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This lesson plan accompanies the Oil in America webquest.


 * Webquest and lesson plan by Diana Potts, Heather Berkowitz, Jeanine Smith, Laura Bielefeldt**


 * __Grade Level__**: This lesson plan is intended for seventh or eighth graders


 * __Content Areas__**: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Technology


 * __Essential Question__:** Why is it important to be aware of global environmental events? What is there to be gained by being able to use multiple media resources to form a fact based opinion?


 * __Lesson Question__**: Due to the recent oil spill, should Americans stop drilling for oil to protect the environment or is oil too important of a resource in our lives and our economy?

__**Objectives**:__
 * Students will be able to think critically and come up with solutions for a serious, real-world issue.
 * Students will be able to choose a side of an issue and support that choice.
 * Students will be able to complete assignments using web-based tools such as webquests, blogs, etc.
 * Students will be able to collaborate with each other effectively.
 * Students will be able to differentiate between propaganda and factual information.
 * Students will be able to summarize important points from articles that they read and videos that they watched.
 * Students will be able to identify relative information to the topic using multiple resources, such as print and Internet based media outlets.
 * Students will be able to use the Internet as an effective research tool.

Technology Standards: 3.4D Abilities for a Technological World 3.4E The Designed World
 * __Pennsylvania State Standards__**:

Science Standards/Environment Standards: 3.3 Earth and Space Sciences 4.5 Humans and the Environment 4.3 Natural Resources 5.4 How International Relationships Function 6.1 Scarcity and Choice 6.2 Markets and Economic Systems

Language Arts Standards: 1.2 Reading, Analyzing and Interpreting Texts 1.4 Types of Writing 1.5 Quality of Writing 1.6 Speaking and Listening 1.8 Research 1.9 Information, Communication, and Technology Literacy

Internet access Computer for each group of 2-4 students (prefer two per group to increase participation) Link/website to access the webquest Microphone if choose to record their final project
 * __Materials:__**

Teaching strategy: The lesson will be student-centered. The teacher is a facilitator and audience for the presented project. The strategy is to allow students to collaborate, problem solve, and think critically about an issue that is current and has multiple perspectives. Students will be expected to form and present their own fact-based opinions to their peers and teacher.
 * __Lesson Plan:__**

Students will be assigned collaborative groups of 2-4 people Teacher will introduce the topic of the oil spill and elicit a discussion using students' prior knowledge about this natural disaster and about the purpose and need for drilling oil Students will then be given a laptop for their group and the link for the webquest that will explain their mission They will be expected to decide upon their group strategy and then delegate the needed tasks to complete the assignment
 * __Opening__:**

Students will read about their task and the process for completing that task on their webquest. They will have to research and read several articles regarding the issues of drilling for oil and the oil spill in the gulf coast. They will need to summarize the articles that they read and determine what is factual information and what could be considered propaganda. Students will then pick a perspective regarding this issue and support their choice with evidence and well thought out ideas. They will post their ideas in a group blog on the class's Moodle. Students will respond to three other groups' ideas in their blogs. Students will then have a choice of a culminating project for how they will present their findings.
 * __Activity__:**
 * They can create a vocaroo and record their speech.
 * They can create a prezi as a way of presenting their ideas

Students will share their findings and opinions about the issue with the class Groups of students that have chosen different sides will also have the opportunity to debate each other
 * __Closing:__**


 * __Assessment__:** Note: The assessments, as well as the lesson, will meet the needs of diverse learners because there are writing, reading, speaking, and visual components throughout.


 * The students will be assessed on their ability to work together and collaborate, their article summaries, their ability to judge different sources and support their ideas, their culminating project, and their presentation.
 * Students will be scored based on this rubric.

Teacher Resource Page II