Introduction
This webquest seeks to direct students into a discussion about the plight of homeless in America; clarifying definitions, contributing factors, services and support agencies, and a service-learning component.
Introduction
It is tourist season and your community relies heavily on the revenue generated during this time. However, the growing population of homeless that sleep in doorways and on park benches and panhandle on street corners creates a bad image and threatens this economy.
You and a team of four people have been given the task of researching the problem of homelessness and creating a community-wide strategy to manage the problem. Your team will identify the issues and present a report to the community and make recommendations to the City Council.
Who are the homeless? Why are they homeless? What social services are supporting them? What can be done?
Your team will explore all of the contributing factors, and identify the government programs and non-profit programs that are presently provided. Through this research you will be able to list the issues, contributing factors, programs and services available, and unmet needs. From the point of view of an advocate, you will use your research to prepare a persuasive paper to report your findings. You will interview the public and host a public meeting to glean the perspective of the community on homelessness. As a team you will prepare a PowerPoint presentation to report to the community and to offer a community-wide strategic plan to manage this issue in your community.
Good Luck! The city is trusting you to resolve the vagrant issue before tourism is impacted and have a long-term plan to manage homelessness.
Task
Task
The topic of homelessness presents itself through images of poverty, substance abuse, domestic violence, war, and crime. It is not a pretty picture and no one has solved the problem. These are the issues most apparent to the onlooker. . . leaving the impression that the homeless population is comprised of lazy, unself-regulated individuals who deserve to be living on the streets.
However the face of homelessness in America becomes more diverse each day . It includes educated individuals, families, runaway teens, abandoned parents, victims of domestic violence or divorce, and people who simply do not have enough income to live. Contributing factors to homelessness include lack of affordable housing, lack of livable wages, lack of health care, policies and politics that fail to support humanity.
The intent of this webquest is to give students an accurate picture of the problem of homelessness in America, to encourage inquiry and dialogue, and to foster compassion and advocacy by assuming a decision-making role within a community.
You are the administrator for one of the primary non-profit agencies in the county. You have been asked to lead a team to create a collaborative strategy to deal with the problem of vagrancy and homelessness.
You will need to:
- Define homelessness and research to identify the contributing factors that contribute to homelessness. Explore how the legal definitions of homelessness change public perspective of homelessness influences public policy and program support. Interview 5 people. Ask them to define homelessness and name 5 reasons people are homeless. Create a brief presentation to show your findings.
- Assume the a role of homeless advocate (ie. Salvation Army, Catholic Charities) and write a persuasive paper that portrays the challenges of the poor and needy. Reflect on the programs and services provided by the federal government and public and non-profit agencies. Make a case for continuing support.
- Host a town hall meeting. Debate the impact of homelessness in your community from the perspective of members of your community. Role- play the following members of your community: mayor, community planner, real estate developer, police, hospital and clinic administrators, school superintendent, church pastor, small business owner, and citizen. Write 10 questions to illicit perspectives on homelessness in the community and how to manage it.
- Collaborate with your team to create a strategy that represents the community in a plan to manage the problem of homelessness.
- As a team, create and present a Power Point presentation informing "the community" of your recommendations to reduce homelessness and to manage the impact of homelessness in the community.
Process
Process
- Define homelessness and research to identify the factors that contribute to homelessness. Explore how the legal definitions of homelessness change public perspective of homelessness and influence public policy and program support. Interview 5 people. Ask them to name 5 reasons people are homeless. Create a brief presentation to show your findings.
- [Include definitions and examples from your research.]
- Assume the a role of homeless advocate (ie. Salvation Army, Catholic Charities) and write a persuasive paper that portrays the challenges of the poor and needy. Reflect on the programs and services provided by the federal government and public and non-profit agencies. Show how these agencies help and show how there is a continuing unmet need. Make a case for continuing support.
- Host a town hall meeting. Debate the impact of homelessness in your community from the perspective of members of your community. Role- play the following members of your community: mayor, community planner, real estate developer, police, hospital and clinic administrators, school superintendent, church pastor, small business owner, and citizen. Write 10 questions to illicit perspectives on homelessness in your community and how to manage it.
- Collaborate with your team to create a strategy that represents the community in a plan to manage the problem of homelessness.
- As a team, create and present a Power Point presentation informing "the community" of your recommendations to reduce homelessness and to manage the impact of homelessness in the community. [Use all of your findings to support this presentation.]
Evaluation
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|
Beginning 1 |
Developing 2 |
Accomplished 3 |
Exemplary 4 |
Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Research of Issues, Policies, Laws that Contribute to Homelessness |
Student provides fundamental description of homeless and issues. |
Student describes and defines homelessness, contributing factors, and sites some resources, |
Student sites sources of information to describe population, issues and contributing factors, and policies, legislation that impact homelessness, | Student sites statistical evidence, reports, and government sources to describe the issues of homelessness and presents evidence to argue for or against policies and strategies. | |
|
Presentation to City Council (Powerpoint) |
Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflectingdevelopment and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
|
Making a Persuasive Argument |
Students adequately defined the problem and presented options to the Council |
Students described the population, articulated the issues and presented a solution. |
Students captured the heart of the audience with clear definitions, description and facts about the dilemma of homelessness and presented recommendations.
|
Students presented a presentation balanced with clear descriptions and definitions and clearly assumed a position to persuade the council to a specific action. presenting pros and cons to current, policies and laws while citing valid sources for support.
. |
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Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
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Stated Objective or Performance
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Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
|
Stated Objective or Performance
|
Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. | |
|
Stated Objective or Performance
|
Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting a beginning level of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting development and movement toward mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting mastery of performance. | Description of identifiable performance characteristics reflecting the highest level of performance. |
Conclusion
Conclusion
Reflection
Homelessness in America is on the rise. The loss of affordable housing, closed state institutions, the absence of universal healthcare, absence of a universal living wage, war, substance abuse, domestic abuse, disaster,gaps in programs and services due to welfare reform and more are factors that contribute to homelessness in America.
What can I do to help?
Check out these fact sheets for teens for ideas on the problem of homelessness and how to get involved.
United Way is a link to the charities in your community.
Credits
Credits
All links provided in this webquest have authorized access to materials.