EDUCATED OPINIONS (undelivered)

8th grade / Language Arts

TEK(s):
§110.24. SS (8) Reading/variety of texts. The student reads widely for different purposes in varied sources. The student is expected to:
(D) read to take action such as to complete forms, to make informed recommendations, and write a response (6-8).

§113.24. SS (20) Citizenship. The student understands the rights and responsibilities of citizens of the United States. The student is expected to:
(F) explain how the rights and responsibilities of U.S. citizens reflect our national identity.
(22) Citizenship. The student understands the importance of the expression of different points of view in a democratic society. The student is expected to:
(A) identify different points of view of political parties and interest groups on important historical and contemporary issues;
(B) describe the importance of free speech and press in a democratic society;


Objective(s)
TSWBAT read a variety of news sources looking for an issue to support or oppose.
TSWBAT search for logical support for their position on a certain issue using outside news media.
TSWBAT support their opinion on a certain issue using a Planning My Argument template.
TSWBAT critique another’s position using logic and grace assessed by their partner and the teacher.

Teacher materials needed:
~Lots of current news and issues knowledge

Student materials needed:
~Current events/ Pop culture quizzes (provided by teacher)
~Newspapers, news magazines from various perspectives, including for kids (provided by teacher)
~Other credible media sources of their choosing

Focus or anticipatory set:

~Pass out the following “pop quiz:”

SIDE ONE:
1) The U.S. has responded to the recent Burmese protests by:
a. Sending in a Peace Core unit to Yangon
b. Arranging for peace talks between the junta and Condaleeza Rice
c. Granting priority status to Burma’s Karen Refugees
d. I have no idea.

2) Child pornography is legal.
a. True
b. False
c. The case is undecided
d. I have no idea.

3) Former Vice President Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on spreading the word about climate change. However, he did not get the award on his own; which organization was the joint winner?
a. Greenpeace
b. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
c. The Campaign Against Climate Change (a U.K.-based pressure group)
d. I have no idea.

4) Chrysler was hit by a United Auto Workers union walk-out when they passed a negotiations deadline. The strike ended when the two sides finally settled. How long did the strike last?
a. 2 hours
b. 6 hours
c. 6 days
d. I have no idea.

5) Chinese considers North Korean refugees illegal immigrants and punishes those
who aid them.
a. True
b. False
c. Chinese officials are still deciding.
d. I have no idea.

6) More than 3,800 Americans have died in Iraq. Iraqi civilian deaths are:
a. ½ as much
b. Roughly the same
c. 10 times as much
d. I have no idea.

7) Barack Obama is the 2nd place Democratic presidential hopeful. Hillary Clinton, a United Methodist, is currently in 1st place. Of what faith is Barack Obama?
a. Atheist
b. Protestant
c. Muslim
d. I have no idea.

8) Partial-birth abortion is legal.
a. True.
b. False.
c. The case is undecided.
d. I have no idea.

9) A resolution making its way through the House of Representatives that describes the World War I-era mass killings of Armenians as "genocide" threatened to spark a major diplomatic incident, with President Bush urging the legislation be dropped. The country claims that the killings were more limited than is claimed and that the killings were mostly an unavoidable part of war. What country is flaming mad about the resolution?
a. Azerbaijan
b. France
c. Turkey
d. I have no idea.

10) The first amendment includes the right to:
a. Create a “wall of separation” between the Church and the State
b. Sue insurance agencies
c. Form labor unions
d. Petition the government


SIDE 2:
1) The top movie at the box office this past week:
a. The Jane Austen Book Club
b. Resident Evil: Extinction
c. The Bourne Ultimatum
d. I have no idea.

2) Name the stage and real names for at least two celebrities:
___________________ aka __________________
___________________ aka __________________

3) Ben Affleck’s younger brother is named
a. Casey Affleck
b. Tom Affleck
c. Christian Affleck
d. I have no idea.

4) He recently starred opposite ________ in The Assassination of Jesse James…
a. Leonardo DiCaprio
b. Angelina Jolie
c. Brad Pitt
d. I have no idea.

5) Angelina Jolie has _____ adopted children.
a. 2
b. 3
c. 4
d. I have no idea.

6) Pamela Anderson “tied the knot” for the third time in Las Vegas. Whose ex did she wed?
a. Paris Hilton’s
b. Carmen Electra’s
c. Jessica Alba’s
d. I have no idea.

7) Who retains custody of Sean Preston and Jaden James Federline?
a. Kevin Federline
b. Brittney Spears
c. Both
d. I have no idea.

8) In a recent interview, Keira Knightley admits she doesn’t like…
a. Red carpet events
b. Acting
c. Johnny Depp
d. I have no idea.

9) The rapper T.I. remains jailed because of what?
a. Failure to pay child support
b. Drunk driving
c. Weapons charges
d. I have no idea.

