IDU - Globalization and Sustainability

Exploration - Human impact on the environment

Statement of inquiry: Evidence can provide a powerful basis for persuasive communication
about human impacts on the environment.

*Please note that you will work on Synthesizing and Reflecting based tasks on Monday, 6 th
March and Reflecting based tasks on Tuesday, 7th March 2023.

Criterion B – Synthesizing
GRASPS Task

 Goal: Your goal is to write an article that adopts a research-based stand on

one of the issues related to the human impact on the environment listed
below:
1. Depleting air quality due to pollution
2. Poor waste management systems
3. Reduction in forest cover leading to loss of biodiversity
4. Surface water pollution leading to water scarcity

 Role: You are a middle school student.

 Audience: Your target audience is youth interested in being informed about
and taking action for the environment.
 Situation: You are invited to take a research-based stand on an issue related
to the human impact on the environment, and submit your article to the
Young Reporters for the Environment. This organization holds an annual
competition aimed at encouraging “young people from all over the world to
push themselves to their limits in the search for a story which will ultimately
bring to the fore a real and current local environmental issue.”

 Product/Performance and Purpose: write a 500 word article

 Standards & Criteria for Success: You will be assessed against IDU criteria B
and C.

Details for research and writing:

Bi - create a product that communicates a purposeful interdisciplinary purpose

Drawing on your learning and research conducted in Sciences regarding the Global Goals for
Sustainable Development (Goals 13, 14 and 15), combined with your learning in LL related
to journalism and journalistic writing, you will write an article that includes:
 a description of evidence regarding an environmental problem (select any one issue
from the 4 options given above), in your local context, integrating the research and
data gathering process,
 representation and analysis of the data,
 a minimum of three images (photos, graphs, data representation)
  a description of possible local solutions.

Bii - justify how the product communicates interdisciplinary understanding.

In the box given below, justify how your product communicates interdisciplinary
understanding
Command term - Justify: Give valid reasons or evidence to support an answer or conclusion.
Prompts:
● What knowledge from each subject/discipline is evident in my product?
● In what specific ways does my product synthesize knowledge from both/all
subjects/disciplines to communicate interdisciplinary understanding?

My product, an article on the human impacts on reduction in forest cover leading to loss of
biodiversity in Bannerghatta National Park, communicates interdisciplinary understanding
by drawing on knowledge and concepts from multiple disciplines.
Firstly, the article incorporates knowledge from the field of ecology to explain the impact of
human activities on the park's biodiversity. It describes how the reduction in forest cover
due to human activities such as logging, encroachment, and tourism has led to the loss of
habitat and biodiversity. The article also explains how the park's ecosystem functions,
highlighting the interdependence of different species and the role of biodiversity in
maintaining ecological balance.

Secondly, the article draws on knowledge from the field of environmental science to discuss
the importance of protecting and conserving the park's biodiversity. It highlights the
ecosystem services provided by the park and the threats posed by human activities to these
services. The article also explores the social and economic benefits of conserving
biodiversity, such as the park's role as a tourist attraction and educational resource.

Finally, the article synthesizes knowledge from both ecology and environmental science to
communicate interdisciplinary understanding. It explains how the reduction in forest cover
due to human activities is not only leading to the loss of biodiversity but also posing a threat
to the ecosystem services provided by the park. It also emphasizes the need for
interdisciplinary approaches to conservation that address both ecological and social factors.

Overall, the article on human impacts on reduction in forest cover leading to loss of
biodiversity in Bannerghatta National Park communicates interdisciplinary understanding by
incorporating knowledge and concepts from multiple disciplines and synthesizing them to
explain the complex relationships between human activities, biodiversity, and ecosystem
services.

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Criterion C – Reflecting
Ci: discuss the development of their own interdisciplinary learning

In the box given below, discuss the development of your own interdisciplinary learning.
Command term - Discuss: Offer a considered and balanced review that includes a range of
arguments, factors or hypotheses. Opinions or conclusions should be presented clearly and
supported by appropriate evidence.
Prompts:
o In what ways (if any) did my understanding of disciplinary knowledge (in each
subject/discipline) change or expand as I combined that knowledge in my article?
o What was my thinking process as I tried to combine the disciplinary knowledge into
a synthesized understanding? (ie. Did some aspects of each subject stay separate?
Did some things seem to blend together?)
o What do I find easy or challenging about interdisciplinary learning compared to
disciplinary learning?
o Did any subject/discipline seem more important to the purpose of the article?
o In what ways did my understanding of the topic, issue, change over the course of
the task?

*Expand the box as needed

Cii: discuss how new interdisciplinary understanding enables action.

In the box given below, discuss, how your interdisciplinary understanding has enabled you
to create the article, and ways in which it might allow you to take future action.
Prompts:
o What did I learn that caused me to think differently about the world? (people,
animals, the environment)
o What other types of action could result from what I learned through my research?
(direct, indirect, advocacy, or research)
o What specific action might I be interested in taking based on what I’ve learned
through my research?

*Expand the box as needed

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Criterion A – Evaluating

Read the given resources and answer the questions that follow:

1. https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/bangalore/bengaluru-overexploitation-
groundwater-major-environmental-concerns-8108910/
 2. https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2017/mar/01/burning-lakes-experts-fear-
bangalore-uninhabitable-2025
3. https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/bangalore/land-cover-and-use-health-
biodiversity-major-future-concerns-of-bengaluru/article65802302.ece

Ai: Analyse disciplinary knowledge

Command term - Analyse: identify parts and relationships and interpret information to
reach conclusions. Prompts:
 What specific elements of knowledge from language and literature are valuable in
understanding this topic, issue? Which concepts can be connected here?
 What specific elements of knowledge from sciences are valuable in understanding
this topic, issue? Which concepts can be connected here?
 What differences and similarities do I notice in how each subject approaches this
topic, issue?
 To what extent were the knowledge contributions of each subject equally important
to understanding this topic, issue?

*Expand the box as needed

Aii: Evaluate interdisciplinary perspectives:

Command term - Evaluate: Make an appraisal by weighing up the strengths and limitations.
Prompts:
Strengths:
 How does combining the perspectives and content of the two subjects help me to
more fully understand this topic/ issue/ problem?
 How does combining the perspectives and content of these subjects help me to
more fully understand the statement of inquiry, “To what extent can evidence-based
communication impact the health of the environment?”
■ reduce the negative human impacts
■ and increase the positive human impacts
 What specific knowledge, understanding, skills from each subject was most
impactful?

Limitations:
 What could be limitations in combining these particular subjects?
 What other subjects might add another dimension to my thinking about this
topic/issue/problem and statement of inquiry?

*Expand the box as needed

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