This investigation will have you constructing your own WebQuest as you research any number of chemical carcinogens. It includes the steps involved in tracking a specific suspected chemical, or locating sites that have information on possible carcinogenic compounds. It is expected that you will delete all of the instructions written in italicized RED when your Carcinogen Quest is completed.

To edit this Carcinogen Quest document using Netscape Communicator follow these instructions:

1. Open the File menu on the your browser and choose Edit Page.

2. This will open the page in Composer. You can SAVE the page now before editing or wait until you've edited a portion of the page.

3. Open the SAVED file using your browser's editing function. Under File that  would be Open Page in Composer.

4. All of the text and check boxes will be retained though not visible in the editor. Your editor will allow you to Delete, Cut , Paste and Change Links as well as add various functions to your page.

5. When you are ready to view the page use the Preview in Browser function and examine your work to see how it will appear as a finished product.

6. When you have finished the editing, Upload the page to your Web site and let the games begin.

To edit this Carcinogen Quest document using Microsoft Explorer follow these instructions:

1. Open the File menu on the your browser and choose Edit with Microsoft FrontPage.

2. This will open the page in FrontPage. You can SAVE the page now before editing or wait until you've edited a portion of the page.

3. Open the SAVED file using Explorer and under File select Edit in FrontPage, or simply Open the SAVED file in FrontPage.

4. All of the text and check boxes will be retained and visible in the editor. Your editor will allow you to Delete, Cut , Paste and Change Links as well as add various functions to your page.

5. When you are ready to view the page use the Preview in Browser function and examine your work to see how it will appear as a finished product.

6. When you have finished the editing, Upload the page to your Web site and let the games begin.

When your Carcinogen Quest is finished it will be critiqued through a peer review process by your fellow students. The critique will focus on some of the following questions:

1. Are all of the links functional?

2. Is there a reasonable sequencing of the categories as you progress through the document?

3. Is the grammar and spelling correct?

4. Is there an attempt at a balanced presentation of data, or is the presentation biased?

Your peer reviewers can add to the critique questions as they examine your Carcinogen Quest documents. The intention here is not to grade but to critique, so you will sit down with the peer reviewers of the Carcinogen Quest and have them explain their comments.

If your teacher wishes to assess the Carcinogen Quest document, then he or she will develop his or she grading instrument after he or she examines the results of this first activity. The main intent with this Carcinogen Quest construction is to create a document that will be a part of a database of resource materials that can be used by instructors and students for other projects in the future.

Each section of the Carcinogen Quest will include an italicized RED set of instructions/directions about the example area used in the process of building the document. Because this is a template for the construction of your Carcinogen Quest you can delete instructions, any part of the examples from the Cancer Quest and replace them with your directions, links, or interpretations. You are going to leave the information on the disease of cancer intact and develop the section of the Cancer Quest concerning a substance of your choice.

If you have already completed the Cancer Quest tutorial, then click on Research Introduction.

The investigator must do the tutorial portion (without having to do the position paper) of the Cancer Quest as an introduction to chemical carcinogens and data collection methods. The interpretation of data concerning chemical carcinogens is not a black or white issue, and Cancer Quest will help you recognize some of the contradictions and idiosyncrasies of the information. Return here after you have completed the Cancer Quest

Now that you have completed the Cancer Quest proceed to the next section of this document. You are going to leave the information on the disease of cancer intact and develop the section of the Caricinogen Quest concerning the chemical you choose to study. Click on Research Introduction and follow the RED instructions from there.

I. Cancer is a disorder that involves the transformation of normal benign body cells into malignant rapidly dividing cells. Our Cancer Quest into the possible carcinogenic effects of various chemicals on normal cells begins with an examination of cells. First, let's define;

1. In the text box below briefly summarize what is cancer? Click on the text box to activate it. Type in your answer. Click off the box to deactivate it.

II. How Cancer Grows extends the What is Cancer? section and will explain some of the molecular biology of the disease. It is a bit more technical, but necessary if you are to affectively grasp the implications of this unfolding Cancer Quest.

When you've finished the presentation, answer the following two questions . Click on the box next to the correct answers and place an X in them.

