The Dynamic Duo --
The Salt Fork and Double Mountain Fork of the Brazos on the
Texas High Plains Brazos River Watershed
MOTIVATION
How do you create motivational scenarios for study?
News media Searches may provide public information which may or may not be true. These may provide controversial material that can be proven or disproven through further investigations. Motivational material should be brief and without much detail. The material should provide bits and pieces of information on the people who are involved in the statement (stakeholders). The motivational statement should also give readers some ideas of the things that people cannot change (constraints) and things that people would like to get out of the situation (considerations). As the motivational statement is teased apart, the reader should begin to understand that there is a need to learn more. That is where the knowledge construction begins. The teacher can develop lessons and activities to generate the knowledge construction. Students should keep journals, have short readings, use inquiry activities, and utilize technology. Most of the work is done in teams or collaborative groups. As knowledge grows, students will begin to ask questions that they believe they need to know to make good decisions. These investigations are not limited to science, but may include math, social studies, and other disciplines as well. Students can be motivated to study the background information that will help shed light on the topics. For this study, searches can be done on the Brazos, its lakes, tributaries, and other water related topics. Those motivational topics can become "spring boards" for knowledge acquisition.
Examples of motivational activities for water studies:
- Damning Rivers (Check Media above)
- City of Lubbock and Lake Alan Henry Water
- Water for the Lubbock Area
- Lubbock Water Treatment (Check media above)
- Lubbock Wastewater Treatment (Check media above)
- Lake Alan Henry Disputes (There are numerous disputes -- check media sources above)
- T Boone Pickens (Check media above)
- Texas Sierra Club
Additional help for motivational activity development can be found at the Case Study segment of this website.
ACTIVITIES
Complete Motivation Activities as outlined in the motivational scenario.
What is the initial decision that needs to be made?
What information needs to be known?
This material may be used for educational purposes. Please contact Marcia Talkmitt with any intent to use or revise.