non-fiction wiki - Recently Updated Pages

Welcome! Overview of Project

jackheller — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 05:10:07 CDT

Greetings Sophomores! You have made it to our wiki site. Our focus for this non-fiction unit will be real issues facing teens of today. This is a chance for you to think about issues facing youth, research and educate yourself about an issue you choose, and then take action. I want to help you reach the state mandated standards in a way that you find real and relevant to your life. Here we go....
Issues facing youth that we established as current and important:

Corporations & Teen Marketing
Media Violence & the Effects This Has on Youth
Teen Drug & Alcohol Abuse
Lack of Parental Support
Poor Relationships Between Parents & Children
Violence at Home
High School Dropout Rates
Lack of Available Youth Programs
Gang Violence
Teens & Poor Health

Step One: Make a Choice
Choose an area that interests you and research it.
Find at least 4 current news articles or essays that address this issue; you must print your articles as these will be the basis for your future projects.
I suggest using the following reliable resources:
Note: When searching, plug in key words such as Bay Area Youth + issues +problems+ essays (or articles):

PBS Youth Issues

Youth Speaks Organization (for Spoken Word info)

SF Gate.Com

Alcohol Addiction Rehab

Youth Outlook (YO!)

Step Two:Information Exchange
Click on this link to get to step two. Please read all instructions carefully.

Step Three: Respond to Your Peers
Click on this link to get to step three. Please read all instructions carefully.

Step Four: Take Action
Click on this link to get to step four. Please read all instructions carefully.

Step Two: Information Exchange Page AND Step Three: Respond to Peers

jrutigliano — Thu, 27 Sep 2007 12:10:28 CDT

FdfWelcome! Steps Two & Three:

Step Two: Information Exchange
After you have researched your topic, go to the Information Exchange Forum below. Post your topic and give a brief summary about why you think it is a pertinent issue, and at least 3 facts you have discovered about your topic. Please use appropriate, grade level vocabulary. Here is a sample:

Topic: High School Drop Out Rates, posted by Brian Oritz.
Summary: This topic is interesting to me because my brother dropped out of high school 4 years ago, and I watch him struggle every day. If he had more support at home and at school, I think he would have graduated. Now he is working at Longs Drug Store and can't make enough money to move out of the house.
Facts: I have learned that in 2006, 36,000 California students dropped out of high school. I also learned that the rate is the highest in poor communities. Additionally, I have learned that the largest number of dropouts occur in poor communities where teachers are less skilled and where there is a lack of after school programs.

Step Three: Respond to Your Peers
You must respond to the topics your peers post. Pose 2 questions to at least two peers regarding their topics. Search through the topics, and ask at least 2 classmates 3 questions or more each. Continue reading below so you can see what a good Information Exchange will look like:

Information Exchange Forum: Please post here for steps two and three, that is your summary of your own topic & facts, and then respond to 2 peers, beneath thier postings. It will look something like this:

Topic: High School Drop Out Rates, posted by Brian Oritz.
Summary: This topic is interesting to me because my brother dropped out of high school 4 years ago, and I watch him struggle every day. If he had more support at home and at school, I think he would have graduated. Now he is stuck working at Longs Drug Store and can't make enough money to move out of the house.
Facts: I have learned that in 2006, 36,000 California students dropped out of high school. I also learned that the rate is the highest in poor communities. (www.research.com) I also learned that in a study by youthamerica, it was concluded that those who have parents who did not complete high school are 70% less likely to complete high school themselves(YouthAmerica.org).

Questions posted by Marlene Hayward for Brian Ortiz:
1. Why do you think the rate is higher in poorer communities?
2. What happens to most kids who drop out of school?
3. What is your solutionHigh school drop out rate? I hope it is something that could actually be put into action.

Answers to Marlene's Questions:
1. I think the rate is higher in poorer communities is due to....
2. According to research found on getanswers.com, 80% of high school dropouts......
3. My solution is....

Sophomore Information Exchange Forum: begin postings below:

Step Four:Take Action

jrutigliano — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 13:24:37 CDT

Step Four: Take Action Will you choose Spoken Word or a Persuasive Speech to communicate your position? Now that you have researched your topic and exchanged ideas about this topic, take action!! You are to prepare one of the following:

a. A Spoken Word Performance offering a logical solution to the issue.
b. A Formal Persuasive Speech offering a logical solution to the issue.

BRAINSTORMING WORKSHEET Note: Whether you plan to perform spoken word or a formal speech, please use the standard 5 paragraph format.

1. My speech will utilize this organizational strategy:_______________________ 2. Introduce the issue you are focusing on. The answers to these questions will comprise your introduction: a. What sparked your interest in the topic? Why do you think it is important? _________ ________________________________________________________________________ b. Clearly explain the issue and your position; this will be your thesis. _______________ ________________________________________________________________________ c. Be sure you have at least one rhetorical question in your introduction. ____________ _______________________________________________________________________ d. Cite two experts on this subject. ___________________________________________

3. You must support your position with your body paragraphs:
Body Paragrpah #1: Your main claim
Body Paragraph #2: Your main solution
Body Paragrpah #3: Address Possible Counterarguments
4. Your conclusion is your final effort to persuade your listeners.

5. Please include argument strategies, rhetorical devices and organizational strategies. Please see the Persuasive Speech Rubric and the Persuasive Speech plug in for details. These are included below as attachments. Your speech must be typed out and all elements are to be underlined or highlighted at the time of your speech. This way I can follow along with you as your deliver your speech. You should utilize index cards for yourself while you are presenting your speech.

Reminders!!! Please:
1. Type your speech
2. Highlight and label all of your Organizational, Argument and Rhetorical Strategies.
3. Your speech should be approximately 10 minutes in length. If you exceed this time frame, you may be cut off.
4. Check the WIKI and re-visit the questions your peers asked you; this will help you predict possible counterarguments & develop ideas.
5. Bring in Visuals to accentuate your speech.

Information+Exchange+Page

London_Calling — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 20:45:26 CDT

Want facts? Look for them Here

Step Three: Respond to Your Peers

jrutigliano — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 16:47:15 CDT

Click here and you will arrive back at page two, so you can post your 2 responses to the ideas of 2 peers.
Step Three: Respond to Your Peers