SEEING A LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL

AND STOPPING THE MADNESS

Introduction: Students we will be looking at the Welfare System in New York and try to come up with suggestions as to how to get people off the system and out into the work force. You will be investigating certain aspects of the system and trying to figure out what you think works and what you think needs to be worked over.

Task: Students will recognize what problems bring people to be dependant on welfare. What causes people to stay on for years and take advantage of it and ways they believe would cause people to take more responsibility for themselves and their families and find a way out of the system. You will be required to completed the 6 steps from Project Tips http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/welcome.html

Process: Students will be responsible for finding two people on the system and interviewing them. They will ask specific based questions to answer all of our questions relating to the problem and ways to fix it. Students will use these questions and answers to complete the 6 steps listed below to complete the task.

Define the problem

Gather evidence

Identify causes

Evaluate a policy

Develop solutions

Select best solutions

Resources: This will include statements that the students took from their interviews in addition to the articles from the links listed below.

http://www.urban.org/urlprint.cfm?ID=7956

http://www.labor.state.ny.us/pdf/wtwplan.pdf

http://www.abcny.org/currentarticle/welfare.html http://www.hirenetwork.org/pdfs/Welfare%20as%20we%20know%20it%20now.Pdf

Evaluation:

Group Planning -- Research Project : New York State Welfare System Project

Teacher Name: Ms. DeLucia


Student Name:     ________________________________________

CATEGORY	4	3	2	1
Plan for Organizing Information	Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information as it is gathered and in the final research product. All students can independently explain the planned organization of the research findings.	Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information in the final research product. All students can independently explain this plan.	Students have developed a clear plan for organizing the information as it is gathered. All students can independently explain most of this plan.	Students have no clear plan for organizing the information AND/OR students in the group cannot explain their organizational plan.
Ideas/Research Questions	Researchers independently identify at least 4 reasonable, insightful, creative ideas/questions to pursue when doing the research.	Researchers independently identify at least 4 reasonable ideas/questions to pursue when doing the research.	Researchers identify, with some adult help, at least 4 reasonable ideas/questions to pursue when doing the research.	Researchers identify, with considerable adult help, 4 reasonable ideas/questions to pursue when doing the research.
Quality of Sources	Researchers independently locate at least 2 reliable, interesting information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.	Researchers independently locate at least 2 reliable information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.	Researchers, with some adult help, locate at least 2 reliable information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.	Researchers, with extensive adult help, locate at least 2 reliable information sources for EACH of their ideas or questions.
Group Timeline	Group independently develops a reasonable, complete timeline describing when different parts of the work (e.g.,planning, research, first draft, final draft) will be done. All students in group can independently describe the high points of the timeline.	Group independently develops a timeline describing when most parts of the work will be done. All students in group can independently describe the high points of the timeline.	Group independently develops a timeline describing when most parts of the work will be done. Most students can independently describe the high points of the timeline.	Group needs adult help to develop a timeline AND/OR several students in the group cannot independently describe the high points of the timeline.

Conclusion: Students were asked to find reasons and solutions for people taking advantage of the New York State Welfare System. Hopefully the students will realize at a very young and influential age that being on the Welfare System is not an advantage but an alternative to a much better life.