· Web viewand is wavering on its promise to the European Space Agency to help fund future Mars ... cancel its next new rocket, ... agency has yet to decide upon a design

PBL Profile Sheet

Teacher: Mr. Ballance

Primary Subject Area: Science

Outside Subject Area: Language Arts

Class: Earth and Space Science

Grade Level: 10th Grade

Class Level: Regular

Class Time: Six 80 minute periods

PBL Title : Citizens address funding for James Webb Space Telescope

NGSSS in Science:

SC.912.E.5.7: Relate the history of and explain the justification for future space exploration and continuing technology development.

LO: Given access to the internet, students will construct a diagram that will explain the link between technology development and space exploration with at least 80% accuracy. (Synthesis)

SC.912.E.5.9: Analyze the broad effects of space exploration on the economy and culture of Florida.

LO: Working in cooperative groups, students will accurately identify the effects that the James Webb Space Telescope project has on the economy and culture of Florida. (Analysis)

NGSSS in Language Arts:

LA.910.4.3.1: The student will write essays that state a position or claim, present detailed evidence, examples, and reasoning to support effective arguments and emotional appeals, and acknowledge and refute opposing arguments.

LO: After researching possible solutions to a funding issue, students will write a persuasive essay to present and defend their given solutions, which must meet at least satisfactory on the grading rubric. (Evaluation)

Description of Student Roles and Problem Situation

The James Webb Space Telescope is currently slated to be launched in 2018 and become the successor to the Hubble Telescope. Currently the James Webb Space Telescope project is in danger of having its funding cut off due to economic issues in the United States. Students will take on one of two roles to address the funding issues surrounding the James Webb Space Telescope. One group of students will act as analysts in a company who will research increasing revenue in order to fund the space telescope. The other group of students will act as analysts in a company who will research cancelling other projects in order to fund the James Webb Space Telescope. They will report to the Congressional Budget Office on possible solutions to address the funding of the James Webb Space Telescope.

Adaptations for student from a non-western culture:

If there is a student from a non-western culture in the class, there are a couple of adaptations that could be made to accommodate them. First would be to speak with the student and find out what their background knowledge on space exploration is, and try to explain its history and significance to the student to fill any gaps in knowledge. Another would be to speak with the student and explain to them the basic concepts of how taxes work in America, and ensure they understand how certain calculations are made to scale the taxes. I would also try to determine the student’s level of comfort with group interaction so that they would be able to full participate where needed. During the exercise, I would periodically ask the student questions to check for understanding of the project and clarify any information that the student may need. I would also ensure that the student had equal time in group discussions and was participating fully.

Adaptations for ESOL student:

To facilitate instruction for an ESOL (ELL) student, there are a couple of accommodations that could be made. First, I would have any of the supporting documents and instructions translated into the student’s home language. Another accommodation would be to work with the student to ensure that they understood how to use any translate functions on a computer through either search engines, or word processing programs so that they could do independent research on material and information that was not provided by the teacher. I could also assign the student a partner who would assist in working with any information that the ELL student did not fully understand.

Title, Learner Characteristics, and

Next Generation Sunshine State Standards







PBL Title: Citizens address funding for James Webb Space Telescope

NGSSS in Science:





Learner Characteristic #1: Physical

“Although the birthrate for unmarried adolescents has fallen in recent years, it remains unacceptably high, as is the rate of sexually transmitted diseases.” (p. 99).

Justification:

It is important to be aware of the correlation that students who have been held back a grade or are behind schedule at their school are more likely to have unprotected sex. This is important to consider when administering this PBL so that it may serve to inspire students to study and work hard so their risk of falling behind or being held back is minimized.

Learner Characteristic #2: Social

“Many high school students are employed after school” (p. 100).

Justification:

Students at this age are now in a position to earn money from their labors, and many choose to do so. Students will have to begin paying taxes on earned income and hopefully grow an appreciation for where that money goes. This is important because this PBL will provide students with the opportunity to explore how some tax money is spent, and projects funded with those tax dollars.

Learner Characteristic #3: Emotional

“The most common type of emotional disorder during adolescence is depression” (p. 101).

Justification:

Students at this age are highly susceptible to emotional turmoil and depression, typically associated with feelings of worthlessness. One of the ways to help overcome this is to find something you believe in and become involved in a greater capacity. This is important because this PBL will provide students with an opportunity to take a position on a subject and become involved in group discussions to help overcome any feelings of isolation.

Learner Characteristic #4: Cognitive

“High school students become increasingly capable of engaging in formal thought, but they may not use this capability” (p. 103).

