Current Events

Miss Stine

Fall 2013

Current Events is a class designed to further develop each student’s perspective on local, national, and international affairs. The purpose of this class is to facilitate a learning environment that challenges students to think beyond themselves and into issues that impact their community, America, and the world at large.

Main Goals:

During the duration of the class and upon its completion, students will be able to:

  1. Understand and explain world affairs, considering their interconnectedness in the daily life of the student.
  1. Critically analyze current events that occur locally, nationally, and internationally.
  1. Develop or further advance their own sense of identity and world view by reflecting on how issues discussed in the class affect them personally.

Materials for the Course:

  • There is no textbook for this class, however you must utilize a notebook (provided in class) for journal entries. You will be provided with a variety of handouts related to the units of study.

Grading Scale and Grading Categories

Grading Scale: / Grading Categories:
A – 90%-100%
B – 80%-89%
C – 70% -79%
D – 60%-69%
E – 60% and below /
  1. Class Participation & Discussion – 25%
  2. Current Events Analysis – 25%
  3. Journal Checks – 25%
  4. Research Projects – 25%

Attendance and participation are crucial to the learning environment therefore a necessity in earning a high grade in this course.

Explanation of Each Grading Category:

  • Class ParticipationClass Discussions --You are expected to follow current events on a daily basis and be ready to share and discuss major developments mentioned in the media during class time. You are also expected to pay attention in class, follow classroom rules, as well as be prepared and on time.Each week you will be asked to research and journal current events occurring locally, nationally, and internationally.
  • Current Events Analysis – As it was mentioned above, you should be following current events daily, using a variety of news sources, such as the Internet, news programs, newspapers, and/or magazines. Each week you must find at least one article (or be assigned one) on a current event and write an entry summarizing the content of the article and analyzing its connection to topics presented in class.
  • Journal Checks – Your journals will be collected and graded every two-three weeks. You will be graded on proper punctuation and grammar.
  • Research Projects – Each student will study and write a research paper on one of the Ten Areas of Critical Global Concern. Explanation and requirements for this assignment will be provided to you a few weeks in advance of its due date.

Final Thoughts and Expectations:

  • Some discussion topics might evoke very intense feelings and emotions. Please be respectful and considerate when it comes to opinions and viewpoints of others, especially the ones you don’t agree with.
  • Classes will vary in the amount and nature of student-teacher and student-student interactions. They will range from student-centered discussions to class lectures. You are expected to pay attention and, when necessary, take notes during class lectures.