A PROJECT CRITICAL Web Quest

Ms. J. EMERSON

321-MINERVA

NEW YORK CITY, NY

YOUTH GANGS AND PUBLIC POLICY

Youth gangs have always been a symbol of violence and anarchy. They conjure up the image of lawlessness, crime and drug use. Police departments, all over America, warn against gang affiliations and use the schools as a vehicle to send a negative message about gangs. The media, as well, associate youth gangs with community deterioration and criminal activity. All one sees on television, hears on the radio or sees in the newspapers are gang crimes, arrests and prosecutions. To what extent do gangs pose a major social problem has not been addressed. In many cities gangs have led to social disaster. This we will investigate in this web quest. However, can gang activity, which seem to fill a need for many of its members, be mad constructive and positive for emerging communities? Can public policy be devised so youth gang affiliation can be used as a tool for improvement? This will be your challenge in this web quest. In fact, you and your group will be advisers to Attorney General of the United States and give him public policy recommendations to refocus youth gangs to a more positive role in society. Can you do this critical task? Let see?

1: You will be divided into groups of four. The group will have the responsibility of producing a product that reflects the SIX-STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

2: Each group will create a poster board representing the six steps of the PPA. Each section of the poster board will have a written essay and graphics, in the form of pictures, charts and/or graphs.

3: A representation of the options for the poster board is shown below.

3: Each group will make a five minute oral presentation explaining their findings and the public policy they chose

4: The public policy must evaluate both the positive and negative aspects of the youth gang affiliation

And come up with alternatives that can help the community

5: We will submit this to the US Attorney general—so make it professional.

1: The class will be divided into groups of FIVE and group responsibilities will be divided by consensus of the group members

2: HERE ARE THE INDIVIDUAL ROLES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

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TWO- RESEARCHERS= research information using the internet and books about your topic

-STATISTICS ANALYST-research statistics and create graphs and charts that represent the statistics

TWO RECORDER/ORGANIZERS-record group findings and work closely with the researchers and statistic analyst to organize the data. These members will complete the PPA worksheets hyperlinked below.

ONE-POSTER MAKER-work closely with the organizer to display your commission’s findings on a poster which includes important written information, illustrations, charts, graphs. This MEMBER will also proof read essays and check for accuracy. This member will also be the time keeper and be cognizant of deadlines.

Please coordinate supplies with your teacher.

ALL MEMBERS WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE ORAL PRESENTATION. Roles for the presentation will be coordinated by the two organizers, but all members will be responsible for representing for the five minute oral report to the class.

THE SIX STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

Each step of the PPA must be included on the poster board. Focus should be made on the public policy

Step # 6. All worksheets must be filled out and the essays for each step must reflect the completed worksheets.

1) Defining the Social Problem

2) Gathering Evidence of the Problems

3) Identifying Causes of the Problems

4) Identify and Evaluate Existing Pubic Policy

5) Develop Public Policy Solutions

6) Selecting the Best Policy

The worksheets above should be completed using the INTERNET sources found in the resource section below and by use of print material, magazines, newspapers and text books.

GENERAL WEB SITES –These can be used to find all information needed for completion of the worksheets in the SIX-STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

1: WWW.GOOGLE.COM

2: WWW.YAHOO.COM

3: WWW.ALTAVISTA.COM

READ THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR HELP-“Conducting Internet searches”

SPECIFIC WEBSITES—Use these links to focus in on the six-steps

1: Youth gangs-an overview

2: Positives about youth gangs

3: Positives & negatives about gangs

4: Public Policy Possibilities

5: Comprehensive approach to gang’s policies followed by law enforcement

6: Gangs in Chicago-a report

7: Gang reform plan-“A mission in non-violence”

