Sacramento Worksheet 1
Berkeley High School Computer Academy
This is a sample of one of six handouts created by the Berkeley
High School Computer Academy. The project that this handout accompanies
guides students in acting upon legislation occuring in California's
state capital. To read an overview of this project, visit
our Web page entitled Balancing Life and
Work, 2000, Berkeley High School.
Researching Your Issue Topic
What issue is this bill attempting to address, (i.e., rehabilitation,
prison conditions, death penalty, three strikes, juvenile violence,
health care in prison, education funding...?)
In your own words, summarize what this bill would do to affect
this issue if it were to become law: Now you are going to find
arguments that support and oppose that approach to this
issue. You will gather data that backs your own opinion and contradicts
the opposing view. You need to find at least two sources.
Possible keywords for search: Go to the Berkeley High School
homepage (http://www.bhs.berkeley.k12.ca.us/)
and click on the History Department link. Go to the ProQuest research
link and search for recent articles on the topic using the keywords
you defined above.
Select between two and four recent articles that contain statements
about why one would support or oppose this approach, and facts
or statistics that back up those arguments. Print them. Highlight
the articles or mark in the margins so you can easily find arguments
and data.
Use different colors or symbols to indicate whether you agree
with or disagree with the argument, (i.e., pieces you can use
to support your position in one color; pieces you have to address,
that the other side would say or believe, in another color). Use
another site to find information.
Some possible sites: Center for Juvenile and Criminal Justice:
http://www.cjcj.org.
No War on Youth Online Resources: http://www.colorlines.com.
Prison Activist Resource Center: http://www.prisonactivist.org/.
The links below provide you with the other worksheets associated
with this project.
Worksheet 1: Researching your issue topic
Worksheet 2: Defining your position
Worksheet 3: Writing to a legislator
Worksheet 4: Preparing for the
Sacramento field trip
Worksheet 5: Visiting the California
State Legislature
Worksheet 6: Developing a Public
Service Announcement (PSA)
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