Power in Pleasantville
Power in Pleasantville
Teacher Page
| Home | Introduction | Task | Process & Resources | Evaluation | Conclusion | Teacher Page | Credits |
Goals:
Use a Web Quest to research environmental issues concerning coal burning as an energy source.
Work collaboratively in a group to form a position pro or con on the coal burning issue.
Present a persuasive PowerPoint that demonstrates knowledge and research.
Examine the impact of fossil fuels on global warming.
Objectives:
The student will:
Describe how power plants produce electricity using fossil fuels.
State the pollutants from burning coal
Research and describe new technologies that reduce the emissions of coal burning
Describe short term and long term health issues from exposure to these pollutants
Analyze options for minimizing health risks
Estimate costs for coal versus oil use.
Describe the effects of these pollutants and acid rain on the environment.
Research the long term availability of non renewable resources.
List conservation measures that can be used to save energy.
Explain how the burning of fossil fuels contribute to global warming.
Curriculum Standards:
Throughout this Web Quest, the students will participate in a variety of activities that involve the New Jersey Core curriculum Standards. Using research based information, students will synthesize information, problem solve, draw conclusions and communicate their results. Science topics are integrated throughout the learning experience. Language Arts skills are honed as the students prepare a position on the use of coal versus oil. Using this Web Quest as a directed internet research tool, along with PowerPoint and Microsoft Word facilitates using technology across the curriculum.
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5.1 |
Scientific Processes All students will develop problem-solving, decision-making and inquiry skills, reflected by formulating usable questions and hypotheses, planning experiments, conducting systematic observations, interpreting and analyzing data, drawing conclusions, and communicating results. |
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5.4 |
Nature and Process of Technology All students will understand the interrelationships between science and technology and develop a conceptual understanding of the nature and process of technology. |
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5.7 |
Physics All students will gain an understanding of natural laws as they apply to motion, forces, and energy transformations |
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5.8 |
Earth Science All students will gain an understanding of the structure, dynamics, and geophysical systems of the earth. |
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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. |
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3.3 |
Speaking All students will speak in clear, concise, organized language that varies in content and form for different audiences and purposes. |
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3.5 |
Viewing and media literacy All students will access, view, evaluate, and respond to print, nonprint, and electronic texts and resources. |
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8.1 |
Computer and information literacy All students will use computer applications to gather and organize information and to solve problems. |
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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 Relevance
Sense and Meaning: The Introduction of the Web Quest presented the learner with an imaginary family vacation. This imagery is meant to evoke happy memories that will connect to new learning. Meaning results when past learning moves from long-term storage into working memory and interacts with new information. Making associations or “sense” of the activity bridges past learning to the present.
Gregorc Learning Styles: The Concrete Learner will thrive in this quest because it involves working with others, studying about things that directly affect people’s lives rather than impersonal facts and theories, and sharing thoughts and opinions. The Abstract Random Learner will benefit from searching for alternative solutions to problems. Creativity is utilized in the PowerPoint Presentation as well as working on a number of ideas from the group at one time.
Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences: The interaction of the group lends itself to benefit the many intelligences of Gardner’s theory. Linguistic, Logical/mathematical, Naturalists, Interpersonal and Existential intelligences contribute to the total quest through language, statistics, the earth’s features, working with other people and thinking outside usual parameters.
Bloom’s Taxonomy: At the Knowledge level of Bloom's Taxonomy, students research and collect information. At the Comprehension level, the students discuss, summarize and restate the information to answer the questions. At the Application level, the roles of the economist, health inspector, environmentalist and engineer facilitate dramatizing, interpreting and applying this knowledge to the given job title. At the Analysis level, the students compare & contrast opposing view points, calculate costs and differentiate between methods of energy production. At the Synthesis level, the students will formulate a position on coal versus oil and create a PowerPoint presentation expressing their group's viewpoints. At the Evaluation level, the students will write individual paragraphs depicting a synthesized viewpoint, appraise solutions and evaluate the effect of coal burning on global warming.
Elaborative Rehearsal: According to Dr. David A. Sousa this strategy incorporates the learning pyramid which shows that if we practice by doing, and teach others, 75- 90% of what is learned is retained. Furthermore, elaborative rehearsal, is more than rote learning, it is the application of the learning. The PowerPoint persuasion activity challenges the learner to teach the audience what he/she has learned so that the audience will be persuaded either for or against coal conversion.