Webquest: Using Biodiesel as an Alternative Fuel
Your team has been asked to give a 15-20 minute presentation to the school board convincing them to run the school buses on biodiesel (or blends of biodiesel). In order to be prepared for the presentation you need to thoroughly research different aspects of biodiesel. Each member of the team will pick one topic concerning biodiesel to research and will write a paper answering different questions about that topic. Then you will come together as a team and put together one Microsoft PowerPoint presentation covering all the topics. You will need to practice by presenting to the class.
You will need to have one group of six people. Each person will pick one of the topics below to research and write a paper on. As a group, you will put together one 15-20 minute presentation covering all six topics.
Topics:
1. What is biodiesel and how is it made:
Really research the CHEMISTRY involved here.
Look at the chemical reactions, and the process for creating
Include information about manufacturing plants
Advantages/disadvantages to blends?
Check the rubric to see how you will be graded for this project.
1. After the groups and
topics are assigned you will need to consult several print and web resources
to gather information.
2. Each member of the group needs to submit a 3 page paper answering the questions for each topic. The format should be standard MLA style with proper citing/quoting of sources. You will also need a bibliography page in addition to your three pages of content
3. You will need to create ONE presentation using Microsoft PowerPoint. You will need to make it long enough for a 15--20 minute presentation. I recommend 15-20 slides.
4. You will practice by presenting to the class in a randomly selected order.
See this rubric listing the criteria for your written papers. Use this rubric for your oral presentations. You will be graded on how well you work as a team, the quality of your information, the visual appeal of your presentations, and how well you speak.
Alternative fuels (biodiesel in particular) are an important part of today’s culture. Many aspects of biodiesel can be understood with a small amount of chemistry knowledge. Now that you have had a chance to work on a project involving biodiesel you should be able to answer the following questions
What benefits to the environment do buses running on biodiesel (or blends of biodiesel) provide?
Does it require any modifications to the buses to run o biodiesel? Are the benefits worth the time, work and money?
How can a community benefit from having a vehicle run on biodiesel in the school?
Is it hard to make or get biodiesel to run in the buses?
Resources
Various current magazine or newspaper articles
“From the Fryer to the Fuel Tank” by Joshua Tickell
http://www.journeytoforever.org
http://www.afdc.doe.gov/altfuels.htm
Rubrics
| Research Report : Biodiesel | ||||
| Teacher Name: Ms. Gawron | ||||
| Student Name: ________________________________________ | ||||
| CATEGORY | 10 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Quality of Information | Information clearly relates to the main topic. It includes several supporting details and/or examples. | Information clearly relates to the main topic. It provides 1-2 supporting details and/or examples. | Information clearly relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given. | Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic. |
| Organization | Information is very organized with well-constructed paragraphs and subheadings. | Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs. | Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed. | The information appears to be disorganized. 8) |
| Amount of Information | All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each. | All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each. | All topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each. | One or more topics were not addressed. |
| Paragraph Construction | All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence. There are no grammatical/spelling errors. | Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence. There are only one or two grammatical/spellng errors. | Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well. There are three or more grammatical/spelling errors. | Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs. There are many grammatical/spelling errors. |
| Sources | All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format. | All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are not in the desired format. | All sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but many are not in the desired format. | Some sources are not accurately documented. |
| Date Created: Jun 15, 2006 08:27 am (CDT) | ||||
| Oral Presentation Rubric : Biodiesel Presentation | ||||
| Teacher Name: Ms. Gawron | ||||
| Student Name: ________________________________________ | ||||
| CATEGORY | 10 | 7 | 4 | 1 |
| Collaboration with Peers | Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together. | Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Does not cause "waves" in the group. | Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member. | Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Often is not a good team member. |
| Content | Shows a full understanding of the topic. | Shows a good understanding of the topic. | Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. | Does not seem to understand the topic very well. |
| Speaks Clearly | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, and mispronounces no words.Always (99-100% of time) speaks in complete sentences. | Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, but mispronounces one word.Mostly (80-98%) speaks in complete sentences. | Speaks clearly and distinctly most ( 94-85%) of the time. Mispronounces no more than one word. Sometimes (70-80%) speaks in complete sentences. | Often mumbles or can not be understood OR mispronounces more than one word. Rarely speaks in complete sentences. |
| Comprehension | Student is able to accurately answer almost all questions posed by classmates about the topic. | Student is able to accurately answer most questions posed by classmates about the topic. | Student is able to accurately answer a few questions posed by classmates about the topic. | Student is unable to accurately answer questions posed by classmates about the topic. |
| Posture and Eye Contact | Stands up straight, looks relaxed and confident. Establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Stands up straight and establishes eye contact with everyone in the room during the presentation. | Sometimes stands up straight and establishes eye contact. | Slouches and/or does not look at people during the presentation. |
| Date Created: Jun 15, 2006 08:31 am (CDT) | ||||
