Wide Angle » resources http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle Tue, 03 Nov 2009 17:37:48 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 en hourly 1 Crossing Heaven’s Border: Resources http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/crossing-heavens-border/resources/5047/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/crossing-heavens-border/resources/5047/#comments Tue, 30 Jun 2009 17:02:12 +0000 feltzr http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/?p=5047 Special thanks to the organizations who helped refugees share their stories with WIDE ANGLE: All Burma Monks Alliance, Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of NY, International Rescue Committee, U.S. Committee for Refugees and Immigrants,  YMCA of Greater Houston – International Services, and WITNESS. To learn more about the ongoing story of Tibetan refugee, Mrs. Nyiga Tenzin Nordon, and her son click here.

NORTH KOREA

CIA World Factbook: North Korea
Information about North Korea’s geography, population, government, military and economy.

BBC Country Profile: North Korea
Information about North Korea’s history, leadership, and media, with links to BBC stories on the country.

Online NewsHour: North Korea
Ongoing coverage of North Korea’s nuclear standoff with the U.S. — site includes streaming video, audio podcasts and transcripts.

New York Times Topics: North Korea
North Korea is the last Stalinist state on earth, and in October 2006 it became the latest country to join the nuclear club. This page contains links to both breaking news and archive material, as well as some general information about the country.

Frontline: Kim’s Nuclear Gamble

April 2003 episode examining the highly unstable U.S.-North Korea relationship and how it brought the world to the brink of a nuclear showdown.

Escaping North Korea
February 2009 issue of National Geographic magazine article and photo gallery on defectors and their efforts to start a new life.

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK
North Korea’s state-owned English-language newspaper website.

Field Trip to the DMZ
This April 2009 episode of FOCAL POINT trains its lens on twenty-year-old Haejung (not her real name) who was smuggled out of North Korea and now attends a school for defectors in South Korea. In this web exclusive short film the students make their annual trip to the border, and Haejung dreams of a time when her family and her homelands will be reunited.

A State of Mind
A September 2003 episode of WIDE ANGLE tells the story of two teenage girls and their families as the girls prepare to participate in North Korea’s Mass Games, one of the last surviving Communist showcase pageants.

DEFECTORS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

Durihana news page
Articles featuring Durihana, the Christian missionary organization that orchestrated the journey of the North Korean refugees featured in Crossing Heaven’s Border.

Perilous Journeys: The Plight of North Koreans in China and Beyond
International Crisis Group’s 2006 report on the hidden, often shifting networks through which the border crossers seek better lives in China and third countries.

Human Rights Report: Democratic People’s Republic of Korea
U.S. State Department’s 2008 report on the status of democracy, human rights and labor in North Korea.

White Paper on Human Rights in North Korea
A 2008 human rights report by the Korea Institute for National Unification.

Committee for Human Rights in North Korea
Reports on conditions in North Korea and solutions for improving human rights.

Human Rights Watch: North Korea
News and reports from a leading independent organization dedicated to protecting human rights.

Congressional Research Service: North Korean Refugees in China and Human Rights Issues
A 2007 report on international response and U.S. policy options regarding North Korean refugees in China.

Saving North Korea’s Refugees
New York Times editorial by a board member of the Committee for Human Rights in North Korea.

Chosun Ilbo: On the Border
The original multimedia report by journalists from one of South Korea’s largest newspapers that forms the basis of Crossing Heaven’s Border.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/episodes/crossing-heavens-border/resources/5047/feed/ 0 Violence As A Means of Resistance: Preparation http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/violence-as-a-means-of-resistance/preparation/604/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/violence-as-a-means-of-resistance/preparation/604/#comments Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:21:02 +0000 admin http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/?p=604 Case-Specific Resources

Chechen Children’s Drawings
http://www.idee.org/chchilddraw.htm
Very powerful pictures drawn by Chechen children depicting their daily realities in a war-torn society.

“Abuse and Lawlessness Continue in Chechnya.” Human Rights Watch News
http://hrw.org/press/2002/02/russia0228.htm
An overview of the 51-page Human Rights Watch report entitled “Swept Under: Torture, Forced Disappearances, and Extrajudicial Killings During Sweep Operations in Chechnya.” This site also provides links to a photo gallery and video clip dealing with the stories of those who have “disappeared.”

