Research Presentation Topics (Groups of Two)



APES

END – OF – YEAR PROJECT

To reflect the large variety of topics we have covered in class, I am providing you with a large variety of topics and formats for your final project. We will have some (but not a lot of) class time to work on these projects and you will be expected to give a very brief presentation to the class over the work you have done.

The projects are due and presentations will begin on Monday, May 23rd. These projects will be done individually and are due Monday whether you are here or not…NO EXCEPTIONS.

PROJECT TOPICS

If you have an idea for a project that is not listed below, let me know and we can work out the details.

Demonstrate Understanding of an Environmental Topic

Hopefully you learned quite a bit about the environment since August. This is your chance to show off what you have learned. Create a poster, 3-5 page paper, or PowerPoint that illustrates your understanding of an environmental topic or concept.

APES Recruitment

Create a poster, PowerPoint, or informational flyer that can be used to recruit students into next year’s APES class. Include some information on what topics we cover in class, the types of labs/activities to do, and how this class relates to the world around us.

Board Game

Construct a board game that illustrates, teaches, or helps to review a particular topic we have covered in class. Include info cards, game pieces, rules, etc. for at least 4 people to play at a time.

Children’s Book

Write and construct a book for children aged kindergarten to 5th grade. The book should be designed to teach them about an environmental science topic in very simple terms. Therefore, you need to recall or research information and then transfer it into simpler terms for a child. You can draw your own illustrations or you can use pictures from the internet or clipart. Your book must have at least 10 facts pertaining to the topic that you have selected.

Photograph Portfolio

Assemble a portfolio that summarizes your experiences in APES. The portfolio must consist of 10 images (you must have at least one map and one diagram). The images may be your own work (photograph or drawing) or copied from somewhere else. Each image must be accompanied by a written explanation that is at least one large paragraph. Explain why you chose each image and what significance it holds for you and your experience in this class or for the environment in general.

Public Service Announcement (PSA)

As we have discussed, a big part of Environmental Science is educating the public on the issues. Create two public service announcements (PSA’s) that are designed to make people aware of an environmental problem and provide them with actions they can take to help minimize or fix the problem. Your PSA’s could be designed for radio (create an audio file), print (make a magazine ad), or for television (make a video). If you choose an audio or video PSA, you will need to provide a cited copy of your script.

Environmental Audit

Conduct an environmental audit of your home or the school. Determine what can be changed to make it more energy efficient. What can be done to reduce that amount of waste generated? What about recycling? Water conservation? What’s currently being done and what needs to be done to make your home or the school more environmentally friendly and efficient?

Green Community

A greater and greater emphasis has been put on “green” technologies and sustainable living, however, few communities implement more than a few of these practices. Your task is to design a hypothetical “green” community that has a low ecological footprint by minimizing its inputs (energy, water, food) and it outputs (waste, air pollution, water pollution). Construct a map of your community that includes a legend to explain all of the symbols. Your community must deal with each of the following issues:

Energy source(s)

Waste Disposal

Industry

Agriculture

Residential

Commercial

Recreation

Methods of transportation

For each issue you must provide a paragraph explaining the sustainable approach you chose and why you placed or designed each feature the way you did.

Green Home

Design a “green” house or Eco-Home. It could be new construction or how to modify an existing structure. Research different aspects of construction and choose “green” options for methods, materials, etc. You must draw or design a floor plan and have a poster or paper listing and describing the following:

House design

Energy source

Windows

Insulation

Lighting

Appliances

Landscaping

Environmental Problem Solving

When facing complicated environmental issues that impact multiple groups of people, many factors must be considered before taking action. The systematic way to analyze and solve such issues involves the use of a decision making model that has four main steps. 1) Gather information – research the topic and fully explore both sides. 2) Consider the values – what are the values that affect the environmental decision? Look at aesthetics, economics, ethical/moral, recreational, social/cultural vales that might affect the decision making process. 3) Explore the consequences – this is as simple as listing the pros and cons of each side. 4) Make a decision. This is by far the most difficult step.

Choose a complicated or controversial environmental dilemma and follow this model to reach a decision.

Possible topics:

The snail darter vs. the Tellico Dam

China’s Three Gorges Dam

Animal rights vs. the fur industry

Genetically modified foods

Artic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR): To drill or not to drill?

Should we try to save endangered species – is it really worth it?

Storage of nuclear waste in Yucca Mountain

The Northern Spotted Owl vs. the logging industry

Environmental Case Study

Sadly, there have been many environmental catastrophes that have taken place across the globe. The important thing about these tragedies is that we learn as much as we can about why they occurred so that we can prevent similar events from happening in the future. Choose an event and thoroughly address the situation including these questions: What happened/What went wrong? What did we learn? How can it be prevented in the future?

Possible topics:

Chernobyl

Bhopal

Aral Sea

Exxon Valdez

Love Canal

Cuyahoga River

DDT

The whaling industry

Three Mile Island

Hetch Hetchy Dam

Dust Bowl (1930’s)

Summitville mine

Hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico

Lake Erie (cultural eutrophication)

Kingston Fossil Plant Slurry Spill

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