Introduction:

An 8^th grade student was asked who the two United States Senators from New York were. He was 0 for 2. However, he was able to name the starting rotation for the New York Mets. What is more important? The students and citizens of Yonkers are fortunate enough to live in the United States of America. Freedoms are afforded them that are not granted to peers in other lands. With great privilege comes great opportunity. If students do not start participating in the political process by becoming aware of events and relevant issues, they will turn our democracy into a tyrannical dictatorship. American citizens are granted unalienable rights earned through bloodshed, sweat, and tears.

In this web quest, you will have an opportunity to become a Public Policy Analyst. You will be responsible for implementing changes in the New York State Educational Curriculum to foster Current Events and Public Policy awareness. Your findings will be presented to the New York State of Board of Education to affect change. You want to create an academic environment that fosters real world knowledge that could be applied to logical everyday problems. You have a chance to create change in this web quest. Good luck and enjoy the opportunity!

Tasks:

As a Public Policy Analyst in groups of 4, your task is to create a RESEARCH PAPER study on how the students’ lack of knowledge in Public Policy and Current Events is influencing their real world practical knowledge. You will examine the social problem of social studies curriculum deficiency in the public school system. There is very limited instruction of Public Policy and Current Events in the New York State Public Schools. You will study the correlation this deficient curriculum and real world problem solving skill as evidenced by websites measuring college students’ knowledge.

Your group will create a research paper of 2-3 double spaced typed written pages... You will also include the Public Policy Analysis in your paper and remember to follow rubric. You will be asked to do your best. You may add pictures, graphs, charts to illustrate your findings.

Process:

The class will be in groups of four. One person will be the leader. This person will be responsible for ensuring that each person in the group is following and meeting their specific role. They are to lead the group through each stage of the process. The Recorder will take notes gathered by the group members and be responsible for formally completing the proposal. The third member will be the Researcher. This person needs to be adept at utilizing the computer and internet to look up specific websites and links to research information to complete analysis of proposal. The last member of the group will present the groups findings, data, and proposal to the class. This person needs to be comfortable speaking to an audience and articulating his feelings.

You remember last week when we discussed the Public Policy Analysis. You will review these steps in order to utilize websites and hyperlinks to worksheets that will assist you in researching evidence and causes for the social problems and possible solutions to these issues. You will use the six-step Public Policy Analyst to complete the research paper. The worksheets will be used as resource material and an outline to structure your final product. Each group will be responsible to hand in completed worksheets. Access the web pages below by clicking on the hyperlinks and click on the worksheet link at the bottom of each web page.

THE SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

Step 1: Identify the problem

Step 2: Gather the evidence

Step 3: Determine the Causes

Step 4: Examine an existing Policy

Step 5: Develop (3) Policy Solutions

Step 6: Select the Best Solution/Policy based on Effectiveness vs. Feasibility

Resources:

GENERAL WEB SITES

WWW.GOOGLE.COM

WWW.YAHOO.COM

WWW.ASK.COM

SPECIFIC WEB SITES

https://www.google.com/

www.amergeog.org/newsrelease/bakersfield07.pdf

Students' lack of history knowledge threatens future

College students lack civic knowledge

Americans lack strong knowledge of science

The Impact of Federal Public Policy on Curriculum and Instruction for Students With Disabilities in the General Classroom

Study: Most College Students Lack Skills

Student Affairs Information Systems Management

Evaluation:

Grade 8 Research Paper : Research Report

CATEGORY	Excellent	Good	Satisfactory	Needs Improvement
Organization	Information is very organized with well- constructed paragraphs	Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs.	Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed.	The information appears to be disorganized.
Amount of Information	All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 1 sentence about each.	Most of the topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.	Three or more topics were not addressed.
Quality of Information	Information relates to the main topic. It includes supporting details and/or examples.	Information relates to the main topic. It provides 1 supporting detail and/or example.	Information relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.	Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Sources	All 2 sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format.(Bibliography &Endnotes/Footnotes)	All 2 sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are not in the desired format.(Bibliography &Endnotes/Footnotes)	All 2 sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but many are not in the desired format.(Bibliography &Endnotes/Footnotes)	Some sources are not accurately documented.
Mechanics	Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	A few grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	Some grammatical spelling or punctuation errors.	Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
First Draft	Draft is neatly presented and includes required information.	Draft includes required information and is legible.	Draft includes some required information and is legible.	Draft is missing required information and is difficult to read.
Paragraph Construction	All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well.	Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs.
Graphic Organizer	Graphic organizer or outline has been completed and shows clear, logical relationships between all topics.	Graphic organizer or outline has been completed and shows clear, logical relationships between most topics.	Graphic organizer or outline has been started and includes some.	Graphic organizer or outline has not been attempted.
Diagrams & Illustrations	Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader's understanding of the topic.
Presentation	The paper was double spaced, typed and 3-4 pages in length. It was easy to understand.	The paper was double spaced, typed 3-4 pages in length. It contained a few confusing parts.	The paper was double spaced, 1.5-2 pages in length.	The paper was not typed and less than 1.5 pages in length. It was difficult to understand

Grading Policy

4=Excellent (90-100)

3=Good (80-89)

2=Satisfactory (70-79)

1=Needs Improvement below 70

Conclusions:

By completing this web quest, you now have become an active member of your community. You have participated in the process of creating public policy. You have learned that the implementation of public policy creates positive change. In this case you have greatly improved students’ educational opportunities. Moreover, you have learned the importance of a public policy analyst. As one yourself, you have implemented positive changes in the New York State curriculum and have become an active participant in improving the education of millions. In reality, you have taken advantage of your “Constitutional Rights” as an active citizen in the American democratic process. Thank you for your participation. Let’s hope you made a difference!

Standards Addressed:

English Language Arts

Standard 1:   Language for Information and Understanding

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 2:   Language for Literary Response and Expression

Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Standard 4:   Language for Social Interaction

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.

Social Studies

Standard 1:   History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

Standard 5:   Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.