General Background Resources:

“A Chechnya Primer,” TIME.com
http://www.time.com/time/daily/special/
russia/chechnya.html
A good background piece on Chechnya: its ethnic makeup, the importance of Chechnya to Russia, and Chechnya’s prospects in its battle with Russia.

“The Most Durable Power,” Martin Luther King, Jr.
http://www.stanford.edu/group/King/
Visit the “Quotes” area of this Stanford University site to access a brief excerpt of Dr. King’s sermon about the pursuit of justice through non-violent means.

Quote from the Autobiography of Malcolm X
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/USAmalcolmX.htm
In this famous quote — located under “(8) On his return from Mecca, Malcolm X explained his new views on racism and violence (March, 1964)” — the civil rights leader expresses his philosophy of fighting racism by any means necessary.

Materials

Teachers will need the following to prepare and implement this lesson: Internet access; a world map in the classroom; an understanding of the Academic Controversy process; copies of Student Handouts. If students do not have Internet access in the classroom, teachers will need to photocopy and prepare Resource Packets for students using materials from the Resources above. Teachers should select materials that are most appropriate for their students’ reading level, and the packets should include a variety of different resources – for example, articles and essays, maps, graphs and other visuals, and primary documents. For the Resource Packets, teachers will want to include a number of selections from the “Case-Specific,” and “General Background” sections of the Resources.

Students will need the following to complete this lesson: Resource Packets provided by their teachers; paper and pens; an understanding of the Academic Controversy process; copies of Student Handouts. Internet access in the classroom is a helpful resource, and if it’s available, the teacher can assign more “investigative” research tasks.

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/violence-as-a-means-of-resistance/preparation/604/feed/ 0 Are All Children at the Same Starting Gate?: Preparation http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/are-all-children-at-the-same-starting-gate/preparation/441/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/are-all-children-at-the-same-starting-gate/preparation/441/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2008 22:01:17 +0000 admin http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/?p=441 Media Components

  • WIDE ANGLE BACK TO SCHOOL online video and its program accompaniments

Computer Resources

  • computers with Internet access
  • LCD projector and projection screen

Print Resources
(Note: Various reports from organizations under Web resources are available via PDF or can be sent by or purchased from respective organizations.)

  • Bruns, Barbara. ACHIEVING UNIVERSAL PRIMARY EDUCATION BY 2015: A CHANCE FOR EVERY CHILD. Washington, DC: World Bank Publications, 2003.
  • Cohen, Joel E., David E. Bloom, and Martin B. Malin, eds. EDUCATING ALL CHILDREN: A GLOBAL AGENDA. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2007.
  • Wagner, Cynthia C. “Developing Nations Close Education Gap: Emerging Nations May Approach Universal Literacy by 2035.” THE FUTURIST 40, no. 3 (2006): 16 (2).

Web Resources

PBS

General background

Materials Needed

  • student graphic organizers/worksheets
  • chart paper and markers
  • 8″ x 11″ adhesive-backed paper and colored markers or pencils (enough for three to four per student)

Assumptions

Students recognize developing nations’ socioeconomic struggles and obstacles and their impact, particularly on children.

Teacher Preparation

Preview BACK TO SCHOOL (decide whether the class will view the entire video in one sitting) and related online content before presenting them to your class. During the preview, create a list of the myriad issues associated with global education; these include poverty, class, government involvement, war/conflict, violence, gender gaps, child labor, cultural expectations, tradition, HIV/AIDS, discrimination, children’s role in the family, family values/beliefs with regard to education, and educational financing/incentives. These are among the issues (add others) that students will address in the activities.

Bookmark relevant Web sites on each computer in your classroom, and/or create a handout that lists recommended sites and resources that supplement the lesson; or upload all links to an online bookmarking utility, such as www.portaportal.com, so that students can access the information on these sites. Make sure that your computer has the necessary media players, like RealPlayer, to show streaming clips (if applicable).

