Grade 9 Science: How Do Humans Affect the Environment?
A Research Project
A. Expectations: Human activity is adversely affecting the environment. Examine one
aspect of human impact on the environment using print resources and the internet.
What is your question?___________________________________________
B. Research: You will complete TWO research sheets using the same format found
below. YOU SHOULD ONLY RECORD INFORMATION THAT ANSWERS YOUR
QUESTION ON EACH RESEARCH SHEET
Research Sheet Exemplar
Web page address: http://radio.cbc.ca/programs/quirks/archives/02-03/may10.html
Title: Quirks and Quarks May 10, 2003. Interview with Matt Ridley. Nature vs Nurture
Author: MacDonald, B. and other writers for Quirks and Quarks (a CBC radio show)
Institution: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Year Published: 2003
How Reliable is the Information that You are Using?
Question
Are the authors of the site identified?
What qualifications do the authors have?
Yes/No
Details
Y
Bob MacDonald has 30 years experience in science journalism. He is
the host of CBC Radio’s Quirks and Quarks, the award-winning
science program with a national audience of nearly 500,000 people.
He is also a regular reporter for CBC Television’s The National as well
as Gemini winning host and writer of the children’s series Head’s Up.
Bob has also hosted Greatest Canadian Invention and the seven part
series Water Under Fire.
McDonald has authored three science books and contributed to
numerous science textbooks, newspapers and magazines including
The Globe and Mail, Owl Magazine and many others.
Where do they work?
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation- publicly
funded
Does their workplace have a good
reputation?
Does this source credit the sources of its
information?
Are there references or a bibliography
provided that you can use to verify the
information?
Are there links to reliable sites (or other
sources) where the accuracy of the
information can be confirmed?
What is the goal of the site? What is it
trying to convince you of?
Are any stereotypes being promoted?
Is the language professional and
appropriate?
Does the site use proper grammar, spelling
and punctuation?
Y
Y
Reference to Matt Ridley’s book
is included
Y
Reliable information for Canadians
N
Y
Y
My Question: How do genes affect your behaviour?
I can cut and paste information directly from my source IF it helps me to answer my
question.
- What is it that makes a human being? Are we creatures whose essence is innate, whose personalities, skills,
strengths and weaknesses are determined by qualities inside of us? Or are we blank slates, our minds constructed
and our minds developed from influences outside of us, through the experiences of our growth and learning? Is
what we are determined by nature or nurture? A great deal of scientific research has gone into understanding our
minds, our behaviour, and our bodies -- especially our genes.
-Science writer Matt Ridley has weighed in with a new book on the subject, called "Nature via Nurture." In it he
points out that much of what we're learning implies that Nature and Nurture are not separate. Their interaction is
what builds us. Development is programmed by genes, but directed by environment.
-Environmental stimuli influence the way genes work by the day, hour and minute. Nature and Nurture continually
interact, subtly determining what it is we become, and how we behave. It turns out that the old dichotomy - either
or - is really more of a complex mushy middle.
C. After You Have Completed Your Research
Summarize the most important information that you found in your own words. Please
use references to show where you found the information.
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Describe how this information is related to what we covered in class?
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D. YOUR PRODUCT:
You will prepare a product that educates the public about the importance of this
topic. Choose one option from the following.
Which option did you choose?______________________________________
E : ASSESSMENT AND DUE DATES
Project Component
Question
First Research Sheet
All Research Sheets
Summary
Product Format Approved
Completed and Checked
by……
Thurs Feb 21, 2007
Wed Feb 28, 2007
Fri March 2 (ideally) or
Mon March 5, 2007
Tues March 2, 2007
Wed April 9, 2007
Teachers’ signature
SUGGESTED DUE DATE : PLEASE SUBMIT ALL OF THE COMPONENTS OF YOUR
PROJECT AND THE FOLLOWING CHECKLIST BY THURSDAY MARCH 8, 2007 (so that
you can enjoy your March Break).
FINAL DUE DATE : MONDAY MARCH 19, 2007 (but please don’t leave it this long!!)
Self
Teacher
A : BEFORE I BEGAN MY RESEARCH
I answered all of the questions in this section
B : WHILE I WAS RESEARCHING MY TOPIC
I completed five research sheets using the format from the exemplar on page
1
I clearly identified each source of information
 For a web page I included complete address, institute, author, year
updated
 For a book or article I included the author(s), title, year published,
where it was published and the company that published it
I only recorded information that answered my question on each research
sheet
I used the checklist provided in class to make sure that each source of
information that I used was reliable
C : AFTER I COMPLETED MY RESEARCH
I wrote a 1-2 page summary of my information to IN MY OWN WORDS
All of my information was properly referenced using the Report Writing Guide
from the library
Rubric for the Research Part of my Project- (research sheets and summary)
RESEARCH
Information in my
Summary
1 : (50-59)
I copied directly
from my sources of
information
I did not provide
any details to
answer my
question
I present ideas
with LIMITED
organization
2 (60-69)
I wrote some of
the material in my
own words
I provided SOME
details to answer
my question
References/
Bibliography in my
Summary
I DID NOT use
references or
bibliography at all
Spelling/Grammar
and Punctuation
Use with LIMITED
accuracy
numerous errors
I used references
SOME of the time
to show where I
found my
information
Use with SOME
accuracy : some
errors
Details in my
Summary
Organization of my
Summary
I present ideas
with SOME
consistency
3 : (70-79)
I wrote most of the
material in my own
words
I provided details
MOST of the time
to answer my
question
My ideas are
organized most of
the time
I used references
MOST of the time
to show where I
found my
information
Use with
CONSIDERABLE
accuracy :
occasional errors
4 : (80-100)
I wrote all of my
information in MY
OWN words
I provided details
CONSISTENTLY to
answer my
question
I present ideas
with a HIGH
degree of
organization
I used references
ALL of the time to
show where I
found my
information
Use with HIGH
degree of
accuracy : no
errors
E. My Product
Self
Teacher
I included information from different sources
My product educates the public
My product is thoughtful and thought provoking
Rubric for My Product :
PRODUCT
1 : (50-59)
2 (60-69)
3 : (70-79)
4 : (80-100)
Information
I provide
information with
LIMITED clarity
I provide
information with
MODERATE clarity
Details
I give details with
LIMITED
consistency
I present ideas with
LIMITED
organization
I communicate with
LIMITED sense of
audience/purpose
I give details with
SOME consistency
I provide
information with
CONSIDERABLE
clarity
I give details with
CONSIDERABLE
consistency
I present ideas with
CONSIDERABLE
organization
I communicate with
CONSIDERABLE
sense of
audience/purpose
I provide
information with a
HIGH degree of
clarity
I give details with
HIGH degree of
consistency
I present ideas with
a HIGH degree of
organization
I communicate with
STRONG sense of
audience/purpose
Organization
Communication
I present ideas with
SOME consistency
I communicate with
SOME sense of
audience/purpose