Citizenship Project First Research Task due Thursday, June 7th

As part of your research you have been asked to:

• Create a google doc inviting me in as david.s
• Identify two inquiry questions that will guide your research. These can be basic at this point but should focus on the nature of your issue, the impact, why this has become an issue, the root causes
• Find at least two sources-articles, website, documentary clip that will help you learn more about this issue and respond to your question
• Use the articles to take jot notes on your questions  

This is due by the end of the day on Thursday, June 7th. This will go directly towards your inquiry mark. Evaluation will be based on the amount of detail and effort you put into this research task. If you only have a few jot notes in relation to your questions, this will be a 2. 

As we move forward please consider what kind of social action you would like to take up in response to your issue. 

Year End Active Citizenship Project

For our final inquiry project this year we are going to try and live out one of the key outcomes in the Alberta Social Studies Program:

Social studies develops the key values, understanding, and skills necessary for students to become active and responsible citizens, engaged in the democratic process and aware of their capacity to effect change in their communities, society and world.

In order to connect this outcome from the front section of the Alberta program with the specific theme of grade 8 social studies you are asked to take an issue in our world today related to one of the seven elements of worldview we have examined over the course of the year including:

1. View of human nature
2. View of the good life (e.g., our materialistic lifestyle) 
3. Equality with others (e.g., homelessness, racism) 
4. Responsibility with others (e.g., homelessness, seniors)
5. Relationship between the individual and the state (e.g., political apathy in youth)
6. Relationship of humans with nature (e.g., global warming, pollution, rainforest depletion, impact of the oil sands, impact of overconsumption, treatment of animals)
7. Sources of ethical wisdom (e.g., media awareness; body image) 

The following document will help remind you what these things mean and how we can determine issues related to each of these areas. 

After identifying an issue you are interested in exploring (i.e., responsibility to others: homelessness, youth poverty; relationship between individual and the state: youth apathy in our democracy; relationship of humans with nature: global warming, pollution) the project involves:

Research component:

• Identifying a series of questions that will help you research your issue:
• the nature of your issue, the root causes that have led to this issue becoming such a problem, and organizations and measures we can take to help overcome this issue in our world today
• To help with your research you are also asked to:
• find a related article and complete a talking to the text assignment. Record this in a Google doc. 
• find one expert either in Calgary or beyond to interview in order to learn more about your issue. Record your findings in a google doc 

Action/Reflection Component:

• Beginning next week you are asked to undertake one action or change in your lifestyle that will have a positive impact on your issue
• As part of this process you will be asked to do a series of reflections related to the challenges and opportunities of taking action around this issue

Final Presentation:

• For the culminating project you are asked to create a Pecha Kucha presentation on your issue which draws the reader in with a powerful opening, explains the issue and the impact this is having on our society, briefly examines the root causes as to why this is an issue, and concludes with actions we can take including your own actions to help solve this issue
• You can use any medium you like (i.e., iMovie, KeyNote); however, you are asked to follow the Pecha Kucha format of 20 slides (images or short phrases only) and 20 seconds per slide for a total of 6 minutes 40 seconds. As you will be writing this as a group, create a google doc with two columns and 20 rows with your images on the left and 50-60 words on the right columns.  
• You will present once in front of the class and then are asked to present your slide to members of the public. 

An explanation of a Pecha Kucha presentation:

Brief outline of the unit:

Monday, June 4th Get groups organized, explain project, and begin identifying research questions along ways to organize research.
Tuesday, June 5th Discuss the nature of historical change-brainstorm and class discussion on historical turning points and why things change. Begin thinking about an action you can take. Assign talking to the text assignment due Thursday, June 7th
Wednesday, June 6th Mr. H. comes in to talk about the nature of Challenge Based Learning. Work on Talking to the Text and research. Begin thinking about an action you can take.
Thursday, June 7th  Finish talking to the text, identify areas where more research is needed. Extend research to beyond articles and identify questions to ask an expert. Re-connect on action.
Monday, June 11th: Connection with experts Bill from Mustard Seed 1:30. Provide time for the action project. Begin Pecha Kucha presentation. Show examples and what makes a good Pecha Kucha.  Create rubric as a class. Create google doc with 20 x 20. Images should come from Flickr.
Tuesday, June 12th-Friday, June 15th: Sarah from Women's Centre 1:30. Continue work on Pecha Kucha. First draft due Friday, June 15th.

ConnectEd a Huge Success

Hey everybody,

I received many compliments from teachers about your graphic novel and magazine projects. We also received quite a few tweets that this was the highlight of the conference. Congratulations everybody and thanks for being such wonderful hosts. You guys are amazing ambassadors for our school.

