VIOLENCE IN OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS
A MAJOR SOCIAL PROBLEM FACING ALL CITIZENS!
Presented by: Mr. M. Abelson
PS
197
Recently, an enormous fight erupted in the cafeteria.
Police were called to separate two girls, and one of the children was sent to
the hospital. Teachers and families have been complaining about fighting and
disrespect for some time. Some teachers report as many as 5 fights a day in
their classrooms.
Following this fight in the cafeteria, Principal
Wright and Assistant Principal J. Johnson have turned to YOU and YOUR FRIENDS
to form a group and consider the problem of school violence. They are asking
you to give them new ideas to help solve the problem. As part of your work, you
will consider the causes of school violence, research possible solutions, and
propose one policy that you think will reduce the number of fights occurring in
school. You and your group will become public policy
analysts. You will evaluate the violence problem in our school and search for
policy solutions. These policy solutions will be given to Principal Wright and Assistant
Principal Johnson. If they are good solutions, Principal Wright will make them
school law. So good Luck! You can help change our school for the better. Here
is your chance!
PRODUCT # 1-POWER POINT
You will work with the team members to produce a
PowerPoint presentation and discussion that identifies root causes of school
violence and considers policies that will foster a safer school environment. Your
power point presentation must include the
following pages:
·
Title Slide: Title and Names of All Group Members
·
Identification of the Problem
·
Identification of Root Causes—Name at least three.
·
Discussion of Existing Policies—Name at least three.
·
Recommendation of a Specific Policy for PS 197. Why do
you recommend this policy?
·
Each slide must have a “graphic” and text explaining
the graphic and explaining the step (#1----#6) of the Public Policy Analyst.
You will create a minimum of 10 SLIDE
Each step of the Public Policy Analyst must
be represented on the power point. The number of slides for each step will be
determined in your group discussion.
PRODUCT # 2: ORAL REPORT
Each group will use the power point presentation and
make an oral report to the class, to the PRINCIPAL
and the
ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL. This oral
presentation will follow the steps of the Public Policy Analyst. It must not be
more than 10 minutes in length. The “time keeper” will be responsible for this.
Rehearsal time will be given in class. The oral report must use the power point
as a prop.
Each group must follow these steps in this process to
learn about the causes of school violence and to adopt a policy that will
promote school safety. These steps are part of the PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST.
Member of your group to use the following search
engines to research “school violence causes”:
·
Google.com and Google News
·
AllSearchEngines.com
·
Dogpile.com
·
Ask.com
I:
USE OF THE PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST GRAPHICS VERSION
1: These search engines are listed in
the “resource” section of the web quest. You will use these web sites to
complete the “Public Policy Analyst”. The following questions must be clearly
explained in your power point and oral report. They are included in the “PPA”
What
are three of these causes?
What
evidence do you have that school violence is a problem?
2: You will use the Public Policy Analyst “graphics version” to
complete the power point and oral report.
Click on: 1: THE PURPOSE OF THE PPA
In
your group read all the slides by clicking “forward” at the bottom of the page.
Read each slide until you get to slide step 1D
2: Click on “worksheet # 1” “Define the Problem”
and complete it in your group using the internet resources given
3: Complete worksheet # 2 “Where is the
EVIDENCE”
4: Keep clicking on the web site and
read until you get to
Worksheet
# 3 “What are the
CAUSES?” Complete this worksheet in your groups
5: Keep clicking “forward” until you get
to worksheet 4:
“What is the existing policy” and complete
the worksheet.
6: Keep clicking “forward” until you get
to worksheet # 5
“New Policies” and
complete worksheet # 5
7: Keep clicking “forward” until you get
to worksheet # 6
“The Best Policy” and
complete the worksheet
NOW: Your group has all the information
it needs to complete the power point. Use the information you have gathered on
these sheets as a guide for your 10 slides and your oral report.
II:
GROUP ASSIGNMENTS
Assignment # 1:
POWER POINT CREATOR
This student will create the 10 PowerPoint slides.
Remember to include a title page, an identification of the problem, evidence of
your problem, existing policies, new policies, and your recommendation. The
power point creator will also act as TIME KEEPER,
EDITOR AND ORAL PRESENTER HELPER. Remember, the oral presentation must not last
more than 10 minutes
ASSIGNMENT # 2: ORAL PRESENTERS
Two members from your team will be assigned the task
of presenting the power point as an oral presentation to the class. These students
must work closely with the power point creator and researchers.
