WE WANT YOU

TO HELP ERADICATE THE SPREAD OF DISEASES

 

A Webquest by:

Jessica Shalom

The Computer School

Sixth Grade

 

 

 "Mass immigration is a threat to our nation's health. Diseases nearly eradicated are breaking out again," the U.S. Immigration Reform Political Action Committee says at its Web site.

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Congratulations!  You have been appointed Attorney General of the United States.  As Attorney General, part of your job is to manage the Immigration and Naturalization Service.  For your first task, President Jessica Shalom, has asked you to create a new immigration policy for the United States to help control the spread of diseases.  President Shalom wants you to focus on as you determine what new policies you will propose.

 

TASK:

You will be assigned to a group by President Shalom.  The President will also give you a job title.  You will have certain responsibilities with your job specifically, however, it is very important that you work with your group to come up with the project.

Each group will have a:

Group Leader-this person is responsible for making sure that everyone works together to think through the problem and to organize a very good final memo.

Research Assistant-this person is responsible for helping the teacher and the group gather the information and to write down the really important facts to be included in the final memo.

Memo Presenter-you will present the final memo for the group to the rest of the class.

Policy Maker-you will be responsible for filling out the worksheets for the Public Policy Analyst (the worksheets are in the Process section BELOW)

As a group please write a TWO-page memo to President Shalom describing your immigration policy proposal.  Memos should be typed, well edited, and carefully thought out.  Your proposal should be approximately two typed pages in length.  If the memo includes graphics or pictures they can be three pages in length.

Tips:

1. The top of your page should read:

To: President Shalom

From: Attorney General ________________ (your name)

Date: March __, 2005

Re: Immigration Policy Proposal

2. Describe why you support or do not support current immigration policies that relate to the spread of diseases. 

3. Start with a strong first sentence that outlines your policy. 

4. End with a conclusion that summarizes your policy decisions.

5. Do not ramble--longer is not better.   Do not write much more than a typed page.  Get to your point quickly.

 

PROCESS: 

First your group will look at the Public Policy Analyst Website BELOW:

https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

 

Each group will then follow Public Policy Analyst Steps 1-6 below:

1.  Define the social problem  

2.  Gather evidence of the problem

3.  Identify the cause of the problem

4.  Evaluate existing public policies

5.  Develop alternatives to existing public policies

6.  Select the best public policy solution

 

 

RESOURCES:

 

http://washtimes.com/specialreport/20050212-112200-6485r.htm

 

http://www.iom.int/DOCUMENTS/OFFICIALTXT/EN/Dr_Maloney_shifting_the_paradigm.PDF

 

http://www.iom.int/DOCUMENTS/OFFICIALTXT/EN/PP_shifting_Maloney.PDF

 

http://www.questia.com/Index.jsp?CRID=immigration_policy_u_s&OFFID=se1&KEY=united_states_immigration_policy

 

 

EVALUATION:

 

THE MEMO WILL INCLUDE:                                                                                        (POINTS)

1.   Abstract: overview of project briefly stated, no more than a paragraph.                      (10)

2.   What is the problem?                                                                                                      (10)

3.   Where is the evidence?                                                                                                  (10)

4.   What are the causes?                                                                                                     (10)

5.   What is the existing policy?                                                                                             (10)

6.   What policies can you create to correct the problem?                                                 (10)

7.   What is the best policy to correct the problem?                                                            (10)

8.   Graphs and charts                                                                                                           (10)

9.   Impacts on society                                                                                                          (10)

10. Reference bibliography and web sites.                                                                         (10)

 

 

STANDARDS:

 

English Language Arts Performance Standards

 

E1c:  Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a:  Produce a report of information.

E3b:  Participate in group meetings.

E3c:  Prepare and deliver an individual presentation

 

Social Studies

 

Standard 2

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the in world history from a variety of perspectives.

 

Standard 3

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live-local, national, and global- including the distribution of people, places, and environment over earth’s surface.

 

 

CONCLUSION:

 

By now, you have read about the problems with immigration policy and the spread of diseases, reviewed the current policies as they relate to immigration policy and the spread of diseases, and judged whether they are effective. Additionally, you have taken some action as the result of your conclusion such as writing to a letter to your President encouraging new policy that you have carefully created. 

Good Work!