Justification:

Students at this age are able to grasp concepts of relative space and time in a much greater capacity. This is important because this PBL will allow students to apply learned concepts of space science, present evidence and arguments, and work toward mastering this thought process.


“Between the ages of twelve and sixteen, political thinking becomes more abstract, liberal, and knowledgeable” (p. 104).

Justification:

This lesson will allow students to examine a problem that is not local, but will have lasting effects on local citizens and economy. This is important because students need to understand how actions outside of their immediate lives can greatly impact others.

Learning Outcomes, Student Role and Problem Situation,

Meet the Problem Method








NGSSS in Science:





Learner Characteristic #1: Physical

“Although the birthrate for unmarried adolescents has fallen in recent years, it remains unacceptably high, as is the rate of sexually transmitted diseases.” (p. 99).

Justification:

It is important to be aware of the correlation that students who have been held back a grade or are behind schedule at their school are more likely to have unprotected sex. This is important to consider when administering this PBL so that it may serve to inspire students to study and work hard so their risk of falling behind or being held back is minimized.

Learner Characteristic #2: Social

“Many high school students are employed after school” (p. 100).

Justification:

Students at this age are now in a position to earn money from their labors, and many choose to do so. Students will have to begin paying taxes on earned income and hopefully grow an appreciation for where that money goes. This is important because this PBL will provide students with the opportunity to explore how some tax money is spent, and projects funded with those tax dollars.

Learner Characteristic #3: Emotional

“The most common type of emotional disorder during adolescence is depression” (p. 101).

Justification:

Students at this age are highly susceptible to emotional turmoil and depression, typically associated with feelings of worthlessness. One of the ways to help overcome this is to find something you believe in and become involved in a greater capacity. This is important because this PBL will provide students with an opportunity to take a position on a subject and become involved in group discussions to help overcome any feelings of isolation.


“High school students become increasingly capable of engaging in formal thought, but they may not use this capability” (p. 103).

Justification:

Students at this age are able to grasp concepts of relative space and time in a much greater capacity. This is important because this PBL will allow students to apply learned concepts of space science, present evidence and arguments, and work toward mastering this thought process.


“Between the ages of twelve and sixteen, political thinking becomes more abstract, liberal, and knowledgeable” (p. 104).

Justification:

This lesson will allow students to examine a problem that is not local, but will have lasting effects on local citizens and economy. This is important because students need to understand how actions outside of their immediate lives can greatly impact others.

NGSSS in Science:








Description of Student Roles and Problem Situation

The James Webb Space Telescope is currently slated to be launched in 2018 and become the successor to the Hubble Telescope. Currently the James Webb Space Telescope project is in danger of having its funding cut off due to economic issues in the United States. Students will take on one of two roles to address the funding issues surrounding the James Webb Space Telescope. One group of students will act as analysts in a company who will research increasing revenue in order to fund the space telescope. The other group of students will act as analysts in a company who will research cancelling other projects in order to fund the James Webb Space Telescope. They will report to the Congressional Budget Office on possible solutions to address the funding of the James Webb Space Telescope.

MEMORANDUM

To: Analysts groups, Analyst Supervisors, and Analyst support personnel

From: Robert Ballance, COO Pathways Advisory Group

RE: Funding solutions for James Webb Space Telescope

Date: May 19, 2013

As many of you may already know, the James Webb Space Telescope currently being designed and constructed by NASA to replace the Hubble Telescope, is in jeopardy of having its funding cut off due to budget strains brought on by the weakening economy. The projected shortfall for this project is $1.5 Billion. This project represents a significant investment already made by the United States over the past few years, and also accounts for a large amount of economic interest due to the jobs involved.

The Congress, NASA, and The President are deeply committed to preserving this project, but are faced with the potential of having to cancel it due to growing concern over the economy by American citizens. In light of this, the Congressional Budget Office has tasked Pathways Advisory Group with researching and proposing possible solutions to the James Webb Space Telescope funding issue before the next budget hearing in July 2013.

Due to the need to preserve this project, I have decided to create two analyst groups that will work on potential solutions. I am placing a deadline of June 3rd 2013 for submitted proposals by the groups in order to have enough time to get all information to the Congressional Budget Office before the July 2013 budget hearing.

It goes without saying that this is an important task, and I expect nothing less than your very best on this matter.

