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Inequality: Causes, Impact, & Solutions |
IS 303 8th Grade English
Ms. Schulz
Introduction:
“We hold these truths to be
self-evident, that all men are
created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these
are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” In 1776, Thomas Jefferson
co-authored the Declaration of Independence in which he promised men the opportunity to go after the
things that make them happy - The American Dream.
Over 100 years later, in 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. said, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day
live in a nation where they will not be
judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. I have a dream today.” MLK’s “I
Have A Dream” speech reflected his hopes for an American
Dream that provides equal opportunity for all people regardless
of their race.
Roughly 50 years later, in
the year 2023, you have been given the opportunity to ensure equality is given
to everyone regardless of race and or
gender. In recreating the American Dream,
you have been tasked by the President of the United States to create Amendments
to the Constitution guaranteeing equality in “every which way.”
The Task:
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Activist: (noun) a person
who campaigns to bring about political or social change. |
For this assignment, you will take on the role
of a political activist fighting against inequality. Reflecting on the ways in which inequality can help and or
hinder opportunities for yourself and or other people.
Collaboratively,
you and your peers will work in small groups to create the 28th Amendment to the Constitution.
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Amendment: (noun) a minor change or addition designed to improve a text, piece of legislation, etc. |
In
doing so, you create a new promise of equality that ensures all of the American
people that their dream is not
hindered by their gender, race, and or socio-economic status. You and your peers will conduct research on the topic of
inequality, its causes, impact, and potential solutions.
You
will prepare a visual presentation to
justify your 28th Amendment for the approval
of the American people. Using the PPA Method and Google Slides, you
will create a presentation introducing the impact inequality has on society to
your audience while offering several solutions and your recommendation for the
ideal solution - Amendment 28. Your presentation must have at least 8
slides, include graphics, present your research, and offer solutions.
The Process:
In order to complete
this project, you will need to follow the six (6) steps of the PPA Tool.
Step 1: Define the Problem
Identify and explain the
problem that you are researching. Ensure that you can convey why inequality
based on socioeconomic status, race, and or gender is unconstitutional.
Step 2: Gather the Evidence
The goal of your
research is to find evidence that inequality exists and is problematic
for specific genders or races. You may use statistics, primary or secondary
sources, articles from newspapers or magazines, blogs, podcasts, etc. to
support your findings.
Consider the following:
What is inequality? What
does it look like?
How does inequality show
up in our daily lives?
How does inequality
affect our opportunities?
Step 3: Identify the Causes
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Why might race, gender,
and or socioeconomic status cause
people to be treated differently?
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How is gender, race and
or socioeconomic status connected to
inequality?
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How are the causes of
inequality evident in today’s society?
Step 4: Evaluate an Existing Policy
Find policies that exist regarding
equal rights on the basis of gender, race or socioeconomic status. What do
these policies say? Who do they benefit? Do they address the issue
of how inequality can be prevented?
Do these policies need to be changed?
Step 5: Develop Solutions
Create an original Public Policy Alternative that addresses the impact
inequality has on people. What are some
alternatives you think will help solve the problem?
Step 6: Select
the best solution for Amendment 28
With your group critique how effective your solutions are? How feasible (likely) would it be to lessen
the impact inequality has on society? Are there any obstacles that can prevent
it from working?
The Evaluation:
Google Slide Rubric
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4 |
3 |
2 |
1 |
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Content |
Content
is accurate, insightful, and presented in a compelling order. |
Content
is accurate and presented in a logical order. |
Content
is accurate but not presented in a logical order making it hard to follow. |
Content
is inaccurate and information is not presented in a logical order making it
difficult to follow. |
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Graphics |
All
graphics are attractive (size and colors) and support the theme/content of
the presentation. |
A
few graphics are not attractive but all support the theme/content of the
presentation. |
All
graphics are attractive but a few do not seem to support the theme/content of
the presentation. |
Several
graphics are unattractive AND detract from the content of the presentation. |
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Background |
Background
does not detract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is
consistent from slide to slide and is appropriate for the topic. |
Background
does not distract from text or other graphics. Choice of background is
consistent from slide to slide. |
Background
distracts from text or other graphics. |
Background
makes it difficult to see text or competes with other graphics on the page. |
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Spelling & Grammar |
Presentation
has no misspellings or grammatical errors. |
Presentation
has few minor errors but doesn’t distract from the presentation. |
Presentation
has frequent grammatical errors and begins to distract from the presentation. |
Presentation
has constant errors and they distract from the presentation. |
Peer
Evaluation Rubric
Directions: Write the last names of
your group members in the numbered boxes. Then, assign yourself a value for
each listed attribute. Finally, do the same for each of your group members and
total all of the values.
Values: 1= Strongly Agree; 2=
Agree; 3=Disagree; 4=Strongly Disagree