A WebQuest by Mr. Rudin, evander Childs H.S.

Economics (H8)

dennisrudin@att.net

The bombing of the World Trade Center on 9/11/2001 caused a radical change in the United States Government’s approach to issues dealing with national security and the formation of a viable policy to respond to this challenge. You have been asked to serve on a panel as a public policy analyst and economic advisor to the President of the United States. In this dual role, you will make recommendations—based on current data gathered through Internet research—relating to the financial costs of maintaining security and conducting an effective war against terrorism.

Terrorists in Action

Working in groups, you will research the problem using the Internet, write a paper, and make an oral presentation. Your group’s paper must be typed, double-spaced, and 3-5 pages in length. (It must be in your own words—you may not simply download an article and submit it as your own.) Before submitting this paper, your group will summarize its findings in a 5-minute oral presentation to the class.

This presentation will simulate your report to the President’s council. You will use the TIPS PPA process to help in your research.

1. You will be placed in a cooperative learning group of five. In your group, you will choose a group leader, who will direct the research project and assign jobs to the other members of the group. These jobs include two recorders (who will write down the research findings) and two presenters (who will present the findings to the class).

2. To do the research, your group will follow the six‑step TIPS Public Policy Analyst as outlined below:

TIPS Public Policy Analyst:

A. You will identify the problem using the following TIPS worksheet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.doc

B. You will prove that the problem exists, and show how widespread the problem is, by gathering evidence (Internet data, interviews, expert opinions, etc.) for the problem. Place your findings on the following worksheet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.doc

C. Next, you will determine the causes of the problem, and place your findings on the following worksheet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.doc

D. You will then evaluate existing public policies dealing with the problem of terrorism. How effective are these current policies? Answer this question on the following worksheet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.doc

E. Next, you will develop a public policy to address the problem. You will ask, How is my group’s policy more effective than present U.S. government policy against terrorism? Write your findings on the following worksheet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.doc

F. Finally, you will select the best solution, which most likely will be a combination of present U.S. government policy and your group’s recommendations. You will make this selection based both on feasibility (how realistic is it?) and effectiveness (how well will it work?). Write your final findings on the following worksheet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.doc

To help you focus your research, you might consider the following questions:

— How did Saddam Hussein’s policy of terrorism create political and economic problems for the United States?

— How would President Bush’s policy of anti-terrorism against Iraq (the elimination of Saddam Hussein) help the United States solve its political and economic problems?

Using the information from your research and study you will complete your five minute presentation and written paper.

Use the following websites to help you in your research project:

http://usinfo.state.gov/topical/econ/mlc/02091004.htm

http://www.wisinfo.com/dailytribune/wrdtlocal/277536732388542.shtml

http://www.usmayors.org/uscm/us_mayor_newspaper/documents/03_04_02/terror_insurance.asp

http://www.lvrj.com/lvrj_home/2001/Oct-17-Wed-2001/news/17237272.html

http://www.iwu.edu/~iwunews/newsrlse/queryoped.html

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/02_37/b3799603.htm

http://www.cepr.net/Social_Security/cost_of_the_war_on_terrorism_and.htm

http://www.iccwbo.org/home/news_archives/2002/stories/ccslecture.asp

For more general research you might like to check:

www.google.com

www.yahoo.com

Part I- Your oral work will be judged according to the following chart:

Name: ________________________

Teacher: Mr. Rudin

Date of Presentation: ____________

Title of Work: ___________________

Criteria

Points

	1	2	3	4
Organization	Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.	Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around.	Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow.	Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.	____
Content Knowledge	Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.	Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.	Student is at ease with content, but fails to elaborate.	Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required)with explanations and elaboration.	____
Visuals	Student used no visuals.	Student occasional used visuals that rarely support text and presentation.	Visuals related to text and presentation.	Student used visuals to reinforce screen text and presentation.	____
Mechanics	Student's presentation had four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation had three misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no misspellings or grammatical errors.	____
Delivery	Student mumbles, incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too quietly for students in the back of class to hear.	Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation.	Student's voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly.	Student used a clear voice and correct, precise pronunciation of terms.	____
				Total---->	____

Evaluation- Your written work will be evaluated based upon

this rubric:

Unsatisfactory Passing Good Outstanding

Research	links not relevant to support the proposed policy	enough links but few support the proposed policy	many links that support the proposed policy	all links support the proposed policy
Report and Worksheets	Incomplete - does not use the conventions of standard written English	complete weak usage of the conventions of standard written English	complete with and acceptable usage of he conventions of standard written English	-complete with superior use of the conventions of standard written English

Your work will also be judged according to the following New York State learning standards:

Global History Standards

Economics

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

Geography

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the geography of the interdependent world in which we live-local, national and global-including the distribution of people, places, and environments over the Earth’s surface.

ELA Standards

Standard 1

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for information and understanding.

Standard 3

Students will read, write, listen, and speak for critical analysis and evaluation.

Through this WebQuest, you will have prepared a report and a oral presentation explaining the cost of the war against terrorism. You will also have evaluated the effectiveness of existing public policies in this war. As a public policy analyst and economic advisor, you now understand the problem in depth and presented one or more possible solutions to help our government deal with this issue. Our next Web Quest will investigate the economics involved in Operation Iraqi Freedom