Respect for Everyone – Treat Others as You Wish to be Treated at Martin L. King, Jr. School

by J. Hanrahan

Grade 5

You and your friends are talking about a boy in your class’s mother, at Martin L. King, Jr. School. Your friend said that the mother was arrested. How did he know? He said he saw her with a police officer. Another student heard your conversation and told another student, and so on…When the boy heard this story he was very upset. He asked a few people who started this gossip. Finally, he approaches you and your friend. You become embarrassed and don’t say a word. Your friend says that it’s true and tells the upset student to ‘shut up’ and ‘don’t be like his mother!” The boy goes to the teacher and tells her that everyone is gossiping about his mother and they have the facts wrong. His mother was talking to the police because she was the victim of a crime and they were taking a report.

How do you take hurtful incorrect words back? How can you avoid being disrespectful? In this web quest you and your team will establish a new MLK policy on respecting your fellow students. Your team will write a newspaper article which will give strategies to respecting others and treating one another the way you want to be treated.

Your task is to find a solution for eliminating the problem of gossiping and disrespect within the MLK school community. You and three other students will be on a team to study the problem and work on the solution—a new school policy.

As a team, you are expected to write a newspaper article. In your article you are to look into the disrespect and gossip that has been going on within the MLK community, talk about the current public policies, and develop ideas that will help your school establish strategies that will help minimize this problem. Then you will publish your article for the school to read.

Your teacher will be reading the book, Mr. Peabody’s Apples, by Madonna and The Twits, by Roald Dahl.

Following the reading of these two books the class will have a discussion about the and the effects of

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· As you work use these three questions; is it kind? is it true? is it necessary?

• Respect other students feelings and ideas within the team discussion
• Build upon your self-esteem by being able to succeed at the task
• Develop an enjoyment of novels and literacy through fun attainable objectives

The SIX-STEP PUBLIC POLICY ANALYST

http://www2.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/welcome.html

Your team must first complete The Six Public Policy Analyst worksheets (steps) on the social problem dealing with the disrespect and gossiping.

WORKSHEET ONE: Step #1: Define the problem

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/step1a.html

WORKSHEET TWO: Step #2: Gather evidence

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/step2a.html

WORKSHEET THREE: Step #3: Identify causes

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/step3a.html

WORKSHEET FOUR: Step #4: Evaluate policy

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/step4a.html

WORKSHEET FIVE: Step #5: Develop solutions

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/step5a.html

WORKSHEET SIX: Step #6: Select the best solution

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/lppa/step6a.html

Your group will use these worksheets as resource for completing the task assignment.

These worksheets must be included in your task products.

· Your newspaper article should be two full pages, in a three column format.

· Include pictures as evidence from the two books (Mr. Peabody’s Apples and The Twits)

· Your article should describe the ills of gossip and the effects of disrespect towards others

· “Interview” at least 3 students and teachers and include their “comments” in your article.

· Suggest some changes in behavior and strategies that are successful.

· State how these changes will improve the lives of MLK students and the learning environment.

Use the following guidelines to prepare your newspaper article.

· Research websites (see hyperlinks below)

· Gather your information from the websites, class notes, and interviews

· What were the causes of the problem?

· What policies were put in place to address the problem?

· What were the results of these policies?

· Did these policies solve the problem?

How your newspaper article should look like:

· Create a front page with the headline stating your topic.

· Include the names of you and your group related to your article.

· Type your article, without spelling errors, using a 3-column newspaper format.

· Include the newspaper’s name.

· Include pictures.

· Include interviews.

· Present a bibliography of the sources you used.

• Include your PPA worksheets as part of your final project package.

http://www.roalddahlfans.com/teachers/twit.php

http://eev2.liu.edu/hhh2004/respect/related_activities/related_activties.htm

http://kidshealth.org/kid/feeling/friend/gossip.html

http://www.ivillage.com/teasing-gossiping-and-reputations/6-a-144526

http://www.kidzworld.com/article/1969-gossip-just-aint-cool

http://www.teenagerstoday.com/resources/articles/nastygirls.htm

http://schools.nyc.gov/RulesPolicies/RespectforAll/default.htm

http://eqi.org/respect.htm

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1568/is_4_31/ai_55343567/

RUBRIC	(4) Excellent	(3) Good	(2) Satisfactory	(1) Needs Improvement
Organization	Information is very organized with well- constructed paragraphs	Information is organized with well-constructed paragraphs.	Information is organized, but paragraphs are not well-constructed.	The information appears to be disorganized.
Amount of Information	All topics are addressed and all questions answered with at least 2 sentences about each.	All topics are addressed and most questions answered with at least 1 sentence about each.	Most of the topics are addressed, and most questions answered with 1 sentence about each.	Three or more topics were not addressed.
Quality of Information	Information relates to the main topic. It includes supporting details and/or examples.	Information relates to the main topic. It provides 1 supporting detail and/or example.	Information relates to the main topic. No details and/or examples are given.	Information has little or nothing to do with the main topic.
Sources	All 2 sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented in the desired format.(Bibliography)	All 2 sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but a few are not in the desired format.(Bibliography)	All 2 sources (information and graphics) are accurately documented, but many are not in the desired format.(Bibliography)	Some sources are not accurately documented.
Mechanics	Almost no grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	A few grammatical, spelling or punctuation errors.	Some grammatical spelling or punctuation errors.	Many grammatical, spelling, or punctuation errors.
First Draft	Draft is neatly presented and includes required information.	Draft includes required information and is legible.	Draft includes some required information and is legible.	Draft is missing required information and is difficult to read.
Paragraph Construction	All paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Most paragraphs include introductory sentence, explanations or details, and concluding sentence.	Paragraphs included related information but were typically not constructed well.	Paragraphing structure was not clear and sentences were not typically related within the paragraphs.
Graphic Organizer	Graphic organizer or outline has been completed and shows clear, logical relationships between all topics.	Graphic organizer or outline has been completed and shows clear, logical relationships between most topics.	Graphic organizer or outline has been started and includes some.	Graphic organizer or outline has not been attempted.
Diagrams & Illustrations	Diagrams and illustrations are neat, accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are accurate and add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are neat and accurate and sometimes add to the reader's understanding of the topic.	Diagrams and illustrations are not accurate OR do not add to the reader's understanding of the topic.
Presentation	The paper was double spaced, typed and 2-3 pages in length. It was easy to understand.	The paper was double spaced, typed 2 pages in length. It contained a few confusing parts.	The paper was double spaced, 1 page in length.	The paper was not typed and less than 1 page in length. It was difficult to understand

By working on this project you have learned that newspapers have the responsibility to bring social problems to the attention of the public. In bringing to the attention to the M.L. King community of gossip and disrespect news reporters such as you and your team will be able to create change in the law so that the community will benefit from it.

You have also experienced the importance of a ‘Public Policy Analyst”. It is this profession that analyzes critical social problems and formulates innovative policies that improve all our lives.

Art

#2: Students will be knowledgeable about and make use of the materials and resources available for participation in arts in various roles

English Language Arts:

ELA #1: Language for Information and Understanding

ELA #2: Language for literary response and expression

ELA #3: Language for Critical analysis and evaluation

ELA #4: Language for Social Interaction

Social Studies

SS # 5: Civics, Citizenship and Government