of supporting the relationship statements
Rating 5
Builds on data
from reliable
sources by
manipulating the
data to support
claims (charts,
graphs, maps, etc.)
or refuting
opposing positions
with data or
discussing
ambiguity or error
in the data.
Rating 4
Supports
statements with
data from reliable
sources. Uses
quantitative and
qualitative data
appropriately.
Rating 3
Accurately uses
and cites
quantitative and
qualitative data
from reliable
sources.
Rating 2
Uses only
quantitative or
qualitative data or
lacks adequate
support for
statements, or
lacks citations for
some statements.
Rating 1
Not present
Instructor's Perspective
What I like about the PBL model is the succinct steps that are followed to evaluate an event.
Understanding your individual learner characteristics, such as prior knowledge and experience about an
issue is important to assess what is learned from the material and bridging the gap of previous
knowledge to new information. In addition, the formation of a prospective solution and developing a
problem statement are two key elements that helped me in the assignment.
REFLECTION
Write a paragraph or two about your experience in this lesson. Briefly, describe what you knew before
about the lesson and then what you have learned. Would you recommend this lesson to a friend or peer
to learn about the subject matter?
Feedback from Planeteer “Gi” Isabel Cabrera 4/25/12
Positive Praise- I love the scenario when you added the alien observer
Zygon to capture the audience and make the students feel that they have an
important mission to solve the problem at hand.
Positive Criticism- I think maybe you could add the part where the team or
group has to divide the duties in researching the Earth’s spheres or the
“Discussion Questions,” so that everybody can feel important and they also
are accountable for their part in the collaboration for the final research report.