Bay Quest
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An Internet WebQuest on Chesapeake Bay Water Quality
By:
Pennsylvania Center for Environmental Education
Professional Development Initiative
Laurie Rosenberg, Project Manager
Lori Sheridan, 2000 Graduate Assistant
Updated December 2003 by Rebecca Shackelford,
2003 Graduate Assistant
Introduction
/ The Quest / The Process
/ Roles and Resources /
Evaluation / Conclusion / Instructors' Notes/
What happened to all of the shad, oysters and blue crabs
in the Chesapeake Bay? Why is the water in the bay not as clear as it once
was? Why is there an increase of algal blooms in the bay? The answer to these
questions is simple; the water quality of the bay is responsible for many of the serious
environmental problems occurring in the Chesapeake Bay today. There are many
different watersheds draining into the Chesapeake Bay bringing nutrients and pollution
from far away places. What happens in New York or Pennsylvania can determine the
water quality in Maryland or Virginia. Additionally, with an interest in being
around water, more of the population in the region has moved near the bay. This
influx of people stresses the ecological system and provides a means for further
environmental degradation. This learning unit is designed to present a means to
examine what factors influence the quality of water in the Chesapeake Bay.
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A group of citizens has hired your group to investigate the problems
and causes of nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay. Your job is to provide a
comprehensive folio of information on the water quality of the Chesapeake Bay for the
client, Concerned Coastal Citizens. Groups will be assigned by the instructor. Each group will take on the role of either scientists, government liaisons, fisherpeople, coastal residents or conservationists. Working within this group, you will help to create a product for the client detailing the causes of nutrient pollution in the Chesapeake Bay, using the provided links. |
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Hints
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Top of Page
The tables below contain hyperlinked
resources for groups to obtain information to produce their product. Additional
information may be obtained through searches on the Internet, for example: www.google.com.
Scientists Task: Use hard facts and data to provide information on nutrients in the Chesapeake Bay, especially nitrates and phosphates. Include information on how the bay's air quality may be related to nitrogen pollution in the water. Use the provided links to create a list of nutrient issues that concern the citizens who live near and play in the Chesapeake Bay. Be sure to include graphics (if applicable), downloaded by using the right mouse button, on your overhead or chart. Product: Overhead, chart or PowerPoint with a list of nutrient concerns for the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Resources:
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Government Liaisons Task: Use the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) site to find information on the Clean Water Act. This act protects the waters of the country from adverse effects and promotes a healthy bay. For the focus of your poster, highlight how the Clean Water Act works to protect the Chesapeake Bay. Product: Posters or PowerPoint. Resources:
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Fisherpeople
Task: Using the fisheries data found on the resource sites, compose the product with the most recently available data about the fisheries of the Chesapeake Bay. The abundance of fisheries, shellfish and finfish indicates a general health of the bay. Pose a hypothesis about declining oyster and blue crab catches in the Chesapeake Bay related to water quality. Product: Chart, overhead or PowerPoint with fisheries facts and information to support your hypothesis. Resources:
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Coastal Residents
Task: Your quality of life is significantly affected by water quality in the coastal area. You swim, boat, fish and relax near this large marine system. Using the links provided, construct a map of the land surrounding the Chesapeake Bay and indicate some interesting sites such as recreational, historical, cultural and large population centers of importance. Be sure that your map is large enough for the client to see! Product: Map with bay facts and places of interest marked. Resources:
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 Conservationists
Task: You are a member of a grass roots organization that watches over the environmental quality of the Chesapeake Bay. For your product you want to produce a tri-fold brochure about the bay with some facts, problems, solutions and natural treasures. Endangered species are a treasure for the bay, so be sure to highlight them. Product: Brochure, chart or PowerPoint of coastal facts, problems, solutions and natural treasures. Resources:
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Evaluation
Group Reports and Presentations
| Poor | Good | Excellent | |
| Research Time Utilization | The group needed continual reminders to get back to work. | The group was usually on task, but needed an occasional reminder to get back to work; all work is appropriate. | The group was always on task and did not need reminders to get back to work. |
| Participation in Project | Team effort was not visible. Group demonstrates some knowledge of their role. | Team effort was visible. Knowledge of their role was visible and shows some organization. | Team effort visible. The presentation was organized and demonstrates a knowledge of their role. |
| Accuracy of Information During Project | The group's information was lacking in content and was not factually correct in many places. Information may not be pertinent to the presentation. | The group's information was for the most part factually correct. Information may not be pertinent to the presentation. | The group's information is factually correct and pertinent to the presentation. |
| Clarity of Presentation | The group's work is not well planned. The group was confused by much of the information presented. The group was not clear in explaining topics. | The group's work is well planned. There seemed to be some minor confusion or misinterpretation of information. | The group's work is well planned and clearly explained. The group showed a clear command of the information presented. |
Top of Page
Congratulations! You have discovered some problems and causes of declining water quality in the Chesapeake Bay. Learning about the environment sometimes means making changes in your own lives to live up to a stewardship role for the earth. What are three ways in which you can help to preserve or clean up our nation's water?
Suggested format and timeline for the WebQuest
| Divide students into groups, assign and go over roles. | 20-30 minutes |
| Group members download instructions and start using the hot-linked resources to gather information. | 1 hour and 30 minutes |
| Group members meet to share information. | 1 hour |
| Groups produce their products. | 3 hours |
| Groups plan and rehearse their presentation for the client. | 45 minutes |
| Presentations | 15-20 minutes each |
| Conclusion/Wrap-Up | 30 minutes |
Optional Extension: Selected students read their paragraph to the entire class.
Follow-Up Lessons:
Links for Water Monitoring:
Click on the following choices for printable
pages:
The Quest, Process
and Hints
Scientists
/ Government Liaisons / Fisherpersons
Coastal
Residents / Conservationists
Evaluation Rubric
Send suggestions for additional
URLs, feedback or comments to info@pcee.org.
References
Dodge, B. (1998, February). The WebQuest Page.
Retrieved August 29, 2000, from http://edweb.sdsu.edu/webquest/webquest.html.
Flanagan, S. (n.d.). Mission: Possible -
Gulf Water Monitoring. Retrieved August 26, 2000, from http://asterix.ednet.lsu.edu/~edtech/webquest/mission.htm.
