Welcome to Special Topics!

• Second Semester: Contemporary Issues– In this second half of the year, we will focus on

current events/controversial topics of the 21st century.

WHAT TO EXPECT

• LOTS OF WRITING AND DEBATING.• YOU WILL TALK IN THIS CLASS. • YOU WILL WRITE PAPERS IN THIS

CLASS.• NO TESTS=JUST PAPERS/PROJECTS.

PAPERS/PROJECTS

• For all final assignments, the final deadline is the FINAL DEADLINE.

• You will turn in your work the day it is due on my USB drive.

• ONLY EMAIL IF YOU ARE ABSENT.

WHAT DOES A PAPER LOOK LIKE?

• TYPED• DOUBLE SPACED• TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT• SIZE 12• 1 INCH MARGINS.

And lastly…

• CITE ALL WORK. • This means you must:

– RESEARCH– QUOTE RESEARCH IN PAPER TO

SUPPORT ARGUMENT– PARENTHETICAL CITATIONS IN THE

PAPER.– WORKS CITED PAGE AT END OF THE

PAPER.

Any questions?

Structured Academic Controversy (SAC)

What?

• Working in pairs, and then teams, you will explore an issue through opposing positions and try to reach a consensus, or, at least, clarify where your differences lie.

What is it?

• Type of debate.• What does a good debate look like?• What does good communication look like?

Quick Read

• Silently read both handouts A and B.• Answer the following question: How is a

typical debate different from a SAC?

Quick Read

• Read the following 4 handouts AND SAVE THEM.

• Prepare to summarize the main ideas in each of these handouts.

Answer the following questions.

• Why are we using this process?• How can this benefit us?• What purpose is there to switching sides?• Why is it important to be able to create a

new position?• Why is it important to reach a consensus?

Modeling Example

• Need three volunteers: 1 to time, 1 to track strategies, and 2 to debate with.

• Debating Student A: “School staff should be allowed to search student’s backpacks.”

• Other Student B: “School staff should NOT be allowed to search student’s backpacks.”

Modeling Example

• Two minutes each to present position• Class: OBSERVE WHAT STRATEGIES

WORKED BEST.

• Open discussion: 2 minutes-respectful refute opponent and continue arguing your position.

½ way there now.

• Reverse positions: 2 minutes.– Remember: do NOT find weaknesses in

opponents previous position. Rather, argue points that are the STRONGEST and most persuasive.

– CLASS: WHAT STRATEGIES WORK BEST FOR REVERSAL OF STRATEGIES?

CONSENSUS

• Timer: 3 minutes to synthesize.• Write down the most powerful arguments

from BOTH sides and create a NEW position.

• Class: What are good ways to resolve conflict and create a new position?

Class practice

• Pair up. • Engage in active listening. What does this

mean? • 1s: Students should be allowed to leave

school for lunch.• 2s: Students should NOT be allowed to

leave school for lunch.

Sequence

• Each side gets two minutes. • For each partner that presents, the other

partner takes notes using their student handout 6.

• 3 minutes for open discussion. • 2 minutes for reverse perspective• 5 minutes for written consensus. Use

handout 7.

Warm Up

• What are weapons of mass destruction?• What are some historical examples of the

use of WMDs?

Saddam Hussein

Who is this man?

• What do you know about him?• Brainstorm potential answers.

Historical Significance

• Hussein used biological and chemical weapons against the Kurds in Iraq in 1988.

• Kurds are an ethnic minority group in Iraq.

Iraq

Attacks

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIeN0anJ1iA

Read article

• Summarize the case in 2 paragraphs.• Proceed to answer the following questions

on your handout.

Central Question

• Biological and chemical weapons: Will developing and using them PROTECT OR ENDANGER us?

Positions

• Position A: The development and use of biological and chemical weapons will protect countries from those nations that might actually use those weapons.

• Position B: The development and use of biological and chemical weapons will only increase the danger of others in the world.

Group Project

• Groups of 4 with teams of 2.• Grade based on individual effort,

participation and contribution to the group. • EACH TEAM MUST THOROUGHLY

RESEARCH THEIR POSITION TO CREATE THE STRONGEST ARGUMENT.

Answer the following questions.

• On a sheet of paper, write down your answers to the questions in handout 1.

• Then begin research by logging on to this website: http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/previous_seasons/classroom/lp1b.html#1

Research

• Use Student Handout 5 to take notes. You will turn this in for a grade to HOLD ON TO IT.

