The document discusses the serious problem of pollution in the world's oceans from human activity. Vast areas of ocean are now considered "dead zones" with little plant and animal life. If the problem continues unchecked, it could have major consequences for ocean ecosystems and disrupt their ability to be a sustainable food source. Potential solutions are explored, but any solutions chosen would need to consider unintended consequences and be supported by research into their feasibility and impacts. The document provides resources for further research and outlines steps for defining the problem, identifying solutions, and making an evidence-based argument to address the issue of dying oceans.

1. Dying Oceans: Problems and
Solutions
By
Dean Berry, Ed. D.
Teachers’ Choice Library

2. •Free PowerPoint Version at
•Slideshare.com
•Type PPT title or dean r
berry

3. Unsolved Problems: Potential
Consequences
The world’s oceans are being seriously polluted by human activity.
Since the oceans make up more than ten percent of the earth’s
surface, they contain a huge amount of plant and animal life that
are critical for the survival of the planet. Thousands of miles of
ocean are currently referred to as dead zones.

4. Consequences and Effects
Meet in a small group and identify the serious
consequences of continuing to pollute our oceans.

5. Research the Consequences
• Use the consequences identified by your small
group.
• Select credible sources from sites that use filters
(google news.com, bing news.com)
• Conduct a brief scan of 10-15 articles and choose 5-7
that seem to provide the best information about
possible negative consequences of the
unsolved problem
• Take 3 or 4 pages of notes
• Write a “Findings Report” by providing 1 or 2
paragraphs describing each consequence. Number
the consequences and title the paper “The Consequences
of not Addressing the Problem of ________”

6. The Problem
Ocean life is dying at a rapid rate. Sewage flowing
into the oceans and plastic materials are
increasing the acid levels and toxicity of the
oceans. The ocean as a food source is becoming
more unreliable for future generations.

7. Clarifying the Problem
• Meet in a small group and discuss the
problem. Agree on a statement that clearly
defines the problem.
• After your group has agreed on an acceptable
definition of the problem, brainstorm
possible solutions without evaluating
the ideas(that will be done later).
• Select the three most feasible
solutions for future study

8. Possible Solutions
The oceans are important ecosystems that
can be easily disrupted by human activities.
What can be done to help save our oceans?

9. Unintended Consequences
Sometimes a solution to a problem creates new problems
that were not anticipated when the preferred solution was
chosen. For example, spraying insecticide in neighborhoods
to stop the Zika Virus may also endanger human health.
Rounding up undocumented immigrants to enforce
immigration laws may result in broken families or a serious
labor shortage. The consequences of an action that seeks
to solve a problem sometimes creates more serious
problems than it solves. These types of unintended
consequences must be determined before solutions
to complex problems are implemented. Creating more
problems when trying to solve a problem is
dysfunctional.

10. Identifying Unintended Consequences
Meet in a small group and identify
several negative unintended
consequences of implementing the
two top solutions to this problem.
What is the downside, if any, to your
agreed upon solution?

11. Asking Essential Questions
• Consider each possible solution separately
• Think about what you need to know about the
potential solution and how it might help solve the
problem
• Prepare a minimum of three questions that
you will use to guide your research for each
possible solution
• Conduct your research using credible sources(see
google news.com or bing news.com)
• Collect several pages of notes on the
problem and your preferred solutions

12. Prepare to Make Your Argument
• Once you have completed your research, you will settle on
the solutions that were supported by clear evidence
and logical arguments.
• As you argue in favor of a particular solution, you will make
several claims related to the solution.
• Each claim you make must be supported by
evidence such as research studies, statements by
established experts, data presented in charts and graphs,
reasons clearly supported by logic, or other forms of
dependable evidence.

13. Present to Your Group
• Meet with your group and present your
solutions and claims with supporting
evidence.
• Claim:_____________________________
• Evidence___________________________
• Evidence/argument__________________
• Claim:_____________________________
• Evidence___________________________
• Evidence/argument___________________

14. Write your Argumentative Paper
• Introduce your topic with background
information and the negative consequences of
not addressing the problem. Make a claim about
what needs to be done to solve the problem.
• Compose the body of your essay and
include your major points supported by claims
and evidence(details, data, examples, logical
arguments).
• Add your concluding remarks that
summarize your key points and stress the
importance of solving the problem before the
negative consequences become more severe.

15. Our Oceans are Dying
3 min excellent!! A must View
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObNSqa1
4QNU

16. Humans Causing Death of the Oceans
3 min
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zue8eBX
p0Qg

17. Massive Pollution of the Oceans
3 min
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK
7CM-Y

18. Plastic in our oceans
National Geographic 3 min great info
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HQTUWK
7CM-Y

19. How Much Plastic is in the Ocean?
6 min Excellent!!!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFZS3Vh
4lfI

20. Plastic Bags Ingested by Whale
2 min
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DF6GfqG
-IQE

21. Blue Planet 2 Plastic pollution
3 min
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLx4fVsY
dTI

22. What Really Happens to the Plastic You
Throw Away? 4 min Ted Ed excellent!!
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6xlNyW
PpB8