POLITICALLY UNPREPARED HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES:

A THREAT TO OUR AMERICAN DEMCORACY!

Presented by: Mr. J. Harris

Frederick Douglass Academy

New York City, NY

In some states, seventy percent of high school students 18 years or older do not even register to vote! The 26^th amendment to the United States Constitution was passed to extend the democratic process to younger Americans but a majority of these youthful voters have not deemed it important to exercise their constitutional right. Moreover, a majority of high school graduates do not know their representatives, critical issues in politics or even their State or Federal representatives.

Democracy is a participation sport! Without involvement of all segments of society, democratic principles turn into “rule by a few”.

It is rare that more than half the eligible voters in our nation exercise their voting privileges in any given election.

This political apathy begins in high schools. Graduates seem ill prepared for the world of democratic politics. As Jefferson so eloquently stated 200 years ago; “Democracy requires and informed public…. without it we will become victims of anarchy”. He even attempted to establish an early public school system to accomplish this end; however public schools would take almost a century to evolve. But now we have them and high school graduates are not fulfilling Jefferson’s ideal or his warning.

In this web quest you will use the Public Policy Analyst. This will enable you to investigate this social problem and find policy solutions to the critical problem of a politically informed American youth. You will be assigned to our “principle’s Committee on Curriculum Improvements. You will present you finding to this group and hopefully, you will find a practical solution to the problem of politically unprepared high school graduates…Good Luck!

WILL HE MAKE A DIFFERNCE?

Your task in this web quest will be to produce TWO products. Each product must include all SIX-STEPS of the public policy analyst. You must become familiar with this PPA process and use it as a template for you final assessment.

PRODUCT # 1: Each group will complete a

Power Point Presentation of a minimum of 15 slides. All six steps must be included in the power point. You may divide the steps/slides according to your group’s evaluation of importance. Your slides must include graphs, charts, illustrations and text to validate your conclusions. The power point presentation will be used as part of product # 2: You should use your survey as resource for your PPA steps

PRODUCT # 2: Each group will be responsible for a 10 minute oral presentation using the PPA as your template. Al members of the group should take part in some aspect of the presentation. You should be informed, intelligent and convincing. Use your survey results extensively

1: The class will be divided into groups of four

2: Each group will be responsible for completion of the two products

3: Group responsibilities will be assigned by the instructor.

4: THE SURVEY:

Each group will construct SURVEY questions that incorporate all the information required on the six PPA worksheets. Each group will construct a survey and administer it to school mates, faculty and friends. These survey results will be used as part a resource for your power point and oral report products. Survey questions should be geared to the social problem of a politically unprepared youth.

You may use the on-line survey

5: The group will use the Internet resources as well as outside text material for completion of the products. The list of Internet sites is listed in the “resource” section for the web quest. Remember, you are not limited to only internet sites. Use your text or articles you have discussed in class.

Use the following links for survey help

SURVEY INFORMATION

OPINION POWER—Online survey mechanism

6: THE PUBLIC POLCIY ANALYST-Click on the links below and complete all the six worksheets. There is one worksheet per step. You will use these worksheets as resource and research material for your two products. Read each step before accessing the worksheets.

