Gang Violence in the South Bronx

Gang Violence in the South Bronx

Michelle Savarese

Introduction

A modern day issue that affects the lives of the youth in the South Bronx in a serious way is gang violence. Gang violence involves the entire community because even if a person is not in a gang, the violent acts of the gang hurt innocent people. Also, many kids feel pressure to join a gang to get protection, and if they don’t have strong family relationships they will join the gang to feel wanted. As a student, you will survey other students (in class and others) and then write up a report/essay to compile the information researched and gathered on how this social issue affects young peoples’ lives, and how the issue can be solved.

Task

Two partners are to conduct a survey based on opinionpower.com on how gangs affect the lives of the youth in the South Bronx. The survey must cover, in a five point scale question system, 10 questions on:

Students feelings about being affected by gang violence.
The reasons why gangs exist.
Opinions of the evidence/effects of the existence of the gangs.
Opinions on the existing public policy that attempts to deal with gangs.
Opinions on the alternatives that the partnership developed to deal with the problem of gangs.

The partners will compose a report in which they will state the main ideas contained in the information that was gathered in the surveys and internet research described in paragraph one. The students will state the supporting details in paragraph two. In paragraph three they will state the conclusions and summary that they developed.
The partners will develop a Power Point Presentation or a Hyper Studio Presentation of their work

The Process

Partners will research the project together, taking turns being the recorders/writers.

1. Students will define the social problem of gang violence:

http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/Tips/select.html

http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/Tips/gather.html

2. Both students will find the causes of gang activity:

http://www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/TIPS/identify.html

3. Both students will study a present solution to the problem:

http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/Tips/existing.html

4. Both students will develop a better solution or keep the existing policy and modify it:

http://maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/bestsol.html

5. Both students will use Internet links to gather the needed information, and this will include graphs and pictures if possible.

Resources

http://eric-Web.tc.columbia.edu/monographs/uds107/prventing-most.

http://eric-web.tc.columbia.edu/alerts/ia76.

http://www.ncrel.org/skrs/areas/issues/envrnmt/drugfree/3-1youth.htm

http://www.kci.org/publication/bootcamp/2000edition

Conclusion

Through researching and analyzing the data on the levels of gang violence that occurs in the South Bronx, students should feel more secure in making decisions to not join gangs. Researching this issue provides a clear understanding on the reasons why gangs develop and why they are maintained for social (or anti-social) and economic causes. Middle School students undoubtedly need this information on gangs when the threat of violence is present in their everyday life. They, also, have to be conscious of their peers’ ideas on the issue of gangs, so that they can consciously decide what their own thoughts are, and make the proper decisions to protect themselves the best way they can. They must find personal solutions first and ultimately, analyze, discover and use a public policy or policies that can destroy the need for the existence of gangs in our society.

Evaluation

Excellent Grade A

at least 5-6 slides in the presentation which clearly state the cause and effects of gang violence, and clearly zero in on the geographic region of the South Bronx in at least 2 slides. The information in the slides must reflect both the Internet research, the results of the student survey, and the student written essay.

2-3 graphics (scales, graphs, pictures)

A revised essay from which the slides were partly devised. The essay must be have a clearly stated main idea, supporting details, and a strong summary (paraphrasing skills are essential).Equal weight must be given to the research and opinion survey.

Advanced Grade B

at least 3-4 slides with same requirements as the A grade

one scale, graph, or picture

Revised essay relating to the slides, and essay that clearly states the main idea, and details, and summary (use of some paraphrasing must be evident). An attempt to equalize the research information and opinion survey must be shown.

Average Grade C

at least 2-3 slides with same requirement as the A grade

no graphs, or pictures

Revised essay that relates to the slides, a stated main idea, supporting details, a summary, and an attempt to paraphrase must be present. The facts of the opinion survey and research information are presented but not balanced.

Novice Grade D

1-2 slides are presented without a clear balance between the essay, research, survey, and focus on geographic region.

no graphs or pictures

the essay presents a basic understanding of the problem of gang violence, but doesn’t organize information clearly into the format of paragraph one (main idea), second paragraph (supporting details), and third (summary). Paraphrasing is missing, as well as the balance between the factors of opinion survey, and Internet research.