Inspired by the work and ConnectEd I want everyone to think about what question we could look at around how your generation should respond to the challenges of globalization. Japan responded in a particular way and rapidly modernized. However, we shouldn't just study the past for its own sake, we need to engage the problems that are facing us today. Thomas Freedman from the New York times sums it up some of the forces in our own times:

• We are increasingly taking easy credit, routine work and government jobs and entitlements away from the middle class — at a time when it takes more skill to get and hold a decent job, at a time when citizens have more access to media to organize, protest and challenge authority and at a time when this same merger of globalization and I.T. (networked systems like Facebook and Skype) is creating huge wages for people with global skills (or for those who learn to game the system and get access to money, monopolies or government contracts by being close to those in power) — thus widening income gaps and fueling resentments even more.

One of the teachers at ConnectEd was looking for a PowerPoint from the Social Networking day we hosted here at CSS that informs this thinking. Until I get it up on the Connect Blog here it is:


Social Networking Day KeyNote on ways to marry historical inquiry with critical citizenship 

Meiji Japan Newspaper Project

In this project you area asked to create a Japanese Shinbun (newspaper). Your newspaper should include:

• Hard news stories documenting major events occurring in Meiji Japan
• Letter to the Editor around the dangers or the opportunities available to citizens in this newly modernizing Japan
• Advice column providing advice from a citizen affected by the changes taking place in Japan at this time
• Travel journal noting the changes taking place in Japan and the new things to see (please include pictures from the historical archives)
• Culture file noting the changing nature of art, fashion, and entertainment happening at this time
• Political cartoons

Everyone must create at least two articles to be included in the newspaper (depending on length)

When creating your article and newspaper consider:

• who is your audience
• how can I use the techniques of effective writing naturally in my article including:

• an opening hook
• vivivd imagery
• show; don't tell
• powerful verbs 
• descriptive language
• varied sentence openings and lengths
• supporting details  
• transitions for flow 

When writing your article begin by reviewing your notes on the major events and historical forces at work in this time period. Speak to Mr. Scott about some of these ideas. Then decide what you are going to write about. 

• Begin by doing some research attempting to locate actual pictures from this time
• Consider a catchy title
• Begin writing your piece keeping the above elements of powerful writing in mind
• For a hard news story begin with the basics first then get into the why and the how

For each article include:

• at least one image
• a catchy title
• pull out quote 

Debate

For those that have chosen to do a debate we will be using a parliamentary debate format. The questions we will debate include:

8.4 

For: Adapting to revolutionary technology will make our society better.

Against: Adapting to revolutionary technology will make our society worse.

Groups of three will debate this in relation to a particular revolutionary technology in our world.

8.3

For: Choosing to isolate Japan from the rest of the world will be better for Japan.

Against: Choosing to modernize Japanese society will be better for Japan.

Japan Social classes to be represented in the debate:

Shogun

Samurai/Daimyo

Merchants

Women

Farmers

Nature of parliamentary debate:

Based loosely on the British House of Commons, parliamentary debate is lively and audience-oriented. The House of Commons permits no written speeches from its members. Similarly, no speeches, briefs, or quotations are read in parliamentary debates. The debaters speak off the cuff in parliamentary competition, using only the notes they have made during the debate and preparation period. Parliamentary debates have relatively few rules; the rules of parliamentary debating are primarily designed to ensure that debates are evenly matched and enjoyable.

In competitive parliamentary debating, fifteen minutes is the most common amount of time given for preparation. During preparation time, the participants analyze the proposition and outline their major arguments. They ask themselves: 

·     What important issues are raised by this proposition?

·      How may it be affirmed or denied?

·      What examples and events are relevant to its discussion?

·      The answers to these and other questions will serve as the foundation for the government case and prepare the opposition for its counter argument.

Format:

First proposition for speech 3 minutes

First opposition against speech 3 minutes

Second proposition for speech 3 minutes

Second opposition against speech 3 minutes

Opposition rebuttal and counter questions 4 minutes

When introducing argument for:

·      Create an opening that attracts the audiences attention and brings interest to the topic


·      Clearly state your position on the resolution


·      Clearly state one reason you believe this
   

·      Support with reason and evidence


·      Conclude effectively

A opposition argument against:


·      A good introduction that attracts the audiences attention and interest in the topic


·      Clearly state the Negative’s position on the topic


·      Clearly state the Negative’s Observations
   

·      Support with reason and evidence


·      Attack and question the for’s arguments/evidence


·      Conclude effectively

May 24th-29th

Over the next five days you will have the opportunity to choose to participate in one of the following projects:

• A formalized debate around a debate topic agreed upon by the group:
• Be it resolved that the best decision for Japan is to remain isolated from the rest of the world. 
• Be it resolved that modernizing Japan will destroy its unique culture and traditions.

• A newspaper including an article, letter to the editor, and political cartoon