Teacher

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Goals & Objectives

Students will learn the science, economics and environmental implications involving two different methods for generating electricity and how all three factors must be considered equally when examining the benefits of each method

People

This web quest is designed for seniors in an Advanced Placement Chemistry or Physics class as well as seniors in an Environmental Science class.

Time

This task can be broken down into the following two sections:

1. Research (1 week; 2-3 school days): Students will gather information using links provided to them within this quest. One to two days in class should be provided for students to determine who is going to perform what role and begin their research. Another day should be given for the students to meet in class to decide what their final recommendation will be.

2. Presentation (1 week, 2-3 school days): Students should be given one day to come together and decide what medium they will choose to use to make their final presentation. Students should be encouraged to choose a medium that they would feel the most comfortable with and also that they can work on at home. Another day or two should be set aside for students to begin to layout their presentation and begin working on it.

After the second week, 2-3 days should be set aside for the presentations.

Curriculum Standards

The following is a general listing of some of the curriculum standards that the ENERGY NOW! Webquest addresses.

STANDARD 5.10 (Environmental studies) All students will develop an understanding of the environment as a system of interdependent components affected by human activity and natural phenomena.

STANDARD 5.6 (Chemistry) All students will gain an understanding of the structure and behavior of matter.

STANDARD 5.4 (Nature and processes of technology) All students will understand the interrelationships between science and technology and develop a conceptual understanding of the nature and process of technology.

STANDARD 5.7 (Physics) All students will gain an understanding of natural laws as they apply to motion, forces, and energy transformations.

STANDARD 6.5 (Economics) All students will acquire an understanding of key economic principles.

STANDARD 8.1 (Computer and information literacy) All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems.

STANDARD 8.2 (Technology Education) All students will develop an understanding of the nature and impact of technology, engineering, technological design, and the designed world as they relate to the individual, society, and the environment.

Pedagogical Components.

Bloom's Taxonomy of the Cognitive Domain

The following are thought processes in regard to thinking and learning, beginning with the least complex and graduating to higher levels of thinking and learning.

Knowledge: Using links and guided questions to perform research.

Comprehension: Reach personal conclusion based on the student's own research. Achieving a enough understanding of information to be able to explain it to the group.

Application: Hold discussion within group of what the final group decision will be.

Analysis: Assimilate student's own research into group's final conclusion and compare each student's own conclusion with the conclusions of their teammates.

Synthesis: Develop group decision based on each group member's own research and work towards creating a project based on learned information.

Evaluation: Developing final group project based on the group's final decision in such a way as to convince others of the validity of their point of view.

Gregorc Mind Styles

Each of the Gregorc Learning styles will be touched upon in this project.

Concrete Sequential: Coming to group decision based on researched facts.

Abstract Random: Choice of the medium for the presentation.

Abstract Sequential: The projection of the future based on current data.

Concrete Random: The ability to argue his point based on their own research.

Role of Sense and Meaning

Each student has experienced a blackout during the summer months or heard of a warning that blackouts could occur during an extended heat wave. They have also heard various arguments about the future of electricity production in the United States. This project unites both of those two experiences together and makes the students come to a conclusion about how they feel power should be produced in the future.

Role of Rehearsal and Closure in a Lesson

Students will use the following Elaborative Rehearsal Strategies

Paraphrasing: Students will perform research based on the links and guided questions provided.

Questioning: Students will have to generate questions of not only their own research but the research done by the other group members

Summarizing: Students will have to summarize and generate a conclusion based on their own research and the group will have also have to generate a conclusion based on the research of the collective group.

The closure of the lesson will be the development of the final group project that will reflect the group's final decision and their ability present that decision in a persuasive manner.

Multiple Intelligences:

The following are some ways that the ENERGY NOW! Webquest has been designed to address Gardner’s multiple intelligences for individual students.

Verbal/Linguistic: Would appreciate the opportunity to express one’s ideas perhaps through any type of project and the presentation.

Naturalist: Would find value in learning about these important environmental issues and about being a steward of the environment.

Interpersonal: Would appreciate the opportunity to work in groups.

Logical/Mathematical: Would appreciate the mathematical and calculation components of the project (particularly the economics component and energy calculations).

Visual/Spatial: Would find value in creating a project that is inherently a visual representation of information, regardless of which type of project their group chose.

Bodily/Kinesthetic: Would be apt to want to create the video project which is more performance based. Would enjoy giving a presentation in general.