TIPS WEBQUEST

LORRAINE M. NOWLIN

JANE ADDAMS HIGH SCHOOL FOR ACADEMICS AND CAREERS

 

 

VIOLENCE AMONG TEENS IN THE UNITED STATES

 

 

INTRODUCTION

 

If you watch the evening news, you will see various incidences of violence across the nation. Much of it is teen violence. You are now an investigative journalist for the nation’s leading news magazine. Your exclusive assignment is to explore the root causes of teen violence across the United States. Your goal is to present your research for a prime time news special in order to compete for the highest viewer rating of the month. Your focus will be on teens ages 13 to 17. You will collect information from various sources.

 

Your goal is to research and write about teen violence across the United States. Monster, by Walter Dean Myers, should serve as a starting point for the type of issues you will research. Your research, however, should not be limited to a specific racial and socio-economic group. You will present your findings to the editor as well as your colleagues (members of your assigned group). Your research will appear on a special edition of a primetime news program.

 

 

 

Task

You will use the websites provided below along with the links to the six PPA worksheets to gather information to be used in your report.

 

You will be responsible for a report that should be no less than 3 but no longer than 5 typed double spaced pages. Be sure to record all sources used to be written as a bibliography. It is important to remember that Monster should not be used as a source because it is a work of fiction. It should only be used as a guide to issues that will be explored through research. Use the following steps to complete your assignment.

 

You will also give a 5 minute oral presentation on your research based on the findings in your report.

 

 

 

Process

 

 

1. Summarize your research on the links to the PPA worksheets

    below:

 

Defining the Problem

 

Choose which aspect of teen violence you are going to explore. Define the problem by telling us exactly what it is. Tell us what community you will be focusing on. This particular report will focus on various communities throughout the United States. Record your information on the following worksheet.

Worksheet Number 1

 

Gather the Evidence

 

After stating your problem again, list your sources and tell us how they support your opinion that a problem (violence among teens) exists.

Worksheet Number 2

 

Identify the Causes

 

List the causes, as identified by your sources, which contribute to violence among teens.

Worksheet Number 3

 

Evaluate a Policy

 

Tell us what current policy attempts to solve the problem of teen violence. Explain the advantages and disadvantages of the policy. In other words, is it cost effective, does the public embrace the policy, and is this policy adequately enforced? Should the policy be replaced with another? Should certain aspects be improved?

Worksheet Number 4

 

Develop solutions

 

You will enhance three existing solutions or create new ones to curb the rate of violence among teens.

Worksheet Number 5

 

 

Select best solution

 

Choose the best policy among the three by rating the effectiveness and feasibility of each one.

Worksheet Number 6

 

2. You will take all of the information from the PPA worksheets

    and write a well developed research paper according to the

    rubric and overall writing practices presented in class. Your   report should be no longer than 5 but no less than 3 pages.

 

3. You will give an oral presentation based on your research

    (as outlined on the 6 PPA worksheets above) paper. Your

    presentation will be approximately 5 minutes. You may use

    visual aids (posters, pictures) to enhance your presentation.

    Your research paper and presentation will be assessed based

    on the following rubric:                         

 

 

RESOURCES

 

 

http://t3.preservice.org/T0110540/monster.html

 

CDC Media Relations: Facts about Violence Among Youth and Violence in Schools

Is Youth Violence Just Another Fact of Life?

SafeYouth.org - For Teens - Violence Facts for Teens

Youth Violence, Facts - NCIPC

Youth Violence: A Report of the Surgeon General

 

 

EVALUATION

 

Rubric:

 

 

3

2

1

Content of the Research Paper

Writing shows in-depth analysis of teen violence and offers insightful proposals according to the Public Policy Analysis methodology.

Writing shows basic understanding and analysis of teen violence and offers adequate solutions. It briefly addresses each of the steps of the PPA.

Writing shows no real summary of the research information.  It contains minimal or unclear references to the steps of Public Policy Analysis. 

Oral Presentation

All aspects of the PPA analysis are present within the presentation. The use of visual aids such as posters and charts illustrates creativity

Few examples of creative effort. Credible but limited arguments and facts. Facts and opinions sometimes overlap.

Minimal content.  Unsupported statements.  Weak, questionable evidence. Position weak/unclear/shifting. Tendency to rely on repetition and exaggeration.

 

This WebQuest addresses the following New York State Performance Standards in English:

E1c: Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a: Produce a paper on information and observations.

E3b: Participate in group meetings.

E3c: Prepare and deliver a presentation.

E4b: Analyze and subsequently revise work to improve its clarity and        effectiveness.

 

CONCLUSION

During your research, you learned about the causes of teen violence throughout the United States. You explored Ways to reduce violence among teens. You used a variety of resources to gather information. These included but were not limited to the internet, periodicals, and non-fiction books.