]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/are-all-children-at-the-same-starting-gate/preparation/441/feed/ 0 Gang Violence from L.A. to El Salvador: Preparation http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/gang-violence-from-l-a-to-el-salvador/preparation/420/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/gang-violence-from-l-a-to-el-salvador/preparation/420/#comments Mon, 09 Jun 2008 18:08:44 +0000 admin http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/?p=420 Media Components

Video: WIDE ANGLE: “18 with a Bullet”

Web Resources:

(The list below is a representative list of appropriate Web sites for the lesson. It is also suggested that the teacher encourage the students to do their own investigation using a search engine such as Google. A short tutorial on Web searching can be found, along with links to several search engines, at http://www.vcsc.k12.in.us/tcr/searching.htm)


Materials Needed:

Copy of “18 with a Bullet”

  • TV/VCR or TV/DVD player (depending on format of video the teacher uses)
  • Available computers with Internet access and printer capability
  • Lined paper

Preliminary Teacher Preparation:

Prior to starting the lesson, the teacher may wish to ensure that desired Web sites are bookmarked on computers with Internet access and may also want to check that all necessary plug-ins (such as Flash, Shockwave, RealPlayer, and Adobe Acrobat Reader) are installed. It’s also recommended the teacher preview the Web sites selected for age-appropriateness. While the URLs were accurate at the time the lesson was published, the teacher may also wish to check Web address in case sites have changed location, or if the site is no longer available. In addition, the teacher may wish to have available any print or other video components desired for the lesson.

In this lesson, students will demonstrate their understanding of the concepts and stories included in the film “18 with a Bullet” by writing letters in which they take the role of one of the principal characters in the film, or a hypothetical gang member or government official (see below for suggested roles). The type of letter or statement written will generally depend on the role the student selects or that the teacher assigns. However, the written assignment should include the following components:

1. In most instances, the letter will be written to a hypothetical friend or family member, for example, if the student is role-playing a gang member, he/she might write a letter to a family member who was not deported from the US back to El Salvador. If the student is taking the role of a police officer or Salvadoran government official, they might use information in the film as the basis for a status report on the police and government’s efforts to curb gang violence.

2. The letter should include facts and quotes from the film.

3. Students should also add information from resources included on the “18 with a Bullet” Web pages as well as Web resources included in the lesson.

4. The student should also pay special attention to issues in lifestyle and life events which caused them to select a gang lifestyle.

5. The student should speculate as to possible different “life-scenarios” that possibly could free them from the “gang lifestyle” and provide them a more fulfilling life, as well as for their families.

6. The letter should be written in regular letter style, with a salutation to the recipient, correct grammar and spelling, as well as a realistic narrative.

7. Letters should be evaluated by following an assessment tool comfortable to the teacher, meeting whatever state and local standards needed. A sample rubric for letter evaluation can be found at the end of the lesson. The teacher may wish to adapt or edit the rubric to meet their own requirements.

If the teacher determines that the best course might be to have students take “hypothetical roles” of people not specifically included in the film, the following general “roles” may be assigned:

  • Member of the “18″ gang
  • Member of the rival “MS-13″ gang
  • Spouse or girlfriend/boyfriend of a gang member
  • Parent of a gang member
  • El Salvador police officer or government official speaking on attempts by the government to reduce gang activity and violence
  • US State Department official or US Ambassador to El Salvador writing a report on the “gravity” of the current situation in El Salvador in relation to gang activity
  • “Ordinary citizen” in El Salvador who is writing with concern about what gang activity has done to their nation economically, politically, or socially.

As an alternative, the teacher may elect to have students select certain roles from the film and use that character as the basis for the letter. In that case, suggested roles to assign include:

  • Ricardo Pollack, writer and producer of “18 with a Bullet” (in this instance, the teacher may wish to have student(s) write a letter or editorial piece explaining the significance of the film as well as impact of gang violence. The “filmmaker’s notes” on the Wide Angle Web site’s “18 with a Bullet” page http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/elsalvador/filmmaker.html, might be especially helpful.
  • “Slappy” is an18 gang member who is featured throughout the film. “Slappy” is 30, married, and has three young boys. At the beginning of the film, he is hiding out from police who want to arrest him for the murder of a member of MS-13
  • Erika, who is “Slappy’s” wife
  • Charlie, neighborhood leader of 18. He is 16 years old
  • Traveieso, a member who operates the gang’s small-time extortion racket, collecting “rent” from city buses.
  • Sochi, a gang member whose mother left him to go work in America when he was six months old.
  • Diablo, an 18 member who is one of the leaders also held in Chalatenango Prison
  • Anne Patterson, Assistant Secretary of State, International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, former US Ambassador to El Salvador (in this instance, the teacher may elect to have a student or students assume the rule of Assistant Secretary Patterson writing a report to either Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice or President Bush detailing the gang situation in El Salvador, what steps are being applied there to solve the gang warfare issue, and whether those steps are effective. The teacher may specifically guide students completing the assignment as Ms. Patterson to the transcript of the interview with Ms. Patterson and WIDE ANGLE host Daljit Dhaliwal. Students may either read the transcript of the interview or view the video feed of it on the WIDE ANGLE transcript page for “18 with a Bullet” http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/shows/elsalvador/transcript.html
]]> http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/gang-violence-from-l-a-to-el-salvador/preparation/420/feed/ 0 Violence As A Means of Resistance: Procedures http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/violence-as-a-means-of-resistance/procedures/605/ http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/lessons/violence-as-a-means-of-resistance/procedures/605/#comments Thu, 25 Jul 2002 21:25:29 +0000 admin http://www.pbs.org/wnet/wideangle/?p=605 Day 1

