Web Quest

A Thug’s Life? Teenage criminals in NYC

Ms. Lerman

Web Quest

Columbus Institute for Math and Science

INTRODUCTION

Imagine a different ending to Monster: Instead of being found innocent, Steve Harmon is found guilty of being an accomplice to murder and sentenced to serve 10 years in prison. As a close friend of Steve’s you visit him and he gives you his manuscript, asking you to please help get the word out so that other teenagers can avoid his fate. He tells you a startling statistic he recently heard in jail: 75% of prisoners enter prison without a high school iploma; in city jails, this figure leaps to 90%.

Being called a monster, forced to live in jail and stand trial, denied access to see his family – what is the appeal of the thug’s life? Why do so many teenagers feel compelled to commit crimes?

TASK

Working in groups of 4, you will complete the following:

Decide on a social problem that you feel Monster is addressing.
Use the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) method to investigate this problem by gathering evidence, identifying causes, and evaluating current policies.
Develop your own solution for the problem you identify
Write a letter (see below)

USING YOUR INFORMATION FROM TASKS 1-3, you will then compose a letter to the executives of a movie studio of your choice and ask them to make a movie based on Steve’s screenplay. Be sure to include:

Relevant statistics and information about teenage criminals
Several (at least 3) suggestions that will help deter future juvenile criminals (use your PPA solutions here!)
A persuasive argument explaining how making the movie Monster is valuable when it comes to stopping teenagers from becoming criminals.

Process

We will be following the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) method of examining a social problem. You will be working in groups of 4. For each step, you will need to record notes on your printed versions of the online worksheets (follow the links below and click on the MS word versions to print out the pages). If you need help understanding one of the steps, follow the link under “more information” for that step.

1.Define the problem

In your own words, what is the social problem Monster is addressing? For example: Many teenagers are involved in criminal activities.

Fill out the worksheet located at: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.doc

More Information: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/select.html

2.Gather evidence

Investigate the causes and effects of your defined social problem. I have provided some websites below under “Resources,” but your group should also do some internet investigating on its own. Remember to think critically about the source of your information and whether it is reliable.

Fill out the worksheet located at http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.doc.

More Information: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/gather.html

How to conduct a search on the internet:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/search.html

3.Identify causes

What do you think are actual causes of this social problem? Base your ideas on the evidence you have collected, and remember to consider what actually causes this social problem.

Fill out the worksheet at: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.doc

More information: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html

4.Evaluate a policy

What is NYC doing to remedy the social problem? Research some of the policies that already exist and then decide on some good points and bad points of these policies. These notes will help you write your letter to the film studio executives.

Fill out the worksheet at: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet4.doc

More information: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/existing.html

5.Develop solutions

As part of your letter, your group is responsible for brainstorming different possible policy solutions for the problem addressed by Monster. Be creative – and try to think what ideas might be appealing to your fellow teenagers. Be sure to also think about the effectiveness of your policy (is it an idea that can really do something about your problem?) as well as the feasibility of your policy (is this something that can work in the real world?)

Fill out the worksheet at: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.doc

More Information: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/solutions.html

6. Select a solution

As a group, determine what you think would be the best policy solution for your social problem. You will use this solution in your letter to film executives.

Fill out the worksheet at http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.doc

More information: http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/bestsol.html

7. WRITE your letter

Remember to include in your letter your research on teen criminals, relevant information from your PPA, and an overall persuasive tone. You want the studio to chose Monster out of all the other screenplays to make a movie.

RESOURCES

Statistics and Factual Information on Juvenile Crime:

US Department of Justice Youth Violence site

www.usdoj.gov/youthviolence.htm

National Criminal Justice Reference Service

http://virlib.ncjrs.org/JuvenileJustice.asp

Statistics reference page for the PBS documentary:

www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/juvenile/stats

New York City Department of Juvenile Justice

http://home.nyc.gov/html/djj/

Justice Statistics

http://www.albany.edu/sourcebook/

Corrections Statistics

http://www.ncvc.org/resources/statistics/corrections/

Resources about Policies and Programs Currently in Place

VERA Institute for Justice

http://www.vera.org/section5/section5_1.asp

Partnerships Against Violence Network

http://www.pavnet.org/ (look at the Programs section)

