Human Health and Environment

📗 Task(s)

This is a multi-step assignment. Ensure you take your time on each step.

Complete Research

Complete research on the following four human health and environmental topics:

• How can computers have a negative effect on human health?
• Find a local company/institution that offers e-waste recycling services. Once you have such a place, look into what types of e-waste that company/institution can recycle and the steps they take during the recycling process.
• Find information regarding different ways to reduce the negative impacts of computers on the environment.
• How can computers be used in a positive way to help the environment?

Create Visuals

Once you have all of your research, complete all of the following:

• Create a visual poster or diorama that uses no words, that describes negative effects of computers on human health (choose either mental health or physical health).
• Create a visual poster or diorama that uses no words (other than the company name), that shows a local company/institution that offers e-waste recycling services, examples of items that can be recycled, and the steps in the recycling process.
• Create a mind map of your research relating to what measures can help reduce the negative effects of computers on the environment.
• Create a mind map of the positive effects of computers (and computer use) on the environment.

Free online infographic tools are available here, here, and here. There are more available if you don't like the ones above (a quick search using your favorite search engine will find you some more).

There are exemplars of visuals available for this assignment.

Supplemental Text

In a word processing document, complete the following:

• For the human health poster: describe why you chose each particular image and how each of the images supports the narrative you are portraying. Provide specific justification.
• For the local company environmental poster: describe how each step in the recycling process works, and how each image you chose portrays that information.
• For the mind map of the reduction of negative effects, describe:
  • What you can do to lower the negative effects of computers on the environment. Be specific. Go beyond: turn off monitor, turn off power, recycle the parts, etc.
  • What manufacturers can do to lower the negative effects of computers on the environment. Be specific and justify your responses.
• For the mind map of the positive effects of computers on the environment: describe what overall conclusion(s) can you draw from the mind map/research? Explain and justify your response.

Citations

• Cite your work using APA, MLA, or Chicago format (whichever one you want).
• Cite all images used from the internet. You can provide a list of hyperlinks to the images used.
  • If you used images from the tool of your choice, you do not have to cite those.

Due Dates and Submission Details

Submit the following:

• 2 posters
• 2 mind maps
• 1 supplemental text document

Please see the due dates page for more details on when this is due and how to submit your work.

Learning Goals and Success Criteria

The Overarching Learning Goal for this is Digital Citizenship. The specific Learning Goal(s) for this include:

• We are learning to promote environmental stewardship, sustainability, and ethical uses of computers.

Success Criteria	What we are looking for when assessing this work ("Look Fors")
I can describe the negative effects of computers on human health	* ability to describe negative effects, * quality and quantity of effects, * non-duplication of effects, * variety of effects, * justification of why you chose those effects, * clear story and flow to work
I can identify local companies and institutions that offer e-waste recycling services, and how they complete such services.	* company or institution is clearly identifiable, * easily identify what items they recycle, * clear description of how the recycling process works (visually and in writing), * justification of why you chose these images
I can identify measures that help reduce the negative effects of computers on the environment	* mind map communicates thorough research, * easily identify ways that reduce negative effects, * thorough understanding of what you can do, * specificity of manufacturer suggestions, * creative ideas of what manufacturers can do
I can describe the positive effects of computers and computer use on the environment	* mind map communicates with clarity, * justification of decisions in mind map are clear, * conclusion matches research in mind map, * explanation and justification of conclusion are sound