Introduce Students to Academic Controversy

1. Have students brainstorm a list of the kinds of communication and collaboration skills necessary for this type of project – e.g. active and respectful listening, “I” messages, no shouting (see the Tips section). Ask the class to identify characteristics of healthy communication and collaboration, and perhaps use a word such as “communicate” as a guide in the brainstorming (E.g. C – collaborate, O – one-on-one, M – mindful, etc.). Keep track of the students’ responses on chart paper and display in the classroom for the remainder of the lesson. Distribute Student Handouts A and B, ask the class to read them silently, and then ask a couple of students to identify what was listed in the handouts that the class hadn’t come up with yet in the brainstorming activity.

2. Ask students to describe a typical debate. How is it structured? What is the end goal? Discuss with students the difference between the Academic Controversy model, with an emphasis on a “win-win” resolution, and the traditional debate model, which results in one side winning and the other side losing. Emphasize that the desired outcome of this lesson is the synthesis of the best reasoning from both positions, and the creation of a new position that all involved can articulate, defend and live with.

3. Distribute Student Handouts 1 and 2, the Academic Controversy Steps and Checklist and the Rules for Academic Controversy. Allow a few minutes for students to read the handouts, encouraging them to underline main ideas. Then call on two to three students to summarize the main ideas represented these handouts. For example, in Step 3, “Engage in Open Discussion,” of Handout 1, students might identify “continuing to advocate for their positions and refute the evidence and the reasoning of the other side” as a main idea. In Student Handout 2, the Rules, students might underline the phrase “even if I don’t agree” under rule number 4, to emphasize that the idea of listening to other people’s ideas is not contingent on agreeing with them. Have another student write the main ideas the class comes up with on chart paper and display in the classroom for the remainder of the lesson.

4. Ask the students the following questions: “Why are we using this process? How can this benefit us? What purpose is there to switching sides? Why is it important to be able to create a new position?” This will help students think about the value of the process. Ask a student to write the responses on chart paper to display in the classroom.

Warm-Up Activity: “Trying on” Academic Controversy (approx. 25 min)

1. Select a student to model the Academic Controversy process with you. Select another student to time the controversy and a third student to track the strategies the class identifies after each step. Explain that after each step in the structured controversy (draw their attention to Student Handout 1), you’re going to stop and ask the class what they noticed. What strategies or approaches worked best in presenting each position? What strategies or approaches worked best for the reversal of perspectives? And what strategies or approaches worked best for the synthesis of the strongest elements from both perspectives? (Have these questions written out on chart paper beforehand and post them during this exercise). A student will keep track of these answers on chart paper.

    Assign the student you are modeling with the following position: Schools should have a dress code for students.

    Assign yourself the following position: Schools should not have a dress code for students.

    Remind the class that you are only modeling how to engage in a structured Academic Controversy, and you are not going to be including the first step (creating the best case for a position). Explain that you are also spending less time on each section than they will when they practice Academic Controversy next or when they do the actual Chechnya Academic Controversy in the next few days.

    Have the timer give you each two minutes to present your positions. Then pause and ask the class what strategies or approaches worked best in the presentations of each position – what worked best in persuading them one way or another? Students will brainstorm and have the note-taker write the responses on the chart paper.

    Have the timer give you two minutes to engage in open discussion. At this point, you and your partner continue to support your positions; you also have the opportunity to respectfully refute your opponent’s points and ask for clarification. Then you will reverse positions. Remind students that the task is not to find the loopholes in their opponents’ arguments, but rather to identify and argue those points that are the strongest and most persuasive as if they were their own.

    Have the timer give you each two minutes to argue for the opposite position. Then pause and ask the class what strategies or approaches worked best for the reversal of perspectives – what are good ways to argue the other person’s position, especially when you were refuting that position just moments ago? Students will brainstorm and have the note-taker write the responses on the chart paper.

    Have the timer give you and your partner three minutes to synthesize. Remind the class that at this point, you and your partner need to take the most persuasive arguments from both sides and create a new powerful position. Ask the note-taker to write down the key decisions or points that both sides agree on in order to come to consensus. Then pause and ask the class what strategies or approaches worked best for the synthesis of the strongest elements from both perspectives – what are good ways to resolve this conflict and create a new position that both sides can live with? Students will brainstorm and have the note-taker write the responses on the chart paper.

    At this point the notes from the class’ reflections on each step of the Academic Controversy will be displayed in front of the class. Ask students the same questions you asked them earlier. This time their answers will be informed by the modeling exercise. “Why are we using this process? How can this benefit us? What purpose is there to switching sides? Why is it important to be able to create a new position?”

2. Hand out copies of the rest of the Student Handouts (Student Handouts 3-7). You will need to provide several copies of Handouts 5, 6, and 7 to each student because their note-taking will require more than one sheet. Review Student Handout 1, the Academic Controversy Checklist, which will help students stay organized as they proceed. Student Handout 3, the Rubric for Assessing Performance in Academic Controversy, will help students understand how they will be evaluated throughout the process and should make explicit what is considered superior, good, satisfactory, and unsatisfactory effort and performance. Student Handout 4, the Rubric for Assessing Performance In Academic Controversy: Written Report and Oral Presentation, will help students understand how they will be evaluated on their written report and oral presentation (if applicable) and should make explicit what is expected of them. Student Handout 5, the Research Note-Taking Form, should be used by students for note-taking and comments during their research position development. Student Handout 6, the Presenting Positions: Note-Taking Form, should be used by students for taking notes on the key points and their comments while listening to the opposite side’s position. Student Handout 7, the Reaching Consensus: Synthesis/Resolution Form, should be used by groups of students to identify and articulate all the key elements of their new position, one that melds together the best elements of both Position A and B.

Explain to students that they will be responsible for using these handouts at each step throughout the lesson, and that they will need to hand Student Handouts 5, 6, and 7 in with their joint report at the end of the lesson for credit. Tell them they will get some practice using the handouts during the practice exercise they are about to do.

3. Organize the class into pairs by having the class count off in twos. Each student finds a partner – every 1 should partner with a 2.

Assign all the “Ones” the following position: There should be year-round school.

Assign all the “Twos” the following position: There should not be year-round school.

4. Remind students that they need to employ active listening for this activity, which means that they cannot talk or ask questions while the other person is speaking, and they should take notes on what the other person says. Explain to them that each person in Group 1 will have two minutes to present his/her position, while those in Group 2 take notes using Student Handout 6. Then those in Group 2 will get 2 minutes to present their position, while those in Group 1 take notes using Student Handout 6. Tell the class that you will time these presentations, and that you will shout “Time” when two minutes are up.

5. When both sides have presented their positions, give the partners three minutes to engage in open discussion. Remind students that at this point they should continue to advocate for their positions, while trying to refute the reasoning of the other side.

6. Those in Group 1 and those in Group 2 now reverse perspectives, adopting the view they were just trying to refute. Students in each group will have two minutes to present the best case for what was the opposing perspective. Remind students that this is the most difficult step in Academic Controversy, and that they really need to work at stepping out of their own shoes and stepping into the shoes of their partners, arguing for the reverse perspective.

7. Give students five minutes to work with their partner to synthesize their two perspectives, drawing on the best reasoning from both positions and melding them into a new position. Both students in the pair are responsible for tracking this conversation and the key elements of their new position using Student Handout 7. Students turn these in.

8. Evaluate students for this first day’s work based on their participation in this exercise, and based on Student Handouts 5, 6, and 7 that they hand in. This is a good opportunity for informal assessment to learn which students may need some additional help.

Day 2-3

Warm-Up and Introduction to Content

1. Ask students to respond to the following question, and list their responses on the board: What historical struggle for equal rights in the United States involved people who believed in non-violence and others who believed in “whatever means necessary”? You could provide them with a few prompts that might help them understand those elements of the Civil Rights era that will resurface in the case study of Chechnya. For example, you might ask:

  • What were African Americans fighting against during the Civil Rights era?
  • What was the political and social environment in which they lived?
  • Who were the two major leaders associated with this movement?
  • What were they reasons for their belief in non-violence or violence, if necessary?

