Discussion Questions

Four Kinds of approaches to discussion:
1. Responding to a problem.
2. Responding to an observation.
3. Responding to a narrative.
4. Reflecting on classroom activities.

Our approach is: Responding to a problem.
-How can states, cites, and communities allow our oceans to succumb to such a bad state it is currently in?
- How can we get these people more interested and involved with helping out to improve the water overall?

Best Practices:
-Create a stimulus to begin the discussion.

->Question: "If everyone in the world stopped littering, do you think that would eventually stop pollution in waters? It would just slowly diminish if no one was adding to it?

-Plan the discussion. What topics do you want covered?

->Question: "What physically causes water pollution, who helps prevent it and why?"

-Instead of responding, ask another student what he or she thinks

->Question: "Why would anyone want to help clean and stop pollution? Specifically in oceans where we don't come in contact with on a day to day basis?"

-To prepare students for general discussion, at the beginning of the year have students discuss the nature of a good discussion

->Question: "What do you think are some characteristics of a good discussion? Is it something you can debate? It is important to work together as a group, but what if no one wants to help?


Our Service Learning Project:
-Currently we have contacted the beach clean up in Beverly MA (Coastsweep2011) and the Boston Aquarium to see if we could contribute in any way. They both have yet to respond so we are looking up new places to contact as back-ups.