The Great Environmental Challenge

Grade Level: 7-9

Subject Area: Environmental Science

Duration: 2-3 class periods

Introduction

The world faces a wide variety of environmental challenges, and as future leaders and problem-solvers, it's your responsibility to understand and help create solutions for these issues. In this WebQuest, you will explore the causes and effects of a major environmental problem, research possible solutions, and present your findings to the class as part of a collaborative team.

Task

You and your team will research one of the following environmental problems:

• Climate Change
• Deforestation
• Pollution (Air, Water, or Land)
• Loss of Biodiversity
• Ocean Acidification

After your research, your team will create a presentation (which could be a report, PowerPoint, or a creative video) that answers the following questions:

1. What is the environmental issue you chose?
2. What are the main causes of this problem?
3. What are its effects on the environment and people?
4. What solutions or actions are being proposed to solve this issue?
5. What role can individuals and governments play in addressing this problem?

Your group will then present your findings to the class.

Process

1. Form Teams
   
   You will be divided into groups of 3-4 students. Each group will choose one of the environmental problems listed above to research.

2. Research
   
   Using the resources provided below, research your chosen issue. Take notes on the key points that will help answer the questions from the task. Make sure to look at both the scientific aspects (causes, effects) and the societal impacts (economic, political, human health).

3. Collaboration
   
   Once you've gathered your research, collaborate with your team to organize the information and create your final presentation.

4. Create Your Presentation
   
   Your presentation can be in any format that effectively conveys your research—PowerPoint, video, poster, or an interactive website.

5. Present to the Class
   
   Present your findings to the class. Be ready to answer questions and engage in discussions about the environmental issue you researched.

Resources

Here are some websites to help you with your research:

• Climate Change:
  • NASA’s Global Climate Change Website
  • IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change)
• Deforestation:
  • World Wildlife Fund – Deforestation
  • National Geographic – Deforestation
• Pollution (Air, Water, Land):
  • EPA - Pollution Prevention
  • World Health Organization – Air Pollution
• Loss of Biodiversity:
  • World Wildlife Fund – Biodiversity
  • United Nations – Biodiversity
• Ocean Acidification:
  • NOAA – Ocean Acidification
  • National Geographic – Ocean Acidification

Evaluation

Your presentation will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

• Research: Did your team gather relevant, reliable, and accurate information?
• Creativity: Was your presentation engaging, clear, and creative?
• Collaboration: Did all team members contribute equally to the project?
• Accuracy: Were the causes, effects, and potential solutions to the environmental issue presented correctly?

Conclusion

By the end of this WebQuest, you will have learned about one of the most pressing environmental issues of our time and explored potential solutions. Hopefully, this project will inspire you to take action in your own life to protect our planet.