1. The first genetic mutation in the early stages of carcinoma (epithelial cancer) formation can take different forms such as: (3 answers)

2. For a cell to become cancerous it generally requires a series of more than two mutations to occur.

 If you already know the chemical that you wish to study then you can skip the Selected List of Carcinogens and move to the Search Process below. If you do not have a chemical substance to investigate then click on the Selected List of Carcinogens and choose one.

 The Search Process is relatively straightforward. You can Click on the Search icon on the top Menu Bar of your browser and use the search engine provided or you can specify an engine that you generally use if you have a favorite. In case you're not familiar with the use of search engines, they work by searching for key words or phrases. You can enter a single word, or a phrase, in the search window. If you use a phrase you should put it in "quotation marks" ("the causes of cancer" or "carcinogenic agricultural chemicals"). That way the engine will search for the complete phrase. If you have a string of key words, then you can enter them in the search window with + signs. Such as, carcinogens + agriculture + safety. The search engine will search the words in order looking at the first, then the second, etc.

Below are the URL (addresses) of some specific search engines that do a good job. You decide what you want to do or experiment with several to see their capabilities. Pick one and enter a key word that you think will access your new cancer information or a possible carcinogenic substance.

 Once your carcinogenic substance is chosen then you should organize your search sequence on the Carcinogen Quest document. The information that will be included on the Carcinogen Quest document must produce a coherent sequence to make the presentation reasonable. When you worked your way through the Cancer Quest tutorial there were certain categories of information describing the qualities of atrazine and specific reports that related test data on the herbicide's carcinogenic properties. You must create a similar set of categories as you search for information. If you think that the current set of categories for the Cancer Quest meet your needs then use them and adapt them.

 It is not possible at this point to determine what categories you will have. You and your partner have to evaluate the sites that are returned by your search. Judge their quality and the part they will play in a logical sequence of steps to inform someone about your substance. The Carcinogen Quest presentation should be balanced and avoid biasing, if possible. Your job is to construct the Carcinogen Quest as a voyage of understanding and not a series of links biased to produce a specific answer. It may be possible that the evidence for, or against, your chosen substance is such that only one position can be taken. If that is the case then let the data speak for itself. Your job is to organize the data in a way that any individual or cooperative group can decide for themselves the significance of the information. Find sites that present two sides of the story, if there are two sides.

III. What are the risk factors associated with cancer? Read Possible Causes and Prevention of Cancer . Focus your attention on the Chemicals and Other Substances section of the reading.

1. List five possible causes of cancer in the box below. Click in the box to activate it.

The reading explains that there are many causes of cancer, but this Quest will focus its attention on the possibility that agricultural chemicals could be carcinogenic agents. Your goal in this Cancer Quest investigation will be to answer the following question:

 From this point forward in the document you must evaluate each section of the Carcinogen Quest for elimination or editing to fit your specific needs. The statement below was used to set the stage for the investigation of the suspected carcinogen. The variable to be investigated was the amount (low levels) of the agricultural herbicide atrazine. If this is the variable that you wish to focus on in researching your substance, then leave the statement intact and move to the next section of the Carcinogen Quest. Insert the name of your carcinogen in the document at the prompt (insert name of substance here). If the amount of your substance is not the variable for you, then edit the section accordingly.

Now the editing and deleting intensifies. As you read the sections below you will see the original text using the chemical atrazine. Delete the parts of the narrative that do not suit your purposes and use the name of your substance to replace atrazine.

To investigate this question a fairly common and universally used agricultural herbicide named atrazine (insert name of substance here) will be examined because of its well documented chemical properties and their possible carcinogenic effects. Let us begin this Quest by introducing you to atrazine (insert name of substance here) through the manufacturer's Web site. When you arrive at the site Introducing atrazine (insert name of substance here) read the introduction, visit each of the links and then respond to the following questions. 

The questions and text boxes can be retained in the document if they meet your needs. They are here so that you can evaluate if the participants are reading and assimilating the information you have provided for them. You can change the format of the questions, edit or delete them. It is recommended that you use some form of response questions to determine if the students are interpreting the information in a manner that will lead them to the unbiased presentation that you seek in the Carcinogen Quest.