Thank you

Robert Ballance, COO Pathways Advisory Group

James Webb Space Telescope Closer to the Axe

Jul 13, 2011 09:17 PM ET // by Ian O'Neill

Last week, the House Commerce, Justice, and Science Appropriations Subcommittee made the recommendation that the advanced infrared space telescope — and Hubble’s replacement — be cancelled. On Wednesday, the full House Science, Space and Technology Committee has approved the subcommittee’s plan.

Although the project isn’t dead yet, the 2012 budget still needs to be voted on by the House an the Senate, but things are looking grim.

Despite a last minute appeal to the House Science, Space and Technology Committee by NASA Administrator Charles Bolden on Tuesday, the Republican-dominated committee were unmoved.

“I have tried to explain what I think is the importance of James Webb, in terms of opening new horizons far greater than we got from Hubble,” Bolden told the committee members. “I would only say that for about the same cost as Hubble in real-year dollars, we’ll bring James Webb into operation.”

Also, in a last-ditch attempt on Wednesday to breathe life into the project, Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California whose district covers NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab. in Pasadena, Calif., tried to insert an amendment that would have partially restored funding, redirecting $200 million from NASA’s account for Cross Agency Support. The amendment was shot down by a voice vote.

$3 billion has already been sunk into the project and components for the space telescope are undergoing space-readiness tests. Unfortunately, the projected 6.8 billion final price tag — plus mismanagement troubles — has attracted budget-cutting lawmakers.

Should JWST be cancelled, the $3 billion already invested will be lost. Seems like quite a big waste for NASA’s already grossly underfunded budget, doesn’t it?

The scientific returns on the JWST would be incalculable; but to politicians, science takes a distant second to budget cutting and political points scoring.

So what can we do apart from keep our fingers crossed that funding will magically appear?

Budget fight rages over James Webb Space TelescopeBy Brian Vastag,October 26, 2011

Bigger than a tennis court, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope spreads out in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor, its gray wings pulled taut, its mirror tilted skyward.

The real Webb telescope, by contrast, will have clocked more than 30 years from conception to orbit, if it launches as scheduled in 2018.

This is astronomy’s big, generational gamble, designed to peer back to the dawn of time, spy the first stars and galaxies, and search for signs of life on distant exoplanets — all feats the Hubble Space Telescope can’t manage.

At a time when NASA is searching for a post-shuttle identity, the agency has made the Webb a top priority. But on its way to the heavens, the Webb has run wildly over budget, drawn threats of cancellation from Congress, elbowed aside other NASA science missions and driven a wedge through the space science community.

Its fate for now rests on negotiations between NASA’s chief purse holders in Congress, Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski (D-Md.) and Rep. Frank R. Wolf (R-Va.). Mikulski, the telescope’s staunchest champion, chairs the Senate Appropriations subcommittee in charge of NASA’s budget; Wolf holds the parallel position in the House.

Fed up with Webb’s escalating costs, Wolf zeroed out in July Webb’s funding in NASA’s 2012 budget, and that’s how the House passed the spending bill.

Wolf has now softened. “I want to be able to fund the Webb,” he said of the telescope named for NASA’s second administrator. But first, Wolf wants to know how NASA will pay for the telescope’s cost overruns.

On Sept. 28, he asked the Office of Management and Budget for a list of NASA cuts to pay for the project, now priced at $8.7 billion. The office has yet to answer.

In the Senate, Mikulski countered by seeking $530 million for the Webb in fiscal 2012.

“I was able to persuade my committee and the Senate to fund the James Webb telescope,” Mikulski said Wednesday at the Maryland Science Center. “And I will tell you that next Tuesday, the Senate will pass a federal budget that will put in $500 million to put the James

Webb telescope into space, into the science books, into the history books and secure America’s place in astronomy for the next 50 years.”

Mikulski touted the telescope as a job creator. Of the 1,200 jobs NASA says the project creates across 24 states, about 500 are in Maryland, home of the Webb’s operations center, the Space Telescope Science Institute in Baltimore.

If the Senate delivers, Wolf and Mikulski will hammer out the budget in conference committee.

“I think the Senate and I will be able to work it out,” Wolf said.

But if Congress provides less than the $530 million that NASA says the project needs next year, the schedule will slip further and costs will continue to rise.

In 2006, NASA estimated that Webb would cost $2.4 billion and could launch in 2014. In 2008, the price tag rose to $5.1 billion. A congressionally mandated report released last year found that NASA had underestimated costs and mismanaged the project. This summer, NASA said it had already spent $3.5 billion on the project and needed a total of $8.7 billion to launch in 2018.

“The increases have gotten larger, not smaller, which indicates they don’t really have their hands around the problem,” said Alan Stern, a prominent critic of the telescope. Stern, a former associate administrator at NASA, is now an aerospace consultant.

