Ballast Water Management

The Task

Your task is to write a creative report (single spaced) on ballast water management. You should first be taking point form notes and then organizing them into proper sentence and paragraph structure. Your point form notes must be handed in with your good copy.

The following steps will guide your research. Each step should be a separate discussion point in your report.

Step 1) Understand the situation. What is the purpose of ballast tanks? How do they work?

Step 2) What are the problems of ballast pollution? How are ecosystems affected? How are humans affected? How is the environment affected?

Step 3) What are some solutions to this problem? Is it possible to reduce the amount of pollution that goes into water systems from ballast tanks? What are the viewpoints of different industries? How do ballast laws affect the various groups involved? What factors will make this process difficult? Consider social, economic, political, environmental, and ethical implications.

Assessment

You will be marked on the following:

Information from steps 1 through 3

Point form notes

Bibliography information

Sentence structure and paragraph organization

Clarity of writing

Creativity in written presentation (journal entries, captain’s log, letters to various organizations, environmentalist report, etc)

Please see the rubrics for more information.

Timeline

Research information:

Work Period:

Ballast Water Management

Criterion A – One World

Achievement Level	Descriptor
0	The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2	The student states how science is applied in water ballast management. The student states the effectiveness of science and its application in solving the problem.
3-4	The student describes how science is applied in water ballast management. The student describes the effectiveness of science and its application in solving the problem. The student describes the implications of the use and application of science interacting with at least one of the following factors: moral, ethical, social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental.
5-6	The student explains how science is applied in water ballast management. The student discusses the effectiveness of science and its application in solving the problem. The student discusses and evaluates the implications of the use and application of science interacting with at least two of the following factors: moral, ethical, social, economic, political, cultural, and environmental.

Criterion B – Communication in Science

Achievement Level	Descriptor
0	The student does not reach a standard described by any of the descriptors given below.
1-2	The student communicates scientific information in point form notes with limited effectiveness. The student communicates scientific information in the final presentation with limited effectiveness. The student makes little attempt to present the information appropriately and in a creative format. The student makes little attempt to document sources of information.
3-4	The student communicates scientific information in point form notes with some effectiveness. The student communicates scientific information in the final presentation with some effectiveness. The student partially presents the information in a creative format. The student partially documents sources of information.
5-6	The student communicates scientific information in point form notes effectively. The student communicates scientific information in the final presentation effectively. The student presents all the information appropriately and in a creative format. The student fully documents sources of information correctly.