• Identify research that will be the most PERSUASIVE in making an argument for your position. “Star” those notes and compare with your partner.

Warm Up

• Why is use of WMD controversial?

Return to group partners

• Review notes• Create an argument together and anticipate

weaknesses of your argument.• Prepare for opponent attacks on your

argument.

Reread rules for SAC

• I will time each pair’s presentation. – 4 minutes per pair.

• The pair that is not presenting shouold be actively listening and taking notes using handout 6. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments.

SAC

• 5 minutes for open discussion. – This is an opportunity to strengthen and

CLARIFY original argument while refuting opposing argument.

Reverse sides now.

• You will have 10 minutes to prepare your new position now.

• Review notes you took during opponent’s previous presentation.

• Identify and argue the strongest and most persuasive points your opponent made

• You will have 4 minutes to present your new position.

Warm Up

• All A’s group together and select the best arguments made. List 3.

• All B’s group together and select the best arguments made. List 3.

Return to your original group

• Create a new consensus position.• Use handout 7. • Remember, you want a solution that

synthesizes BOTH sides and represents new ideas and possibilities.

• Turn in all handouts for a quiz grade.

PAPER

• Test grade.• Now that you have argued both sides,

construct a research paper that answers our original question.

• “Biological and chemical weapons: Will developing and using them PROTECT OR ENDANGER us?”

Requirements

• 5 paragraphs• Typed• Double Spaced• Size 12 Times New Roman Font• Parenthetical Citations• Work Cited Page

Due date: February 2

• THIS IS THE FINAL DEADLINE. NO EXCEPTIONS.

• ALL PAPERS WILL BE SAVED ON MY ISTICK THAT DAY.

• THOSE THAT WILL BE “SICK” ARE EXPECTED TO EMAIL ME BY THE END OF THE DAY.

Help

• In text citations. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 5.

• You must have at least 5 sources in your Works Cited Page.

In text citations

Works Cited

Works Cited Generator

• http://www.easybib.com/• Select MLA

Thesis Statement

• MAKE IT STRONG, SPECIFIC, AND TO THE POINT.

• FOCUS ON THE ARGUMENT AND WHY ITS IMPORTANT TO CONVINCE ME THAT YOU ARE RIGHT.

How to make thesis specific?

• No specific formula.• Suggestion: Make it two sentences.

• 1st: State opinion/claim/argument• 2nd: State evidence/examples to back up argument.

Example

• Weapons of mass destruction create widespread damage that is not strictly limited to its immediate effects. By examining evidence in WWII, the genocide against the Kurds and the war in Iraq, one can conclude that the use of WMDs actually encourages war instead of preventing it.

Evidence Formula

• By examining evidence in ___x_____, ___y_______, and ___z_______, one can conclude that _______opinion___________.

• X: Body Paragraph 1• Y: Body Paragraph 2• Z: Body Paragraph 3

In-Text Citations

Place the parenthetical reference at the end of the sentence before the punctuation mark. – The average world temperature is rising at

an alarming rate of 200 degrees Celsius per year (Polar 188).

You must provide information that will allow the reader to locate exactly where you found information in your sources. Usually this is the author's last name and a page number, for example: (Polar 188)

In-text Example:

Corresponding Works Cited Entry:

Wordsworth, William. Lyrical Ballads. London: Oxford UP, 1967. Print.

Wordsworth stated that Romantic poetry was marked by a “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (263). Romantic poetry is characterized by the “spontaneous overflow of powerful feelings” (Wordsworth 263). Wordsworth extensively explored the role of emotion in the creative process (263).

In-Text Citations, Continued

If you use an author's name in a sentence (known as a “signal phrase”), do not use it again in the parenthetical citation. Simply give the page numbers:– Polar argues that global warming will help heat our

jacuzzis (122).

If there is no known author, use the title and page number in your citation:– A single car trip from Los Angeles to San Francisco

produces more pollution than a tree does in its entire lifetime (Save My Greenhouse 47).

Sample Works Cited Page*Sources are listed alphabetically

Indent all lines after the first ½ inch foreach work listed

*The entire Works Cited page is double-spaced

Title “Works Cited” is centered at the top of the page

Be sure that each citation has a format descriptor (properly placed within the citation); e.g., Web, Print, Film

All citations end in a period (.)