CURRENT ISSUES

Grade 9-12

This course introduces the student to the diversity of people and cultures and their involvement in current world issues, with an eye toward resolution.  This course may include Foreign Policy, Pacific Rim, Latin America, and Middle East studies. The individual instructor will determine the specific content for this course based on available materials, resources, and the specific needs of the school sites.

IN ORDER TO MEET THESE STANDARDS STUDENTS NEED TO

MASTERY

• Discuss and understand local, state, national, and international events. • Practice interpersonal skills. • Understand current event issues. • Research historical background of issues. • Relate geography to current issues. • Explore political and economic systems. • Evaluate sociology and psychology effects on current world problems.

POSSIBLE ACTIVITIES

• Develop a list of current local, state, national, or world problems and how they affect the student's life. • Analyze two or more writings on the same issue and interpret the viewpoints of the different writers. • Develop a series of conflict resolution strategies for a given problem. • Research the historical background of a world problem. • Use technology to gather and present a current world issue to a panel. • Explore careers in international relations, diplomacy, foreign policy, and related fields.

ASSESSMENTS

• Oral presentations • Portfolio • Projects • Rubric scored seminar • Rubrics • Teacher evaluations