Fresh Water Webquest Introduction

Name________________________

As a group you're going to explore the topic of Fresh Water Pollution. Each member of your team will become an expert in one part of 'Committee to Protect Our Water'. Then you'll have to come back together to answer a question that gets to the heart of 'what's the truth and how do you know?' I want you to do a good job. Good Luck.

The Question
The main question you will be asked to find an answer for is: You're HOT and THIRSTY. A cool tall glass of water would be great right now. However, the Catawba River has been the subject of controversy with opposing viewpoints regarding its cleanliness. Use your assigned role to be responsible and do your part for clean water. As you fill your glass under the faucet you need to ask yourself the following MAIN questions:

'Is this water clean and safe to drink? Are you really sure? How?' What are the opposing views of the controversy? Why might certain parties be biased? Why not? What information (sources) do you trust to be most reliable and valid? Why do you believe it to be reliable and valid?

Background Information
Before becoming an expert on one aspect of this topic, we'd better make sure that everyone on your WebQuest team knows the basics. Use the links below to answer the six general questions: who? what? where? when? why? and how? Make sure everyone on your team can answer all the questions before moving into your individual roles. Freshwater National Geographic General Resources

Controversy Surrounding the Catawba River?

1. Catawba River Plans to Sue Duke Energy 2. Duke Energy defends protection of Catawba River 3. Its time for Duke Energy to Clean up Coal Ash Pollution 4. State Files Lawsuit against Duke Energy 5. Environmentalist, Duke Energy Disagree on Water Quality 6. Duke Energy call Pollution Claims a Gimmick

7. WNCA, Conservative Groups, Joins State Lawsuit 8. Fears of Catawba River Contamination Arise 9. Contamination Lawsuits Push Duke Energy to address Pollution 10. Duke Energy Coal Ash Pollution Deforms Fish 11. Third Tritium Leak Pollutes Water

Individual Roles
Now that you have some overall background knowledge, it's time to return to the main question for this WebQuest. Questions this big and important are better answered when a few people are working on it at one time. Things work even better when a group of you decide to look at the question from different perspectives. This way team members can become experts on different aspects of the question and then come together to poll their learning. This is where team work pays off. So are you ready to divide and conquer this question?

Chemist at Department of Water Works

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions: 1)What is safe drinking water? Any standards? Water Science for Schools Great maps and interactive site

A Fresh-Water Contaminants Guide Great map site and photo essays Contaminants and Pollution Located on the ride side of the page in the middle Catawba River Basic Water Quality Assessment 2012 Assessment completed by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Water Quality: Catawba Basic Duke Energy Water Quality Webpage

Chef in major restaurant

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions: 1)What is your role as a chef to cook food and be aware that your water is safe? Lawsuits? From Drinking Water to Disasters From Drinking Water To Disasters, Investing In Freshwater Ecosystems Is Best Insurance Policy No Quick Fix for West Virginia Woes Freshwater pollution affects tap water

Water Pollution: Find out whats in the water Freshwater pollution affects tap water National Resources Defense Council Protecting Clean Water Groundwater shock The polluting of the worlds major freshwater stores Catawba River Basic Water Quality Assessment 2012 Assessment completed by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Water Quality: Catawba Basic Duke Energy Water Quality Webpage

Concerned Citizen on Water Safety

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions: 1) Don't take your role as a concerned citizen lightly. Demand good drinking water. How can you be sure? Know your rights. American Rivers Americas Most Endangered Rivers for 2013 Catawba River Catawba Riverkeepers North Carolina group dedicated to preserving Catawba River Safe Water Drinking Search Locate drinking water systems that have been in violation of EPA standards Catawba River Basic Water Quality Assessment 2012 Assessment completed by South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control Water Quality: Catawba Basic Duke Energy Water Quality Webpage Take Action Tell Duke Energy to Clean up Toxic Coal Ash

Politician up for re-election

Use the links below to learn more about your role. Specifically, look for answers to the following questions: 1)Who are you lobbying for? Oil companies or the concerned citizen. Make your stand. Big dollars or environmentalist? What can you do to provide the public good clean drinking water? Clean Water Act Resources The Clean Water Act is the primary federal law that protects our nations waters, including lakes, rivers, aquifers and coastal areas.

The Clean Water Action Why should Coal Plants be allowed to contaminate our water?

Duke Energy Catawba-Wateree Habitat Enhancement Program Duke Energy Program

Group Synthesis
Congratulations! Your team is now full of expertise. Each person (or pair) on your team have become experts on the topic of Fresh Water. You've all learned a lot of information. But guess what, gathering useful information isn't the same as truly understanding a topic. What experts in the field of learning suggest is that you now use that information in a new and challenging way. Then you'll really know about fresh water. So, armed with your new knowledge, present the answers to the main questions for this WebQuest, and your individual question to your group in the form of a media presentation. Some examples might be a pamphlet, a video, or a powerpoint presentation. See where you all agree and where differences arise. Use information, pictures, movies, facts, opinions, etc you explored to convince your teammates that your viewpoint is important and should be part of your team's answer to the Task / Quest(ion). This presentation will be presented to the class.

Conclusion
At the beginning of this activity, you were asked about how you would know the truth. On a separate piece of paper, please indicate what steps you took to distinguish truth from bias. Also please list what viewpoints you felt were true. This summary should be between 1-2 paragraphs long. Adapted from A Freshwater Webquest from Hobart High School