Research Scenario
- Massive superstorms destroying cities
- Megadroughts causing famine
- Massive firestorms destroying acres of land and homes
- Melting polar ice caps
- Sea level rising worldwide
- Warming temperatures destroying coral reefs
Sound like a worst case scenario, or a script for a made-for-TV disaster movie? Unfortunately, all of these events are happening now. Almost every day, scientists share new data that reveals both the causes and consequences of global warming. For example, NASA's most recent mission detected significant antarctic ice mass loss. Scientists say that we do not have a decade to wait to consider the problem; we must act now to have any hope of mitigating the consequences of global warming. Your job is to investigate the causes of global warming. After you research the causes, you will debate what you can do as an individual to impact global warming.
Essential Question: What causes global warming and what can you do as an individual to mitigate the problem? |
The most difficult part of a research assignment is knowing where to begin! You may feel overwhelmed by the assignment, the vast amounts of information, all the reading you will need to do, and the decisions you must make in order to ace this assignment. If you need help during any part of the process, check out the the Information Literacy Process Model for a step-by-step guide.
Task #1: Pretest
Take the Greenhouse Challenge to test your knowledge!
Task #2: Experiment
Complete the following experiment to explore how greenhouse gases affect global warming: The Greenhouse Effect - a good thing? You will simulate the greenhouse effect using beakers covered in plastic wrap and the air you exhale. You will simulate the sun with a lamp, and collect temperature data with a sensor. By measuring and graphing the temperature changes in an open-air and two covered beakers, you will be able to observe the effects of carbon dioxide on temperature.
Task #3: Research
Your teacher will place you into teams of four. Each person in the group will be in charge of researching one of the following global warming questions:
- Does data from around the world support the theory of global warming?
- What are the causes of global warming?
- What are the effects of global warming?
- What can you do as an individual to impact global warming?
Use the resources and organizers in the "Gather and Sort" section to guide your research.
Task #4: Socratic Seminar
After conducting research individually, each member will share his/her findings with the rest of the group. Then, you will share your ideas in a Socratic Seminar; the two questions that will initiate the seminar are:
1. What is the major cause of global warming?
2. What can you, as an individual, do to solve the problem?
Reflect on what you learned participating in the Socratic Seminar by writing a One-Minute Paper.
Task #5: Individual Action Plan
Finally, use the thoughts and ideas you gathered by participating in the Socratic Seminar to create your final product. For your final product, you will create an Individual Action Plan that addresses the causes of global warming
Research Process Assessments:
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Final Product Assessments: |
Essential Question: What causes global warming and what can you do as an individual to mitigate the problem? |
Subsidiary Questions:
- Does data from around the world support the theory of global warming?
- What are the causes of global warming?
- What are the effects of global warming?
- What can you do as an individual to impact global warming?
Above are a few examples of questions you might need to answer through your research. At the top of separate sheets of notebook paper or index cards, write some additional questions about global warming. Write as many questions as you can. Although you may not find information to answer some of these questions, you may think of different questions as you do the research. By the end of your research you should be able to answer the essential question.
Gather information from a variety
of sources.
Sort your findings using a graphic
organizer, note cards, outline, word document, or other form
for recording your research.
Cite your sources to avoid plagiarism.
- Avoiding Plagiarism (Safari Montage)
- Avoiding Plagiarism (Print Document)
- MLA Bibliography (Print Document)
- EasyBib Citation Creator
Analyze your research notes to determine if you:
- Have taken sufficient notes to answer all of your subsidiary questions in detail?
- Can eliminate facts which are not useful, are repetitive, or do not relate to your questions?
- Need to rearrange the information in different categories?
- Can condense or combine the information?
- Need to develop new questions to adequately cover your topic?
Share your research findings with your group. Now you should have sufficient information about the causes of global warming to participate in the Socratic Seminar.
Synthesize your findings by creating an Individual Action Plan. Before you begin, check make sure you have:
- sufficient facts to answer each of your questions
- a fairly complete understanding of the important facts
- a thorough knowledge of the causes of global warming
- an understanding of how individual action can help impact global warming
Click here for the Individual Action Plan planning sheet.
Evaluate your finished product by asking:
- Does my Individual Action Plan state the problem?
- Does my Individual Action Plan describe who is most at risk?
- Does my Individual Action Plan state the causes of the problem?
- Does my Individual Action Plan describe how I will change the situation?
Reflection: Write a worst case scenario about what you think will happen 10 years from now if individuals do not take action to impact global warming.
Extension Activity: