Introduction
Did you know that a single plastic water bottle can take over 450 years to decompose? Human activities such as industrial production, deforestation, plastic use, and vehicle emissions affect air, water, soil, and biodiversity. How does our chosen human activity affect the environment, and what practical steps can our community take to reduce that impact? In this WebQuest you will investigate one human activity, gather evidence of its local and global effects, and create a short digital story or video to communicate your findings and propose a mitigation action.
Task
1. In groups, research your assigned human activity and collect evidence (images, data, sources) to support your findings.
2. Complete the provided research worksheet to organize your findings and ideas.
3. Create a 60-90 second digital story or short video that:
- Explains the human activity and its environmental impact.
- Presents evidence and findings from your research.
- Proposes a mitigation action to reduce the activity's impact.
4. Individual Action Pledge: Each group member will submit an individual action pledge, outlining a specific step they will take to reduce the impact of the human activity.
Process
Step 1: Group Roles
- Assign roles within your group:
- Researcher: Finds and verifies sources
- Scribe: Records findings and completes the Research Worksheet
- Designer: Creates visuals for the digital story/video
- Presenter/Editor: Edits the digital story/video and prepares the presentation
Step 2: Choose a Human Activity
- Select one human activity from the following options:
- Industrial pollution
- Plastic waste
- Deforestation
- Vehicle emissions
Step 3: Research
- Use the curated resources to find the following:
1. A clear description of the activity and how it happens
2. Two documented effects on air, water, soil, or biodiversity (one local if possible)
3. One statistic or short data point (with citation)
4. One image (properly credited) illustrating the effect
5. One mitigation strategy used by communities or governments
Step 4: Complete the Research Worksheet
- Fill out the Research Worksheet with the following information:
- Group name
- Assigned topic
- Sources used (title + URL)
- Short description of the activity (2-3 sentences)
- Effect #1 (what, where, evidence)
- Effect #2 (what, where, evidence)
- Statistic or data point (with source)
- Image selected (file name + credit)
- Suggested mitigation action (1-2 sentences)
- Roles and responsibilities (who did what)
- Time log (minutes spent on each step)
Step 5: Create a Digital Story/Video
- Use the provided storyboard template to create a 60-90 second digital story/video that includes:
- Title slide
- Statement of the activity
- 2 effects + one statistic
- One mitigation action
- Citation slide
- Call-to-action
Step 6: Submission
- Upload your digital story/video file to the class submission link
- Post a short summary (2-3 sentences) on the class Google Slide
Evaluation
| Criterion | Description | Score (0–4) |
|---|---|---|
| Content accuracy | Information is scientifically correct and appropriate for grade level. | |
| Clarity of message | Clear statement of the human activity, its effects, and one mitigation action; logical flow. | |
| Use of evidence | Includes at least one statistic or data point and source citation; images credited. | |
| Creativity/engagement | Effective use of visuals, voiceover, music, or narrative to engage the audience. | |
| Technical execution | Audio is clear, visuals are visible, length is within 60–90 seconds, file uploaded correctly. | |
| Total score: | 20 marks | /20 |
Conclusion
Thank you for completing this WebQuest. You have investigated how human activities affect the environment, gathered evidence, and communicated a practical solution through a digital story. Remember: understanding the problem is the first step — taking action makes the difference. Use the facts and skills you developed here to share what you learned, follow through on your personal pledge, and encourage others to adopt simple, sustainable choices. Small changes by many people lead to healthier communities and a safer planet.
Credits
General background United Nations Environment Programme. (n.d.). What is pollution? United Nations Environment Programme. https://www.unep.org/explore-topics/pollution
Industrial pollution World Health Organization. (n.d.). Ambient (outdoor) air quality and health. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health
United Nations Environment Programme. (n.d.). Resources on pollution and industrial impacts. United Nations Environment Programme. https://www.unep.org/resources
Plastic waste Ritchie, H., & Roser, M. (2018). Plastic pollution. Our World in Data. https://ourworldindata.org/plastic-pollution
National Geographic Society. (n.d.). The problem with plastics. National Geographic. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution
Deforestation Global Forest Watch. (n.d.). Global Forest Watch. https://www.globalforestwatch.org
World Wildlife Fund. (n.d.). Deforestation and forest degradation. World Wildlife Fund. https://www.worldwildlife.org/threats/deforestation-and-forest-degradation
Vehicle emissions & transportation U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. (n.d.). Transportation and air pollution. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. https://www.epa.gov/transportation-air-pollution-and-climate-change
Multimedia and free images Unsplash. (n.d.). Free photos. https://unsplash.com
Pixabay. (n.d.). Free images. https://pixabay.com
Wikimedia Commons. (n.d.). Free media repository. https://commons.wikimedia.org
https://youtu.be/Yomf5pBN8dY?si=w4kI8jWPpgSpQhHt
Tools for creating digital stories & videos Adobe. (n.d.). Adobe Express. https://www.adobe.com/express/
WeVideo. (n.d.). WeVideo for education. https://www.wevideo.com/education
Animoto. (n.d.). Animoto. https://animoto.com
Anchor. (n.d.). Anchor — podcast maker. https://anchor.fm
Canva. (n.d.). Canva. https://www.canva.com
Teacher Page
Teacher's Guide
Preparation
1. Create the Google Site: Pre-populate the Resources page with relevant links and add the Research Worksheet as an editable Google Doc template for each group.
2. Device Management: Reserve devices and pre-logins; provide one device per 2-3 students.
3. Accessibility: Provide image descriptions and captions; allow audio-only or text-only production if needed.
Assessment and Feedback
1. Rubric: Use the provided rubric to assess student work.
2. Google Form: Use the Google Form template for submission and grading.
3. Feedback: Provide feedback to students through the Google Form.
Differentiation
1. Advanced Groups: Analyze policy responses and provide more in-depth research opportunities.
2. Scaffolded Groups: Provide a pre-filled research sheet to support students who need extra help.
Submission Page (Google Form Template)
1. Group Name:
2. Topic:
3. Link to Digital Story/Video (Google Drive or YouTube unlisted):
4. Upload Research Worksheet (file upload):
5. Individual Student Pledge (name + pledge statement):
6. Teacher Feedback (for teacher use)
Footer/Credits
1. Author/Teacher Name and Contact: Include your name and contact information.
2. Copyright and Citation Instructions: Provide guidelines on how to attribute images and sources.
Quick Copy-Paste HTML/Text Blocks for Google Site Sections
1. Home: [Title], [Intro paragraph], [Driving question], [Task overview]
2. Process: [Steps 1-6], [Research worksheet link]
3. Resources: List with headings (General background, Industrial pollution, etc.) and links
4. Evaluation: Rubric summary and link to full rubric (Google Doc)
5. Submission: Embed Google Form link
Creating a Downloadable Package
1. Create a zipped folder containing:
- A copy of the WebQuest Google Doc (or HTML export)
- Research worksheet (Google Doc or downloadable PDF)
- Rubric (PDF)
- Storyboard template (PDF/Doc)
- Example short video links and image credits list
2. Host the zipped package in Google Drive and share the download link.
