Introduction
Every day you use materials to aid you in your daily life. Materials such as plastic, glass, paper, and metal are consumed in the course of your daily adventures. Think about this. What do you use when you wake up? What is your toothbrush made out of? What about your drink container? How did you get to school? Where does your family work? Do they work at the Oceanographic Institute, at the local school, or at a local restaurant or tourist destination? What materials do they need to use in their daily lives?
Now, think about what happens to those materials when you don't need them anymore or they wear out. Many of these materials you use end up in a landfill, the rivers, or the ocean.
You probably have heard about the 4Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover. But, what does that mean? How does that impact our world, our town, and our own lives? What about the role of oceans? How important is it to have clean oceans? Does it really matter? How does it impact your health, the animals who reside in the ocean, and the well-being of all the businesses who rely upon the ocean for their livelihoods?
In this task, you are tapped to be the "expert" in your field. You need to create a persuasive letter to the local community to encourage them to stop polluting the local coastal community in which you live. You are also tasked to create a marketing campaign, poster, or handout to share with the local community members to increase their awareness of what is happening in their local part of the world.
You can do this! You are strong, empowered, and able to be a catalyst for change. Let's get to it!
Step 1: Background knowledge
Watch these videos and read the text for background knowledge
Counterpoint: Plastic Bans Won't Solve Ocean Plastic Problem
Step 2: Pollution Information
Get the Facts about Pollution and Recycling
End Plastic Pollution: Plastic Calculator
Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 (New England) Managing Ocean Dumping
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Step 3: Animal Information
A Dead Humpback: A Team of Scientists Races for Answers
Task
TASK
In a small group of no more than 3, you will work to create a persuasive letter to the local community and local businesses. This letter will encourage them to find alternative ways to problem solve, rather than polluting the local coastal waterways. This letter will be published both online and in the local newspaper. You may be interviewed by our local news station and government officials about your findings so they can share them with others. Remember, YOUR team are the experts.
Then, you need to create a marketing campaign such as a handout or poster. The purpose of this handout or poster is to increase awareness of what is occurring in the citizen's local world.
So, Your FINAL project will include two parts:
1. Persuasive Letter to the local community and business leaders.
2. Marketing campaign (poster or handout) to the local community.
Resources
How to Write a Persuasive Letter
Persuasive Writing: What is it?
How to Write a Persuasive Letter for Kids: Planning and PreWriting
How to Write a Persuasive Letter's Introduction
How to Write a DRAFT of Persuasive Letter
Process
Process
1. Research. Find out what is happening in the oceans and waterways around your town. Contact your local business people to ask them where their waste goes. Contact your local landfill or transfer station. One link to their information can be found below to start your research.
Falmouth MA Waste Management Station
In our coastal area, some of the main causes of pollution are plastic, toxic waste, and garbage dumping. Pick one or two of the following types of pollution to explore: plastic, toxic waste, or garbage dumping.
2. Research. Next, select the type(s) of pollution you want to study and explore more about the pollution type chosen. Take notes in your notebook about what type of pollution is impacting the ocean. What is it doing to the water, marine life, and the local community? Are there enough fish to catch for local fishermen? What is the quality of the fish? How does the environment look? What about the beaches? Do the visitors want to stay on the beach with pollution? Will they be tourists in the summers? Think about whether or not they will come to the area and spend their money at local businesses~there are so many things to think about. Where do you want to go with this persuasive letter?
Once you feel you have enough information, it's time to begin writing your persuasive letter.
3. Follow the persuasive writing process you have learned in class. Brainstorm. Preplan. Think of two or three reasons why pollution is impacting your environment. Things to remember:
You are writing a letter to the people/businesses who are polluting the environment. You want them to CHANGE their behavior. Give them three reasons to change their behavior.
Guidelines for your letter:
- Start your letter with your position on pollution in the waterways.
- In the middle of your letter, share the three pieces of evidence you have discovered from your research that support your position.
- In your conclusion, summarize your three points. Make sure you include your goal and your prediction if the pollution doesn't stop.
To help you in organizing your ideas and your letter, check out this Persusaion Graphic Organizer.
4. Write your DRAFT and have another team review your work. Another team will ask you to review their work as well. Provide constructive feedback. This is an example of what a persuasive letter.
5. Once you submit your letter to the teacher, begin work on your marketing campaign. Create a poster or handout for your local community, friends, policemen and policewomen, restaurants, fishermen, the local oceanographic institute and Sea Education Association, gas stations, and other businesses.
Check out "What Makes a Good Poster" for some idea on how to make a good poster to get your message across.
RESOURCES to BEGIN YOUR RESEARCH
Pollution Information
Get the Facts about Pollution and Recycling
End Plastic Pollution: Plastic Calculator
Environmental Protection Agency Region 1 (New England) Managing Ocean Dumping
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch
The Great Pacific Garbage Patch National Geographic Video
Landfills, Incinerators, and Waste Disposal: Not a Necessary Evil, Just Evil
Cape Cod's Water Quality is getting worse, report finds
Pilgrim Contamination (toxic waste)
OPDERA.org The Truth about plastic waste in the oceans
Tracking Plastics from Sea to Source
Habitat Destruction and Effects
Ocean Pollution: The Dirty Facts
Economic Impact Information
Economic Impacts of Climate Change on Cape Cod
New Report Details Importance of Marine Economy
Animal Information
A Dead Humpback: A Team of Scientists Races for Answers
See How it Feels to be an Ocean Animal Stuck in a Plastic Bag
Evaluation
| Exceeds Expectations | Meets Expectations | Below Expectations | Doesn't Meet Expectations | Score | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statement of Purpose | The position statement provides a clear and strong author's position on the topic. | The position statement exists but the author's intent is unclear or ambiguous. | The author's purpose or position statement is absent. | ||
| Evidence or Examples | The letter contains three pieces of evidence to support their position and provides examples. | The letter contains 3 pieces of evidence to support their statement. | The letter contains 2 pieces of evidence to support their statement. | The letter contains 0 to 1 pieces of evidence to support their statement. | |
| Closing Paragraph | The conclusion is strong and provides a summary statement inclusive of an effective position statement and three evidence points. | The conclusion provides a summary statement inclusive of 2 evidence statements as well as the position statement. | The conclusion provides either a summary of the evidence or the position statement. | No conclusion is apparent. | |
| Conventions | Uses appropriate spelling, grammar, and punctuation with no more than 1 error. | Uses appropriate punctuation, grammar, and spelling with no more than 2 errors. | Uses appropriate punctuation, grammar, and spelling with no more than 4 errors. | No evidence of editing completed by the team or another team. | |
| Audience | Demonstrates a clear understanding of the audience, using vocabulary and argument of interest. | Demonstrates an understanding of the audience, using either clear vocabulary or arguments of interest. | Demonstrates a limited understanding of the audience. Uses one argument of interest. | Demonstrates no understanding of the audience. |
| Meets Expectations (2) | Below Expectations (1) | Does Not Meet Expectations (0) | Score | |
| Title and subheadings | Provides clear title and subheadings | Provides ambiguous title | No Title | |
| Conventions | One or fewer errors in spelling or grammar | 2 Errors in Spelling or Grammar | Spelling or Grammar errors impact readability | |
| Graphics | Provides at least two graphics (charts, tables, diagrams, pictures either digital or hand-drawn) demonstrating point of view | Provides less than 2 graphics (diagrams, pictures, charts, tables, etc) demonstrating point of view | Provides no graphics, charts, diagrams, or pictures |
Conclusion
Conclusion
You are now an expert in your area. You have reached that enviable state where you know more about your topic than many, so now it's time to go forth and share your information. Talk with your friends, your families, and your community. Share your poster and marketing materials. Explain where you found your information and tell them how they can help.
You are strong! You have knowledge. Now it's time to go share it with others~
Thank you for being an advocate for your coastal community.
Credits
With thanks to Stephanie Chestnut and Aimee Pilalis of Bradley University for providing a template upon which to follow.
With thanks to the staff at Marine Biological Labs, Sea Grant Association, and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute for their material.
With thanks to Megan Reilly, the marine biologist who created the "right" environment upon which student engagement and interest soars.
Teacher Page
Designed for upper elementary grade classes, this web-quest is designed for students to become more aware of pollution, its impact on their communities, and to recognize that they as individuals can make a difference. By providing agency as well as voice, students will learn that they can do something to help the oceans.
These activities the students will be completing are right on target with the standards for the fourth through the sixth-grade curriculum.
Objectives
By the end of the WebQuest, students will be able to:
-Write a persuasive letter
-Give a presentation with their presentation to the rest of their class
-Research ocean pollution with a variety of sources
-Meet with local stakeholders to discuss their findings and how to solve the problem of pollution
STANDARDS
Common Core State Standards: English Language Arts
CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.5.1A-D Write opinion pieces on topics or texts, supporting a point of view with reasons and information.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.A
Introduce a topic or text clearly, state an opinion, and create an organizational structure in which ideas are logically grouped to support the writer's purpose.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.B
Provide logically ordered reasons that are supported by facts and details.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.C
Link opinion and reasons using words, phrases, and clauses (e.g., consequently, specifically).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.1.D
Provide a concluding statement or section related to the opinion presented.
Production and Distribution of Writing:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.4
Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development and organization are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience. (Grade-specific expectations for writing types are defined in standards 1-3 above.)
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.5
With guidance and support from peers and adults, develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach. (Editing for conventions should demonstrate command of Language standards 1-3 up to and including grade 5 here.)
Research to Build and Present Knowledge:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.7
Conduct short research projects that use several sources to build knowledge through investigation of different aspects of a topic.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.8
Recall relevant information from experiences or gather relevant information from print and digital sources; summarize or paraphrase information in notes and finished work, and provide a list of sources.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.5.9
Draw evidence from literary or informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.
Conventions of Standard English:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.1
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English grammar and usage when writing or speaking.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2.A
Use punctuation (commas, parentheses, dashes) to set off nonrestrictive/parenthetical elements.*
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.2.B
Spell correctly.
Knowledge of Language:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.3
Use knowledge of the language and its conventions when writing, speaking, reading, or listening.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.3.A
Vary sentence patterns for meaning, reader/listener interest, and style.*
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.3.B
Maintain consistency in style and tone.*
Vocabulary Acquisition and Use:
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.6.4
Determine or clarify the meaning of unknown and multiple-meaning words and phrases based on grade 6 reading and content, choosing flexibly from a range of strategies.
EDUCATOR PROCESS
Taking two weeks to fully be completed, this WebQuest provides time for students to engage in research, draft a rough draft of their persuasive letter and then edit the letter. Then, students will also have time to complete their marketing campaign handout or letter. Presentations of information will occur during the second week or after the conclusion of WebQuest.
This WebQuest provides the students with multiple opportunities to develop their writing as well as presentation skills.
Background Knowledge Prerequisite:
Students should have rudimentary background knowledge of how to write a persuasive paragraph. Some supports on how to scaffold student learning can be found below:
Persuasive Writing for Kids: What is it?
Picture Books as Mentor Texts for Persuasive Writing
How to Write Persuasive Letter
How to Write a Persuasive Letter (Edwards, 2014)
How to Write a Persuasive Essay: Step by Step Guide
Cape Cod Bay Water Pollution Information
Rising Temperature a bood for harmful bacteria in Cape Cod's fresh and salt water
Sea Anemone's survival is threatned by current levels of wetland protection