Mr. Gallagher's Health Class: Drinking and Driving WebQuest

Task Your task is to educate yourself about the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the other New England states, the best state and the worst state in the country regarding alcohol and drinking and driving. Using your research information on these laws, you are going to begin a public awareness campaign to try and rally support from the people of our Commonwealth. Your goal is to make the public aware of this disturbing information (you have just learned) and to try and create awareness at the state level that could lead to legislative changes!

Drinking and Driving Laws Use pages 15 & 16 to complete this spreadsheet (print these two pages) http://www.madd.org/docs/rts2002/rts_section4.pdf

Drinking and Driving Statistics Use pages 17 & 18 to complete this spreadsheet (print these two pages) http://www.madd.org/docs/rts2002/rts_section4.pdf

Process 1. On the Drinking and Driving laws sheets, highlight the following state's information: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Also highlight the best state's (California) and the worst state's (Montana) information as well. 2. On the Drinking and Driving statistics sheets, highlight the following state's information: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Also highlight the best state's (California) and the worst state's (Montana) information as well. 3. Answer the following questions (responses must be typed) by clicking on the ''General DUI Links'' at the bottom of the page and looking under ''Composite State Reports'': a) Which state received the best grade in the nation? What was that grade? b) Which state received the best grade out of the New England states? What was that grade? c) Which state received the worst grade in the nation? What was that grade? d) Which state received the worst grade out of the New England states? What was that grade? e) In your opinion, what did the best state have/do, that the worst state didn't. In other words, what made the best ''the best'' and what made the worst ''the worst''? f) Pick the three biggest problems (from the laws of Massachusetts), as you see it, and name them. Now describe how you feel fixing these three laws will make a difference. g) In your opinion, do you feel that the nation should have one (universal) DWI policy with the same penalties, laws, etc? Or do you feel that each state should be allowed to govern their own? Explain your thoughts. Included in your explanation should be the types of laws that we should/should not have as well as the penalties for violating those laws. 4. Take (your assigned) foreign country and learn as much as you can about the country and their laws around alcohol and drinking and driving. Use the MADD report to help you identify categories. You will have to do this research using the foreign links section. Your choices are: Australia, Austria, Canada, England, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Spain, or Switzerland. Once you research is complete, you will create a brochure that discusses the laws and the facts that you found on the country you researched. If you have information on or would like to try a different country- it must be cleared by Mr. Gallagher first. 5. Write a persuasive letter (which must be typed) to Governor Romney or a local congressman (Rep. Brad Hill or Sen. Bruce Tarr) urging them to make drinking and driving legislation a priority for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. In your letter you should site specific examples, call attention to the problem (as you see it), and voice your concerns and/or possible solutions. It would be helpful and supportive if you identify the laws (or lack of laws) in you letter and make specific comments. 6. Create a Public Service Announcement (PSA) dealing with the consequences of drinking and driving. Try to incorporate as much information into your PSA as possible (remember media deconstruction activity). Your options are: 1. TV Commercial; 2. Print Ad; 3. Radio Spot. Your PSA should take into account the following: target audience; the message you are trying to convey; the medium you will use; the people you use (names, age, gender, ethnicity, etc.); plot of the story; how will you ''hook'' your audience? The rough draft will be done on a storyboard, before the final product is created. 7. Take part in a class-wide panel discussion based on your research information that will be led by Mr. Gallagher. You and your partners should be prepared to share your viewpoints and research information during this interactive discussion. 8. Completed journal that is signed by each group member. See roles section for journal description.

Roles Each group member will play a specific role and have their own responsibilities. First (as a group) print out and highlight the laws and statistics sheets. Next your roles will be as follows: Person One: Creates Foreign Country Brochure. Person Two: Answers Questions 3A-3G, Person Three: Writes persuasive letter. All three members are responsible for the PSA. In two person groups, all three roles are divided up equally. Your group is also responsible for creating a 3-Day journal. The journal will include the group members names, roles, and then there will be an entry of what each person did daily over the three research and development days. THE JOURNAL WILL BE SIGNED BY ALL GROUP MEMBERS!

Finished Product 1. Highlighted Laws Sheet. 2. Highlighted Statistics Sheets. 3. Completion of the seven questions related to your research. 4. Completion of the foreign country brochure (complete with facts and laws) that will be presented to the class. 5. Your letter to your local state representative (which will be read to your classmates). 6. Your Public Service Announcement (which will be presented to your classmates). 7. Participation in a class-wide panel discussion based on your research information. 8. Completed journal that is signed by each group member.

DUI Project Rubric Click on this link to view the grading rubric for your project.

Research Links Use the following two links to research Drinking and Driving in Massachusetts, the United States, and your foreign country information.

General DUI Research Link

Foreign Country DUI Research Link

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