1. Was there any data in the atrazine (insert name of substance here) brochure that indicated any negative affects from the use of the herbicide?

2. Read all of the information on atrazine under the heading ATRAZINE SAFETY (insert name of substance here) and then briefly summarize the data starting with Drinking Water Safety , True Extent of Atrazine Detections in Drinking Water , and Water Quality Stewardship in the scroll box provided below.

3. Should all numerical data and the details of the research procedures used to determine the absence of carcinogenic properties of atrazine (insert name of substance here) be made available to the public in support of the statements made about testing results? Please, comment on this question in the text box below.

 This section of the Quest has special meaning and should be retained in your document. Its function is to establish strict criteria to evaluate any data that is presented to your audience. This is an important component of the research process that emphasizes the scientific nature of the Carcinogen Quest. If you choose to edit any part of this section do it carefully. The words used here were chosen because they define specific actions that must be taken to validate both the process of the research and the information resulting from the research.

Information used to solve problems can come in many forms from anecdotal to experimental. There can be a vast difference in the validity of the conclusions drawn about specific problems based on the nature of the evidence used. If a scientific answer to the proposed carcinogenic problem is to be realized, then certain standards must be established and met for any valid conclusions to be drawn. 

1. Any numerical test data that is presented should have the details of procedures used to arrive at that data. Missing those procedures, there should be a secondary reference to experimental procedures, or protocols, used to arrive at any similar data.

2. If experimental procedures are available, they should be sufficiently detailed to allow for a peer review, or minimized for the reader to comprehend how the numbers were determined. In other words, should you leave with any unanswered questions about the data after reading the report, then the report is incomplete.

3. There should be other references to previously done investigations that contain documented protocols and results, if they are available. You may find that the paper you are reading contains the only information that exists on the chemical substance being studied and that all of the previous reports have drawn from this one.

4. Scientific data associated with the carcinogenic affects of a specific chemical substance should contain the following components:

a. Animals used in test (type, age, sex)

b. Dosage levels and mode of administration of chemical substance 

c. Length of time of exposure

d. Types of cancer, if any

These criteria are stringent and when applied must be done with a degree of judgement on your part. It is improbable that any data can be 100% conclusive about the effect a chemical substance on tissue given all the variables that can occur in natural settings. However, if experiments are reasonably done and their data reasonably applied by the practitioner, then a probable conclusion based on valid assumptions can be reached and decisions made about future use of said chemical. Keep all of these criteria in mind as you examine the information on your Cancer Quest. Make the data live up to your expectations and don't settle for hype in place of facts 

You can now continue to put the name of your substance into the narrative and edit specific sentences as you see fit.

So far our Cancer Quest has gotten us background information on cancer and charged us with the responsibility of recognizing when, and if, data is scientific as opposed to anecdotal or overstated. It's time now that we begin the task of interpreting and organizing reports on atrazine (insert name of substance here).

  Let's be perfectly clear here concerning what this Cancer Quest (change to Carcinogen Quest) is about. You and your partner are going to see a large amount of information concerning the herbicide atrazine (insert name of substance here). You are to consider the following question: 

Now that you know what the question is, let's discuss how we are going to answer the question, if the question can be answered.

   All good science begins with a question and then is usually followed by some sort of tentative answer. However if you have no prior knowledge about atrazine (insert name of substance here ), then any attempt to answer the question would be a mere guess. We need some information before we can venture any hypothetical answer to the question, so let's get some basic knowledge first and then we'll discuss hypotheses later.