Stern said Congress should cancel the project. “I think it rewards bad management at a time when taxpayers are very concerned about government spending.”

But Edward J. Weiler, who in September retired from NASA after a long career leading its space science division, pointed out that the Hubble also ran way over budget.

Weiler said estimating costs on a project that’s never been built before is difficult. “You bid optimistically. That’s not just a problem with the James Webb Space Telescope. We see it at NASA all the time; you see it at defense contractors. I would argue — and I’m not making excuses here — that [the budget overrun] is a product of the way we do business in America.”

Top astronomers said early estimates were never realistic.

“People were used to lowballing,” said Garth Illingworth, an astronomer at the University of California at Santa Cruz. “Congress has been part of the game.”

Webb’s supporters contend that the telescope consumes relatively little of the federal budget. NASA’s yearly allocation is about one-half percent of the federal total. If funded, the Webb will cost 3 to 4 percent of NASA’s budget for the next seven years.

But the extra money must come from somewhere.

Already, NASA has canceled an orbiting gravity probe called LISA, delayed a mission to study dark energy called WFIRST and is wavering on its promise to the European Space Agency to help fund future Mars probes.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said this month that he had a plan to pay for the telescope that will spread its costs “across the agency so that no organization suffers from it.” But NASA has not released details of this plan.

Scientists proposing unmanned missions to Mars and other planets are worried their budgets will be raided. Some suggest NASA should delay or cancel its next new rocket, the Space Launch System, announced last month.

“There is really no solution that can fund both the James Webb Space Telescope and save planetary exploration, except one: delay the premature and wildly expensive Space Launch System,” Lou Friedman, former director of the Planetary Society, wrote in Space Review.

NASA observers say that’s unlikely. Powerful backers in Congress, including Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) and Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Tex.), pushed the SLS, which heavily relies on facilities in their states that built and launched the now-retired space shuttle.

The Webb, meanwhile, is the only mission in town for astronomers. They’ve cast their lot with a huge, flagship mission.

“Cancellation means the Hubble has no successor,” said Jonathan Gardner, NASA’s deputy project scientist for the Webb. “That would essentially be the end of space astrophysics. It would be the end of doing this kind of astronomy.”

NASA Chief to Congress: Save the James Webb Space Telescopeby Mike Wall, SPACE.com Senior Writer

Date: 13 July 2011 Time: 12:27 PM ET

NASA chief Charlie Bolden went to bat for the agency's imperiled next-generation space telescope Tuesday (July 12), telling members of Congress that the instrument has greater potential for discovery than the iconic Hubble Space Telescope.

A proposed congressional budget bill announced last week would terminate NASA's James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), an ambitious instrument with a history of delays and cost overruns. But NASA can deliver JWST to space for about the same price as Hubble, Bolden said — and the science returns would be even greater.

"I have tried to explain what I think is the importance of James Webb, in terms of opening new horizons far greater than we got from Hubble," Bolden told members of the House Science, Space and Technology committee Tuesday. "I would only say that for about the same cost as Hubble in real-year dollars, we'll bring James Webb into operation." [Spectacular Hubble Telescope Photos]

A rocky history

The $6.5 billion JWST, named after a former NASA administrator, is billed as the agency's muscular successor to Hubble, which launched back in 1990 and is still going strong. JWST is an infrared observatory designed to peer further back into the universe's early days than ever before.

While many researchers have enthusiastically touted the telescope's potential, its development has been plagued by problems. Last November, an independent review panel found that JWST will cost at least $6.5 billion and could launch no earlier than September 2015, putting it $1.5 billion over budget and more than a year behind schedule.

The telescope's issues are primarily the result of poor management practices, the panel further concluded.

A recent budget and technology plan painted an even more pessimistic picture, estimating that JWST could launch by 2018 at the earliest.

And last week, the telescope's future came into even more serious question. The House Appropriations subcommittee that oversees NASA proposed a 2012 spending bill that would give the space agency just $16.8 billion, $1.6 billion less than last year. JWST's funding would be pulled completely.

Fighting for JWST

Bolden came to Capitol Hill Tuesday to discuss NASA's plans for its next heavy-lift rocket system — specifically, to explain to an increasingly impatient Congress why the agency has yet to decide upon a design. But he also fielded questions about JWST's fate and made a case for the instrument's continued funding.

For example, Bolden stressed that NASA has made changes to JWST's management, and that the instrument is already quite far along in development. More than 75 percent of the telescope's hardware has already been delivered, Bolden said.

