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Civic Participation & Learning to Argue Constructively

A Cross Disciplinary Unit

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OVERVIEW

This lesson is designed to help students examine critical social issues and to encourage informed and responsible civic participation. This WebQuest is an interdisciplinary unit using English, Math, Science, Social Studies and Computer Application knowledge and skills. It may be done in-groups or it may be done individually. Below are the Virginia State Standards of Learning addressed by this unit.

INTRODUCTION

Last Saturday night a lively political discussion began in your dorm room. A group of your friends expressed a wide array of opinions on the issue of marijuana use. Some of your friends argued the negative social and health consequences of marijuana were great. Others argued that the laws against marijuana were unnecessary and the health concerns misinformed. Still others argued persuasively for the use of medical marijuana, decriminalization and greater emphasis on rehabilitation or treatment. You listened to the passionate arguments on the issue and wished you had the evidence and confidence to express your own opinion convincingly. You resolved to do some research, and be prepared to argue your point next time.

PERFORMACE TASK

Your task is to research the following issue, formulate an informed opinion, and defend the your position persuasively in writing and speaking.

What should governmental policy be towards Marijuana use?

There is no right or wrong answer. Your research will need to take into account many competing interests. Community safety, citizen’s rights, personal health, and national and state economic concerns must all be addressed.

Once you have investigated the issue thoroughly, and decided on your position, you will be writing a position paper and preparing for a debate.

THE PROCESS

Below is an outline of the work you will need to do to complete this assignment. The Process for accomplishing this task is divided into 4 steps. Steps 1-4 will help you gather the information you will need to write your paper and participate effectively in the debate. Collect and organize your research as you go through each step. At the end of each step, you will fill out a Data Retrieval Sheet.

STEP 1: Examine the Social, Legal, and Political Policy Issues

STEP 2: Review and Analyze Statistics Related to Marijuana Use

STEP 3: Investigate the Biological Aspects of Marijuana Use

STEP 4 : Crossword Puzzle

STEP 5 : Prepare for Debate

STEP 6 : Position Paper

EVALUATION

Once you have gone through all five steps, your project will be evaluated using the rubric at this site. Review this page to determine what the expectations are for this assignment. The project will take approximately three weeks to complete.

PROJECT SCHEDULE

The project schedule shows you the timeline for your work. Review the schedule to see when you will be in the computer lab or working in the classroom. Also, various speakers have been scheduled. Please arrange your time to be at these presentations since they will help with your report writing.

CONCLUSION

Your opinion and activities can have real consequences for our society. As an informed citizen, you can have an impact on others opinions and actions. Do your best to be accurate and complete when gathering and reporting your information. To be successful, you will need to back your opinion with evidence supporting your argument. Good Luck!