Current Event Guidelines
Current events are a key feature in our study of World Regions. They impact people on a local, national, and/or global scale. We need to know how some event occurred but, most importantly, why it happened and the impact it may have on others. These events can have far reaching effects, both in our own country and abroad. We will be working with current events on a regular basis, with an emphasis on each region of study. The following directions discuss the necessary components of how to successfully complete a Current Event Assignment in Social Studies.
1)The news article must be a political, economic, or social issue that is on the national (impacts the whole country) or international (multiple countries around the world) level. Natural disasters, airplane crashes, etc., though tragic and sometimes a big news story, should not be used.
2)The article that you choose must be less than two weeksold from the date of the assignment.
3)You can find current events everywhere. Please use credible sources whether you choose a newspaper, magazine, or internet source.
4)Provide a copy of the current event article. You MUST print out your article if it is internet-based or cut out your article (or a copy of it) if you use a newspaper or magazine.
5)If you are not sure that your article is appropriate, please ask ASAP! If you have any doubts, ask because there is no excuse not to have a proper article. We assign these articles ahead of time, so “My computer was down…” is never an excuse for a late article. We are happy to let you find an article here at school if you plan ahead.
What do I write about?
1)Your paper can be typed or handwritten neatly .
2)You need the article’s author (if given), date, source, and title. The 1stthree should be placed in the top, left corner across from your name. Your name, date, & class period should be in the top right of your paper (as always). FOLLOW THIS FORMULA.
3)Paragraph #1 is a summary of the article. Remember that a summary is a not a rewrite of the entire article. As the old saying goes: “Just the facts!” There should be no reaction to the information you are stating like opinions or comments. This should be about 5-7 sentences of summary/facts.
4)Paragraph #2 is your response to the information in the article. Is the event a good thing or a bad one? Explain your opinion. How will this affect the people who are involved in this event? (Remember that the news event may influence many people or countries.) Is this related to an even bigger situation, and if so, how?
5)Make sure your facts and ideas are clearly stated. You will be graded on your summary/presentation of facts, your analysis, and how well it is written. Do NOT plagiarize.
6)Be prepared to talk about and answer questions about your current event in class. (That means you have to know something about what is in the article, so do not choose an article that you don’t understand.)