MP1+Project

Marking Period 1

=Current Event Portfolio Project = News about the environment is everywhere. How does the author's personal opinions or affiliations impact our own opinions on the issues? How do we sort through the bias and figure out what to believe?

__ **PROJECT GOAL** __ **:** We live in a time when information about the environment is as close as a google search away. Many of these issues are controversial and, as a result, our searches often result with vast amounts of conflicting information. Biased opinions and predictions about environmental issues can seem to range from overly optimistic to downright grim. How do we sift through this information to find quality, balanced facts on the issues at hand? We have to learn how to read between the lines because it is important that we stay informed about environmental issues, and try to understand how these issues affect our lives.

The goal of this project is not only to keep you informed on current events in environmental science, but also to teach you how to be on the lookout for biased or unreliable information. __ **THE PROJECT** __ **:** You are to produce a neatly organized and bound scrapbook of critical analyses of ten (10) current event articles that focus on various environmental issues. Your finished project must include //each original article//, a //cover page//, a //table of contents// and //citation page//. You are to find ten (10) articles that are relevant to environmental science. You must choose articles that reflect ten of the twenty topics below. You can only use __one article per topic__ – no repeating topics may be used. Remember what class you are in- //all articles must be linked to the environment.// In addition, at least __one__ article must be a // local issue // (New Jersey/New York City) and __at least one__ issue must be // international //. **3. Ozone Depletion** **5. Food Supply -** **Agriculture / Farming / Fishing.** //This may include genetic engineering of crops, use of fertilizers and pesticides, fish farming and over-fishing, etc.)// //**6. Alternative Energy/Fuel Source** (Renewable Energy, such as wind, solar, tidal, hydroelectric, hydrogen, etc.)// //**7. Biofuels** (Ethanol, biodiesel, etc.)// //**8.** **Fossil Fuels** (oil, coal, natural gas, etc.)//
 * 1. Water Quality**
 * 2. Air Quality**
 * 4. Global Warming / Climate Change**
 * 9.** **Nuclear Energy**
 * 10. Recycling / Waste Management**
 * 11. Emerging Environmental Law**
 * 12. Human Population and/or Health** //(As related to environment)//
 * 13.** **Biodiversity or Endangered or Threatened Species**
 * 14. Non-Native and Invasive Species**
 * 15. Evolution** (Must be related to environmental causes)
 * 16.** **Deforestation**
 * 17. “Pest” management** //(Traditional pests, also: invasive species, introduced species)//
 * 18. Acid Rain**
 * 19. Natural Disasters**
 * 20. Environmental Activism** //(Greenpeace, World Wildlife Foundation, grassroots organizing, etc.)//

**ACCEPTABLE SOURCES:** Any current articles featured in //scientific journals//, //newspapers// and //magazines// that discuss environmental issues. Sources may be “in print” or online. All articles are to be **//full-page//** news items with quality information. Every article must have a named **//author//** and have been **//published since June of this year//**. If the articles are cut out from magazines or newspapers, you must photocopy them on an 8 ½ by 11 papers to secure in your scrapbook.
 * __ CHOOSING THE “RIGHT” ARTICLES: __**


 * UNACCEPTABLE SOURCES: ** Informative blogs, wiki’s or online encyclopedias; advertisements, editorials (including anything from [|www.about.com] or by Larry West), short newspaper or magazine articles, articles published before June of this year, any articles without an author ("AP" as an author is "Associated Press" and IS acceptable).

** DEADLINES!!!! **
First Analysis: TUES, OCTOBER 13th. Second Analysis*: MONDAY, OCTOBER 19th Third Analysis*:

Complete Project: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3rd *You must only turn in 2nd and/or 3rd analysis for review if you score below a 70% on the previous analysis

DOWNLOADABLES
[|HES Current Event Portfolio Project.doc] [|Article Analysis Template.docx] [|HES Current Event Portfolio Checklist Rubric.dotx]
 * Link to First Article:** [|Article 1 - Health Ills Abound as Farm Runoff Fouls Wells] There's also a slideshow that goes along with the article.

==== **USEFUL ONLINE RESOURCES:** (don't forget to check other "non-science" sections... you can usually find some good stuff under the //Business, Health, Technology//, //International// or //Local// sections.) ====

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 * APA Citation Generator:** [|Citation Machine APA Format] Choose the source type on the left, and enter your information. Copy and paste citation onto your bibliography page. IMPORTANT: You must proofread individual citations for errors using your "Project Bible"- points will be deducted even for minor mistakes!