1. 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 21 st century.

2. 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.

3. 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.

4. WHAT DOES A PAPER LOOK LIKE? TYPED DOUBLE SPACED TIMES NEW ROMAN FONT SIZE 12 1 INCH MARGINS.

5. 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.

6. Any questions?

7. Structured Academic Controversy (SAC)

8. 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.

9. What is it? Type of debate. What does a good debate look like? What does good communication look like?

10. Quick Read Silently read both handouts A and B. Answer the following question: How is a typical debate different from a SAC?

11. Quick Read Read the following 4 handouts AND SAVE THEM. Prepare to summarize the main ideas in each of these handouts.

12. 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?

13. 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.”

14. 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.

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. Warm Up What are weapons of mass destruction? What are some historical examples of the use of WMDs?

20. Saddam Hussein

21. Who is this man? What do you know about him? Brainstorm potential answers.

22. Historical Significance Hussein used biological and chemical weapons against the Kurds in Iraq in 1988. Kurds are an ethnic minority group in Iraq.

23. Iraq

24. Attacks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIeN0a nJ1iAhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DIeN0a nJ1iA

25. Read article Summarize the case in 2 paragraphs. Proceed to answer the following questions on your handout.

26. Central Question Biological and chemical weapons: Will developing and using them PROTECT OR ENDANGER us?

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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/previou s_seasons/classroom/lp1b.html#1 http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/previou s_seasons/classroom/lp1b.html#1

30. 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.

31. Warm Up Why is use of WMD controversial?

32. Return to group partners Review notes Create an argument together and anticipate weaknesses of your argument. Prepare for opponent attacks on your argument.

33. 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.

34. SAC 5 minutes for open discussion. – This is an opportunity to strengthen and CLARIFY original argument while refuting opposing argument.

35. 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.

36. 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.

37. 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.

38. 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?”

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

40. 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.

41. Help In text citations. YOU MUST HAVE AT LEAST 5. You must have at least 5 sources in your Works Cited Page.

42. In text citations

43. Works Cited

44. Works Cited Generator http://www.easybib.com/ Select MLA

45. 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.

46. How to make thesis specific? No specific formula. Suggestion: Make it two sentences. 1 st : State opinion/claim/argument 2 nd : State evidence/examples to back up argument.

47. 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.

48. 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

49. 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)

50. 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).

51. 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).

52. Sample Works Cited Page *Sources are listed alphabetically Indent all lines after the first ½ inch for each 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 descripto r (properly placed within the citation); e.g., Web, Print, Film All citations end in a period (.)