Barbara L. Feldman
Walton HS
DO YOU KNOW WHERE YOUR CHILDREN ARE??
www.childcareaware.org/images/accreditation/family.jpg
hometown.aol.com/airbossgwendy/images/myrymer.gif
Introduction:
A child is playing in the
park. A stranger approaches the child
and asks, “Have you seen my puppy?” The
stranger has a picture of the puppy in one hand and an empty leash in the
other. The child responds “no” but then
moments later the child is seen walking towards the bushes calling for the
puppy with the stranger.
It is that easy for a
child to become of victim of a child sex offender.
A
problem facing people living in the
Task:
Your task is to act as public advocate gathering data to
keep your community informed of this problem. You will be writing a letter to
the local police department and community representatives asking them to help
keep your neighborhood safe.
Process:
You
will be working in groups of three or four students. Everyone will have a
specific part including identifying information. You will be using the 6 step public policy
analysis worksheets to assist you in your task.
1.
Define
and describe the problem within your community.
2.
Gather
evidence related to this problem.
3.
Identify
the causes.
4.
Describe
and evaluate current policies for this problem.
5.
Develop
you own solutions/policies for this problem.
6. Select
the best policy for this problem.
You and your group will begin writing a first draft that will be corrected, reviewed, and returned to you. Your group will continue to work on your letter by meeting together, meeting with the teacher, using the Internet sites given to you as well as others you might find and using the library for research as needed.
Everyone in the group
should be prepared to participate in presenting an oral report to the class on
your findings.
Resources:
Define the problem:
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html
Gather evidence:
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html
Identify causes:
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html
Evaluate a policy:
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html
Develop solution:
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html
Select best solution:
http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/bestsol.html
General Search Engines:
Specific Web Sites:
http://parole.state.ny.us/specialoperations.html
http://www.focusas.com/NewYork.html
http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/nsor/index.htm
http://criminaljustice.state.ny.us/crimnet/data.htm
http://www.klaaskids.org/st-nyork.htm
Evaluation:
Your evaluation will be based on three separate parts, the worksheets, the letter, and your oral presentation. Your grades will be based on the rubric that follows.
|
55 Points |
75 Points |
100 Points |
Worksheets |
Incomplete |
Answer all
questions and analyze data |
Complete with an
excellent understanding of PPA |
Letter |
Incomplete |
Not enough detail |
Clear and
complete in detail |
Oral Presentation |
Team effort was
not visible |
Team effort was
visible. Knowledge of roles was
apparent. |
Clear
demonstration of team effort. Well organized
presentation. |
Standards:
This web quest focuses on the following English Language
Arts Standards:
E1c Reads
and comprehends information materials.
E3a
Participate in one-to-one conference with the teacher.
E3b
Participate in group meetings.
E4b
Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.
This web quest focuses on the following New York
State Standards:
Standard 1: Language for Information and
Understanding
Standard 3: Language for Critical Analysis and
Evaluation
Standard 4: Language for Social Interaction
S6d
Acquires information from multiple sources.
S6e
Recognizes and limits sources of bias in data
S7e
Communicates in a form suited to the purpose and the audience
Conclusion:
By completing this activity, students will learn how to use the Internet to do research and gather information. They will be able to use critical thinking skills in order to make informed decisions on which policies could be effective.