The NASA chief also stressed JWST's potential to revolutionize our understanding of the universe, invoking Hubble's great achievements as an example of what such powerful telescopes can do.

"When we started Hubble, dark energy didn't exist. At least, we didn't know about it," Bolden said. "When we launched Hubble, there was no such thing as extrasolar planets. So those kinds of discoveries would probably go lacking, unless some other nation stepped forward and did it."

Problem Statement, Know/Need to Know Boards, and

Possible Resources

Problem Statement:

How can we, as analysts, determine funding for the James Webb Space Telescope in such a way that

Meets the deadline for the proposal

Makes up for the shortfall in current budget

Provides accurate and current data to the Congressional Budget Office

Allows for uninterrupted funding of the James Webb Space Telescope Project

Know Board:

1. The James Webb Space Telescope was recommended for cancellation during 2011.

2. The project is still active

3. A new budget has not been voted on House of Representatives and the Senate

4. $3 Billion has already been spent on the project

5. The current projected final price of the project is $8.7 Billion

6. The scheduled launch date for the telescope is in the year 2018

7. The telescope project encompasses 1200 jobs across 24 states

8. More than 75% of the telescopes hardware has already been delivered

9. The James Webb Space Telescope is an infrared observatory

Need to Know Board:

1. How will the JWST (James Webb Space Telescope) help to revolutionize space exploration?2. What technology advances have been made because of the development of the JWST?3. What percentage of NASA’s budget is consumed by the JWST?4. What was the reason the JWST was proposed to replace the Hubble Telescope?5. What would be the effect of cancelling the JWST on Florida’s economy?6. What other space projects are currently being developed that use funding that could

supplement the JWST project?7. What revenue streams could be increased in order to fund the JWST?8. Do citizens of Florida support the construction of the JWST?9. What components of the JWST have been developed that can also be used commercially?10. What other projects by NASA have allowed for great amounts of research data to be collected?

Possible Resources:

Internet:

http://www.jwst.nasa.gov/public.html

http://webbtelescope.org/webb_telescope/

http://sci.esa.int/science-e/www/area/index.cfm?fareaid=29

http://www.space-exploration.org/?page_id=10

Print Media:

The Telescope: It’s History, Technology, and Future by Geoff Anderson ISBN: 978-0691129792

Handout – NASA’s budget: James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Project, supplied by Teacher to each

group

Handout – Florida Economy, State Spending & Taxes, supplied by Teacher to each group

Non-Print Media:

PowerPoint - Assessment of the JWST from Astrophysics Subcommittee File Supplies by Teacher, also

available via Teachers website: https://sites.google.com/site/wellballancedscience/)

Video: Hubble’s successor, the James Webb Space Telescope

http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/jwst_d/

PowerPoint – Funding of current and projected NASA research projects (File Supplies by Teacher, also

available via Teachers website: https://sites.google.com/site/wellballancedscience/)

The Capstone Performance

NGSSS in Science:








Problem Statement:






Capstone Performance Description:

The Capstone Performance requires students to organize and apply content, make connections between

concepts, and communicate thoughts in order to propose a solution to the problem. This will be done in

two parts; an individual persuasive essay, and a group presentation. Each student will be assessed

individually on these two parts by using two separate rubrics; one for the essay, and one for the

presentation. Students will be placed in groups of 3-4 students for group work, research, and

presentations.

In the persuasive essay, students will take the part of an analyst providing results of their research into

the problem. The essay must also contain a diagram of the link between technology advancement and

space exploration, as well as an analysis of how the JWST affects Florida’s economy and culture. In the

essay, the student must present at least two possible solutions to the problem, and provide at least four

justifications for why one solution should be chosen over the other. The students will be given two

weeks to research and write their persuasive essays and will be evaluated by the essay rubric.

At the end of the two week research and writing period, group members will read each other’s

persuasive essays and decide which solution of the two presented in the essay that they like the best.

Then the group will re-read each chosen favorite solution from the essays and vote on a best solution

that they will present as their overall best choice in the group presentation. If a group cannot determine

a single best solution, they have the option to create a new solution as a group. Students will be given

two days to prepare for the group presentation.

In the group presentation, each group member will present their original two solutions and four

justifications, and then a chosen group representative will present the selected best solution to the

problem. Then each group member will present at least one justification each on why this solution is

the best. Each group member will be given up to five minutes each to present their solutions and

justifications, and the group will have an additional five minutes at the end of the presentation to

answer any questions from the COO’s table. Each group member will be assessed individually by a

presentation rubric.

