Overfishing and the Seafood Dilemma

Purpose:
The purpose of this webquest is to educate students about a growing crisis that receives little attention,yet affects us all. Through this experience, the students will examine different points of view on issues , use critical thinking skills, and cooperatively work to produce a finished product.

 

Objectives:
Students will be able to:
• Identify and explain some of the complex issues regarding overfishing
• Critique seafood choices in terms of eco-friendly fishing practices and/or health risks
• Collaborate ideas to create a presentation
• Communicate viewpoints and ideas learned through filtering information
• Comprehend and synthesize information for communication purposes
• Demonstrate teamwork
• Examine and contrast different viewpoints on issues
• Evaluate conservation efforts for commercial fishing

 

Prior Knowledge:
Students should be comfortable navigating the internet, computer use, and creating PowerPoints.

 

Materials Needed:
Computers (at least one per group), Internet Links Resource page, Seafood Consumption and Overfishing Dilemma Webquest Rubrics, and the supporting Issues document, paper and pencils.

 

Time: (45 minute periods)
The suggested time for this webquest is as follows:
Day 1 – introduce webquest, formation of groups and assignments, begin the webquest
Day 2 – Information gathering and examination of viewpoints
Day 3 – Information gathering and examination of viewpoints and/or doing PowerPoint
Day 4 – Work on PowerPoint
Day 5 – Group Presentations

 

Extensions:
Some students and administrators (and even some teachers) are not satisfied with a group grade, therefore the following additional assignment/evaluation can be used for individual assessment.

Type an essay from your notes on overfishing based on information presented in class. The essay should have a title and introductory paragraph. One paragraph representing each of the 4 issues addressed will be the main body of your essay. Remember that a paragraph has a topic sentence followed by sentences with supporting details. Your essay should conclude with a summary and a paragraph that expresses a strong, clear viewpoint on an issue or two. Some helpful ideas to include might be to: critique the seriousness of the situation of overfishing, rate fish species and health risks associated with human consumption, relate ways aquaculture reduces commercial fishing, and decide which fishing methods are best for fishermen and the seafood caught.

 

Video:

Go to Youtube.com and search under the title "Can the Oceans Keep up with the Hunt?"  There are parts one, two, and three.  These are excellent videos, each about 7-8 minutes in length that suports this webquest beautifully.

The links are:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-T-TYowBo4 part 1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jc64GySEYlQ part 2

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-0KbaCh4i0 part 3

 

Credits:

Thanks to all the wonderful web sites for educating and informing about overfishing and seafood consumption. I wanted to especially thank the Monterey Bay Aquarium, Oceana.org, and MarineBio.org for thorough coverage of the issues presented in this webquest as well as their first rate conservation efforts. Finally, I thank the filmmakers of the video mentioned above.

 

Introduction Cartoon: permission for use granted by Matt Kristek