A Project Legal Web Quest
By Mrs. Serpa
Family School 32
Yonkers, NY
This summer was hotter than ever! What was the actual
temperature in your home? How many severe thunder and lightening
storms did you experience this summer? Why have there been so
many frequent hurricanes, tornados, droughts, diseases, and other
environmental changes?
Some people attribute these changes and disturbances to
normal planetary ups and downs. Some people attribute this to a
concept known as global warming. Global warming occurs when the
carbon dioxide levels in our environment build up and cause an
increase in atmospheric temperatures on Earth.
Scientists have been studying the Earth’s climate since the
1950’s, a time in our history when we saw an increase in
industrialization. Recently, our government and local agencies have
become more interested in ways to reduce carbon dioxide levels and
stop this problem altogether.
You and your classmates are working for the Environmental
Protection Agency and need to convince our federal government to
write legislation that would put an end to this problem. Get ready to
be a part of a team dedicated to saving our Earth and all its living
creatures! Here is your task:
You are acting as public policy makers and will be following the
PPA format. This format will help you to create your oral and visual
presentation. You will use this web quest to do research and
complete your projects.
Be sure to include:
 The problem and its causes
 Evidence or proof the problem exists (data, statistics,
pictures)
 Visual Aides and pictures
 Current existing policies
 Possible solutions to help stop this problem
The class will be divided into six groups of five. As a group,
your task will be to complete a 10-15 minute long oral and visual
presentation utilizing a tri-fold poster that is aimed at convincing the
federal government to create legislation to stop global warming. In
order to fulfill your task as EPA agents you must use the Public Policy
Analyst format and gather as much information about global
warming as possible. Here are the six steps you will need to
complete.
The Six Steps of a Public Policy Analyst
Step 1: Define the Problem
Step 2: Gather the Evidence
Step 3: Determine the Causes
Step 4: Examine the Existing Policy
Step 5: Develop Solutions
Step 6: Select the Best Possible
Solution/Policy
You will find that if you click on the above steps, there are the
worksheets you will need to complete your task and ultimately
convince lawmakers to help solve this pressing issue in our society. It
may be helpful if the group members have specific roles. However, all
members of the group will need to work together to and follow all the
steps of the Public Policy Analyst. For example, one person may be:
 A Historian - The person who studies global warming
issues and causes of the past.
 The Current Events Reporter – The person who searches
for current information and policies of today.
 The Legal Expert – The person who will examine the laws
and current policies in place today that are aimed at
helping to stop global warming.
 The Data Analyst – The person who will study the
evidence and the trends of the data.
 The Problem Solver- The person who will research and
explore possible solutions to this problem.
The project must also be organized, clearly presented. It
should be colorful and appear attractive. It should
demonstrate good effort. A rubric will be used to evaluate
this project.
www.google.com
www.yahoo.com
EPA Site
Global Changes Site
Legislation
What is our community doing about global warming?
Data and Evidence about Global Warming
More on Legislation and Policies of Our Country
50 Facts and Tips to Help Stop Global Warming
Oral Presentation Rubric : Global Warming Presentation
1Not Acceptable
4- Excellent
3- Very Good
2- Satisfactory
Enthusiasm
Facial expressions
and body language
generate a strong
interest and
enthusiasm about
the topic in others.
Facial expressions
and body language
sometimes generate
a strong interest and
enthusiasm about
the topic in others.
Facial expressions
and body language
are used to try to
generate
enthusiasm, but
seem somewhat
faked.
Preparedness
Student is
completely prepared
and has obviously
rehearsed.
Student seems
pretty prepared but
might have needed
a couple more
rehearsals.
The student is
Student does not
somewhat prepared, seem at all prepared
but it is clear that
to present.
rehearsal was
lacking.
Time-Limit
Presentation is 5-6
minutes long.
Presentation is 4
minutes long.
Presentation is 3
minutes long.
CATEGORY
Very little use of facial
expressions or body
language. Did not
generate much
interest in topic being
presented.
Presentation is less
than 3 minutes OR
more than 6 minutes.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly all (10095%) the time, and
mispronounces no
words.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly all (10095%) the time, but
mispronounces one
word.
Speaks clearly and
distinctly most ( 9485%) of the time.
Mispronounces no
more than one word.
Often mumbles or can
not be understood OR
mispronounces more
than one word.
Posture and Eye Stands up straight,
looks relaxed and
Contact
Stands up straight
and establishes eye
contact with
everyone in the
room during the
presentation.
Sometimes stands
up straight and
establishes eye
contact.
Slouches and/or does
not look at people
during the
presentation.
Usually listens to,
shares with, and
supports the efforts
of others in the
group. Does not
cause "waves" in the
group.
Often listens to,
shares with, and
supports the efforts
of others in the
group but sometimes
is not a good team
member.
Rarely listens to,
shares with, and
supports the efforts of
others in the group.
Often is not a good
team member.
Speaks Clearly
confident.
Establishes eye
contact with
everyone in the
room during the
presentation.
Collaboration
with Peers
Almost always
listens to, shares
with, and supports
the efforts of others
in the group. Tries to
keep people working
well together.
Content
Shows a full
Shows a good
Shows a good
understanding of the understanding of the understanding of
topic.
topic.
parts of the topic.
Does not seem to
understand the topic
very well.
Making A Poster : Global Warming Tri-Fold Poster
1- Not
Acceptable
4 -Excellent
3- Very Good
2- Satisfactory
Attractiveness
The poster is
exceptionally
attractive in terms of
design, layout, and
neatness.
The poster is
attractive in terms of
design, layout and
neatness.
