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Research
Process
Process
Activities
Scenario
The Chesapeake Bay is the largest estuary in the world and has become a trash can! Bottles and cans float on the tides. They drift into the steams, inlets, and along the shores of the bay. Styrofoam cups, plastic bags, and bottles tangle with bay grasses. The bay is home to thousands of aquatic species. It is a source of recreation and industry for the 5,162,430 citizens of Maryland, and we are destroying it with tons of trash thrown down storm drains, on beaches, streets and open spaces. The future of the bay and its resources are in the hands of its citizens. It is not always how much money we spend to clean-up a situation but what we do to protect the Chesapeake.
| Essential Question: How can we save the Chesapeake Bay and its wildlife from extinction? |
Task
and Product
As citizens of Maryland, we have been asked to join in the efforts to clean up and help keep the Bay and its shores healthy. You and your group members will research the effects debris pollution has on three specific organisms that live in or around the Chesapeake Bay and then prepare an action plan or a public affairs video that you will present to an audience.
You will gather the necessary information and complete this data chart.
It is important to learn how the members of your family or your neighbors dispose of plastics and other kinds of trash. If you are going be successful changing the habits of others, it's always a good idea to start close to home. Complete an environmental survey with your family or neighbors. Use this information to assist your work through this project.
All of these steps help you to prepare an action plan. Your teacher will assign you and a few of your classmates to work in a group for this step. You will need to learn more about working together. Here is a checklist for you and your group to use when planning your group work.
When you have prepared your plan, you will be ready to present your ideas to an audience using a multimedia presentation like PowerPoint, Kid Pics, or HyperStudio.
Assessments
You will be graded on this activity using the following assessments:
Click here to see the scoring tool for your research process.
Click here to see the scoring tool for your group work.
Click here to see the scoring tool for your plan of action .
Click here to see the scoring tool for your multimedia presentation.
Question
| Essential Question: How can we save the Chesapeake Bay and its wildlife from extinction? |
Here are some subsidiary questions you will want to think about as you research your organism and the effects of pollution. 1. What do you know about debris pollution in the Chesapeake Bay and on its shores?
2. What do you want to know in order to improve the environment
of the Chesapeake Bay for your three organisms?For even more questions
try these!Try using a KWL
chart to help your thinking and organize information needed about
debris pollution and your organism.
Gather
and Sort
You will now begin your research to gather, read, sift, and sort information to present to your classmates about ways to improve the environment of the Chesapeake Bay.
Use this chart to gather data.
Use the Destiny School Library Catalog to locate books in the library about your organism.
You may want to use the databases to gather additional information about your
three organisms.
Use the organisms chart to locate information from internet sources. If you need additional information about the Chesapeake Bay and pollution use the following sources.
Use these Chesapeake Bay Resources to help you understand more about the Chesapeake Bay.
Don't forget to complete the environmental survey with your family to assist in your action plan.
Organize
Now that
you have gathered all your information. Check to see if you have
enough information. If you need more data to fill in your chart
then go back and revise a question or create new questions to
complete the chart.
Do you have the information to answer these questions?
- What have you learned about Chesapeake Bay pollution and your organism?
- What can you suggest be done to change the way you and your family dispose of trash that will not harm the bay and its wildlife?
- How can you change the behavior of others to prevent this problem from getting worse?
Use your chart and environmental survey to help you turn your new knowledge into an action plan. In other words, you will take your pieces of research and survey information and create a whole new product to show what you have learned about the Chesapeake Bay pollution and its effects on the wildlife in and around the shores of the Chesapeake Bay. Now that's taking ACTION!
Getting ready for your presentation is hard work, here are some things to think about:
Decide in your group who will be responsible for
- gathering information from all group members
- organizing the group information into similar categories (refer to your research chart)
- creating the storyboard
- use of the technology
- editing
- checking the final
product
Remember to check the assessment for your product.
Time
to look back and reflect about what you have learned!
Now that you have
shared what you have learned about Chesapeake Bay pollution and
what might be done to keep the Chesapeake Bay healthy, write
a letter to another third grade class in Maryland or Virginia.
Share with them how important saving the Chesapeake Bay is to
everyone.