A Senate Debate WebQuest

WebQuest Activities
Rules of Behavior
Carrying Out the Activity
Additional Teacher Information
Debate Rubric Sheet
Relevant National Science Education Standards
Relevant New Jersey State Science Education Standards

WebQuest Activities

This activity is a mock Senate debate, following the WebQuest format. A WebQuest has been defined as an inquiry-centered activity in which the students obtain most of the information they need to carry out the activity online. Normally, a WebQuest includes five basic components: an introduction, a well-defined task for students to accomplish, a list of resources to help them accomplish the task, a process for carrying out the task, and a conclusion in which the students create some sort of output in which they summarize and draw conclusions on what they have learned. In this case, an evaluation section has been included to aid in assessment.

This WebQuest activity is intended to encourage students to think critically about issues of concern to them and to society. It is important in today's society that individuals be knowledgeable enough about science to be able to make judgments about science related issues which are important to them and the community at large. It is also important that the students learn how to weigh different opinions and formulate their own views in light of conflicting points of view. An activity like this could be assembled on nearly any topic in which there are conflicting opinions.

Rules of Behavior for the Senate Hearing

Central to the activity is the structure imposed by the eight Rules of Behavior listed below.

1. Be critical of ideas, not people. Challenge and refute ideas of other participants, but do not indicate any personal rejection.

2. Encourage everyone to participate and learn as much as possible.

3. Listen to everyone's ideas, especially the ones you do not agree with.

4. Try to restate what someone else says if it is not clear.

5. Bring out all relevant facts that support both sides and then try to put them together in a way that allows everyone to agree.

6. Try to understand all sides of the issue.

7. Change your mind when the evidence clearly indicates that you should do so.

8. Remember that the end result of the activity is to come up with a common solution, not to “win”.

These suggested behaviors (modify them to meet your class needs) are intended to teach respect for people and ideas in a controversial situation. With some discussion from the teacher, these rules could be considered “problem-solving skills” applicable to many life situations.

Carrying Out the Activity

Actual class time for this activity can be limited to 2-3 class periods or expanded to suit your needs. Assigning roles and getting the groups started should take approximately ˝ period. This should be done well in advance of the hearing. The intervening time will be needed for team research. At least a full class period should be devoted to the hearing and another class period for discussion of consensus position at the end.

A beginning web site is listed with each role on the student page. The sites are only suggested beginnings for research. You might want to visit each web site in advance. Guide students to research locations—school library, community library, electronic library, etc.

You might suggest or require that student keep a list of sources. If you collect these from each student you may get a perspective on their research, and if you keep the sources from year to year, you can supply students in succeeding years with increasingly useful resources.

How you assign students to each role is up to you. The research required for each team varies so you may choose to put more students on some teams than others. For example, Team 5 will have to research several different alternative energy technologies and their feasibilities, while Team 6 is really only concerned with the effects of the Kyoto Protocol on fuel prices. Based on a class of 32 students, we suggest assigning the students as follows:

Of course, the number of students you assign to each team will vary depending on your class size.

Evaluation of student work for this activity may be primarily subjective. You can, however, introduce a rubric similar to the one below, which emphasizes the Rules of Behavior. You might use this rate each student from 1-5, for example, for each demonstrated behavior. Other such rubrics may be devised to meet your needs.

Debate Rubric Sheet

The rubric sheet is available in two formats. Click to view either the html document of the rubric sheet or an editable Microsoft Word^® version of the same document.

For more information, at other Web Sites...

Some Thoughts on WebQuests — by Bernie Dodge, Sand Diego State University.

The WebQuest Page — learn more about WebQuests at this site from San Diego State University.

Relevant National Science Education Standards

Unifying Concepts and Processes — The activity involves understanding the systems involved in the earth's climate, models of atmospheric behavior, explanations for observed phenomena, evidence supporting those models and explanations, and the measurement of change in earth's climate.

Physical Science — The activity involves understanding the chemical reactions which produce greenhouse gases from fossil fuels, and the interaction of energy and matter, specifically the interaction of infrared radiation with greenhouse gases.

Life Sciences — The interdependence of organisms is involved in this activity in that discusses the effects of global warming on the other species on which we depend, specifically with regard to the effect of climate change on agriculture.

Earth and Space Science — The activity explores energy in the earth system, specifically IR energy interacting with greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Science and Technology — The activity explores how technology can be applied toward environmental challenges.

Science in Personal and Social Perspectives — The activity shows the involvement of science in facing a global challenge as well as the involvement of science and environmental issues.

History and Nature of Science — In examining the validity of theories concerning global warming the students should gain insight into the nature of scientific knowledge.

Relevant New Jersey State Science Education Standards

5.1	The activity examines interacting components of an ecosystem.