Using Fists To Solve Our Problems Jennifer Tucci P.S. 197

Introduction

We don’t all have the same opinions about things, and that’s okay. But sometimes, at our school, instead of using our words, we use our fists to solve our problems or disagreements. The teachers have noticed that using our fists to solve our disagreement has become a very big problem at our school and other schools around our country. Teachers have run out of solutions to use. We are going to be like the Lorax and care an awful lot about the problem by coming up with ways other than using our fists to solve our disagreements.

Task

You have been asked by our principal to create a presentation that we can present to our fellow classmates with our findings about the causes of school violence and ways to solve our disagreements without using our fists.  You will be working in groups of 5 to create a presentation that will discuss the problem using research as well as evidence from our own school. You may present your findings and ideas using posters, slide show, and videos. You must also have a verbal presentation that will accompany your visual presentation.

Process

Use the following steps of the Public Policy Analysis (PPA) to help you create your presentation

Step 1: Defining the Social Problem

  When students have a disagreement, they tend to use their fists as a way to solve their disagreement. Fighting in schools has become a large problem in our school as well as nationwide.

Step 2: Gathering Evidence of the Problem

It is now your job to find evidence that fighting is a problem around our country and not just in our school. Below you will find helpful links to compile data as well as a worksheet to organize yourself.

 Gathering Evidence Worksheet

 Resource: School Violence Statistics

Step 3: Identifying the Causes of the Problem

You may distribute a survey to your classmates school wide to determine the causes of the problem at our school.

Identifying the Cause Worksheet

Step 4: Evaluating the Existing Problem

Look at the policy PS 197M has in place to manage fighting

            Look at other school’s policies

Evaluating the  Existing Problem Worksheet

Step 5: Developing Public Policy Solutions

Developing Solutions Worksheet

Resources: Teaching Tolerance

Conflict Resolution

How Do I Help?

Step 6: Selecting the Best Public Policy Solutions

Using the PPA Feasibility and Effectiveness Matrix to find the best solution to the problem at our school.

Feasibility and Effectiveness Matrix

Evaluation

Below you will find the rubric in which you will be graded.

	1 Beginning To	2 Developing	3 Accomplished	4 Exemplary
Research of Problem	0 – 1 pieces of evidence from the research was presented.	2 -3 pieces of evidence from the research was presented.	4 – 5 pieces of evidence from the research was presented.	6 + pieces of evidence from the research was presented.
Solution of Problem	A solution to the problem was not evident in your project.	A solution to the problem was evident but neither feasible nor effective.	A solution to the problem was evident and was either feasible or effective.	A solution to the problem was evident as well as both feasible and effective.
Visual Presentation	No eye appeal, parts are not understandable, or have no relevance.	Fair eye appeal, parts are understandable with extensive explanations.	Good eye appeal, most parts are understandable with some explanation.	Excellent eye appeal and easily understood with little to no explanation.
Verbal Presentation	Little to no coherence of thoughts, presented in an order that doesn’t make sense, only 1 speaker that is reading directly from a script/visual presentation.	Some order and coherence to presentation, only 2 speakers that are mostly reading from a script/visual presentation.	Presentation is in a coherent order with 3 -4 member of the group speaking using script/visual presentation as a cue.	Presentation is in a coherent order with all members of the group speaking using script/visual presentation as a cue.

Conclusion

At the end of the project students will be able to explain the causes of school violence (fighting in schools) in our own school as well as nationwide. Students will also come up with solutions that can be implemented in our own school as methods to solve disagreements without resorting to physical violence. 

Standards

During this project the following standards were addressed:

ELA:

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.

RI.4.3 Explain events, procedures, ideas, or concepts in a historical, scientific, or technical text, including what happened and why, based on specific information in the text.

RI.5.6 Analyze multiple accounts of the same event or topic, noting important similarities and differences in the point of view they represent.

RI.4.9  Integrate information from two texts on the same topic in order to write or speak about the subject knowledgeably.

W.4.2. a-e Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas and information clearly. a. Introduce a topic clearly and group related information in paragraphs and sections; include formatting (e.g., headings), illustrations, and multimedia when useful to aiding comprehension. b. Develop the topic with facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples related to the topic. c. Link ideas within categories of information using words and phrases (e.g., another, for example, also, because). d. Use precise language and domain-specific vocabulary to inform about or explain the topic. e. Provide a concluding statement or section related to the information or explanation presented.

W.4.6 With some guidance and support from adults, use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing as well as to interact and collaborate with others; demonstrate sufficient command of keyboarding skills to type a minimum of one page in a single sitting.

Math:

4.MD.4  Represent and interpret data. Make a line plot to display a data set of measurements in fractions of a unit (1/2, 1/4, 1/8). Solve problems involving addition and subtraction of fractions by using information presented in line plots. For example, from a line plot find and interpret the difference in length between the longest and shortest specimens in an insect collection.