Driving Question
As a citizen of University City, Missouri, and the United States what can you do and what should you about gun control?
In May of 2000, one year after the Columbine massacre, in a speech to the NRA actor Charlton Heston insisted that Americans needed to defend their freedom and right to bear arms, and that the only way that presidential candidate Al Gore would get his gun is from his "cold dead hands." The title of this project takes it name from that speech, but also refers to the cold dead hands of all of the victims of gun violence. Guns play a pivotal role in our society. This semester we will explore the role guns have played in your community in order to make the best possible decisions about the rules and policies that govern them.
Project Design (for teachers)
Love - Through the interview project students will make a deep meaningful connection with the victims and their families.
Choose one of the two BIG questions from the text and answer them in an essay. You must have at least one text based reason for your answer and quotes to back it up.
Page 306: You coming?
Page 296: The rules are the rules right?
Outline
Thesis: Will a) gets off the elevator to exact his revenge. b) goes back up the elevator to his home.
or
The rules a) are a common sense way of surviving on these streets. b) lead to an endless cycle of death.
Paragraph 1 Give a text based or experiential reason for
Will's decision. "Will decides to kill Riggs because . . . " "Will goes home because . . . "
or
Your opinion about the rules. "The rules are important because . . ." "not important . . . "
Paragraph 2 Give a text based or experiential reason for Will's decision.
Paragraph 3 Give a text based or experiential reason for Will's decision.
Conclusion Make a connection with the real world.
Interview Essay (Use this checklist to get started.)
Using the video interview posted in Google Classroom create a written version. You can choose to do either a narrative essay or a transcript
Narrative - This format allows for paraphrasing as well as direct quotes. It includes descriptive writing that details the setting and appearance of the subject. You can also include background information from any other research to support a thesis.
Transcript (Here is a cool tool)- Write down verbatim every word said.
If you choose the narrative form then you will get a 10% bonus for your final grade because it will require you to think for yourself. If you choose the transcript then you will be graded normally according to the scoring guide.
P1 -Hook the reader using an interesting quote
P2 - Introduction. Introduce the character and environment using details. Present why the interview is important (don’t explicitly say this though).
P3 - First evidence paragraph. Disrupt the story flow for a brief second. Let the reader take a breath. Describe your own surroundings. Then, explain the background and expertise of the person.
P4 - Second evidence paragraph. The next two paragraphs form the apex of the story arc. If the interview produces two main insights, then have two paragraphs. If there is only one main insight, it is fine to only have one paragraph here. Regardless, it is important to use the best, most insightful quotes in order to advance the essay’s So What?. Hint: Use powerful adjectives and verbs to describe the interviewee as they become more passionate about the conversation.
P5 - Third evidence paragraph. Use another hard-hitting piece of evidence and give it contextual descriptions, such as how the interviewee looks or sounds. Advance the main message, and prepare for the essay to close.
P6 - The concluding paragraph. Like a triangle, begin at the top of the paragraph with a narrow focused summary of the interviewee’s main message. Then, continuing the triangle analogy, expand outwards and downwards from that point. Deliver the broader context for why the interview matters. To end the essay, quote how the interviewee said goodbye. Close on a friendly note. Hint: If you can, try to reference something that you said in the introduction to produce a ‘full-circle’ effect in your essay.
Milestone 1 (J-School) - Read Long Way Down by Jason Reynolds, Watch curated videos
Milestone 2 (Intern) - Completed reader responses, begin instruction on interviewing.
Milestone 3 (Local Reporter) - Has an interview subject, practice interview complete, questions written, appointment made
Milestone 4 (National Reporter) - Competed interview with supporting recordings, completed rough draft of essay
Milestone 5 (Global Correspondent) - Completed and published interview essay