PROJECT CITIZEN- WHOLE GROUP MODEL

CIVICS BLOCK 3

STINGER

• 1. WHICH PROBLEM DO YOU FIND MOST INTERESTING? WHY?

• 2. WOULD YOU LIKE TO INTRODUCE ANY OTHER PROBLEMS SO THE CLASS CAN DISCUSS WHETHER OR NOT TO CHANGE THE RESEARCH TOPIC?

• 3. PLEASE RANK THE PORTIONS OF THE PROJECT FROM YOUR FAVORITE TO YOUR LEAST FAVORITE. (PROBLEM, ALTERNATIVES, SOLUTION, ACTION PLAN)

• 4. PLEASE RANK THE PORTIONS OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT FROM THE ONE YOU WOULD MOST LIKE TO WORK ON TO THE ONE YOU WOULD LEAST LIKE TO WORK ON. (POSTER, PORTFOLIO, PRESENTATION)

DETAILS OF THE PROJECT

• 3-4 WEEKS OF RESEARCH

• QUESTION AND ANSWER METHOD

• EACH CLASS PERIOD, THE CLASS WILL GENERATE A LIST OF 20-30 RESEARCH QUESTIONS.

• EACH STUDENT WILL ANSWER ONE RESEARCH QUESTION FOR HOMEWORK

• EACH STUDENT WILL PRINT RESOURCES FOR THE BINDER

• EACH STUDENT WILL SHARE ANSWERS

• SECTION GROUPS- PROBLEM, ALTERNATIVES, SOLUTION, ACTION PLAN

• EACH GROUP WILL HAVE

• LEAD RESEARCHER

• PORTFOLIO KEEPER

• HEAD WRITER

• POSTER DESIGNER

• CAPTAIN

DETAILS OF THE FINISHED PRODUCT

• 4 POSTERS

• LARGE BINDER WITH FOUR SECTIONS

• FOUR-PART PRESENTATION

• FOUR MINUTE PREPARED SECTION FOR EACH PART

• SIX MINUTE FOLLOW UP

• INVITATIONS TO POLICY MAKERS

GRADES

• DAILY RESEARCH HOMEWORK

• DAILY CHECK IN QUESTIONS

• BINDER CHECKS

• FINAL PRODUCT (3 PARTS)

PROBLEM SELECTION

• LIST THE PROBLEMS ON THE BOARD

• DISCUSS EACH PROBLEM

• NARROW THE LIST TO FOUR

• CONDUCT A CAUCUS TO VOTE ON WHICH PROJECT THE CLASS WILL WORK ON

• CONTINUE TO NARROW UNTIL THERE IS ONLY ONE PROJECT REMAINING

PRELIMINARY INFORMATION• WHAT DO WE ALREADY KNOW ABOUT THE PROBLEM?

• EXAMPLE: “VIEW: NO YUCCA MOUNTAIN AND MORE INDIAN POINT CONCERNS”

• NRC ENCOURAGING LONG TERM STORAGE AT PRODUCTION SITES

• YUCCA MOUNTAIN SAFETY INSPECTIONS HAVE RESUMED (HINT AT POSSIBLE LONG-TERM STORAGE?)

• NEW YORKERS WORRIED ABOUT SPENT FUEL BUILD UP

• SPENT FUEL IS HIGHLY RADIOACTIVE AND MORE DANGEROUS THAN UNSPENT FUEL

• SPENT RODS HAVE HIGH CONCENTRATIONS OF LETHAL ISOTOPES

• FUKUSHIMA PLANT DISASTER IN JAPAN EXPOSED HIGH LEVELS OF SPENT FUEL, MORE THAN POOLS WERE MEANT TO HOLD

• US SPENT FUEL ISSUE IS WORSE WITH LARGEST CONCENTRATIONS OF RADIATION ON EARTH

• 20 MILLION PEOPLE LIVE IN A FIFTY MILE RADIUS OF INDIAN POINT, WHICH LEAKS TRITIUM AND STRONTIUM INTO GROUNDWATER AND THE RIVER

• STORAGE POOLS ARE HOLDING MORE SPENT FUEL THAN THEY WERE DESIGNED TO HOLD AND ABSORBERS BUILT INTO THE RACKS ARE FAILING

• SOME WASTE HAS BEEN MOVED TO DRY CASK STORAGE

• CAN MITIGATE SPENT FUEL BY LETTING LICENSE EXPIRE AND SHUTTING DOWN REACTORS

• RADIATION EXPOSURE CAUSES THYROID CANCER

QUESTION GENERATION

• CHOOSE SECRETARY FOR THE DAY

• BRAIN STORM 30 QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TOPIC

• ASSIGN QUESTIONS TO INDIVIDUAL STUDENTS

HOMEWORK

• ANSWER YOUR RESEARCH QUESTION

• BE PREPARED TO SHARE WHAT YOU LEARNED.

• REMEMBER THAT THE WHOLE CLASS IS DEPENDING ON YOU!