Exploring Core Democratic Values Looking at Current Issues in the News

Lesson plan: 1. Spend time introducing the Core Democratic Values and Principles. 2. Once the class is familiar with and can define/discuss CDVs introduce the concept in the !asic !eliefs collection of news articles or "ring in articles from local papers or online news sources that demonstrate that CDVs are in pla# toda# e$er# da# in our current e$ents/issues. %. Define &pu"lic polic#' and differentiate from &Ser$ice Learning.' (. )i$e each group of four students one article to read and discuss. *ost of the articles ha$e focus +uestions to facilitate a discussion in Part , of the -cti$it#. !e read# to present .summari/e don0t read1 the article to the rest of the class and tell wh# it is representati$e of the CDV at the top of the article. Assignment: 2ind an article in an# local newspaper or online news source .*Li$e 3S4 567 etc.1 that presents a local state or national pu"lic polic# issue. Print out for class and attach to this rubric. Summari/e the article. 8 ,dentif# the CDV that is "eing de"ated. 8 ,dentif# the le$el of go$ernment that would ha$e 9urisdiction in this issue. .local state national1 AND the "ranch of go$ernment that addresses this issue )i$e the rationale for choosing the CDV #ou identified and wh# #ou said that. 8 De$elop 2:% focus +uestions that would help another student discuss the issue. 8 !e read# to present #our article to a small group and turn in.

Exploring CDVs in the News Rubric ( !E "E#$LA"E%

&n time "itle'A$A Citation % points -ssignment is on time and a$aila"le for class discussion -rticle is identified using -P- citation format ,ncluded article highlights a =.S. communit# state or national pu"lic polic# issue ;:1 mista<es in grammar spelling and/or punctuation. -rticle is summari/ed clearl# and succinctl# including all important information CDV.s1 identified correctl# Aationale for each identified CDV clearl# descri"ed Correctl# identifies the =.S. le$el of go$ernment with 9urisdiction Correctl# identifies the "ranch.es1 of =.S. go$ernment in$ol$ed 2:% focus +uestions that will facilitate discussion of the issue 1 point 3or< is posted on time "ut not "rought to class for discussion -rticle is identified "# the 7itle Date 5ews Source ,ncluded article is a"out something other than a =.S. pu"lic polic# issue .ser$ice learning etc.1 2 :% mista<es in grammar spelling and/or punctuation don0t affect understanding. -rticle is summari/ed. ,mportant info ma# "e missing or summar# includes too much info. =nclear choice@ not reall# the focus of this article Aationale for identified CDV descri"ed "ut ma# "e unclear =nclear choice or reason@ not reall# the focus of this article =nclear choice or reason@ not reall# the focus of this article 1 focus +uestion that will facilitate discussion ; points -ssignment is late. -rticle is misidentified or not identified 5o cop# of the article turned in with assignment -n# amount of mista<es in writing affect understanding -rticle summar# is missing. CDV identified incorrectl# or not identified Aationale for identified CDV not descri"ed Le$el of =.S. go$ernment missing/incorrect. !ranch.es1 of =.S. go$0t in$ol$ed missing/incorrect. 5o focus +uestions written

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Article ( print an) inclu)e with assignment *rammar+ !pelling+ Article !ummar,

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CDV i)enti-ie)

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Rationale -or each CDV

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Le.el ogo.ernment

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/ranch ogo.ernment

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0ocus 1uestions

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7otal points possi"le: %;@ 3hat do #ou thin<B CCCCCCCC 7otal points earned: CCCCCCCCCC