Health and Justice for Youth Project

http://www.phrusa.org/campaigns/juv_justice/newyork_b.html

Harlem Intervention Project

http://www.nycourts.gov/press/pr2002_08.shtml

Other articles on the topic of juvenile criminals:

“Is Youth Violence Just Another Fact of Life?”

http://www.apa.org/pi/pii/isyouthviolence.html

“Black Violence: Real Issues & Real Solutions”

http://www.gibbsmagazine.com/violence.htm

“Pathway on Youth Violence”

http://mirror.eschina.bnu.edu.cn/Mirror1/accesseric/eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/pathways/youth_violence/

“Injury Fact Book: Youth Violence”

http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/fact_book/31_Youth_Violence%20s.htm

General Search Engines:

1. www.google.com

2. www.altavista.com

3. www.yahoo.com

4. www.lycos.com

5. www.metacrawler.com

NY State Standards

Reading

a	Read twenty-five books of the quality and complexity illustrated in the sample reading list.
c	Read and comprehend informational materials.

Writing

a	Produce a report of information.
e	Produce a persuasive essay.

Speaking, Listening, and Viewing

a	Participate in one-to-one conferences with the teacher.
b	Participate in group meetings.
	Prepare and deliver an individual presentation.

Conventions, Grammar, and Usage of the English Language

a	Independently and habitually demonstrate an understanding of the rules of the English language in written and oral work.
b	Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and effectiveness.

Functional Documents

a	Critique functional documents with an eye to strategies common to effective functional documents.
b	Produce functional documents appropriate to audience and purpose.

Applied Learning, Information Tools, and Techniques

a	Gather information to assist in completing project work.
b	Use on-line sources to exchange information for specific purposes.
c	Use word-processing software to produce a multi-page document.
d	Write, add content to, and analyze a relational data base.

Tools and Techniques for Working With Others

a	Participate in the establishment and operation of self-directed work teams.

EVALUATION

Rubric for Studio Executive Letter

	3	2	1
Content	Writing shows in-depth analysis of the issue of teenage criminals and offers insightful proposals according to the Public Policy Analysis methodology while making strong and clear connections to Monster.	Writing shows basic understanding and analysis of the issue of teenage criminals and offers adequate solutions. It briefly addresses each of the steps of the PPA and makes tenuous connections to Monster.	Writing shows summarization of the research information. It may contain vague references to the steps of Public Policy Analysis and offers no connections to Monster
Structure and Organization	Writing is generally well organized according to definite plans. Topics or ideas generally clear. Typically clear beginnings and ends. Most transitions smooth and logical. Details generally varied and vivid.	Controlling topics, ideas, or overall plans always present but do not always focus the writing. Endings may sometimes be awkward or abrupt. Transitions are typically logical but may on occasion lack depth and/or direct relevance.	Topics or overall plans may not be clearly present. Possible digressions confusing to reader. Beginnings and endings may be awkward or abrupt. Key elements may be unevenly developed or omitted. Details are used inconsistently.
Style	Your letter features sound reasoning, has a clear position and a strong overall persuasive tone. All of your opinions are thoughtfully supported with credible evidence. Facts/opinions are clearly separate and conclusions are well-grounded.	Your letter is not imaginative – is has predictable, well-worn arguments. Your arguments are credible, but they are based on limited support. You have acceptable use of knowledge as Evidence, and fact/opinion sometimes overlap.	Your letter has minimal content. And it is not supported. Your evidence is weak and questionable. Your position is weak/unclear/shifting, and it is overly reliant on repetition and exaggeration. You do not distinguish between fact and opinion.

Conclusion

In this Web Quest, students have identified a social problem addressed in the novel Monster by Walter Dean Myers and forged a connection between the imagined life of Steve Harmon and the real life problem of juvenile criminals in New York City. Students analyzed the issue of teenage criminals by investigating possible reasons that teens turn to crime, identifying possible solutions, and suggesting new ways to deal with the current problem. Students then wrote letters to top executives at major film studios to lobby their support for the screenplay Monster, combining their research and ideas with creativity.