One Great Fear
"Violence amongst youth as portrayed in Cry, the Beloved Country."
 
Introduction:

In Cry, the Beloved Country, a young man in pre-apartheid South Africa leaves his life in the country to move to Johannesburg, where he eventually becomes a murderer. Gun crime is a serious problem in the novel and continues to be an issue in South Africa today. South Africa leads the world in murders committed by firearms.

Task:
In this WebQuest, you will be divided into groups of three. Imagine you are a law maker in South Africa. Together, you will create a public policy designed to decrease the amount of gun crime in South Africa. Each group will need to:
 
· Research the problem by completing worksheets.
· Produce a 5-page paper that 
o Discusses the problem of gun crime in Cry, the Beloved Country.
o Discusses the problem of gun crime in modern-day South Africa (using statistics and case studies to back up ideas).
o Creates a policy that will reduce gun crime in modern-day South Africa.
· Create a seven-slide Power Point Presentation 
o The first six slides should follow the steps of the Public Policy Analyst (PPA). The last slide will be a bibliography slide using the MLA format.

 
Process:
· Students will be assigned groups of five.
· Students will serve in one of five roles:  
 
 àResearcher
 This person will visit the websites listed under “Resources.” They will complete the worksheets using the data found on each site.
 
 àWriter
 This person will take the research done on the worksheets and create a five-page paper. The paper will follow the MLA Standard.
 
 àPower Point Presenter
 This person will create the slideshow. They will devise a format and insert the text.
 
 àPower Point Graphic Designer 
 This person will find or create images for the Power Point presentation. The designer will create the final layout for the presentation.
 
 àManager 
 This person will keep the group organized. The manager will need to fill out reports at the end of each period detailing the progress of the group for the teacher.
 

 
 
Public Policy Analyst (Researcher)
 Click on the links below and print out all six worksheets. Use these six worksheets from the Public Policy Analyst to research for your project. Visit the sites below to complete the worksheets. Cite all information (write on the worksheet where the information came from).
 
 1. Define the Problem:
 What's wrong with gun crime? How does it affect citizens?
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.html
 
 2. Gather Information:
 Use the sources below to find information and statistics regarding gun crime.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html
 
 3. Determine the Causes:
 Why is there a problem with gun crime? There are many possible answers to this.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.html
 
 4. Evaluate the Current Policy:
 What is the current policy regarding gun crime? Is this policy effective? Does this policy help resolve the problem or make it worse?
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.html
 
 5. Develop Solutions:
Think of a variety of solutions to this problem. Explain why you think that these solutions will help resolve the problem. Also, examine any flaws that might be present in your solutions.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.html
 
 6. Select the Best Solution:
Weighing your different options, choose the best potential solution for this problem.
https://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.html
 

 
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_ass&int=20

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

http://www.saps.gov.za/statistics/reports/crimestats/2004/categories.htm

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

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/education/4092130.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4337357.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4139961.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3961585.stm

http://www.sundaytimes.co.za/Articles/TarkArticle.aspx?ID=1563302

http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1758587,00.html

 
Evaluation:

	A (4 points)	B (3 points)	C (2 points)	F (1 point)
Worksheets àHanded-In àCompleted àOn-Time	àProblem identified and is very well researched. àAll six steps of the PPA are addressed.	àProblem identified and reasonably well researched. àAll six steps of the PPA are addressed.	àProblem identified with limited research. àAll steps of the PPA are addressed.	àProblem identified but research is lacking. àIncomplete work.
5-Page Paper Produced by Team	àWell organized, demonstrates logical sequencing and sentence structure. àThoroughly addresses each of the six different parts (see Task).	àWell organized, but demonstrates illogical sequencing or sentence structure. àAddresses each of the six different parts.	àWell organized, but illogical sequencing and sentence structure. à Barely addresses each of the six different parts.	àWeakly organized. àDoes not address each of the six different parts.
Power Point Presentation	àSocial problem introduced with authority based on information. àUtilizes clear and helpful visual aids. àGenerate and field questions and responses from audience around their topic of discussion. àEvery member in group participates in presentation.	àSocial problem introduced with some authority. àVisual aids used. àGenerate questions and responses. àMost members of group participate.	àStudents state the social problem. àStudents require prompts to generate questions. àLimited participation within the group.	àTeacher generates discussion.
Group cooperation	àGroup establishes and maintains an equal distribution of labor among all participants. àDifferences are dealt with maturely and students exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills.	àGroup makes attempts to maintain an equal distribution of labor among all participants. àAlmost all differences are dealt with maturely and students exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills.	àGroups make unsuccessful attempts to maintain an equal distribution of labor among all participants. àOnly some differences are dealt with maturely as students attempt to exercise listening skills, leadership skills, and compromise skills.	àGroup is unable to equally distribute work. àDifferences are not dealt with maturely.

 

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.
 
Conclusion
At the end of this project, students should be able to:
· Analyze the problem of gun crime in Cry, the Beloved Country.
· Analyze the problem of gun crime in modern-day South Africa.
· Demonstrate that they can research the problem. 
· Demonstrate that they can comprehend the nature of the problem.
· Support their findings by citing evidence from given information.
· Develop a public policy that they can support with evidence. 
· Hold intelligent discussions about the policy. 
· Finally, students will make recommendations based on research that will improve the problem of gun crime in South Africa.