WEBQUEST

STAY IN SCHOOL:

A RESEARCH ASSIGNMENT EXPLORING THE PROBLEM AND SOLUTIONS OF HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUTS

Eileen Mone

John F. Kennedy High School

Alfred in The Contender by Robert Lipsyte is a dropout. High school dropouts typically do not do well. Many go on to commit crimes or work in very low paying jobs.

Do Now:

Do you think Alfred regrets not finishing high school? Write one paragraph.

Your assignment is to write a one page proposal on how to prevent teens from dropping out of school. Focus on creating a plan to be presented to the class. Use the websites in the resource section to become an expert on this problem and to help you gather data and information on how to best deal with this epidemic.

Once your proposal is written, you will be joining a group to create a drop-out prevention plan. This plan will be presented to JFK’s community on parent-teacher night.

Complete the following worksheets (1 sheet per group). These will help you to summarize your findings:

1. Use the websites provided in the Resources section to research the problem of teen alcohol abuse in the United States and develop original public policy solutions. Summarize your research and original ideas on the following worksheets:

a. Define the problem. http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet1.doc

b. Gather evidence of the problem. http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet2.doc

c. Identify causes of the problem. http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet3.doc

d. Evaluate existing public policies on the problem.

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

e. Develop original public policy solution. http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet5.doc

f. Choose the best solution. http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/worksheet6.doc

2. Your oral presentation should include your findings on the causes and effects of dropping out of high school, the public policies already in place to prevent teens from dropping out of HS, and your own original public policy solutions for preventing dropping out among JFK students. DO NOT FORGET TO LIST YOUR SOURCES.

3. Your visual (e.g., poster board, brochure, photograph display, video, etc.) for the oral presentation should have pictures that represent your findings and suggestions.

http://www.wellroundedkids.com/articles/cognitive/2004/08/dropout.htm

http://www.dist.maricopa.edu/ace/about/

Youth Who Drop Out

http://www.adcouncil.org/issues/high_school_dropout_prevention/

http://www.ed.gov/programs/dropout/dropoutprogram.html

http://truelifeinteractive.com/TrueLife-Dropout-Prevention.htm

You grade will be based on the following rubric:

Points	4	3	2	1	Overall Total 10 points
Development & Organization Of research materials	Excellent, High quality development and organization, thorough clarification	Very good development, Organization and clarification	Somewhat good organization, needs some work on organization and development	Poor, unprepared, un-organized and not clear
Oral Presentation	All Students participated; exceptional, clear, thorough and intelligent oral presentation	All Students participated; Good, clear presentation	Students were somewhat clear; quality of presentation needs effort and careful preparation	Students were not clear: noticeable poor careless quality of presentation.
Visual Presentation	Exceptional presentation of visual resources and materials.	Good visual presentation.	Somewhat good visual presentation. Needs improvement	Poor visual presentation. Visually unprepared

This WebQuest addresses the following English Language Arts Standards:

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.

Having completed this WebQuest, you are now an expert on the problem of high school dropouts. You have studied the evidence and causes of this problem, as well as the existing public policies designed to address this social problem. You have also developed your own original public policy solutions and are ready to help teens across the United States stay in school.