The poster is
acceptably attractive
though it may be a
bit messy.
The poster is
distractingly messy
or very poorly
designed. It is not
attractive.
Title
Title can be read
from 6 ft. away and
is quite creative.
Title can be read
from 6 ft. away and
describes content
well.
Title can be read
from 4 ft. away and
describes the content
well.
The title is too small
and/or does not
describe the content
of the poster well.
CATEGORY
Mechanics
Capitalization and
punctuation are
correct throughout
the poster.
There is 1 error in
capitalization or
punctuation.
There are 2 errors in There are more than
capitalization or
2 errors in
punctuation.
capitalization or
punctuation.
Grammar
There are no
grammatical
mistakes on the
poster.
There is 1
There are 2
grammatical mistake grammatical
on the poster.
mistakes on the
poster.
There are more than
2 grammatical
mistakes on the
poster.
Content Accuracy
At least 7 accurate
facts are displayed
on the poster.
5-6 accurate facts
3-4 accurate facts
are displayed on the are displayed on the
poster.
poster.
Less than 3 accurate
facts are displayed
on the poster.
Knowledge
Gained
Student can
accurately answer
all questions related
to facts in the poster
and processes used
to create the poster.
Student can
accurately answer
most questions
related to facts in
the poster and
processes used to
create the poster.
Student can
accurately answer
about 75% of
questions related to
facts in the poster
and processes used
to create the poster.
Student appears to
have insufficient
knowledge about the
facts or processes
used in the poster.
PPA Format
The poster includes
all required elements
as well as additional
information.
All required
elements are
included on the
poster.
All but 1 of the
required elements
are included on the
poster.
Several required
elements were
missing.
As citizens, future voters, and possible policy makers, you have
learned how to go about making change in the community and the
world in which you live. Where else in the world are the people truly
able to influence lawmakers and actively help to pass laws? Well, it is
in our country, America! You have learned a great deal about global
warming, why it is important to us, and the best solution to act upon
it. But, just as importantly, you have learned how to influence your
lawmakers and make a difference in the world in which you live. How
exciting!!
It is important that you continue to put the word out to your family
and your friends about global warming and ways we can work
towards stopping it. Remember, you are the future and what happens
here on Earth depends on you! Thank you for working so hard to
make this world a better, cleaner, safer place for us to live.
Throughout the year, we will continue to work on projects in science,
social studies, literacy, and mathematics that center around this topic.
I hope you had fun and enjoyed this experience!
Social Studies
Standard 1: History of the United States and New York
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning
points in the history of the United States and New York.
Standard 2: World History
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning
points in world history and examine the broad sweep of history from a
variety of perspectives.
Standard 3: Geography
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we
live—local, national, and global—including the distribution of people,
places, and environments over the Earth’s surface.
Standard 4: Economics
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their
understanding of how the United States and other societies develop
economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources,
how major decision-making units function in the United States and other
national economies, and how an 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 United
States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of
American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of
citizenship, including avenues of participation.
English Language Arts
Standard 1: Language for Information and Understanding
Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and
understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts,
and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use
knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts.
As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that
follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire,
interpret, apply, and transmit information.
Standard 2: Language for Literary Response and Expression
Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced
texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts
and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the
diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and
performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and
written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English
language for self-expression and artistic creation.
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation
Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and
evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences,
ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of
established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written
language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to
present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on
experiences, ideas, information and issues.
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction
Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use
oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language
for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and
listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding
of people and their views.
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 3: Mathematics
Students will understand mathematics and become mathematically
confident by communicating and reasoning mathematically, by applying
mathematics in real-world settings, and by solving problems through the
integrated study of number systems, geometry, algebra, data analysis,
probability, and trigonometry.
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 6: Interconnectedness: Common Themes
Students will understand the relationships and common themes that connect
mathematics, science, and technology and apply the themes to these and
other areas of learning.
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.
COMMENTS----- These are
suggestions
TOP: Is there a picture of your school on the
Internet? You could use it at the top..
INTRODUCTION—
--Give a little more history behind pollution going back
to the industrial revolution 1880’s
Showing the result of no government intervention & its
effect on society
--Give a little more incite into how their product will be
used. I know you put some of this in the “task” but also put
it in
the intro as a “Hook” and motivational device. Make
it sound really important for the student to complete the
task.
TASK
You need to rework this section-focus on the ORAL
and VISUAL presentation. Be specific explaining the
product.
Take some of the elements you put in the PROCESS
and also place them in the task.
How long will the oral report be? Maybe give a picture
of the visual you want accomplished.
Instead of explaining --”Problem etc” in the task you
can just say that the PPA will be included
When you write the task think if the student can
understand the product without any other input.
PROCESS
Explain, in more detail how the PPA will be used. Do
not use the abbreviation here. Say “The Six Step Public Policy
Analyst”.
Explain how this will be an outline for their products and that
all steps must be included in the products as will.
Explain the worksheet process—use of internet resources
regarding the worksheets and how they will be resource material for
the products.
I would say “maybe” when dividing into groups. The teacher
usually makes the decision. It is too complicated for the students in
some cases
Your last sentence in the process should also be in the task. It
answers “what” will be handed in for grading.
In your roles—you do not explain who will put the oral and
visual presentation together?
RESOURCES
Be sure the resources can complete the worksheets
Be sure you can access them in your school—filtering is a
problem
Explain how the resources will be used
Do you have graphs & charts?
EVALUATION
Give a grading rubric under each—
---points
A=----points
B=-
CONCLUSION—well done
Just go into a little more detail about what students
should have learned factually about Global warming from
this web
Quest.