   When information is as plentiful on a subject as it is on atrazine (insert name of substance here), then there is a need to be selective concerning which particular paper is completely read or which site should be examined in detail.  To hasten this first tutorial Cancer Quest, a large number of sources have been reviewed and a group of sites culled out for your perusal. You will be given specific directions at each location, but you can certainly investigate other aspects of these sites if you wish. First, move through the links in order and follow the directions at each site. Your task is to judge the quality of the information and assess its validity as you attempt to answer the question: 

Here you are charged with the responsibility of interpreting the data provided and taking a position as to the carcinogenicity of the chosen substance. Possibly your choice is a "slam dunk" as far as the evidence is concerned and little in the way of making an argument would be necessary. It should be apparent to you, however, that some form of evaluation is necessary to confirm that you have reached a reasoned decision concerning the substance you have investigated. If the position paper format doesn't suit your needs, then devise another evaluation instrument and describe it below. Remember that you must also include the method of determining the point values for the type of evaluation you use. The spirit of the evaluation should be in line with the Maryland State Department of Education's testing standards. Your instructor can help you here, so ask when you think you know what kind of evaluative tool you wish to use.

The question is to be answered in the form of an essay. The essay should be a minimum of 500 words written or typed. This should be a persuasive argument, therefore upon stating your position you should cite evidence from the resources provided in this Cancer Quest. The quality of the essay will be judged using the Maryland State Department of Education's Rubric designed for Extended Response Questions. A copy of the rubric can be found at this location. Essay Rubric Take advantage of the cooperative nature of this activity by discussing the readings with your partner as to the scientific veracity of each site using the list presented earlier under the heading of Evaluative Criteria for Determining the Scientific Validity of Data.

Now that the stage is set and the students understand what they are to do, you are ready to configure your web links together into that cogent sequence we said would be the hallmark of the Carcinogen Quest. Check the sequence of the atrazine links and look at the logic used to arrange them. Note that the first three links were aimed at physical properties and test data. The fourth was information from a workers group that appears to refute some of the government’s conclusions that are found at the fifth EPA site. Use this type of sequence with the category headings that will accomplish your goals. Try not to overdo the amount of information you make available, but don’t understate your case either. If the following categories meets your needs, then substitute the name of your substance for atrazine and retain the link, or change the link also if your resource would be more effective.

Here are the physical properties of the molecule atrazine (insert name of substance here ) along with its structural formula. This data will be fundamental to your understanding of other information that you will be examining.

 Here’s a Web site that features Agricultural Chemical Labels. If the substance you have chosen is used in agriculture, then you should be able to find some of the manufacturer’s data on carcinogenicity.

 If you are looking for sites that can offer you information and perspective from activist groups, then try the following links: 

1. Northwest Coalition of Alternatives to Pesticides (NCAP)

2. Pesticide Action Network of North America

1. 3. Chemical Information

   4. Physicians for Social Responsibility

You can add to your data from the government with these two sites. Link to the Department of Agriculture and search for your chemical and any research data they may have, if the substance is agriculturally related. The National Toxicology Program fact sheets sort of speak for themselves.

 Now that the research is completed it is time for your audience to demonstrate their competency. The Position Paper remains to be written, or the task that you have set for them must be completed. Be sure the grading instrument is explained so that the participants know how to utilize the measuring device to produce the best product possible. The focus in the conclusion should be based on the question that was originally asked, which is repeated here. One always revisits the hypothesis first at the end of an investigation to see if they agreed or disagreed with their initial premise.

So, now we come to the moment of truth. You have have evaluated the data from several different sources and perspectives.It is time for you and your partner to consider what you have seen and discuss it in light of the original question. Is the herbicide atrazine (insert name of substance here ) a chemical carcinogen in the environment? Remember that the question is to be answered in the form of an essay. The essay should be a minimum of 500 words written or typed. This should be a persuasive argument, therefore upon stating your position you should cite evidence from the resources provided in this Cancer Quest document. The quality of the essay will be judged using the Maryland State Department of Education's Rubric designed for Extended Response Questions. A copy of the rubric can be found at this location. Essay Rubric Take advantage of the cooperative nature of this activity by discussing the readings with your partner as to the scientific veracity of the information at each site using the list presented earlier under the heading of Evaluative Criteria for Determining the Scientific Validity of Data.

  When you feel that your Carcinogen Quest document is completed, then notify your teacher. The document will be Peer Reviewed by other class members as mentioned in the beginning and their critique communicated to you. If your document meets the peer credibility standards, then it will be used in the future to instruct other students on the nature of cancer and carcinogens.