RUBRICS FOR GRADING

I. ORAL PRESENTATION EVALUATION

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNSATISFACTORY
CONTENT	Shows a full understanding of the topic. USES ALL STEPS OF PPA	Shows a good understanding of the topic. USES FIVE OF THE SIX STEPS OF THE PPA	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic. USES ALL STEPS OF THE PPA WITH SOME ERRORS	Does not seem to understand the topic very well. INCORRECTLY USES OR FAILS TO USE PPA STEPS
GROUP PARTICIPATION	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together.	Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Does not cause "waves" in the group.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Often is not a good team member.
PREPAREDNESS	Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed.	Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals.	The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking.	Student does not seem at all prepared to present.
COMPLETE SENTENCES	Always (99-100% of time) speaks in complete sentences.	Mostly (80-98%) speaks in complete sentences.	Sometimes (70-80%) speaks in complete sentences.	Rarely speaks in complete sentences.
Vocabulary	Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Extends audience vocabulary by defining words that might be new to most of the audience.	Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Includes 1-2 words that might be new to most of the audience, but does not define them.	Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Does not include any vocabulary that might be new to the audience.	Uses several (5 or more) words or phrases that are not understood by the audience.

A=18-20 pts. B=15-17 pts. C=12-14 pts. D=11 pts. F=below 10 pts.

II. Poster Evaluation

Making A Poster

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Teacher Name: Ms. EMERSON

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNSATISFACTORY
Content - Accuracy	At least 7 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. USES ALL STEPS OF PPA	5-6 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. USES FIVE OF THE SIX STEPS OF THE PPA	3-4 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. USES ALL STEPS OF THE PPA WITH SOME ERRORS	Less than 3 accurate facts are displayed on the poster. . INCORRECTLY USES OR FAILS TO USE PPA STEPS
Graphics - Relevance	All graphics are related to the topic and make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics are related to the topic and most make it easier to understand. All borrowed graphics have a source citation.	All graphics relate to the topic. Most borrowed graphics have a source citation.	Graphics do not relate to the topic OR several borrowed graphics do not have a source citation.
Graphics -Clarity	Graphics are all in focus and the content easily viewed and identified from 6 ft. away.	Most graphics are in focus and the content easily viewed and identified from 6 ft. away.	Most graphics are in focus and the content is easily viewed and identified from 4 ft. away.	Many graphics are not clear or are too small.
Labels	All items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Almost all items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Several items of importance on the poster are clearly labeled with labels that can be read from at least 3 ft. away.	Labels are too small to view OR no important items were labeled.
Knowledge Gained	Student can accurately answer all questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer most questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student can accurately answer about 75% of questions related to facts in the poster and processes used to create the poster.	Student appears to have insufficient knowledge about the facts or processes used in the poster.

A=18-20 pts. B= 15-17 pts. C=12-14 pts. D=11 pts. F=below 10 pts.

Turn your life around

You should have learned the importance of the public policy analyst in our democratic society. It is this professional, who creates policies that become laws which eventually govern our everyday lives. He/she can make a critical difference in the quality of life of all Americans. Let’s hope you did!

You have also learned that gangs, although they create many social problems may be redirected for positive ends. Youth gangs do not have to be thought of as criminal if policies are made and youth members are reached by the right people. Maybe it is possible to turn youth gangs into youth improvement associations. This would make life better for all who live in the inner city or have problems with gangs in their community.

SOCIAL STUDIES

Civics, Citizenship and Government Standard 5:2

• analyze the disparities between civic values expressed in the United States Constitution and the United Nation Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the realities as evidenced in the political, social, and economic life in the United States and throughout the world

Civics, Citizenship and Government Standard 5:3

• understand how citizenship includes the exercise of certain personal responsibilities, including voting, considering the rights and interests of others, behaving in a civil manner, and accepting responsibility for the consequences of one’s actions (Adapted from The National Standards for Civics and Government, 1994)

• analyze issues at the local, state, and national levels and prescribe responses that promote the public interest or general welfare, such as planning and carrying out a voter registration campaign

Civics, Citizenship and Government Standard 5:4

• participate in school/classroom/ community activities that focus on an issue or problem

• prepare a plan of action that defines an issue or problem, suggests alternative solutions or courses of action, evaluates the consequences for each alternative solution or course of action, prioritizes the solutions based on established criteria, and proposes an action plan to address the issue or to resolve the problem

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.