New York State Testing Program

Grade 8 English Language Arts Program

Listening/Writing (Numbers 26, 27, 28, 29)

Reading/Writing (Numbers 30, 31, 32, 33)

Quality	6 Responses at this level	5 Responses at this level	4 Responses at this level	3 Responses at this level	2 Responses at this level	1 Responses at this level
Meaning: The extent to which the response exhibits understanding and interpretation of the task and text(s)	Taken as a whole: Fulfill the requirements of the tasks address the theme or key elements of the text show an insightful interpretation of the text make connections beyond the text	Taken as a whole: demonstrate most of the characteristics of a response at the 6-point level but thy may show slightly less understanding, provide less elaboration or lack	Taken as a whole: Fulfill some of the requirements of the tasks address some key elements of the text show a predominantly literal interpretation of the text make some connections beyond the text	Taken as a whole: are similar to there responses at the 4-point level, but they may be weakly organized or sketchy, wit ideas that are not supported by examples from the	Taken as a whole: fulfil some of the requirements of the tasks address basic elements of the text show little evidence that the student understood more than parts of the text make few connections	Taken as a whole: are more difficult to read and understand than responses at the 2-point level. The responses show evidence of comprehension of only parts of the text,
Development: The extent to which ideas are elaborated, using specific and relevant evidence from the text(s)	Taken as a whole: develop ideas fully with thorough elaboration make effective use of relevant and accurate examples from the text	the consistent quality of responses at the 6-point level	Taken as a whole: may be brief, with little elaboration, but are sufficiently developed to answer the questions provide some examples and details from the text may contain minor inaccuracies	text. There may be a few minor inaccuracies, and the responses provide fewer details. The responses indicate the student has read or listened to the entire text but experiences gaps in understanding the whole.	Taken as a whole: may provide some text-based examples and details may contain some irrelevant or inaccurate details along with correct information	and may be repetitive, focusing on minor details.
Organization: The extent to which the response exhibits direction, shape and coherence	The extended response exhibits direction, shape, and coherence		The extended response is generally focused, though may contain some irrelevant details shows a clear attempt at organization		The extended response may show an attempt to establish a focus shows little attempt at organization
Language Use: The extent to which the response reveals an awareness of audience and purpose through effective use of words, sentence structure and sentence variety	The extended response is fluent and easy to read with vivid language and a sense of engagement or voice is stylistically sophisticated, using varied sentence structure and challenging vocabulary.		The extended response is readable with some sense of engagement or voice primarily uses simple sentences and basic vocabulary		The extended response is readable with little sense of engagement or voice uses minimal vocabulary may indicate fragmented thoughts

SCORE POINT 0 = The responses are completely incorrect, irrelevant, or incoherent.

Presentation Rubric – Evaluating Student Presentations

	1	2	3	4	Total
Organization	Audience cannot understand presentation because there is no sequence of information.	Audience has difficulty following presentation because student jumps around..	Student presents information in logical sequence which audience can follow.	Student presents information in logical, interesting sequence which audience can follow.
Subject Knowledge	Student does not have grasp of information; student cannot answer questions about subject.	Student is uncomfortable with information and is able to answer only rudimentary questions.	Student is at ease, with expected answers to all questions, but fails to elaborate.	Student demonstrates full knowledge (more than required) by answering all questions with explanations and elaboration.
Graphics	Student uses superfluous graphics or no graphics.	Student occasionally uses graphics that rarely support text and presentation.	Student’s graphics relate to text and presentation.	Student’s graphics explain and reinforce screen text and presentation.
Mechanics	Students presentation has four or more spelling errors and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has three misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no more than two misspellings and/or grammatical errors.	Presentation has no misspellings and/or grammatical errors.
Eye Contact	Student reads all of report with no eye contact.	Student occasionally uses eye contact, but still reads most of report.	Student maintains eye contact most of the time but frequently returns to notes.	Student maintains eye contact with audience, seldom returning to notes.
Elocution	Student mumbles, incorrectly pronounces terms, and speaks too quietly for student in the back of class to hear.	Students voice is low. Student incorrectly pronounces terms. Audience members have difficulty hearing presentation.	Student’s voice is clear. Student pronounces most words correctly. Most audience members can hear presentation.	Student uses a clear voice and correct precise pronunciation of terms so that all audience can hear presentation.
				Total Points

Developed by Information Technology Evaluation Services, NC Department of Public Instruction

Standards
English

E1c Read and comprehend informational materials.

E2a Produce a report of information.

E3b Participate in group meetings.

E3c Prepare and deliver individual presentation (only this will be a group presentation).

Social Studies

1 History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the U.S and N.Y.

5 Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the U.S. and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation.