Standards-Aligned Activities @ ProQuest

Our Fall activities from ProQuest address the following Maryland Voluntary State Curriculum Standards:

• Reading: 1.1.4 -- The student will apply reading strategies when comparing, making connections, drawing conclusions about, and synthesizing significant ideas between print and non-print text.
• Composing: 2.3 -- The student will locate, retrieve, and use information from various sources to accomplish a purpose. 2.3.2 -- The student will use various information retrieval sources (traditional and electronic) to obtain information on a self-selected and/or given topic.
• Political Systems: 1.1 -- The student will demonstrate understanding of the structure and functions of government and politics in the United States;
• 1.2 -- The student will evaluate how the United States government has maintained a balance between protecting rights and maintaining order.
• U.S History: 5.6.2 -- Analyze modern economic, political and social influences on American society from 1981- present.

SIRS Knowledge Source & SIRS Researcher
Appreciating the Living Constitution

On Sept. 17, 1787, the U.S. Constitution was signed by thirty-nine brave men who changed the course of history. The successful ratification of the states that followed depended on the successful debates of the Federalists (pro-Constitution) vs. the Anti-federalists, and a compromise that included adding the Bill of Rights to the Constitution. By June 21, 1788, nine states had approved the Constitution, finally forming "a more perfect Union."

Fall is a time for us to continue their legacy and develop habits of citizenship in a new generation of Americans. The Bill of Rights, which is the first 10 amendments to the Constitution, is currently the focus of many national debates, Supreme Court decisions, and new laws passedby Congress. Some of these challenge the Bill of Rights and other amendments and their interpretation.

Students are very familiar with many of the challenges to the Bill of Rights listed below because they have been well publicized in newspapers, Internet blogs, and TV special reports:

• 2nd Amendment -- The Supreme Court Overturns the Washington D.C. gun control laws: Right to Bear Arms
  
  
• 4th Amendment - Warrantless searching of email and phone conversations under the Patriot Act; the FISA Act grants immunity to telecoms: Unreasonable Search and Seizure
  
  
• 14th Amendment - Conservative attempts to overturn Roe v. Wade through the Supreme Court: Right to Privacy
  
  
• 1st Amendment - Tax free status for religious entities; their direct participation in campaigning; and funding for religious schools and charities: Freedom of Religion
  
  
• 6th and 8th Amendments -- Treatment of Prisoners and suspension of Habeas Corpus: Secret prisons, waterboarding, and Guantanamo Bay prisoners
  
  
• 8th Amendment - Capital punishment by lethal injection: Cruel and Unusual Punishment

Assign student one of these issues (or add to the list). Use the Leading Issue section to select the issue that relates most closely to the issues listed above. The recommended time for this activity is about three classroom periods, from research to completed report/presentation.

Click More Issues in the Pro vs. Con section > Select the related Leading Issue > Click the My Analysis tab

Each Leading Issue is organized using the unique fivestep critical-thinking process that guides student s in the overview of the issue, selection of appropriate SIRS resources, analysis, and synthesis of the information. The final step provides the student and the teacher with a choice of four unique templates to report or present their original thoughts in reasoned conclusions on the issue.

These models integrate 21st Century and essential critical thinking skills in the entire process. Each model integrates the fivestep research process so that students and teachers can save time and present effective reports and presentations.

Step 5 (of My Analysis) is Apply your knowledge. Logon to Researcher and click Educators' Resources link at the top of page. Review and open the following guides to a variety of unique models that students can use to express what they have learned:

• Guide to Writing a Research Paper
• Guide to Writing a Mini-Research Paper (Teacher Guide also available)
• Guide to Creating a PowerPoint Presentation
• Guide to Creating a Mini-Debate Activity (Teacher Guide also available)

SIRS Discoverer Activity
Hispanic American Heritage Month

September 15 to October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month. September 15 was selected as the start of the month because it falls near the Independence Day celebration dates of several Latin American countries.

For purposes of the U.S. Census, Hispanic Americans today are identified according to the parts of the world that they or their ancestors came from, including Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Spain, or the nations of Central or South America. Stats from U.S. Census include:

• Estimated Population - 2005: 42.7 million; largest ethnic or race minority
  
  
• Immigration - About 50% of all new immigrants are Hispanic
  
  
• Population Projection 2050 - 103 million Hispanics , which would be about 25% of the population
  
  
• Largest Hispanic Immigrant Groups - 64% of all Hispanic immigrants are from Mexico; 10% from Puerto Rico
  
  
• Median Age - 27.2 years compared to 36.2 years for the population as a whole

So why teach about Hispanic heritage? Or, for that matter, why teach about any heritage?

Clearly, teaching about the contributions of Hispanic Americans can only help to build their self-esteem and the ir pride just as it did for other ethnic immigrant groups in the past. But, even more important, it is essential that all students learn to understand how the increasing ethnic diversity of our country has brought, and can continue to bring, benefits to every one of our citizens.

Assign students to select two famous Hispanic Americans from the list below, but selected from different areas of achievement. Students should prepare a two-minute oral report (or PowerPoint with at least sixslides) citing at least two resources for each person.

Oral reports enhance standards-based language arts skills, which are critical for student success in the future. Oral reports also provide an opportunity for students to learn something new from each other.

• Carlos Juan Finlay: physician
• Juan Seguin: soldier and political leader
• Sammy Sosa: baseball
• Cesar Chavez: labor leader
• Jay J. Armes: criminalist
• Rear Admiral Luis De Florez: inventor
• Dr. Jordi Casals: medical researcher
• Ruben Blades: actor, attorney, singer
• Juan Guiteras: pathologist
• Miriam Colon: actress
• Dr. Antonia Novello: former Surgeon General
• Jose Ferrer: actor, producer, director
• Carolina Herrera: fashion designer
• Roy Benavides: Green Beret
• David Farragut: Admiral in U.S. Navy
• Tania J. Leon: composer
• Ellen Ochoa: first Latina astronaut
• Eduardo Mata: conductor
• Dennis Chavez: first Hispanic U.S. Senator
• Geraldo Rivera: journalist
• Henry Cisneros: Secretary of Deptartment of Housing
• Gary Soto: poet
• Henry Gonzalez: politician
• Ramona Banuelos: entrepreneur
• Gloria Molina: political activist
• Jose Espinosa: entrepreneur
• Illeana Ros-Lehtinen: congresswoman
• Patrick Flores: archbishop, activist
• Dr. Angeles De Leira: Marine Biologist
• Dr. Severo Ochoa: biochemist
• Dr. Victor Alicea: humanist, educator
• Roberto Clemente: baseball hall of fame
• Lauro F. Cavazos: author, educator
• Jaime Escalante: mathematician

Student summaries should include the following information about each person:

1. When and where were they born (and how they became citizens if applicable)?
2. How did their background prepare them for success in their field of endeavor?
3. What challenges did they overcome to gain success?
4. What accomplishment do you think is most important and why?
5. How did their accomplishments benefit other Americans?

Students should use a keyword search for each of the two persons that they select. If the information provided is insufficient, tell students to select another person for the report.

SIRS Interactive Citizenship
Constitution & Citizenship

Did you know that SIRS Interactive Citizenship provides resources for student to learn more about their individual freedoms as U.S. citizens that are ensured by the Bill of Rights of the Constitution?

Recently, these rights have been abridged more than anytime in the recent past prompted by the fear of the war on terrorism and the Patriot Act.

Click FEDERAL PROCEDURES > Constitutional Issues. As students select an issue and article, they can access other articles on that issue from the additional Pathfinder links included with the article.

Assign students to write a report of at least 150 words that addresses at least should create either a two- to three-minute PowerPoint report or a 200-250 written report that cites at least three resources. The report should address these essential questions for critical thinking:

• Why did you select this issue as being very important?
• How does the issue relate to the Bill of Rights of the Constitution?
• What is the present Supreme Court ruling on this issue?
• How would you rule on this issue as a Supreme Court Justice and why?