Mission:Possible
Gulf Water Monitoring
By
Graduate Student
Louisiana State University
Introduction
The quality of the environment influences the
quality of life in areas of the country. There is no more threatened area
than the coastal areas of Louisiana. With an interest in being near water,
more of the population moves near the sea! This influx of people stresses
the ecological system, strains the sewage and water systems and provides
a means for further environmental degradation. This activity is designed
to present a vehicle to look at the environmental quality in the areas
bordering on the Gulf of Mexico, America's Sea!
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The Problem
You are a team of highly skilled and trained
professional. Your job, should you choose to accept it, is to provide a
comprehensive folio of information on the Water Quality of the Gulf of
Mexico for the client, the CCC (Concerned Coastal Citizens). The information
you need for this mission is contained in this brown envelope. Read it
and then press the button on this tape recorder. STEP BACK! This tape will
self-destruct in 5 minutes. Remember your enemies are time and inaccuracy
and to beat them you must BE CREATIVE and carefully read the instructions!
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The Task
As individual members of the Mission:Possible
Team you each have roles. You will research an assigned issue or area of
the Water Quality issue. In the table below you have been assigned a product
to produce for the client. As a Mission:Possible Team you will come together
to present the information to the client, Concerned Coastal Citizens.
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|
Role
|
Resources
|
Provide Data On
|
Product
|
|
Scientist
|
BTNEP
Gov't
Rice
|
Hypoxia
Pollutants
|
Overhead with list
of issues
|
|
Government
Liason
|
EPA
|
Regulations concerning
The Clean Water Act
|
Poster
11" X 14"
|
|
Fisherpeople
|
Fisheries
|
Yearly Catch
Recreational &
Commercial
Fisheries
|
Overhead with
fisheries facts
|
|
Coastal Resident
|
Tourism
|
Tourism
&
Population
|
Map of Gulf
with facts and
places of interest marked
|
|
Conservationist
Environmentalist
|
GOM
Program
Water
Quality
Monitor Algae Blooms
Endangered
Species
|
|
Endangered Species
Clean-Up
|
Brochure of
Coastal
Facts, Problems,
Solutions and Treasures
|
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Resources
In the table above are hot linked resources
for the Mission:Possible Team members to obtain information to produce
their product. Additional information may be obtained through net searches
on the Internet.
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The Process
Team members will be assigned by the teacher.
Team members should read the assignment carefully.
Team members should meet with the entire Mission:Possible
Team to set a time to gather all information together and produce products.
Individual Team members should check out the
research links, download information that they might need to produce the
product.
After sufficient research time a design for the
product should be started.
Team members should design their product, check
spelling, have another Team member review their product.
Mission:Possible Team should gather and organize
a presentation for the client.
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Hints
Visuals, overheads, charts, posters, should be
neat, simple and legible. Plan before you produce!
Organize your information with an outline, concept
map or a flow chart.
If you find information which might help another
Team member be sure to share it.
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Evaluation
|
Beginning |
Developing |
Accomplished |
| Product |
information present
lacking simplicity or clarity |
information present
simple, clear, neat
planning evident |
creative elements present
clear, concise, attractive |
| Presentation |
team effort not visible demonstrates some knowledge
of Quest |
team effort visible
knowledge of Quest visible shows
some organization |
team effort visible
presentation organized demonstrates
knowledge of Quest |
| Overall Project |
room for improvement |
pleasing with good information
one or more elements lacking |
Pleasing, creative and well presented |
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Conclusion
Upon completion of this activity you
will have discovered some causes for changes in water quality along coastal
areas. Learning about the environment sometimes means making changes in
our own lives to live up to a "stewardship" of the Earth.
What are three ways in which you can
have less of an impact on these fragile coastal areas?
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Student Page
Description of Roles:
| Scientist: |
For your role as a scientist for the Team, use hard facts and data
to support the list of problems with water quality in the Gulf of Mexico.
Use the Rice, Government and BTNEP sites to provide a list of issues which
concern the citizens who live near and play in the Gulf of Mexico. Be sure
to include graphics, downloaded by using the right mouse button, on your
overhead. |
| Government Liason: |
Use your EPA site to find information on the Clean Water Act. This
act protects the waters of the country from adverse effects and promotes
a healthy ocean. Using the Clean Water Act as a focus of your poster, highlight
how the CWA works to protect the Gulf of Mexico. |
| Fisherpeople: |
Using the fisheries data in the resouce site compose an overhead with
the most recently available data about the fisheries in the Gulf of Mexico.
The abundance of fisheries, shellfish and finfish, indicates a general
health of the ocean. Indicate our place in the world market of fisheries.
Pose a question about declining shrimp catches in the Gulf of Mexico related
to water quality. |
| Coastal Resident: |
Your quality of life in the coastal area is severely effected by water
quality. You swim, boat, fish and relax near this large marine system.
Using the information in the tourism site construct a map of the coast
of the Gulf of Mexico and indicate some interesting sites, some historic
and cultural sites, as well as, large population centers of importance.
Be sure that your map is large enough for the client to see! |
|
Conservationist/ Environmentalist: |
You are a member of a grass roots organization who oversees the quality
of the environment of the coast. For your product you want to produce a
tri-fold brochure about the with some facts, problems, solutions and treasures
of the Gulf of Mexico. Our endangered species are a treasure for the area,
be sure to highlight them! Be sure to try out making a tri-fold brochure
before actually making your product. Your resource sites have information
about endangered species in the area, as well as the What and How of Beach
Clean-ups! The Algae Bloom site will allow you to click and see if an algae
bloom is in progress in any of the coastal states. |
| |
Evaluation
SeeEvaluation on the Mission:Possible
Web Quest Page for information on how your project will be evaluated.
|
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Teachers' Notes
Assign roles to students.
Explain how students can navigate through the Web Quest by using the hot-linked
resources and the Top of the Page links!
Provide materials for poster, overheads, map and brochures for the products
and presentation.
Suggested format and timeline for the Web Quest:
Gather and Team members should describe their role to the other Team members.
Approximately 20 minutes.
Team members should download the instruction and
start using their hot-linked resources to gather their information. It
is suggested that they print the appropriate information for reference.
Approximately 1 hour and 30 minutes.
Team should meet to share information.
Approximately 30 minutes.
Team should produce their product.
Approximately 1 hour.
Team should meet to plan and rehearse their presentation
for the client. Approximately 30 minutes.
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