CDVs in the 5ews 8 =se this template to complete this assignment. Student wor< is inserted in right:hand column "elow for each section 5ame and SS7%;D Section -li Ai//o SS7%;D:;1 7itle of -rticle and -PCitation &Lawma<ers loo<ing at new snow da# ma<eup "ill as a Elong:term fiFE for missed classes' !rian S. .2;1( 4anuar# 2G1. Lawma<ers loo<ing at new snow da# ma<eup "ill as a Elong:term fiFE for missed classes. MLive.com. Aetrie$ed *arch 2% 2;1( from http://www.mli$e.com/education/indeF.ssf/2;1(/;1/lawma<ersCloo<ingCatCnew Csnow.html Complete summar# of -rticle .>3s and ?1 .3ho 3hat 3hen 3here 3h# and ?owB1 1. 3hoB: 7he State of *ichigan .*ichigan Legislature1 2. 3hatB: 7he *ichigan Legislature is deciding whether to change state attendance laws to allow schools to ha$e more fleFi"ilit# when ma<ing up missed class time from this #ear0s school cancellations due to dangerous wind chills and snowfall. 7#picall# school districts would ha$e to eFtend the school #ear to ma<e up lost time "ut in 2;1% )o$ernor Aic< Sn#der signed the one:time change to allow schools to eFtend their school da# rather than the #ear. Aep. Phil Pot$in wants to introduce a more permanent "ill that will allow schools to eFtend their school da# and not 9ust the school #ear to help ma<e up lost time. %. 3henB: Currentl# happening right now until the end of the school #ear .this decision/issue "egan on 4anuar# 2Gth of this #ear1. (. 3hereB: School Districts in areas within the State of *ichigan that ha$e "een impacted "# this #ear0s winter weather. >. 3h#B: *an# school districts throughout the State of *ichigan ha$e had so man# snow da#s this #ear that it has impacted state laws that re+uire students to "e in class for at least 1H; da#s. 7hese districts need to ma<e up this lost time in order to meet state laws or else the# can lose some of their state aid pa#ments. Changing the length of school da#s could affect teacher contracts "ut Pot$in "elie$es that eFtending the school da# can sa$e districts the cost of transporting students for the eFtra da#s at the end of the school #ear. I. ?owB: Pot$in hopes to ha$e the measure passed $er# soon .earlier than last #ear when this similar situation happened1. On 4anuar# 2Gth Pot$in stated that he will introduce a "ill that will grant districts the power of eFtending the school da# as a more permanent option as opposed to a one:time change on certain #ears when weather li<e this happens .li<e the one:time change to the state law that )o$. Aic< Sn#der signed last #ear1. 1. J+ualit# of Opportunit# 2. Common )ood %. ,ndi$idual Aights 1. E1ualit, o- &pportunit,: 7he State Legislature could argue that schools need to ma<e up these snow da#s "ecause these students are not recei$ing the same opportunit# to an e+ual education as other schools not onl# throughout the entire state "ut the entire nation as well who had much fewer if an# snow da#s. *issing a wee< or more of school can put students "ehind on the re+uired information that the# should <now "efore

Core Democratic Value.s1

Aationale for each of the CDVs .3h# does the CDV #ou chose fit this issueB1

mo$ing onto the neFt grade. 7he state also needs to loo< at the fact that teachers need to ha$e opportunit# to ma<e up this lost time without the eFtension of the school da# affecting their contracts. 2. Common *oo): School districts decide to ha$e snow da#s for the common good of the students facult# and parents. 7he weather this #ear has "een dangerous and school districts were loo<ing out for e$er#one0s safet#. Schools need to ma<e up these snow da#s for the common good of the students0 education. *issing a lot of school can affect the <nowledge that students0 gain throughout the entire #ear. 3ithout ma<ing up these da#s teachers will not "e a"le to teach all of the standards and "enchmar<s that the# need to co$er "# the end of the #ear. 7he State needs to ta<e into consideration the common good of a student0s mind as well. 7he school da# is alread# long enough and if students need to spend e$en eFtra time in school in one single da# this could affect their performance "ecause the# ma# not "e a"le to ta<e in so much throughout the entire da#. %. In)i.i)ual Rights 8 7eachers could argue that their rights can "e affected "ecause the# would ha$e to end up wor<ing e$en longer da#s if the school da# was eFtended. 7eachers alread# spend a lot of time preparing their lessons outside of their scheduled wor< hours. *ore time in school during the da# ta<es awa# from the prep time that the# need for the neFt da#0s wor<. -s stated in the article the eFtension of the da# could affect their contract which isn0t fair to them. Students0 rights to "e a"le to pla# in sports and other acti$ities can "e affected if districts are a"le to eFtend the school da#. *an# students ha$e sports or acti$ities that the# participate in outside of school and if students ha$e to sta# in school e$en longer the# might ha$e to miss some of their practices and/or games until the school da#s are completel# made up. !ranch of )o$ernment indicated in this issue AND how do #ou <nowB Le$el of )o$ernment with 9urisdiction 8 AND how do #ou <nowB 7he Legislati$e !ranch addresses this issue "ecause this "ranch creates the laws for how long students should "e in school e$er# #ear. 7he article also states that the *ichigan Legislature needs to change state attendance laws to allow for more fleFi"ilit# when it comes to schools ma<ing up lost class time. 7his article particularl# pertains to the State )o$ernment "ecause it is addressing how school districts in the State of *ichigan are going to ma<e up all the snow da#s from this #ear0s dangerous winter weather and a wa# to ma<e this decision more permanent for the future. *ichigan0s Legislature will decide how districts can ma<e up lost time. 1. Do #ou "elie$e that is it "etter for the common good of students and teachers if school districts eFtend the school da# to ma<e up the missed school da#s due to this #ear0s dangerous winter weatherB Or would eFtending the school #ear "etter "enefit the common good of students and teachersB 2. 3ould ma<ing up snow da#s affect #our indi$idual right to "e a"le to participate in a sport or acti$it#B 3h#/wh# notB %. ,f #ou don0t ha$e to ma<e up all these snow da#s is it affecting #our opportunit# to an e+ual/same education as another student from California who didn0t ha$e to miss an# school "ecause of winter weatherB

2:% 2ocus +uestions 8 how would #ou lead a su"stanti$e discussion on this article as it relates to the Core Democratic ValuesB