WebQuest

Online WebQuest: http://zunal.com/webquest.php?w=215253

Laurel Peace

CI 350

Introduction:

You are a Pulitzer Prize winning reporter who wrote an article about the issues of

pollution in the environment. You must give an acceptance speech at the ceremony that will

thank all the contributors to your research and include a summary of the main points in the

article. You will write the article and the acceptance speech. The article must be at least one page

and the speech must be exactly two minutes long. This is a research heavy project so the students

will be paired up, with one writing the speech and the other writing the article and both doing the

research.

Task:

The student partners must write a well-researched article on some facet of the effects of

pollution in the environment. The pollution issue is a very broad topic to choose from and the

article can be as narrow or general as the student wants as long as it is well-researched. The

article must be at least a page long and the speech must be exactly two minutes long. Visual aids

are necessary and tasks must be divided equally in the partnership. The article and speech will

take two weeks to complete. Research websites will be provided on the issues of pollution, but

students are encouraged to branch out into their own research as well. The article must be

summarized in the speech, and the speech must also include where the research was found. The

speech and article will be graded on accuracy of the facts and the appropriateness of the visual

aids.

Process:

Before the writing of the speech and article, research on the chosen topic about pollution

in the environment is needed. The two students will divide the research equally and internet

sources will be provided. However, students are encouraged to look through newspapers and

magazines for information as well. A list of appropriate magazine and newspaper articles will be

provided. Here are some pollution research sites:

http://www.kidsdata.org/data/topic/map/environment-airquality-ozone.aspx?

gclid=CIDsh_KCproCFSgSMwodO3AAdg

http://www.nrdc.org/water/

http://eschooltoday.com/pollution/air-pollution/air-pollution-facts.html

http://tiki.oneworld.net/pollution/pollution_home.html

http://oils.gpa.unep.org/kids/kids.htm

These sites will aid in research on the different kinds of pollutions, as students will be allowed to

pick which pollution issue they want to focus on. Magazine and newspaper articles can also aid

in that they show expert opinions on the issues of pollution and how to handle them. Here are

some example articles:

http://content.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1921080,00.html

http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/science/topics/air_pollution/

Once the research is over and the sources are cited, the article needs to be written. The article

must stay on topic and discuss a certain issue that is related to pollution in some form. The article

needs to be at least one typed page, single spaced, with a works cited page. Once the article is

completed, by one or both of the students in the partnership, the speech will need to be written.

The speech will be exactly two minutes long, and the outline will need to be completed and

turned in a week before the speeches are to be performed with the article so the instructor can

grade the accuracy of the information used. The outline will follow the speech outline format,

and also have a works cited page. This is the format:

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/speech-outline-TC001021972.aspx

Once the outline and the works cited page is completed, key words and phrases would need to be

transferred onto flash cards in order to give the speech, and visual aids must be chosen and made.

Both students in each pair must speak during the speech, and the lines should be equally divided.

The first week should be researching and writing the article, and the second week will be writing

the speech and rehearsing.

Evaluation:

The students will be graded on the relevancy of the information given in the speech and

the article, as well as the accuracy of the content. The article must be exactly one typed page,

single spaced or over but not under one page. The speeches must be well rehearsed and given

without stuttering or fidgeting, and be two minutes, with thirty second given or taken without

points taken off. The visual aids must relate directly to the speech and the topic. The information

will be correctly cited in both the speech outline and the article, and vocal citations are necessary

as well. Students must present the speech well, and that includes being well dressed and

prepared.