Teaching Interdisciplinary
Problem Solving Program
Web Quest for a Social Studies
Class Sixth Grade
Currently in the United
States the public schools systems are faced with an overwhelming amount of
student violence. According to the
American Psychological Association one of every twelve high school students are
threatened or injured with a weapon each year.
Youth between the ages 12 and 24 are faced with the highest risk of
being the victim of violence. There is
no single explanation for the overall rise in youth violence. There are many different factors for the
cause of violent behavior. Students and
school faculty are at risk everyday. As
a Public Policy Analyzer you are going to analyze the problem of violence
within the American
Public school
system.
You will learn how to
create a public policy using the TIPS model.
By the end of the quest you will have surfed
the Internet to gather data and complete a research project using computer
technology.
¨ Define what is violence?
¨ Define the causes for violence among youth?
¨ Define the causes for violence in the American public
schools?
¨ What are some ways to recognize violent warning signs in
others?
¨ What are the facts that contribute to violent behavior in
school?
¨ What are some of the ways to recognize violent warning signs
in others?
¨ Who are the people at risk to violent behavior in and out of
school?
¨ Are you at risk for violent behavior?
¨ What are ways of controlling your own risk for violent
behavior?
¨ Are there any existing policies in the area of violence in
the American public school systems?
Research Guidelines:
1.
Work in teams
of four students (approved by the teacher).
2.
Work
cooperatively.
3.
Each team will
have two sets of students.
4.
The first set
of students will answer the first five questions.
5.
The second set
of students will answer the last five questions.
6.
Work through
the Public Policy Analysis research guide to gather information about violence
in schools. For assistance please see
the following website http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/welcome.html
7.
Choose an
additional web site to conduct your research.
8.
Utilize any
word processing program to record your responses.
9.
Develop
solutions to prevent violent behavior.
10.
Develop
solutions to prevent violent behavior in American public schools.
11.
Orally present
the material to the class.
Text:
Ending School
Violence: Solutions from America’s Youth, written by Jason Ryan Dorsey.
Web sites:
htp://www.americanschoolsafety.com/
http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/monographs/uds107/preventing_contents.htm
http://dir.yahoo.com/Society_and_Culture/Crime/Juvenile/School_Violence/
http://helping.apa.org/warningsigns/about.html
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/welcome.html
http://www.elca.org/dhes/schools/violenceres.html
Your grade will be
based on two main factors; a research project and an oral presentation. 50% of your grade will be based on your research
and 50% on an oral group presentation.
Grade Rubric:
Excellent - Grade A
ü
All
questions are clearly and completely answered.
ü
The information is presented in proper
sequence and well organized.
ü
The
report is well written.
ü
The
visual aids are informative and highly attractive
ü
Excellent
group dynamics.
Good - Grade B
ü
All
of the questions are answered however some are not complete enough.
ü
The
information lacks connection between questions.
ü
Most
of the information is copied verbatim without student’s input.
ü
The
visual aids are informative but not attractive.
ü
Good
group dynamics.
Satisfactory - Grade C
ü
The
questions are not completely answered.
ü
The
report is slightly unorganized.
ü
The
information is copied word for word without student input.
ü
The
visual aids are missing important information.
ü
Satisfactory
group dynamics.
Unsatisfactory - Grade F
ü All questions are not answered.
ü The report is unorganized.
ü The information is copied word for word without student
input.
ü Missing visual aids.
ü Group did not work well together.
Upon your successful
completion of this research using computer technology, you will learn the
contributing factors of violence in the American school systems. You will be able
to identify the warnings signs of violence among youth, create solutions to
prevent violence among youth and develop solutions to prevent violent behavior
in the American school systems.
The following
standards will be met; NYC English Language Arts standard E2a – the student
produces a report and Social Studies standard 5#4 – the student will
participate in negotiation and comprise to resolve classroom, school, and
community disagreements and problems.
