Marine Science Environmental Project

MARINE SCIENCE ENVIRONMENTAL PROJECTThe BIG picture: You will be researching a marine endangered species. The first part is a standard
paper. The second and third portions are unique to this project and are designed to educate others. For
the second portion, you will create a lesson where you show a PowerPoint (or alternate presentation
program) that features your topic and present it to the class. In addition, you will design a two page
handout for your classmates.
After the presentations, there will be an assessment (quiz) on all of the information based on the
presentations and handouts.
Summary of the Project Parts
• Paper
o 3-5 page paper (not including bibliography, title page, separate statement or graphics)
o Food Web
o Separate Statement
• Lesson/Presentation
o PowerPoint
o 2 Page Handout
o Presentation
This project will count as 2 TEST GRADES.
Topic Choices:
• Endangered Species (only need to choose one of the animals)
There is a database of endangered species of 66 animals at www.redlist.org. There is also a list of critically
endangered species of 45 animals. Make sure if you go to this site to search for your topic, you choose the
endangered or critically endangered marine species.
• Possible endangered species to research:
Whale Shark
Scalloped Hammerhead
Shark
Sharks
Sturgeon
Atlantic Bluefin Tuna
Rainbow Parrotfish
Eagle Rays
Groupers
Humphead Wrasse
Blue Iguana
Loggerhead Turtle
Atlantic Ridley Turtle
•
Hawksbill Turtle
Green Sea Turtle
Leatherback Turtle
Galapagos Penguin
Blue Footed Booby
Albatross
African Penguins
Petrels
Northern Rockhopper
Penguin
Terns
Marine Otter
Hawaiian Monk Seal
Galapagos Fur Seal
Galapagos Sea Lion
Stellar Sea Lion
Harp Seal (caution)
Manatee
Blue Whale
Right Whale
Humpback Whale
Sperm Whale
Orca Whales
Right Whale
Beluga
Polar Bear
If you have another idea, please see me first … I am open to other topics that may not be on the
above lists!
Part 1: RESEARCH PAPER Guidelines
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FORMAT
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3-5 pages (body of paper)
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typed
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1 inch margins on all sides, black ink, 12 point font, double spaced, standard sized paper
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Title Page (Title Centered)
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Name, block, and date in upper left hand corner of paper
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Introduction
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Body of Paper
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Conclusion
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Grammar/Usage/Proofread
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Spelling counts
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Subject/verb agreement
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3rd person (no use of I, we, me, my, you)
Minimum 5 different sources of at least 2 different types
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Internet sources must have a printed copy attached at the end of the report
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You are allowed to use only one encyclopedia
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Remember that for each piece of material you glean from a source, you will need title, author, and
page
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Remember to cite the information or put it in your own words!!! If you do not do this, it is
plagiarism and it will result in an F.
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Bibliography
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works cited/works consulted page
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MLA format
FOOD WEB:
• With the endangered species
• Effects of loss of your researched animal (bulleted)
SEPARATE STATEMENT:
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To be written on a separate page from the body of the paper
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Why did you choose this topic?
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What was the most interesting thing you learned about the topic?
What information must be included in your paper? Your research should follow
the outline below.
▪ 1. Describe the problem.
o If you are researching an environment, explain how the environment has changed
o If you are researching an endangered species, explain what has happened to the
population size (brief)
o If you are researching an environmental problem, describe what the problem is and its
effects (extensive portion of paper)
▪ 2. Describe the causes/sources of the problem.
o Be as detailed as possible
▪ 3. Explain a current research project (see description / guidelines below)
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Describe at least one research project on the species/environment/problem …
search online using the key words “ __________ research”. For example if I was doing a
report on sea otters, I would type in ‘Sea Otter research’.
Where is the research taking place?
What type of research (gathering data or performing some type of action)
If the researchers are gathering data, what kind of data/information are the
researchers gathering? Are there any challenges/difficulties that they are having?
What do they hope to do with the data or how will the data help to preserve the
population?
If the researchers are actively doing something to save the species, what actions are
they taking to help save the species? Why? Are there any challenges/difficulties that
they are having? How will they tell if they are successfully helping the population?
▪ 4. What is the animal’s / event’s role in an ecosystem / location’s ecosystem
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If you researched an animal
o What is it the predator of and prey of? What is it’s niche?
o What is the future for the species? Are their numbers increasing or decreasing?
o If the species disappears, how would the ecosystem be effected/ explain how the
marine problem effects ecosystems
If you researched an event
o How does / will the event affect the ecosystem?
If you researched a location, describe the ecosystem(s)
▪ 5. What could individuals do about it… regular citizens?
*** VERY IMPORTANT *** … at least 4 things!
A mistake students have made in the past … this paper is NOT an information report on the
species (anatomy, etc …). It is about how/why it is endangered and what is being done to help
the species.
Part 2: Lesson/Presentation
POWERPOINT GUIDELINES
• Must include the following information IN DETAIL!
▪ 1. Describe the problem.
▪ 2. Describe the cause/source of the problem.
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3. Explain a current research project.
4. What is the animal’s / events role in an ecosystem / describe location’s
ecosystem
5. What could individuals do about it… regular citizens?
*** VERY IMPORTANT *** … at least 4 things!
Food Web
Creative
MUST Include pictures and/or animations
A minimum of 20 slides (this total number includes picture slides)
Last slide must be a slide of the list of resources
Minimum 5 different sources of at least 2 different types
o Internet sources
o Maximum of 3 internet sources
o You are allowed to use only one encyclopedia
o Last slide of PowerPoint is a list of your resources
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o Does not have to be a color copy and it can be in handout format … 6 slides/page
INFORMATIONAL HANDOUT GUIDELINES
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Two pages (no more/no less)
Outlines information … not in paragraph form
o Easy to read/study from
Includes the following information (same as PowerPoint/paper)
▪ 1. Describe the problem.
▪ 2. Describe the cause/source of the problem.
▪ 3. Explain a current research project
▪ 4. What is the animal’s / events role in an ecosystem / describe location’s ecosystem
▪ 5. What could individuals do about it… regular citizens?
Include at least one picture
PRESENTATION GUIDELINES
• Present on Scheduled date!
• Will be graded on quality of your oral expression
o Eye contact
o Quality of speaking: clarity, volume, inflection, tone, and speed
o Familiarity with content: not simply reading everything from the screen
o Ability to answer questions
Part I:
• Research Paper
• Food Web
• Separate Statement
Part II:
Lesson
o PowerPoint
o 2 Page Handout