Step 1: Identify the problem Worksheet 1

Step 2: Gather the evidence Worksheet 2

Step 3: Determine the Causes Worksheet 3

Step 4: Examine an existing Policy Worksheet 4

Step 5: Develop (3) Policy Solutions Worksheet 5

Step 6: Select the Best Solution/ Worksheet 6

I: The CLASS SURVEY

II: GENERAL RESOURCES

WWW.GOOGLE.COM

WWW.ASK.COM

WWW.YAHOO.COM

III: SPECIFIC RESOURCES

1} A CURRIUCLUM CURE

2} APATHY IS UNACCEPTABLE

3} CHECK YOUR POLITICAL IQ

4} ACADEMIC APATHY

5} LACK OF POLITICAL AWARENESS

6} TEACHER APATHY

7} DANGER OF APATHY

8} VOTER APATHY O F YOUTH ON RISE

POWER POINT PRESENTATION RUBRICS

CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNACCEPTABLE
Cooperation	ALL MEMBERS OF THE GROUP TOOK PART IN CONSTRUCTION OF THE POWER POINT (RESEARCH).	ALL MEMBERS TOOK PART IN CONSTRUCTION OF THE POWER POINT BUT NOT EQUALLY.	FOUR OF THE FIVE MEMBERS TOOK PART IN CONSTRUCTION OF THE POWER POINT.	THE POWER POINT HAD LITTLE GROUP COOPERATION AND WAS CONSTRUCTED BY ONE MEMBER
Originality	Presentation shows considerable originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in a unique and interesting way.	Presentation shows some originality and inventiveness. The content and ideas are presented in an interesting way.	Presentation shows an attempt at originality and inventiveness on 1-2 cards.	Presentation is a rehash of other people's ideas and/or graphics and shows very little attempt at original thought.
Text – Font Choice & Formatting	Font formats (e.g., color, bold, italic) have been carefully planned to enhance readability and content.	Font formats have been carefully planned to enhance readability.	Font formatting has been carefully planned to complement the content. It may be a little hard to read.	Font formatting makes it very difficult to read the material.
Content - Accuracy	All content throughout the presentation is accurate. There are no factual errors.	Most of the content is accurate but there is one piece of information that might be inaccurate.	The content is generally accurate, but one piece of information is clearly flawed or inaccurate.	Content is typically confusing or contains more than one factual error.
Spelling and Grammar	Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.	Presentation has 1-2 misspellings, but no grammatical errors.	Presentation has 1-2 grammatical errors but no misspellings.	Presentation has more than 2 grammatical and/or spelling errors.
Sequencing of Information	Information is organized in a clear, logical way. It is easy to anticipate the type of material that might be on the next card.	Most information is organized in a clear, logical way. One card or item of information seems out of place.	Some information is logically sequenced. An occasional card or item of information seems out of place.	There is no clear plan for the organization of information.
Use of 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.
Assignment delegation	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively all of the time.	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively most of the time.	Group delegates tasks and shares responsibility effectively some of the time.	Group often is not effective in delegating tasks and/or sharing responsibility.
Effectiveness	Project includes all material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the topic. It is a highly effective study guide.	Project includes most material needed to gain a comfortable understanding of the material but is lacking one or two key elements. It is an adequate study guide.	Project is missing more than two key elements. It would make an incomplete study guide.	Project is lacking several key elements and has inaccuracies that make it a poor study guide.
USE OF PPA	INCLUDES ALL STEPS OF THE PPA	INCLUDES MOST STEPS OF THE PPA	INLCUDES ALL STEPS OF THE PPA BUT WITH INACCURACIES	DOES NOT INLCUDE PPA AS A FORMAT OR HAS MANY INACCURACIES

GRADING: A=36-40 B= 30-35 C=25-29 F=below 25

Oral Presentation Rubric :

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CATEGORY	4 EXCELLENT	3 VERY GOOD	2 SATISFACTORY	1 UNSATISFACTORY
CONTENT	Shows a full understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of the topic.	Shows a good understanding of parts of the topic.	Does not seem to understand the topic very well.
GROUP PARTICIPATION	Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Tries to keep people working well together.	Usually listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Does not cause "waves" in the group.	Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group but sometimes is not a good team member.	Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others in the group. Often is not a good team member.
PREPAREDNESS	Student is completely prepared and has obviously rehearsed.	Student seems pretty prepared but might have needed a couple more rehearsals.	The student is somewhat prepared, but it is clear that rehearsal was lacking.	Student does not seem at all prepared to present.
COMPLETE SENTENCES	Always (99-100% of time) speaks in complete sentences.	Mostly (80-98%) speaks in complete sentences.	Sometimes (70-80%) speaks in complete sentences.	Rarely speaks in complete sentences.
Vocabulary	Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Extends audience vocabulary by defining words that might be new to most of the audience.	Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Includes 1-2 words that might be new to most of the audience, but does not define them.	Uses vocabulary appropriate for the audience. Does not include any vocabulary that might be new to the audience.	Uses several (5 or more) words or phrases that are not understood by the audience.

GRADING: A=18-20 B=15-17 C=12-14 F=below 12

You should have learned from this web quest that politically unprepared youth is a major social problem for American secondary education. High school graduates are unprepared for the rigors of the politically world. Eventually, apathy results and our democracy is threatened. High School curriculums must be restructured to find ways to motivate America’s future. Without an involved youth, our precious democracy will lose meaning and political reality. You have also experienced the role of the Public Policy Analyst. This political scientists, does what you have accomplished here. He/she finds solutions to social problems which help millions. Let’s hope you made a difference! Thanks for your participation.

Social Studies

Standard 1:   History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

Standard 4:   Economics

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of how the United States and other societies develop economic systems and associated institutions to allocate scarce resources, how major decision-making units function in the United States and other national economies, and how an economy solves the scarcity problem through market and nonmarket mechanisms.

Standard 5:   Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.

English Language Arts

Standard 1:   Language for Information and Understanding

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 2:   Language for Literary Response and Expression

Students will read and listen to oral, written, and electronically produced texts and performances from American and world literature; relate texts and performances to their own lives; and develop an understanding of the diverse social, historical, and cultural dimensions the texts and performances represent. As speakers and writers, students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for self-expression and artistic creation.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.

Standard 4:   Language for Social Interaction

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for social interaction. Students will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language for effective social communication with a wide variety of people. As readers and listeners, they will use the social communications of others to enrich their understanding of people and their views.