“The Contender”

A Project Critical Web Quest

Ms. Patterson

Frederick Douglass Academy

8^th grade English

IntroductioN: Young and old, we have all been victims of peer pressure. As a teenager growing up in Harlem, many times, I “went along with the crowd”. However, there were times when I knew that going along with the crowd would “get me into a world of trouble!” I was also exposed to a lot of positive peer pressure, in which my friends encouraged me to “do the right thing!” I was fortunate to have more instances of positive peer pressure and to have had an activity, track and field, to keep me focused on track. (Get it? On… track?) Through this Web quest, you will examine the negative and positive peer pressure situations presented in the novel, The Contender by Robert Lipsyte. You will examine this social problem and search for public policy solutions that will benefit your peers. This is a critical problem for the youth of Harlem and youth all over the country. Good luck!

Task:

You will be placed into a group of three (3) and that group will choose a peer pressure scene from The Contender. Once your group has selected a scene, you will rewrite that scene into a play with characters and dialogue. Afterwards, your group will role play that written scene in front of the class. That role play will be an exact representation of what happened in the novel. Your group will then write a “revised” version of that scene. You will keep the same characters, dialogue, and storyline, but you will rewrite the scene to reflect what you learned about ways to handle peer pressure. Your revised play should reflect one of the solutions you came up with after completing the PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST worksheets. Your revised play will be role played in front of the class. At the end of your second role play, in a 1-2 minute oral report, explain why you chose that specific new way to deal with peer pressure.

Process:

ü Choose a peer pressure scene from The Contender.

ü Write out the scene as a role play. (Typed, 12 point font, double spaced, 1” margins)

ü Assign an acting role to each group member and act out the scene in front of the class.

ü Rewrite the same scene and show another way the main character could have dealt with the peer pressure. (Typed, 12 point font, double spaced, 1” margins)

ü Assign an acting role to each group member and act out the new scene in front of the class.

ü Write out a 1-2 minute (2 paragraphs, typed, 12 point font, double spaced, 1” margins) oral report explaining why you chose that new way to deal with peer pressure.

Here’s where you fill out the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) worksheets!

Click on each link below.(Do one at a time)

Fill out each Public Policy Analyst worksheet with your group members.

You will also use the research from the PPA to create your revised scene and to give your oral report!

Public Policy Analyst Worksheets

Step 1:

Defining the Social Problem

Step 2:

Step 3:

Step 4:

Step 5:

Step 6:

STUDENT ROLES- Each student will be given one of the following roles as a member of a group. It is critical that student groups work together and coordinate their activities. This has been included in the grading rubric. The roles are as follows

RESEARCHER: One student will use the internet resources along with evidence from “The Contender” to complete the Six Step Public Policy Analyst worksheets. All members of eh group will aid in this function by giving advice and knowledge to the researcher

WRITER: One student will use the six step public policy worksheets and complete the “task” product. Again, all members of the group will aid in this activity.

DIRECTOR: One student will orgaze and direct the oral presentation and the play.

This student will keep the group on task throughout the process and be keenly aware of time management. This student will also be responsible for any props that may be used in the presentation

Resources: Your group will use these web sites to complete the Public Policy Analyst worksheets. You will use these worksheets to complete your task

General Websites:

Ø www.google.com

Ø www.yahoo.comwww.ask.com

Ø www.about.com

Peer Pressure Websites:

Ø Where does peer pressure come from? - http://www.reachout.com.au/default.asp?ti=274

Ø Dealing with peer pressure - http://www.thecoolspot.gov/pressures.asp

Ø Dealing with group peer pressure - http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetailsKids.aspx?p=335&np=286&id=1822

Ø Decision making - http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/peer_pressure.html

Ø Peer pressure for girls - http://www.girl.com.au/peer_pressure_yoursay.htm

Evaluation:

"The Contender" A Study in Peer Pressure

---

Teacher Name: Ms. PATTERSON

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNACCEPTABLE
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.
Enthusiasm	Facial expressions and body language generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others.	Facial expressions and body language sometimes generate a strong interest and enthusiasm about the topic in others.	Facial expressions and body language are used to try to generate enthusiasm, but seem somewhat faked.	Very little use of facial expressions or body language. Did not generate much interest in topic being presented.
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.
Speaks Clearly	Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, and mispronounces no words.	Speaks clearly and distinctly all (100-95%) the time, but mispronounces one word.	Speaks clearly and distinctly most ( 94-85%) of the time. Mispronounces no more than one word.	Often mumbles or can not be understood OR mispronounces more than one word.
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.
Stays on Topic	Stays on topic all (100%) of the time.	Stays on topic most (99-90%) of the time.	Stays on topic some (89%-75%) of the time.	It was hard to tell what the topic was.
Content	Shows a full understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic.	Does not seem to understand the topic very well.
Collaboration with Peers	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.
USES THE PPA	Incorporates all steps of the PPA accurately	Incorporates all steps of the PPA with some inaccuracies	Incorporates only five of the six PPA steps	Fails to incorporate the Public Policy Analyst in the presentation

By completing this web quest, you should have learned the value of literature in our democratic society. Writers often expose social problems in their plays, novels and short stories. Many suggest solutions to these social problems in their dialogues. Moreover, you have experienced the role of the “public policy analyst”. This political scientist searches for social problems that adversely affect millions of citizens and attempts to create policy solutions that can be implemented by governments, schools or communities. Thanks for your participation in this web quest. You can make a difference!

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, and create public policy solutions.

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 United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.