Sustainability of the Beef Industry

This WebQuest activity can be used in many grade levels as it has multiple connections to the Alberta Program of Studies which are listed below. Note that Science 8 and 9 have the same Skill and Attitude outcomes as those identified in the Science 7 connections. Although this task connects to three different grade levels it does not mean that Grade 9 students are doing the same level of work as Grade 7 students. The quality of work handed in and presentations should reflect the grade level of the students. 

 

Science 7

Unit B: Plants for Food and Fiber

 

Outcomes for Science, Technology and Society (STS) and Knowledge

4. Identify and interpret relationships among human needs, technologies, environments, and the culture and use of living things as sources of food and fibre

• identify the effects of different practices on the sustainability of agriculture and environmental resources (e.g., identify positive and negative effects of using chemical fertilizers and pesticides and of using organic farming practices)

 

Skill Outcomes (focus on problem solving)

Initiating and Planning

Students will:

Ask questions about the relationships between and among observable variables, and plan

investigations to address those questions

• define practical problems

 

Communication and Teamwork

Students will:

Work collaboratively on problems; and use appropriate language and formats to communicate ideas,

procedures and results

• receive, understand and act on the ideas of others (e.g., adopt and use an agreed procedure for

• counting or estimating the population of a group of plants)

• communicate questions, ideas, intentions, plans and results, using lists, notes in point form,

• sentences, data tables, graphs, drawings, oral language and other means (e.g., show the growth of

• a group of plants over time through a data table and diagrams)

• evaluate individual and group processes used in planning, problem solving, decision making and

• completing a task

 

Attitude Outcomes

Interest in Science

Students will be encouraged to:

Show interest in science-related questions and issues, and pursue personal interests and career

possibilities within science-related fields

 

Mutual Respect

Students will be encouraged to:

Appreciate that scientific understanding evolves from the interaction of ideas involving people with

different views and backgrounds (e.g., show awareness of the diversity of agricultural practices used

by societies around the world at different times through history; appreciate the role of Aboriginal

knowledge in identifying useful herbs and medicines)

 

Scientific Inquiry

Students will be encouraged to:

Seek and apply evidence when evaluating alternative approaches to investigations, problems and

issues

 

Collaboration

Students will be encouraged to:

Work collaboratively in carrying out investigations and in generating and evaluating ideas

 

Stewardship

Students will be encouraged to:

Demonstrate sensitivity and responsibility in pursuing a balance between the needs of humans and a

sustainable environment