In order to add authenticity to the capstone performance, the principal and vice principal of the school

will play the part of the COO and Vice President of the Pathways Advisory Group, with other teachers

playing the role of the board of directors. The COO, Vice President, and any board members will be

prepared to ask questions of the presenting group relating to the problem or solutions presented.

Group members must be prepared to answer any questions in a thoughtful and realistic manner as it

would be done in a real life situation.

The room will be arranged so that the COO, Vice President, and board members sit at a table in the front

area of the room facing the presenting group. The presenting group will be standing at the front of the

room facing the audience and will have access to any necessary multimedia tools such as the Smart

board or computer, as well as a white board, a podium, or any other needed materials. The rest of the

class will sit in desks behind the COO’s table and will rate the presented solutions on a “Rate the

Solutions” worksheet.

Student autonomy is encouraged by having the students decide how and what solution to present to the

audience, and can choose what role they will take in the group presentation. Meta-cognition is

incorporated via the use of a reflection questionnaire that each group member must complete after

they have given their presentation.

Room Arrangement

Smart Board / Whiteboard

Area where groups will present

COO/Vice President/ Directors

Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk

Desk

Desk Desk Desk Desk

Desk Desk Desk Desk

Desk Desk

Desk

Rubric for Assessing the Capstone Performance

Rubric for Capstone Performance Persuasive Essay

Criteria Superior Adequate Marginal

Introduction 5 Points

Introduction gets readers attention with a relevant question and a 90-100% accurate supporting fact

3 Points

Introduction gets readers attention with either a relevant question or a 90-100% accurate supporting fact, but not both

1 Point

Introduction fails to get readers attention by not including either a relevant question or a 90-100% accurate supporting fact

Main Body 15 Points

Main body contains at least 5 facts, statistics, or expert opinions that are 90-100% accurate, to support persuasive arguments.

10 Points

Main body contains 2-4 facts, statistics, or expert opinions that are 90-100% accurate, to support persuasive arguments.

5 Points

Main body contains 1 or no facts, statistics, or expert opinions that are 90-100% accurate to support persuasive arguments.

Conclusion 5 Points

Conclusion:

1) Restates opinions and arguments,

2) Summarizes reasons, and

3) Includes a call to action.

3 Points

Conclusion only contains two of the three components.

Ex: 1) Restates opinions and arguments,

2) Summarizes reasons,

No 3rd component.

1 Point

Conclusion only contains one of the three components.

Ex: 1) Restates opinions and arguments,

No 2nd or 3rd components.

Mechanics 5 Points 3 Points 1Point

Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk Desk

Essay is free of common spelling or grammatical errors including capitalization, punctuation, and run-on sentences.

Essay contains 1-3 common spelling or grammatical errors, including capitalization, punctuation, and run-on sentences.

Essay contains 4 or more common spelling or grammatical errors, including capitalization, punctuation, and run-on sentences.

Content Completeness

20 Points

Essay contains all 3 required components of the essay including:

1) Identifying effects of the JWST on the economy and culture of Florida with 90-100% accuracy,

2) Proposal of 2 solutions with at least 4 justifications each for funding the JWST, and

3) A 90-100 % accurate diagram that links technology development to space exploration.

10 Points

Essay contains two of the three required components.

Ex: 1) Identifying effects of the JWST on the economy and culture of Florida with 90-100% accuracy, 2) Proposal of 2 solutions with at least 4 justifications each for funding the JWST.

No 3rd component.

5 Points

Essay contains only one of the three required components.

Ex: 1) Identifying the effects of the JWST on the economy and culture of Florida with 90-100% accuracy.

No 2nd or 3rd Component.

Scoring Guide:

A = 41-50

B = 31-40

C = 21-30

D = 11-20

F = 0-10

Rubric for Capstone Performance Oral Presentation

Criteria Superior Adequate Marginal

Comprehension and Accuracy

5 Points

Speaker correctly answers all questions from the audience providing at least 2 85-100% accurate supporting facts or statistics per answer.

3 Points

Speaker correctly answers questions from the audience providing 1 85-100% accurate supporting fact or statistic per answer.

1 Point

Speaker correctly answers questions from the audience with no supporting facts or statistics.

OR

Speaker answers questions incorrectly.

Quality of individual solutions and justifications

7 Points

Speakers solutions and justifications align to all conditions that were given in the problem statement

5 Points

Speakers solutions and justifications align to 3 of the conditions that were given in the problem statement

2 Points

Speakers solutions and justifications align to 2 or less conditions that were given in the problem statement

Individual solutions and justifications

explanation

10 Points

Speaker communicates the individuals 2 original solutions and 4 justifications each, as well as 1 justification for the choice of the group’s solution.

