To Ship or Not to Ship

Objectives

• Work in teams to promote cooperative learning opportunities
  
• Promote internet research and analysis
  
• Promote and enhance critical thinking skills in the sciences
  
• Introduce students to field research and sample
  
• Promote deductive and inductive reasoning
  
• Learn to reason using scientific principles
  

Logistics

• The instructor will explain the project and the culminating debate at the beginning of the semester. Read about specific instructions provided to a biology class where this project was conducted (this project is suitable for any Biology, Chemistry, Oceanography, Geology, Environmental Science, or Physical Science class).
  
• Students are grouped into their respective teams (3–4 students each) for the debate
  
• Students are taken to the computer science lab and introduced to various search engines and facilitative strategies. They are also introduced to various pieces of software, such as Power Point.
  
• The student groups decide which way they want to do the research and proceed in and out of class time to do so. The instructor meets with the groups periodically to see if they are on the right track and if they are gathering enough information for their aspect of the debate.
  
• Field trips are offered as an opportunity for students to gather samples for analysis and documentation for their debate. Some field trips may be only for observational purposes.
  
• Students are given the format for the debate and decide who will be the "opening speaker" and who will represent the team.
  
• During the last week of class, the debate takes place during which students debate the issue involved (To Ship or Not to Ship the Oil)
  
• The last class meeting is devoted to final closing statements by the teams. The "citizens" vote on the issue and make their final closing remarks explaining why they voted for their decision.
  

Sampling and Data Collecting

Water samples taken on field trips are given to chemistry students for analysis.
Analysis includes salinity and pH (dissolved oxygen and nutrients only if chemistry students can attend the field trip and do the analysis on-site).

Geology / Oceanography students are asked to investigate currents, tectonics, and drilling techniques in the area of interest.

Biology students are asked to investigate the endogenous plant life, fauna, and changes that have occurred in the environment due to development.

Analysis

Using the information provided by students in other disciplines, the students involved in the debate analyze the data to assess the possible environmental impact if a spill were to occur.

Internet resource:

http://www.epa.gov


Main contact
Mattie Roig, Associate Professor Biology
954-475-6831
mroig@broward.cc.fl.us

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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 9653672. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.