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Introduction

:  In our school, we often hear announcements over the loud speaker for students who are missing from class to return to their classroom.  Both teachers and students have commented about some students being in the hallway and/or staircases and sometimes disrupting other classes.  How can we address this issue in our school? 

You have been selected to research this problem. You will be assigned to a group, determined by your teacher, that will address this problem.  You must determine the causes, review current school policies and make recommendations to reduce the problem of students cutting classes.  Each team will be graded based on their ability to research and gather information about a social issue in the school, explain their findings in a Power Point, and present the information to an audience of your classmates.

 

Task:

·         Each team will develop a Power Point summarizing their findings and recommendations.

·         Each team will make a Class Presentation using their Power Point.

 

Process:

 To complete this project, you complete a worksheet for each of the six steps of the Public Policy Analyst (PPA) in order to research the problem and provide meaningful recommendations.  Click on each link to get further information about each step.  Worksheets can be found at the bottom of each step.

Public Policy Analyst (PPA) Steps

1.       Define the Problem:  https://flippedtips.com/plegal/tips/select.html ,   

Begin by explaining the problem of students cutting or returning late to classes.

                                                                                                                

2.       Gather Evidence:  https://flippedtips.com/plegal/tips/gather.html

 

o   Conduct a survey to gather information about teachers’ and/or students’ thoughts on this issue. Create a list of questions to find out how people in the school feel about this issue.  Your survey should allow you to gather information about how many people have cut classes or thought about cutting, their reasons for doing so, and the effects, etc. 

 

o   Additional Resources:

o   “Skipping classes adds up” https://www.uft.org/news/teaching/skipping-classes-adds

o   “Schools grapple with more cutting class” (https://www.huronacademy.org/detnews1/)

o   https://www.studyinternational.com/news/skipping-class-big-societal-impact-experts-say/

 

3.       Identify the Causes:  https://flippedtips.com/plegal/tips/identify.html

o   Explain what factors contribute to the problem of students cutting classes.

o   Additional Resources

o   "Cutting Classes: Unveiling the Dark Side of Education"  https://unveilingthedarksideofeducation.weebly.com/cutting-classes.html 

 

4.       Evaluate an Existing Policy:  https://flippedtips.com/plegal/tips/existing.html

o   Determine what policies our school has in place to address the problem.  Also, consider policies that may be in place in the school district or in the NYC Department of Education.

 

o   NYC Discipline Code:  https://cdn-blob-prd.azureedge.net/prd-pws/docs/default-source/default-document-library/discipline-code-grade-6-12-english.pdf?sfvrsn=da9b1f43_52

 

5.       Develop Solutions:  https://flippedtips.com/plegal/tips/solutions.html

o   List possible solutions that could help to improve or resolve this problem.

 

6.       Evaluate the Best Solution:  https://flippedtips.com/plegal/tips/bestsol.html 

 

o   Based on your research, determine which solution is the best one to propose to the school.  Be sure to analyze the benefits of this solution and any problems that might affect putting your solution into practice.

 

Create your Power Point Presentation

1.       Create a cover page with a title and your names.

 

2.       Create your content pages.  (Include enough pages to explain your findings and your recommendations.  Make sure that you have included facts, etc. to justify your research findings and possible solutions.)

 

3.       Proofread and edit your work.

4.       Add graphics to enhance your presentation.

 

5.       Present your Power Point to the class.

 

 

Evaluation: 

Grading Rubric for Power Point Project

 

Name________________________________              Score  _____                        

Score/Grade: 6 to 7=10    10 to 11=30   14 to 15=50   18 to 20=70    24 to 27=90

                        8 to 9=20   12 to 13=40   16 to 17=60   21 to 23=80    28 to 30=100        

Adapted from Teacher Planet

 

Grading Rubric for Creating a Survey

 

Directions: Using your assigned topic, you are to create a survey.  The survey will be assessed using the rubric below.  Please submit your survey in the form it will be implemented (i.e., pencil-and-paper, web-based, etc.).  Good luck!

 

 

Conclusion: 

Congratulations on completing your WebQuest!  As a result of using the PPA process, you have demonstrated many skills, such as identifying a social issue, critical thinking, problem solving, and presenting your solution. 

As a member of the school community, you have played an integral part in helping our school to run more smoothly and providing an environment where all students can learn.  You have shown that students can take responsibility in making our school a better place.  Now that you have finished, what can we (the class and the school) do next to put your solutions into practice? 

 

Next Generation ELA Standards

Text Types and Purposes

7W2: Write informative/explanatory texts to examine a topic and convey ideas, concepts, and information through the selection, organization, and analysis of relevant content.

7W2a: Introduce a topic clearly, previewing what is to follow; organize ideas, concepts, and information, using strategies such as definition, classification, comparison/contrast, and cause/effect.

7W2b: Develop a topic with relevant facts, definitions, concrete details, quotations, or other information and examples; include formatting, graphics, and multimedia when useful to aid comprehension.

7W2c: Use precise language and content-specific vocabulary to explain a topic.

7W2d: Use appropriate transitions to create cohesion and clarify the relationships among ideas and concepts.

7W2e: Provide a concluding statement or section that explains the significance of the information presented.

7W2f: Establish and maintain a style appropriate to the writing task.

 

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

7W6: Conduct research to answer questions, including self-generated questions, drawing     and refocusing the inquiry when appropriate. Generate additional related questions for further research and investigation.

7W7: Gather relevant information from multiple sources; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others; avoid plagiarism and follow a standard format for citation.

 

Social Studies Standards

Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies

1.       Cite specific textual evidence to support analysis of primary and secondary sources.

2.       Determine the central ideas or information of a primary or secondary source; provide an accurate summary of the source distinct from prior knowledge or opinions.

3.       Identify key steps in a text’s description of a process related to history/social studies (e.g., how a bill becomes a law, how interest rates are raised or lowered).

4.       Determine the meanings of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including vocabulary specific to domains related to history/social studies.

5.       Describe how a text presents information (e.g., sequentially, comparatively, causally).

6.       Identify aspects of a text that reveal an author’s point of view or purpose (e.g., loaded language, inclusion or avoidance of particular facts).

 

Research to Build and Present Knowledge

7.       Conduct short research projects to answer a question (including a self-generated question), drawing on several sources and generating additional related, focused questions that allow for multiple avenues of exploration.

8.       Gather relevant information from multiple print and digital sources, using search terms effectively; assess the credibility and accuracy of each source; quote or paraphrase the data and conclusions of others while avoiding plagiarism and following a standard format for citation.

9.       Draw evidence from informational texts to support analysis, reflection, and research.