School Lateness at P.S. 194M
Ms. Coombs
PS194M Countee Cullen
Introduction
The principal has asked the students in Room 215 to look into students’ lateness at the school. We all run late sometimes. But chronic lateness at our school eventually takes its toll on a child's overall educational experience. When students are repeatedly tardy, their daily routines are disrupted. Children who are often late have trouble settling in and mastering routines. Tardiness seems to throw off their whole morning or even their day, especially if the late commute to school was stressful. Student lateness leads to academic failure and low achievement levels on standardized examinations. Chronic lateness policies have been instituted at PS 194M in the parent handbook but it is not being followed.
Task:
You will examine the problem and issue of lateness and find policies that can be implemented at PS 194M. You will present your findings to the school principal so that the school can implement a new policy solution.
1. You will be divided into two research groups. Each group of four children will do research and interviews to…
1. Investigate why students are late at school.
2. Investigate what are the reasons and factors that cause them to be late.
3. Use different methods to find answers to the questions set.
4. Analyze and interpret data obtained and recommend possible solutions.
2. Each group will use the information you have gathered from the worksheets and interviews to write a persuasive essay in which you describe the problem and offer solutions (include all 6 PPA steps)
Process/Resources
A. You will complete the following as a researcher:
1. Each group will have to research the social problem of SCHOOL LATENESS. As a group, you will complete the Public Policy Analyst model.
2. You will work in groups of four to complete all tasks and worksheets.
3. You will work in groups to create and interview staff and students on SCHOOL LATENESS (per researcher) to develop causes to lateness.
4. You will gather the information from the completed worksheets as a group and then individually write a persuasive essay on SCHOOL LATENESS to present to the principal.
5. You will use the worksheets provided in the next section to help you in your research, summarizing your research on the six public policy analyst worksheets below:
LINKS AND WORKSHEETS
a. Define the problem of the school lateness.
b. Gather evidence of the problem…that makes lateness a social problem
c. Identify causes of the problem…school lateness using a worksheet. Interview students and office staff.
d. Evaluate public policies designed to solve the problem…what is PS 194M policy? Possible interview office staff and/or principal?
e. Develop your own original public policy solutions…solutions should address PS 194M’s school lateness
f. Choose the best solution…for the school to follow through with
6.Working as GROUPS.
-You will complete ALL the worksheets as a group, on the links for the PPA, and these will be used as resource material for your essay
-You will be graded individually on the PPA worksheets and the essay presented to the principal by the Rubrics in the “Evaluation” section of the web quest
-You will use the INTERNET RESOURCES given below, along with printed material to complete the
worksheets.
7.TIPS…When you start working on the interviewing, several questions may catch your attention. The questions we want to find answers to after are given below:
Why is punctuality important?
Is it important for the students to be punctual at school?
What is the idea behind punctuality?
Are there many students late at school?
What is the students’ attitude towards punctuality nowadays?
Is there a change of attitudes of students towards punctuality in schools? Why?
Why are students late at school?
B. Writing a Well Structured Essay about School Lateness
Each student will write a 2-3 page persuasive essay on the topic of SCHOOL LATENESS.
1. Use a-f in step 3 as the subheadings of your essay, analyzing the problem and offering public policy solutions.
2. A clear, concise, and defined thesis statement that occurs in the first paragraph of the essay.
In the first paragraph of a persuasive essay, students should set the context by reviewing the topic in a general way. Next the author should explain why the topic is important or why readers should care about the issue. Lastly, students should present the thesis statement.
3. Clear and logical transitions between the introduction, body, and conclusion. Transitions should wrap up the idea from the previous section and introduce the idea that is to follow in the next section.
4. Body paragraphs that include evidential support. Each paragraph should be limited to the discussion of one general idea. This will allow for clarity and direction throughout the essay. However, persuasive essays should also consider and explain differing points of view regarding the topic.
5. Evidential support (whether factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal).The argumentative essay requires well-researched, accurate, detailed, and current information to support the thesis statement and consider other points of view. Some factual, logical, statistical, or anecdotal evidence should support the thesis.
6. A conclusion that readdresses the thesis in light of the evidence provided. This is the portion of the essay that will leave the most immediate impression on the mind of the reader. Therefore, it must be effective and logical. Do not introduce any new information into the conclusion; rather, restate why the topic is important, review the main points, and review your thesis. Your group will then present this essay to the class. And then to the principal.
RESOURCES: You will use the following websites to help you in your research:
Current PS 194M policy on school lateness. Click on policies and regulations for this link.
· http://schools.nyc.gov/schoolportals/05/m194/default.htm
· http://educationnorthwest.org/sites/default/files/increasing-student-attendance.pdf
· http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/effects-tardiness-childs-education-25692.html
· https://sites.google.com/site/bilocuraandguia/notes/topiclatenessitscauseseffectsandsolutions
· http://education.seattlepi.com/advantages-being-time-vs-being-late-school-3477.html
· http://www.ehow.com/facts_6370914_impact-tardiness-school-success.html
· http://www.wtop.com/41/2770742/Chronic-tardiness-hurts-children-schools
· https://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070131114630AA0U4wS
· http://www.grossarchive.com/projects3.php?PROJECTID=EDU0003
· http://www.educationworld.com/a_curr/profdev/profdev088.shtml
Evaluation
PPA RUBRIC for each step completed on the worksheet …
|
CATEGORY |
4-Excellent |
3- Good |
2- Fair |
0-1 Needs Improvement |
|
Content PPA worksheets |
All content is accurate, and there are many facts. Completed all worksheets |
Most of the content is accurate. 5-4 completed worksheets |
Content is accurate but it contains inaccurate facts. 3-2 completed worksheets |
Content is confusing and inaccurate. 1 completed worksheet |
Teacher will use 1st grade opinion writing rubric for the essay. (please attached)
The teacher will only complete the opinion rubric from the link for this project.
Conclusion
The purpose of this task is to investigate the factors that are responsible for student’s lateness to school and re-address the problem by providing possible suggestions, recommendations and solutions, which relate to P.S. 194M student’s lateness to school. On successful completion of this task… students, principals, school staff and parents will be exposed to the various factors that are responsible for school lateness to school and to the rightful measure necessary to eradicate this bad habit.
This process will help to motivate students, teaching staff and especially parents to have the children come early to school and this will in turn improve the academic performance of the individual. You also have learned the role of the Public Policy Analyst.
Standards
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.1
Write opinion pieces in which they introduce the topic or name the book they are writing about, state an opinion, supply a reason for the opinion, and provide some sense of closure.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.1.5
With guidance and support from adults, focus on a topic, respond to questions and suggestions from peers, and add details to strengthen writing as needed.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.1.A
Follow agreed-upon rules for discussions (e.g., listening to others with care, speaking one at a time about the topics and texts under discussion).
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.3
Ask and answer questions about what a speaker says in order to gather additional information or clarify something that is not understood.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.SL.1.6
Produce complete sentences when appropriate to task and situation.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.L.1.2
Demonstrate command of the conventions of standard English capitalization, punctuation, and spelling when writing.
CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RI.1.5
Know and use various text features (e.g., headings, tables of contents, glossaries, electronic menus, icons) to locate key facts or information in a text.