These two
members must take turns speaking.
ASSIGNMENT # 3: RESEARCHERS
These two students will use the internet resources and
complete the worksheets. ALL MEMBERS OF THE GROUP WILL HELP IN THIS TASK.
NOTE: All group members must work cooperatively.
Grades, according to the rubrics below will be assigned on a group basis.
Use the following web sites to research evidence,
causes, and policies used to curb school violence. You will use
these web sites along with any other material to complete the Public Policy
Worksheet steps and questions.
GENERAL WEB SITES FOR
RESEARCH
SPECIFIC WEBSITES FOR RESEARCHING SCHOOL VIOLENCE
Center for the
Prevention of School Violence
Kansas
Safe Schools Resource Center
Strategies to Reduce
School Violence
Be prepared! During your presentation, you and other
members of your group must explain the strengths and weaknesses of at least
three different policies that address school violence. You
also must choose the BEST policy your group believes will solve the problem of
school violence.
|
|
CATEGORY
|
4 EXCELLENT |
3 VERY GOOD |
2 SATISFACTORY |
1 UNACCEPTABLE |
|
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. |
|
Comprehension |
Student is able to accurately answer almost all questions posed
by classmates about the topic. |
Student is able to accurately answer most questions posed by
classmates about the topic. |
Student is able to accurately answer a few questions posed by
classmates about the topic. |
Student is unable to accurately answer questions posed by
classmates about the topic. |
|
Listens to Other Presentations |
Listens intently. Does not make distracting noises or movements.
|
Listens intently but has one distracting noise or movement. |
Sometimes does not appear to be listening but is not
distracting. |
Sometimes does not appear to be listening and has distracting
noises or movements. |
|
Stays on Topic |
Stays on topic all (100%) of the time. USES PPA FULLY |
Stays on topic most (99-90%) of the time. USES PPA FULLY BUT WITH
INACCURACIES |
Stays on topic some (89%-75%) of the time. DOES NOT USE ALL STEPS OF PPA |
It was hard to tell what the topic was. HAS LIMITED USE OF PPA |
|
|
CATEGORY
|
4 Excellent |
3 Very Good |
2 Satisfactory |
1 Unacceptable |
|
Originality |
Presentation shows considerable originality and inventiveness.
The content and ideas are presented in a unique and interesting way. |
Presentation shows some originality and inventiveness. The
content and ideas are presented in an interesting way. |
Presentation shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness
on 1-2 cards. |
Presentation is a rehash of other people's ideas and/or graphics
and shows very little attempt at original thought. |
|
Content - Accuracy |
All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are
no factual errors. USES PPA fully |
Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of
information that might be inaccurate. USESS PPA FULLY BUT WITH INACCURACIES |
The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information
is clearly flawed or inaccurate. DOES NOT USE ALL STEPS OF PPA |
Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual
error. HAS LIMITED USE OF PPA |
|
Sequencing of Information |
Information is organized in a clear, logical way. It is easy to
anticipate the type of material that might be on the next card. |
Most information is organized in a clear, logical way. One card
or item of information seems out of place. |
Some information is logically sequenced. An occasional card or
item of information seems out of place. |
There is no clear plan for the organization of information. |
|
Effectiveness |
Project includes all material needed to gain a comfortable
understanding of the topic. It is a highly effective study guide. |
Project includes most material needed to gain a comfortable
understanding of the material but is lacking one or two key elements. It is
an adequate study guide. |
Project is missing more than two key elements. It would make an
incomplete study guide. |
Project is lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies
that make it a poor study guide. |
By completing this web quest, you should have learned
I.
What factors contribute to the problem of violence at
PS 197?
II.
What are some solutions and policies that other
schools have tried to address the issue of violence?
III.
What are easy and effective policies that we can
attempt in our school to reduce the level of violence in hallways and
classrooms?
You should have also learned the role of a public
policy analyst. This social scientist evaluates major social problems in our
society and searches for policy solutions to help all of us. In this web quest,
you have become a policy maker. Let’s hope your solutions will make a
difference! Thanks for your participation!
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 4: Economics
Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market mechanisms.
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