| Science - middle |
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"If you know anyone who's lived in Bangladesh for some time you might have heard them mention the weather here is changing... actually people
have been noticing extreme weather events all over the globe for several years. These events have been heralded as symptoms of global climate change -
warming or cooling. Remember the super cold winter in Dhaka last year? Remember the extra rains we received this past October and November? You
might also have heard some controversy in the news as to whether climate change is going to occur or not! "
Question: "How might Bangladeshi citizens survive changes in their climate and environment due to global warming? "
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Although we may think of grizzlies as being aggressive animals, they usually prefer to avoid humans. National parks are meant to preserve natural areas and the animals that inhabit them, but most of us also expect to be able to enjoy many outdoor activities in these parks. In Alberta, Banff and Jasper National Parks have ski areas, hiking and biking trails, hotel facilities, and large camping facilities for recreation.
While encounters with grizzly bears are safety concern for humans, grizzlies have have their own challenges when encountering humans. Research has shown that humans caused most of the known grizzly bear mortalities between 1999-2002. With millions of people visiting Alberta's National Parks each year, encounters between humans and grizzlies are bound to continue to happen and likely increase with further tourism development. With an estimated population of only 800 grizzlies in the entire province of Alberta, this puts the future of the grizzly at risk.
The grizzly bear/human conflict will not be easily resolved. There is no right or wrong answer.
Your task will be to analyze the conflict between grizzly bears and humans, draw your own conclusions,
and determine three policy recommendations in answer to the following question:
In order to protect both grizzly bears and humans, should human activities be restricted in our national parks?
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"Antarctica is one of the last unspoilt environments on Earth, relatively untouched by humans. As modern technology permits more and more people to visit this beautiful wilderness, the risk of damage and pollution becomes an increasing threat. Can we afford the costs of increased human activity in Antarctica? In this class you will work in teams to establish the environmental impact of increased tourism in Antarctica from the point of view of a number of interest groups and present your conclusion as to whether or not this planned tour should be permitted to go ahead."
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"HELP! The native chief and community elders of a village deep in the heart of the Ecuadorian rainforest really need your expert opinions on a very important decision they face. They are trying to decide whether or not to allow ecotourism in their native village and area of the rainforest."
"Together your group must come to an agreement on whether or not you recommend ecotourism in the Ecuadorian Amazon rainforest, where the tribe lives. You will present your combined expert opinion to the Chief and his council. The future of the tribe is in your hands!!"
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"You will be working with a team of four people who have been selected to decide the fate of a forest newly designated as a National Forest.
Should it be used for recreation? Set aside as a wilderness? Logged for timber? Or a combination of things?"
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"The Indian River Lagoon estuary is facing some serious problems, both in the water and out. Many different types of groups want to use the waterways for a variety of reasons, most of which appear to conflict with each other. Fish and plants are dying. Manatees are being seriously injured, and even killed. Fishermen are losing money, and the safety of water sports is in jeopardy. Is there a way the groups can work together to preserve both the beauty and recreational pleasures of this unique waterway before the EPA bans use of the estuary completely?"
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"In 1998, Ken Blackburn quit his job as an aeronautical engineer and went to work fulltime training to regain his place in the Guinness Book of World Records."
"What did he do?"
"He threw a paper airplane that soared for 27.6 seconds before landing gently on the floor of the Georgia Dome."
"It's your turn to try to beat the paper airplane record!"
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"You have been exposed to the web over the past few years while looking up facts, chatting with friends, or just passing away the time. Now you are going to look at the web in a different light."
"Just what is this place known as the Galapagos Islands? Is it simply a place with very old tortoises and some strange looking finches? Is it simply an ecosystem that has remained, until very recently, very much as it was when Charles Darwin first set foot on it, or is it so very much more?"
"In this quest you will team up in groups of three and explore the history and science of the Galapagos Islands. You will research the 'why' of the position your team takes when presenting your solution to the BIG question. You will need to evaluate the quality of the sources you will be citing so that you have a solid, defensible position for your view of the islands' ecofuture."
Question: To what degree and how should the Galapagos be protected from further encroachment from man? Or should there be any protection at all? Support your answer fully.
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"'Tell me about yourself....'"
"Those words are often heard as part of a job interview. How a person answers that question depends on their personality, their background, the education, and many other factors. Scientists will have their own answer to that question. Some parts will be different, certainly, but most scientists tend to have certain things in common.
Your task is to learn about some of the qualities that help to make a scientist successful.
Question: if you were to hire a scientist, what personal and professional qualities will make that scientist successful?
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"OK, here's the deal." The gruff inspector snarled as he spoke to your team of detectives. "For a long time people have been blamin' things on the moon! People claim to be crazy because of it, lovers claim to be under its spell, and even hospitals blame the full moon for loaded emergency rooms." "Yeah!", one of the newer members of your team replied flippantly, "So what's new?" The rest of your team let out a low sigh. Now the whole team was in for it! "I'll tell you what's new, Mr. Smartypants," the inspector glowered at each of you slowly, "Now some nutcase has brought charges against the moon for causing the tides! And, its your job to bring me proof one way or another!" The inspector turned back toward his desk and we thought he was through. He wasn't! He turned back to your team, pointed his finger at you and said, "And you only have two weeks to solve the case. Now get started!"
Questions: Can you find a pattern that will convince the jury that the moon is responsible for the tides? If the moon is guilty, does it have an accomplice which contributes to causing the tides?
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Times are tough right now for our government. The budget is pretty tight. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has to prepare a budget for the upcoming year. In this budget this agency must decide which diseases should receive additional funding for research and which should receive less than last year.
To most healthy people these decisions don’t mean much. But to children with chronic diseases and their families, extra research funding is important. Additional funding may result in a cure or in improved treatments for patients.
Each team of students will research a serious childhood disease. Following your research you will create a presentation designed to convince the National Institutes of Health that this disease warrants additional funding for research.
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"Louisiana Wetlands....Here today, gone tomorrow! Will the land near your homes exist in 20 years?
We are losing one acre of land every 24 minutes.
Scientists have been researching ways that we can save our wetlands. The Army Corps of Engineers are looking for some solutions to our wetlands problems. A council of advisors has been assembled to research the current wetland solutions, think about new solutions and make a recommendation to the Army Corps of Engineers.
Question: What is the best way to reclaim our wetlands and benefit everyone?
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"Your school has decided to secede from the United States and become its own nation, “The United People of Knowledge.” There are many tasks ahead of your new country: electing a leader, writing a new set of laws, choosing a currency, creating a new flag, etc. One very important task to be preformed is to establish a standard set of Weights and Measures."
"You will compare the metric system (Also called SI) and the US/English systems for length, mass, and volume, and answer the following question:
Overall, which system is better and why?"
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