Weeds and global warming

Introduction:

Ralph Waldo Emerson is reported to have said, “A weed is a plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.” Once their virtues are discovered, they go from being weeds to being resources. The New York Times reported the results of a fascinating set of experiments that relate to global warming and illustrate Emerson’s quote. Among other important aspects, the story also shows the importance of interdisciplinary critical thinking. At the very least Geography, Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, and Physics are involved in this story. You may find other subjects to add to the list. (The link to the story is at the end of this blog posting.)

Objectives:

By completing this project, students will be able to:

1. Develop reading and comprehension skills relating to a current global issue.
2. Apply concepts learned in different subjects to this issue.
3. Develop appreciation for the importance of interdisciplinary critical thinking.
4. Develop writing skills using secondary sources of information.
5. Learn to practice the ethics of such writing.

Intended audience: Students in standards (or Grades) 9 and above in any syllabus (state, national, or international).

Note to Teachers:

This project may be used to generate discussion in your class about the topic of the study. You may wish to have a group of teachers complete this project at the same time as the students and use it as a spring-board for an interdisciplinary faculty-student discussion forum. That can help teachers integrate each other’s subjects in relation to a topic and help students learn the art of interdisciplinary communication.

The project write-up in the given format may be considered for assignment credit in at least the following subjects:

1. Geography
2. Environmental studies / Environmental management
3. English
4. Global perspectives
5. Biology

Instructions for your project:

1. NO COPYING AND PASTING! Re-write your answers in your own words. If you copy and paste, you will be plagiarizing! That is an academic no-no!
2. Remember the KISS principle: Keep It Short & Simple. Write as briefly as you can but without losing information. Get your teacher’s help if you want. (If you get your teacher’s or anyone else’s help, be sure to thank them in the acknowledgment section in your write-up).
3. Using the format given below, prepare your write-up and send it to The Indian Institute of Geographical Studies (TIIGS).
4. You can send it in any of these ways:
   1. Copy and paste the format below into a word-processing document (MS Word, etc.), save it, and email it as an attachment.
   2. You may copy and paste the format and your answers (from your word processing document) into the comment/get involved box on our contact page and click “send message.” Remember to fill in your details correctly.
   3. You may copy the format below into an email message, fill in your answers, and send that email message to us.

Here is the format. What you need to fill in is shown in < >. Delete what we have given you and put in your correct information.

1. TITLE OF ARTICLE: <write the exact title of the article here>
2. SOURCE: <give the name of the newspaper>
3. AUTHOR: <give the full name of the author of the article, as given on the article>
4. DATE OF PUBLICATION: <date on which this article was published>
5. ACCESS INFORMATION: <the URL - web site address where you found this article> followed by the date you accessed it on. Here is an example:
   • ACCESS INFORMATION: http://tiigs.org/blog/ Last accessed on: 24 June 2008.
6. FIVE MAIN POINTS THAT SUMMARIZE THE STUDY REPORTED HERE: <list them as (a), (b), (c), (d), and (e) Make sure that the five points together cover the TOTAL RESULTS of the study being reported in the article>
7. YOUR NAME: <type your name in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS>
8. YOUR SCHOOL: <type the name of your school in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS>
9. YOUR CLASS: <if you are a student; type your class / standard / grade> <if you are a teacher, type the class/classes and subjects that you teach>
10. WHAT SYLLABUS DO YOU FOLLOW: <type your syllabus State / SSLC / IGCSE / IB / ICSE / CBSE / etc.>
11. YOUR LOCATION: <type the name of the CITY and STATE where you are located - in ALL CAPITAL LETTERS>
12. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS: <thank anyone who gave you help; give their full name, their relationship to you; be sure to use proper honorific such as Mr., Ms., Mrs, etc. If it is your friend or classmate, no need for the honorific, just give the names>

The top THREE (3) best student entries and teacher entries will be posted on the TIIGS blog with your photograph.

LAST DATE to send your entry: 15 July 2008

Here is the link to The New York Times story.