Optional Blog Post due 3/11 @ midnight

Find a current science issue that's happening in the news right now.

Report on what the issue is, why it's important, things you find interesting, how it impacts your life/community.

Here's a link to get you started.

Hydrofracking Initial Position - Due 2/10 @ midnight

This week we have learned about how natural gas was made and what we use it for in our daily lives.  We have also learned about a relatively new technique called horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing that is capable of accessing previously difficult to reach natural gas deposits in shale rock thousands of feet below the surface.  Finally, we began to take a look at the risks and benefits of drilling for natural gas by hydrofracking in NY state.

Based on your understanding of the hydrofracking write down in your blog post whether or not you are for against drilling for natural gas in NY state.

Be sure to support your position with evidence and analysis (argue why your viewpoint/opinion is correct)

Also, explain why you disagree with the opposing viewpoint (argue why the other viewpoint/opinion is incorrect - this argument should also be supported by evidence and analysis). 

New Year's Environmental Resolution due 1/1/13 @ midnight

One of our essential questions for the year is...

How do my actions impact my community, family, and city?

Reflect on this question.  Use the following questions as a guide.

1. Have your actions changed because of things you have learned in environmental science?
1. Why or why not?  Provide examples
2. Do you live a sustainable life?  
1. Why or why not?
3. What is one New Year's resolution you want to make that is related to the environment?
1. Explain your choice.

Congratulations Class of 2013!

• No blog due this weekend. 
• Annotations due Monday in order to participate in socratic circle.  
• Wastewater treatment quiz Weds.

Blog Post Due Sunday 12/10

NYC Tap is where it's at!

This week almost everyone presented their tap water campaign projects. (Check out this Prezi and this one, this website, this rap, this glog) Now that they have been completed reflect on the learning, planning, and creation process.

I am interested in knowing your thoughts about this project and if/how it helped you learn.

You may choose to reflect (in paragraph form) on some or all of the following questions...

DEP makin' that fo sho.

Use the questions below as a guide, not a script.

• How did this project help you understand the safety of our drinking water in NYC?
• How did/do you think the project will influence your personal actions in the future?  
• Will you make any changes in your actions? 
• Why/why not?
• Do you think you have a better understanding of where NYC's drinking water comes from and the bottled water industry after completing this project?  
• Why or why not?
• How does this project compare to others that you have completed in school?  
• What did you like about it?
• What could make it better?
• Would you be interested in doing something similar in the future?
• Which types of projects did you think were the most engaging when to presented (prezi, glog, video, rap, etc)?
• Explain your response
• Are there any other thoughts you want to share about the project or NYC's drinking water related to you, your family, or community?

Optional Blog Post due 12/2

Over the past 6 weeks we have been raising trout in the classroom.

In your post...

Explain how you have seen our trout change over time.

What have you learned about trout this year?

What benefits do you think having trout in the classroom provide to you as a student?

What else do you want to know about trout?

Blog Post Due Sunday 11.25

This week in class we continued to build our background knowledge in preparation for the creation of our NYC tap water advertising campaigns.

In your post choose two facts that you found to be the most interesting (quotes would be nice) and explain why you found them to be interesting as well as how and why they may have changed your thinking about bottled/tap water.

The idea here is to begin compiling a list of facts that you can reference when building your ad campaigns next week.

Note:

• One fact must be from the reading "Satan's Resin" from Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte given out and partially read in class.
• The other fact can be from any of the lessons from this past week (Think gyres, windrows, bottle bills, and Tapped the movie).