7 Points

Speaker communicates only 1 individual solution and 4 justifications, as well as 1 justification for the choice of the group’s solution.

Justifications are

3 Points

Speaker does not communicate an individual solution or justifications, but does provide 1 justification for the choice of the group’s solution.

Justifications are

Justifications are based on 95-100% accurate facts

based on 80-95% accurate facts

OR

Speaker communicates 2 solutions and 4 justifications each, but no justification for choice of group’s solution.

based on less than 80% accurate facts.

OR

Speaker provides 1 individual solution with less than 4 justifications, but no justification for choice of group’s solution

Delivery 20 Points

Speaker effectively maintains eye contact with audience more than 90% of the time.

Speaker maintains appropriate volume, tone, and pronunciation, so that all audience members can understand what is being said more than 90% of the time.

10 Points

Speaker effectively maintains eye contact with audience between 75- 90% of the time.

Speaker maintains appropriate volume, tone, and pronunciation, so that all audience members can understand what is being said between 75- 90% of the time.

5 Points

Speaker maintains eye contact with audience less than 75% of the time.

Speaker maintains appropriate volume, tone, and pronunciation, so that all audience members can understand what is being said less than 75% of the time.

Presentation Time

3 Points

Speaker stays within the given 5 minute individual presentation time frame.

2 Points

Speaker goes over the 5 minute individual presentation time frame by less than 1 minute.

1 Point

Speaker goes over the 5 minute individual presentation time frame by more than 1 minute.

Reflection 5 Points

Speaker answers all 10 questions on the reflection questionnaire

3 Points

Speaker answers 7-9 questions on the reflection questionnaire

1 Point

Speaker answers less than 7 questions on the reflection questionnaire

Scoring Guide:

A = 41-50

B = 31-40

C = 21-30

D = 11-20

F = 0-10

Two Alternatives and “Best” Solution Analysis


NGSSS in Science:








Problem Statement:






Solution One:

The analysts recommend that an increase of federal taxes should be levied in order to fund the completion of the James Webb Space Telescope. They provide accurate information about the dollar amount needed to fund the JWST for the duration of construction and expected operation to the Congressional Budget Office. The proposal outlines the recommended amount and schedule of taxes that will allow for no interruptions or shortfalls in funding for the JWST. The proposed solution includes a provision that addresses the shortfall that exists in the current budget. The analysts present the proposed solution before the deadline to the Congressional Budget Office, to ensure that findings can be analyzed and voted on by the Congress.

Pro ConRaising a federal tax would provide stability to the budget

Potential backlash from American Citizens over higher taxes

Greater income for the JWST than if other projects were cut

Lowers the disposable income of most citizens

Tax money already spend on the JWST would not be for nothing because the project would continue

Tax increases tend to promote waste in spending

Greater oversight on how much is allowed to be spent

Once the tax is in place it might stay despite if the funding is still necessary

Consequences:

Raising taxes could allow the James Webb Space Telescope Project to be completed on time to allow for projected launch date of 2018 to be met.

Fully funding the James Webb Space Telescope will allow for current employees to retain their jobs, as well as new jobs created from the completion of construction and operation of the JWST.

Solution Two:

The analysts recommend that other research projects be cancelled in order to fund the completion of the James Webb Space Telescope. They provide accurate information about the dollar amount needed to fund the JWST for the duration of construction and expected operation to the Congressional Budget Office. The proposal outlines the recommended projects that could be cancelled that will allow for no interruptions or shortfalls in funding for the JWST. The proposed solution includes a provision that addresses the shortfall that exists in the current budget. The analysts present the proposed solution before the deadline to the Congressional Budget Office, to ensure that findings can be analyzed and voted on by the Congress.

Pro ConAllows NASA a greater degree of control in how funding occurs for the JWST

Loss of valuable research from other projects

Quicker to implement than a tax increase Loss of jobs from other research projectsAllows more control of costs due to tighter budget If costs for JWST go up, more projects might have

to be cut.JWST project becomes a higher priority in NASA research

Negative views by citizens due to other projects being cut to fund the JWST

Consequences:

Contractors might increase costs on materials needed for the JWST to make up for loss of business from other research projects that they supplied.

There is a potential for loss of highly skilled and educated employees to other fields or job markets due to the lack of available and stable job opportunities.

Justification:

Best solution: Solution One.

