introduction_webquest

The Mayor of your town is thinking about planting Tropical Pitcher Plants in the neighbourhood. However, there has been strong objection by some town folks who don't want the Pitcher Plants to be planted. These folks feel that Pitcher Plants are dangerous and are of potential danger especially to their little kids. The Mayor of the town still wants to go ahead with the idea but he wants to first convince these critics that planting Pitcher Plants would not pose any hazard to anyone. The Mayor is looking for someone to help him research about pitcher plants and to report the findings in a newsletter.

The Mayor has found you! You are part of a team of 4 environmental journalist who have been given the job of researching and writing the newsletter. The Mayor has stipulated that he wants the newsletter to include the following information.

                      What are Pitcher Plants?
                      Where Pitcher Plants can be found?
                      Do Pitcher Plants pose any danger to humans or the environment?
                      How to cultivate and maintain Pitcher Plants?

To meet the deadline for the newsletter, each member in the team will investigate and report your findings for one section of the newsletter. The members in the team will be take on one of the following roles:

                  Theory Manager/ Design Expert
                   - this person should explain what pitcher plants are. He/she should be able
                     to compare "normal" plants with pitcher plants. The overall layout and design
                     of the newsletter also falls in this person's responsibility.

                   Identification Specialist
                   - the main duty of this person is to recommend the species of Pitcher Plant
                      that can be cultivated in he neighbourhood. He/she will also be able to help
                      residents of the neighbourhood to identify common species of tropical pitcher
                      plants

                   Anatomy & Safety Specialist
                   - This person would identify and describe the parts and functions of the pitcher
                       plant. He/she must then convince the residents of the neighbourhood that
                       Pitcher Plants do not pose any danger to humans.

                   Cultivation Specialist
                    - This person would be able to advise the mayor and residents on how the
                       cultivate healthy Pitcher plants.

1. Get together with your group and decide the role of each member.

2. Once you have decided on the roles each member take a look at the resources
     websites to get an overview on Pitcher Plants.


3. Using the sites listed in the resources, begin your research work. Locate the
     information necesssary to complete your section of the project. Take notes as
     you do your research.

4. Once you have completed your research, write your first draft. Share your first
     draft with your group. Make sure everybody reads and understands your report.

5. Make changes to the first draft and prepare the final draft.

6. Get together and decide on the layout and design of the newsletter. The newsletter may be
     of any resonable size but it must be attractive so that the residents would want to read it.

7. Prepare your newsletter. The deadline for the submission would be on 31 June 200x.
     However, your team must report preliminary findings on 15 May 200x. This is to ensure
     that you are on the right track and that you have been keeping up with the tasks.