10) Sean “Diddy” Combs did what at a party on Sunday?
a. Drove his Land Rover into the host’s pool
b. Jumped intoxicated out of a 2 story building
c. Bloodied an acquaintance’s nose
d. I have no idea.

~ Have the kids switch papers with a partner, place the answers to Side 1 on an overhead, and let them grade their quizzes.

7-10 correct = Super Savvy Citizen
5-6 correct = Awake and Taking Notes
3-4 correct = Half- awake… or a Good Guesser
0-2 correct = Asleep American

~ Then put up the answers to Side 2
7-10 correct = Pop Culture Expert
5-6 correct = Finger on the Entertainment Pulse of America
3-4 correct = Half-awake but Distracted
0-2 correct = Pop Culture Illiterate

Activities

~ Discuss: how much effort does it take to be literate for the two categories? Who would they expect to be good at the 2nd category? The first? Why aren’t they more knowledgeable about either of the categories? Do they believe that will hurt them long term? When do they plan on becoming culturally literate? What will they do to prepare for voting? What would happen if, in 20 years, everybody who voted in America in the upcoming elections made the same grades as they did? Is it safe to have only the politicians know what’s going on in the world? How do you make sure they do? What if they knew just as much as you?
~ Discuss what could possibly happen if no one KNEW what the government was up to. Ask them what could possibly happen if everything was out in the open and no one CARED what the government was up to.

* “You’re describing a very large portion of America. We have the RIGHTs to be informed, to be involved in the laws our country makes, and its business, but so many don’t care. We have the right to talk about what’s stupid about America. We have the right to get a bunch of people together and march against injustice, like Cesar Chavez and Martin Luther King Jr. We even have the right to tell our government and say, “Hey, your decision STINKS, And here’s why.” And if enough people talk to or write their senators or state representatives, stuff can CHANGE. It’s called the RIGHT to PETITION the government for the redress of grievances. To “redress” is to FIX. “Grievances” are things that make you grieve… things you complain about.

*Back in the day, you could your head chopped off for “petitioning the king
for the redress of grievances” or even just criticizing him on the street. The
king was like a little god and you were NOT allowed to tell him he was
mistaken or aggravating you.”

“But, like I said, most people don’t care that we have that freedom now. Or
they don’t care enough to do proper investigation. They might COMPLAIN
to their friends on the way things are based on sketchy info or something they
heard somebody else say, but many don’t actually KNOW what’s going on.
THAT sure doesn’t do much good in enacting social change. Have you ever heard people do that before?”

* “So, which one are you going to be? The kind that sits around saying ‘I hate Bush cause my Mama told me he’s rich and white and made us go to war,” or are you going to RESEARCH the decisions he’s made and be able to say, ‘I do/don’t support Bush’s position on the war in Iraq because x, y, and z.’? ”At least in this class, you’re going to be capable of the 2nd.”

~”It is high time for us to have something called ‘well-informed opinions.’”

*Define what “issues” are and give some examples (eg: abortion, war in Iraq, stem cell research, etc.)

* “We are going to find some issues, think about some issues, talk about some issues, and be all reasonable and educated about some issues.”
* “This is how democracy works, you guys. We get smart, and then we get heard. And things change. Let’s get to it.”

~From their selection of 2 news sources, (one newspaper and one a news magazine) have the students compile a list of current issues. Probably all they will need to list is the name of the publication and at least 6 interesting issues contained. 3 should be international issues and 3 national.

~Have them zero in on one that they think they can get reasonably interested in/ emotional about.

~That evening, they are to seek out CREDIBLE information on the issue, either through interview, watching news channels, or Internet. They are allowed to acquire people’s opinions, provided they understand their subjective and often unsubstantiated nature.

~ The next day, they are to fill out the Planning My Argument chart. They will then get with a partner to discuss each others’ issues: highlighting good arguments, addressing weak reasons, and just practicing explaining and presenting their side.

PLANNING MY ARGUMENT (modified from Crosetti@jawbone.clarkston.wednet.edu )

I want to express this opinion __________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________
This is my topic sentence: a simple clear statement of what I want to have happen. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Here are the reasons I will use to support my opinion. (List as many as you can think of.)
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________ __________________________________
__________________________________

Here is at least one reason I think my plan should NOT be accepted. (Think of your opponents’ side.) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reread your list of reasons. Cross out any reasons that do not really support your opinion. Cross out any reasons that are not convincing.

Now write an explanation of why those who oppose your view are wrong. Answer the one reason you have against your plan.

Questions

~ Why is logic important in forming an opinion?
~ Was it easy or difficult to form an opinion about the news you read?
~ What was challenging in research?
~ Was there anything that surprised you that you read?
~ What would it take for you to make forming educated opinions a part of your everyday life? Is it out of the question for you to take in the news on a regular basis?