Standards
From the standards of the National Council for Social Studies:
Students in high school should be able to apply geographic understanding across a broad range of fields, including the fine arts, sciences, and humanities. Geographic concepts are central to learners' comprehension of global connections as they expand their knowledge of diverse cultures, both historical and contemporary. The importance of core geographic themes to public policy are recognized and should be explored as students address issues of domestic and international significance.
At the high school level, students are able to think systematically about personal, national, and global decisions, interactions, and consequences, including addressing critical issues such as peace, human rights, trade, and global ecology.
The California academic standards supported by this lesson are as follows:
- English-language arts reading comprehension standard 2.1 - Analyze both the features and the rhetorical devices of different types of public documents (e.g., policy statements, speeches, debates, platforms) and the way in which authors use those features and devices.
- English-language arts writing strategy 1.3 - Structure ideas and arguments in a sustained, persuasive, and sophisticated way and support them with precise and relevant examples
- English-language arts writing strategies 1.6 through 1.8 - Develop presentations by using clear research questions and creative and critical research strategies, use systematic strategies to organize and record information, integrate databases, graphics, and spreadsheets into word-processed documents.
- English-language arts writing application 2.6 and speaking application 2.4 – deliver multimedia presentations.
This lesson may also include subject matter in geography, history, mathematics, foreign languages, art, music, and social studies depending on the effort expended by the students. Because of the complexity of the assignment and the multidisciplinary orientation, this lesson may be incorporated into several class periods and managed by teachers who specialize in the respective disciplines. When properly completed, this lesson should provide a dynamic and entertaining experience for the entire class.