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Forum 4.4 - Science and Government

11/6/2022

Task: Summarize how science can be used to help the government make informed decisions. (Use your experience from this project as an example in your explanation)

Objectives:

Students will be able to suggest a plausible course of action to an appropriate government or non-governmental agency using scientific data to support their thinking.

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Forum Sem1b -Basics of Stream flow

10/23/2022

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Task: Skim over the reading "How Streamflow is Measured" by the USGS. And be ready to discuss the following questions

What is streamflow and how is it measured?
Why is streamflow a helpful predictor of stream health?
How is streamflow potentially going to affect the quality of water?
What sorts of factors are going to change streamflow?

Objectives:

Study will be able to identify the issues affecting water systems and drinking water in their community and be able to explain what causes those issues.
Students will be able to Explain the effectiveness and determine the credibility of available geospatial resources to understand water quality issues in their community.
Students can use available data sources to collect data and form an argument using the data as supportive evidence.

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Forum Sem1c - Water Quality Metrics

10/23/2022

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Task: IDENTIFY & list all the measures that you can think of in order to determine the health of a water system

Once students have their list, pair up with a nearby partner to combine your lists and to rank the top three and explain your reasoning.
Be prepared to share out your lists of the top three measurements and your justifications.

Lesson Objectives:

Students can identify the metrics used to measure water quality and describe their importance in determining stream health.
Students are able to conduct a water quality assessment to determine stream health using turbidity, nitrates, PH, and other metrics
Students can explain spatial trends of the quality of water systems in their community based on the data compiled in the activity.

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Forum Sem1a - Establishing Knowledge on Watersheds

9/16/2022

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National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Water Prediction, https://water.noaa.gov/map

Using the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration’s Office of Water Prediction map students should identify the closest stream to your own home. Once you have found that, you should use the map to try and trace the route that water from that stream would take all the way to a sea, ocean, or gulf. (For example: Elkhorn River into Platte River, into the Missouri River, to the Mississippi River, to the Gulf of Mexico). For more information on watersheds, drainage basins, and how water moves through streams use the Watersheds and Drainage Basins website (https://www.usgs.gov/special-topics/water-science-school/science/watersheds-and-drainage-basins) put together as part of the Water Science School of the USGS.

Once you have completed your downstream trace, you will group up with other students who had the same closest stream and check each other’s work to ensure you all came up with the same pathway.

Once all groups are complete, we will work as a full group to discuss the following questions

Describe the route that water from your own community takes once it moves downstream.
Predict: Why is this type of information important to know when trying to understand stream health and water quality?

Lesson Objectives:

Students can identify the closest stream in their community and its downstream locations.
Students can describe the process through which trash and other pollutants can have a negative impact on stream health
Students can explain the degree to which conservation efforts can have on impacting stream health.

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Forum 3.7 - The Bias of Science

12/1/2020

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Guiding Thought Question: What types of things may change scientific studies to the point that they should not be considered when informing politicians? Why should true scientific findings be helpful when establishing policies regarding the environment?

Today's Learning Objective: Students will analyze how academic institutions like think tanks and universities are able to influence governmental policy (foreign and domestic) with the contribution of good science to inform the decision making of politicians.

Central Question: How can academic institutions help sway governmental opinions regarding environmental policy? (1.1.h, 1.2.a, 1.2.c)

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Forum 3.6 - Who Should You Trust Online?

11/29/2020

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Guiding Thought Question: What are ways to pick out fake news while reading online or on social media? What are some good general rules to follow to find credible information?

Today's Learning Objectives: Students will examine the role that the Media has as a linkage institution and as a means for the government to promote their agenda by taking notes. Students will then look at how organizations can use Mass Media to get information out to voters regarding their representatives.

Central Question: What role does the Media have in linking the actions of the United States Government and the People? Why is a "Free Media" so important in a Democracy? (1.2.a, 1.2.e, 1.2.f)

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Forum 3.5 - Follow the Money

11/23/2020

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Guiding Thought Question: Look up a US Politician on Opensecrets.org and list their name, political affiliation, and what state they come from. List their top three contributors as listed on Open Secret. How might these contributors affect the politicians views on issues related to their contributors?

Today's Learning Objective: Students will be able to explain the contributions of NGOs, Interest Groups, and Lobbyists to the political process here in the United States. (1.2.a, 1.2.c)

Central Question: How are groups able to work with and influence the government?

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3.4 - Playing Politics with the Environment

11/16/2020

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Guiding Thought Question: What are the positives and negatives to political parties making the environment central pieces to their platforms (What they stand for)?

Today's Learning Objective: Students will examine what political parties do, and how they are able to influence environmental policy. They will examine a number or issues to see how affiliation in a political party can affect views on a certain issue. (1.1.g, 1.2.a, 1.2.e)

Central Question: What are the values of political parties in the efforts to preserve the environment?

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Forum 3.1 - A Single Grain of Rice

11/8/2020

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Guiding Thought Question: Read the quote by Nelson Mandela in the picture to the right and connect that idea to the responsibility for Individuals to act in bettering their communities.

Today's Learning Objective: Students will be examining how individual actions can use their political voices to help address community challenges on a number of scales by communicating their perspectives, and then examining examples of initiatives by individuals on a number of scales. (1.2.a, 1.2.c)

Central Question: How are everyday citizens able to affect the political process, and why should they care?

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Forum 3.3 - Stuck in the Past

10/25/2020

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Guiding Thought Question: Why is it a disservice to only talk about the native peoples of the Americas in a historical context? Why is it important to incorporate the current perspectives of American Indians? Why is the input of Native Americans important in making decisions that impact the environment?

Central Question: How does the role of Tribal Governance differ and how do their views on Environmental conservation compare to those of the State and Federal governments?(HS.1.1.d, HS.1.2.a, HS.1.2.d)

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Environmental Policy Class Forum

Welcome to the Forum! Here is where you will be answering your daily warm-up questions. Please do not enter your last name for privacy reasons, and you may use a nickname if you would like (Just make sure Mr. Tredinnick is aware of the nickname you are using). Write out thoughtful responses to the forums on the days they are assigned. If you miss a day please take it upon yourself to complete the Forum you missed. Each Forum has the targeted Learning Objective(s) there so you can see what the focus of the day's class will be.

Environmental Policy Class Forum

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