Social+Issues+project

=**Social Issues Research Project**=


 * Overall Goal: To investigate and complete a presentation on a social issue of your choosing. To complete the assignment you will need to:**


 * 1) Research a social issue and explain why it causes harm or has the potential to cause harm to society.[[image:http://worldthatchangestheworld.files.wordpress.com/2010/08/2-grappling-with-the-worlds-social-issues.jpg width="285" height="207" align="right"]]
 * 2) Create a presentation on the topic to show to the class.
 * 3) Create a learning task to assess the class' understanding following your presentation.


 * This is a group task.** You may have up to three members in your group.

__**Issues to consider**__


 * You may choose an issue from the list below OR get approval to research an issue of your own.**


 * **The dangers of Facebook**
 * **The potential impact of an Ebola pandemic (global outbreak)**
 * **The threat posed by ISIS**
 * **Cyber bullying**
 * **Littering in our community**
 * **Why many young people choose to not vote**
 * **Loss of privacy in the digital age**
 * **Cheating in sport (steroids and/or match fixing)**
 * **The impact of violence in video games and other media (must cover both)**
 * **The portrayal of men and/or women in the mass media**
 * **Global warming**
 * **Inequality in society**
 * **Problem gambling**
 * **How schools SHOULD work**
 * **Sexism in our society**
 * **Pollution and its impact on the oceans and/or atmosphere**
 * **The Death Penalty**
 * **The harm caused by racism**
 * **The use of animals in medical experiments.**


 * Your presentation needs to include information about a range of potential solutions or ways the harm caused by the issue can be minimised. These can include examples of programmes in place now, but feel free to present new and creative solutions. What would YOU do if your group needed to come up with solutions? **

__ **The research task** __

Good research should be able to present **evidence** to support your statements. **If the issue is controversial (for example, the use of animals in medical experiments) you should also present opposing points of view.** Your presentation should contain a list of the **three websites** you think were the most useful. **They should not all be Wikipedia! :-)**


 * Checkpoint One **

media type="custom" key="24523832"

__ **The presentation** __

You can choose any of the following types of presentation to make to the class:


 * 1) **A Google Documents slideshow**
 * 2) **A chart or poster**
 * 3) **A play**
 * 4) **A mini-lesson on the topic**
 * 5) **Glogster**
 * 6) **A video**
 * 7) **A website**

If you have another presentation idea discuss it with me first.


 * Any images used should be appropriate. Graphic images are neither appropriate or acceptable. Generally speaking, using 'Safe Search' in Google Images is a good idea.**


 * Your presentation should not involve someone standing there reading a lot of script off a PowerPoint. This is lazy and dull to watch. The presentation should be in your own words and PowerPoint slides should be a combination of text and images (not a 'wall of text' copied from a website)**

__ **The Learning Task** __


 * This needs to be an activity people can complete during or just after your presentation. Examples of learning tasks include: **


 * 1) **A cloze to complete as people watch your presentation**
 * 2) **A quiz**
 * 3) **A crossword puzzle**
 * 4) **A 'match the terms' exercise**

**Stage Six: Presenting to the class**

 * || **Achieved** || **Merit** || **Excellence** ||
 * **Content** || **Relevant content. Not all Focus questions are answered but at least one has been answered in depth. Answers may be general with not much evidence being used.** || **In-depth coverage. All Focus questions are answered, two are answered in-depth. Evidence is used throughout.** || **Comprehensive coverage of all three Focus Questions. May go beyond the Focus Questions to put topic in a broader context. Extensive use of evidence.** ||
 * **Presentation and**
 * delivery** || **Presentation is reasonably well-designed. May contain spelling errors, missing text etc on __some__ slides, several slides without text and/or images. Delivery is attempted.** || **Well-presented. Very few errors. Delivery is confident OR there is clear evidence that delivery of the presentation has been rehearsed or planned.** || **Presentation has flair and contains well-chosen images etc. Delivery is confident and either adds additional information OR is clearly not reliant upon the presentation (very limited amount of time spent reading off the screen)** ||
 * **Learning Activity** || **Completed.** || **Completed and most of the Focus Questions are included. May be basic (e.g. a word find)** || **Contains an effective summary of the content. A student could look at the Learning Activity and revise key ideas of the presentation from it.** ||