The analysts feel that solution one is the best solution for a number of reasons. The first reason that the analysts feel solution one is the best is because it allows for continued funding of the James Webb Space Telescope without having to cut any other current NASA research projects. Cutting other projects would result in a potential loss of great advances in both research, and any technological advances that might occur in the process such as medical or optical. The second reason that the analysts feel that solution one is best is because it allows for a greater amount of income than if other projects were to be cut. Third, over $3.5 billion in tax dollars has already been spent on the JWST, and over 75% of the hardware is already built. Therefore, continuing the project with tax revenue keeps those investments from becoming a loss. The fourth reason that solution one is best is because no jobs will be lost in the process of completing the James Webb Space Telescope. If solution two was implemented, there would likely be a large amount of job loss due to other projects being cut, which would result in not only a loss of employment, but also an income loss due to less tax income revenue from those no longer employed. Finally, solution two is not desirable because if other projects are cut, and people lose jobs, this would likely result in a highly negative view of the necessity of the James Webb Space Telescope by the public.

Some people will say that raising taxes, no matter what the situation, is not a good idea. To counter this, I would point out that taxes have funded almost all of NASA’s research projects in the past, and it has produced not only a wealth of knowledge about the universe and physics, but also an abundance of technology for use outside of space research. Some examples of this are highly advanced medical equipment such as CAT scanners, MRI machines, and even microsurgical devices that were originally designed for use on robotic probes. Other technological advances from space research have included food preservation and even memory foam mattresses.

Debriefing Plan and Coaching Questions


NGSSS in Science:








Problem Statement:






Review of Student Generated Solutions:

All groups of analysts will make oral presentations to the COO, Vice President, and Board of Directors in the presence of all other analyst groups. By doing this, all groups will be able to hear and analyze all possible solutions. The teacher will act as a third part recorder and will write down each proposed best solution as well as their supporting details or characteristics. These recorded solutions will be presented in a printed handout to each student the next day after completion of the presentations. Analyst groups will then rate each proposed best solution according to a provided rating scale and point conversion sheet.

Ratings of Solutions:

Analyst groups will reconvene in order to rate the proposed solutions that are presented in the handout from the teacher using the following rating scale and point conversion:

Rating Scale for Solutions

The two solutions that received the highest total scores will then be selected for whole class analysis and discussion. The whole class will then engage in a discussion on what elements of the solution were the best, what elements were the most feasible, and what elements they felt could be altered to make them more effective. The class will then be asked if the solutions could be combined either in whole or in part in order to create a singular best solution based on the problem criteria. During the discussion, the teacher will record the different elements and proposals onto the smart board that the class comes up with so that each student can review them.

Debrief Coaching:

5 essential concepts which must be addressed and utilized in the best solutions:

1. Facts about the funding issue of the James Webb Space Telescope2. What scientific advancements have been made through space exploration3. What effect the JWST will have on the economy and culture of Florida4. What the total estimated cost of construction of the JWST will be5. The role the Congressional Budget Office plays in the budget for NASA

In addition to ensuring the 5 essential concepts are addressed, accurate calculations on funding must be included to ensure that data is complete so an informed decision can be made. Each of these concepts

1st 10 points2nd 8 points3rd 6 points4th 4 points5th 2 points6th 1 point

will be placed onto the solutions handout that will be provided to students so they can properly judge if all requirements have been met and are addressed during the rating process. Each concept will also be discussed during the whole class discussion after the rating of solutions has been made.

Coaching During Lesson:

C – Cognitive

M – Meta-cognitive

E – Epistemic

Type of Question

Question

Meet the ProblemC What is the student role in this problem?M What do you already know about the James Webb Space Telescope?E How realistic is this problem?

Know/ Need to Know BoardC What is the current estimated cost of the James Webb Space Telescope?M How do you “know” this?E Is it necessary to find the answers to all the “need to know” questions?

Problem StatementC What resources can be used to help fund the James Webb Space Telescope?M Are you comfortable with the problem statement your group has written? Would you

add anything?E Can you name some “conditions” that would be common to all problems?

ResearchC What type of budget calculations and tax research does the group need to do for this

problem?M What terms can you think of that might be helpful in doing a “Google” search for this

problem?E What different types of resources can be helpful in solving problems?

Generating Possible SolutionsC What scientific and mathematical evidence do you have to back up this solution?M Why do you feel that Solution 1 is better than Solution 2? Explain your reasoning.E Do you think this solution would work in the real world?

· Web viewand is wavering on its promise to the European Space Agency to help fund future Mars ... cancel its next new rocket, ... agency has yet to decide upon a design

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