Introduction (in prep)

water by lawatt

Aims: The language of meetings, seminars, presentations, newspapers critical thinking, role play, negotiations

In this section of Science and Ethics you will study various aspects of the value of the earth's water resources. you will be divided into study groups.

• Each group will be provided with readings from UNESCO and other sources.
• Your task will be to read them, extract pertinant information, paraphrase the central ideas and present them to the class as a short illustrated presentation lasting no more than 10 minutes.
• Your class mates will listen and take notes. the notes will used to write a short newspaper article.
• The best article will be published on this blog.

Prinicples

Intrinsic Value of Ecosystems
The Ethics of Water Use
The Tragedy of the Commons
The Need for Legislation

Case Studies:

The Aral Sea
Lake Biwa
South Africa
Philippines
The Andes
Syria-Israel Water Dispute

Critical Thinking - "What does the man mean?"

Water use in the Middle East

Role Play

Newspaper Article Writing
Structure
Style
Critical thinking

References

Brelet, C. (2004) Best Ethical Practice in Water use. COMEST - UNESCO, Paris

Photos

Tori, Lake Biwa by jimmyfuture

Aral Sea Cemetry by lambro

Acknowledgements

Many of the notions of newspaper article writing are derived from course work set at PHELMA with teachers Michelle Inghman and Lauren Ayotte.

The Aral Sea - Group work

Do some research into the Aral Sea disaster. For your research you could begin with Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aral_Sea.

The class could be divided into three groups.

• Group 1 could investigate the natural history of the Aral Sea before it was destroyed by the Soviets.
• Group 2 could research the why and how the Soviets wanted to eliminate the sea.
• Group 3 could study the consequences on the environment and the human populations of this mismanagement and the possible solutions.

The results of the group research should be presented formerly in a seminar.

Writing: Do you consider the Aral Sea catastrophe as an example of The Tragedy of the Commons? Justify you answer in no more than 150 words. Make sure you paraphrase the information to avoid plagiarism, and please remember to cite your sources.