Ms. Authenrieth’s Literature Class – Saint Agnes Boys High School

Native Crime in

South Africa

A WEBQUEST based on

Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton

Introduction

In the novel Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton, we are made aware of the severity of the problem of native crime in South Africa in the 1940s through a number events and characters' different perceptions of those events. The characters of Stephen Kumalo and James Jarvis are personally affected by native crime through the fates of their respective sons. In his writings, the character of Arthur Jarvis expresses a variety of possible causes and solutions to the problem in his time. Arthur Jarvis died before apartheid was instituted by the white, British government as the solution.

As we know through our brief study of modern South Africa, native crime is still a major social problem in our time even though the current Republic of South Africa is now ruled by the black majority: South Africa leads the developed world in intentional homicides committed with firearms.

Task

In this WEBQUEST, you will be working in teams of 5 students to formulate a strategy for reducing native crime in the Republic of South Africa. Each group will be responsible for completing and submitting the accompanying worksheets for each PPA step. The final product will be a 5-page paper in which your group outlines your strategy using the six-step Public Policy Analyst model and creates a power point presentation outlining for the class your proposed solution.

Within each group there will be:

Worksheet Recorder: record the research done by the group through the online resources.

Paper Writer: organize the research into a five-page paper to be handed-in to me.

Power-Point Creator: use the computer to create the power-point presentation to be shown to the class.

Power-Point Presenter: present the power-point in front of the class.

Time Keeper: ensure that everyone is on schedule with their tasks.

Process

A. You will be assigned by Ms. Authenrieth to a team of 5 Public Policy Analysts

B. Each team member will be assigned a specific role as described above

C. Together you will complete the following six steps by going through the questions on each worksheet handed out to your team:

1. Define the problem

2. Gather evidence of the problem from the various websites hyperlinked on this webquest

3. Identify the causes of the problem

4. Evaluate the existing public policy in the Republic of South Africa regarding native crime

5. Develop your own possible public policy solutions to the problem

6. Select the best solution to the problem

D. Hand in the worksheets by the deadlines assigned to you

E. Write your paper using the outline provided

F. Create the Power Point presentation

G. Present your policy solutions to the class

RESOURCES

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_mur_wit_fir&int=20

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_pri_per_cap&int=20

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_rap&int=20

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_ass&int=20

http://www.nationmaster.com/graph-T/cri_bur&int=20

http://www.tips.org.za/f2001/lewis.pdf

http://edition.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2001/facing.hate/stories/safrica.xenophobia/

http://www.chico.mweb.co.za/art/2005/2005mar/050325-mercy.html

http://worldfacts.us/South-Africa.htm

http://www.pbs.org/journeytoplanetearth/profiles/southafrica.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/country_profiles/1069402.stm

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/zones/sundaytimesNEW/basket16st/basket16st1121427020.aspx

http://www.pptpilot.org.za/Alexandra_Township.pdf

Evaluation

	A (4)	B (3)	C (2)	F (1)
Worksheets Handed-In Completed and On-Time	*Problem well identified and thoroughly researched *All six steps of the PPA are thoroughly addressed *Evidence of notes and action research	*Problem identified and reasonably well researched *All six steps of the PPA are addressed	*Problem identified with limited research. *All steps of the PPA are addressed	*Problem identified but research is lacking *Incomplete work
5-Page Paper Produced by Team	*Well organized, demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure *Thoroughly addresses each of the six different parts (see Task)	*Well organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure. * Addresses each of the six different parts	*Well organized, but illogical sequencing and sentence structure. * Barely addresses each of the six different parts	*Weakly organized. *Does not address each of the six different parts
Power Point Presentation	*Social problem introduced with authority based on information *Utilizes clear and helpful visual aids *Generate and field questions and responses from audience around their topic of discussion. *Every member in group participates in presentation.	*Social problem introduced with some authority *Visual aids used *Generate questions and responses. *Most members of group participate.	*Students state the social problem *Students require prompts to generate questions *Limited participation within the group	*Teacher generates discussion
Group cooperation	*Group establishes and maintains an equal distribution of labor among all participants. *Differences are dealt with maturely and students exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills	*Group makes attempts to maintain an equal distribution of labor among all participants. *Almost all differences are dealt with maturely and students exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills	*Groups make unsuccessful attempts to maintain an equal distribution of labor among all participants. *Only some differences are dealt with maturely as students attempt to exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills	*Group is unable to equally distribute work. *Differences are not dealt with maturely

Conclusion

By the time you have completed this webquest you should have a thorough understanding of the issue of native crime in the Republic of South Africa and be aware of the many causes and possible solutions. Hopefully, you are also able to recognize that the issue of crime facing South Africa is also a major problem in the United States (notice how on many of the charts hyperlinked above, the US is typically not far behind South Africa in many of the crime statistics).

Cry, the Beloved Country is just one of many novels that address social issues around the world. You are strongly encouraged to investigate other pieces of literature dealing with specific social issues and to consider how public policy can affect change with regards to these issues. Remember: you are a citizen of planet Earth and have a responsibility to be aware of what is happening at home in New York City and in the rest of the world.

Standards

 
English Language Arts Standards 
 
E1 Reading
 E1c- Read and comprehend informational materials.
 
E2 Writing
 E2a- Produce a report of information.
 E2b- Produce a response to literature.
 E2f- Produce a reflective essay.
 
E3 Speaking, Listening, and Viewing
 E3b- Participate in group meetings.
 E3c- Prepare and deliver an individual presentation.
 E3e- Listen to and analyze a public speaking performance.
 
E4- Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of English Language
 E4a- Independently and habitually demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written  and in oral work.
 E4b- Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.
 
E5- Literature
 E5a- Respond to non-fiction, fiction, poetry, and drama using interpretive and critical processes.
 
E6- Public Documents
 E6a- Critique public documents with an eye to strategies common to effective functional documents.
 E6b- Produce public documents.