Assignment #8 Oceans

 

Lesson 8- Oceans

 

OBJECTIVES

  1. •Research the ecological value of oceans and their impact on the world's environmental health.

  2. •Explore the problems that compromise the oceans' health such as pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction, introduced species and climate change.

  3. •Propose and evaluate solutions to environmental problems facing oceans today.

 

The Issue

Arthur C. Clarke, a scientist and writer, said that it is "inappropriate to call this planet Earth, when clearly it is ocean." Covering over 71% of the surface of the Earth and occupying over 90% of its space, oceans dominate our planet and have great influence on the Earth's overall environmental health. Yet humans have done much to compromise the physical, biological and chemical health of the world's oceans.

This Week's Assignment

Find out

  1. •What the environmental problems are with the world's oceans.

  2. •What effects continued pollution, overfishing and habitat loss may have on oceans.

  3. •How the oceans' health is tied to overall environmental health

Evaluate

  1. •Restoration and reform efforts to improve oceans' health

  2. •How your choices as a consumer affect the health of oceans

 

Follow these guidelines when writing your essay:

  1. •Organize by using an introduction, body and conclusion.

  2. •Be sure to define key terms for the reader.

  3. •Support your opinion using research examples.

  4. •Always use your own words and cite sources (all resources used to get information and ideas) in a Works Cited page at the end of your essay.


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DUE DATE: May 18, 2012
TO: Environmental Law Students
FROM: Helen Haberman, Instructor
SUBJECT: Oceans

Assignment (40 points)

Your task this week is to write a 2 page paper that explores the ecological value of oceans and their importance to the Earth's overall environmental health. You will also investigate the major environmental problems which challenge the health of oceans and evaluate efforts to remedy these problems.

You will use the guiding questions provided to organize your paper. You will use the websites provided to read the main article and to research information.

Skills: You will need to read, research, evaluate and compose an essay about sprawl and its effects.

Format: Papers must be word-processed using a 12-point font and double-spaced.


Websites

A Sea of Troubles In the International Year of the Ocean, Are We Reaching the Limits? by Kieran Mulvaney.  eMagazine January/February, 1998

Red Fish, Green Fish: What You Need to know about Seafood Ratings, by Jacqueline Church, eMagazine, May 2011.  Information about by-catch and fishing problems.

Can Oceans Pass the Acid Test? How climate change and pollution are changing the pH of the ocean and the associated risks. 

FAQ’s about Ocean Acidification.  Check out these FAQs about the subject of the changing pH in the ocean and its risks.


Guiding Questions: 

  1. •Why are oceans important ecologically? Describe several reasons.

  2. •What problems do fishing and the fishing industry create for oceans?

  3. •How, specifically, is pollution a problem in oceans?

  4. •What environmental problems arise from coastal habitat destruction?

  5. •How have introduced species damaged oceans?

  6. •How is the changing pH (acidification) of the ocean an issue? How is global warming involved?

  7. •What is being done to mitigate these problems?



Tips

Organize your essay by using the questions. Be sure your work answers all the questions but in essay format.

Proofread your essay. Have another person proofread it too.

Correct all grammar, punctuation and spelling errors.

Complete a Works Cited page where you cite sources and / or websites used.

Deliver a printed copy of your finished essay to your in-folder. Do this even if you send an additional copy of it using the text box below!