Allow some time for discussion and for students to reflect on this example.

2. Introduce the case study – the war in Chechnya between Russian forces and Chechen separatists and the question of whether the use of violence by the separatists is acceptable as a means to achieve independence and freedom from occupation. Ask a student to point out Russia on a map in the front of the classroom and then to locate Chechnya (you may have to supplement this exercise by handing out copies of an additional map). Then ask the student to identify three to four of its neighboring countries.

3. Hand out the following article from the Resource list: “Chechen women seek Bush’s ear on untold bloodshed,” by Elaine Monaghan. Reuters, April 29, 2002. This is an excellent introductory article and good overview of the current state of affairs in the war in Chechnya. It provides statistics on the death tolls on both sides, the refugee crisis and the disappearances.

Ask students to read it, and then to briefly summarize the case in two-three sentences. Then call on one or two students to read their summaries out loud.

4. Identify the controversy that the class will be engaging in for the next few days: “Violent resistance: Is it acceptable for those struggling for independence or freedom from occupation to use violent means?”

  • Position A: It is acceptable for those struggling for independence or freedom from occupation to use violent means.
  • Position B: It is not acceptable for those struggling for independence or freedom from occupation to use violent means.

Form Groups and Research Positions

1. Divide the class into groups of four. Explain that these will be the groups that students will remain in throughout the rest of the lesson. Students’ performance will be evaluated based on individual effort, participation, and contribution to the group. Assign a pair from each group to each position.

Remind students that each team will be thoroughly researching their position in order to create the best case for their position. After they have become knowledgeable about their position, they will need to organize and frame logical, compelling and well-reasoned arguments to use in the structured controversy.

2. Ask students to brainstorm a list of questions they will need to answer in order to develop the strongest argument for their particular position. Track these on chart paper. Then, if any questions have been missed, the teacher can provide the following list to further focus students in their research:

  • As you conduct your research, define the following terms and concepts (write the definitions on Student Handout 5): separatists, guerrillas, occupation, civilians, independence
  • What has been the impact of the war in Chechnya and the Russian occupation on the lives of civilians in Chechnya?
  • What have been the consequences of the violent methods employed by the Russian forces? What have been the consequences of the violent methods employed by the Chechen separatist rebels?
  • In Chechnya, are there non-violent alternatives for resisting the Russian occupation? If so, what are they? What are the pros and cons of violent vs. non-violent means?
  • When is or isn’t violence acceptable as a means of resisting oppression and achieving independence?

3. Hand out the Resource Packets (see Resources/Materials section). Briefly introduce the resources pieces included.

4. Students will need substantial quiet time to read individually, using Student Handout 5 as a guide and to take notes, before joining their partners to develop their case. You may want to structure a reading and then joint-work time, or you may want to leave the structuring of their time up to the students in each pair.

5. Assign the following homework assignment the night before the structured controversy takes place: Ask students to review the notes they took while conducting their research, and to identify those elements that might be most persuasive in making a case for their position. They should highlight or “star” those sections of their notes that are most compelling and come ready to share them with their partners the next day.

Day 4-5

Warm up and Re-group

1. Ask one or two students to briefly describe in their own words why this issue is a controversy. What are the opposing viewpoints regarding the use of violence by those struggling for freedom from occupation?

2. Have students re-group with their partners. Give the pairs 10-15 minutes to share the sections they highlighted for homework, and to strategize about how to make the strongest, most logical case for their position.

Present the best case for their positions

1. Remind students about the rules for Academic Controversy (refer them to Student Handout 2). Have a student read them aloud or paraphrase them.

2. Explain to students that you will be timing each pair’s presentation, and that the pair that is not presenting should be actively listening and taking notes using Student Handout 6. The listening pair should also be analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the arguments.

3. Allow each pair four to eight minutes, depending on your time budget, to present the best case possible. It is often helpful to alert students when there are two minutes left.

Engage in open discussion

1. Allow five minutes for open conversation between the two pairs.

2. At this point, each pair continues to support their position, and students have the opportunity to refute their opponent’s points and to strengthen their own. This is a time for discussion, and also provides time for individuals to ask clarifying questions of the other pair.

Reverse perspectives

1. Pairs now switch sides, adopting and arguing the point of view they earlier tried to refute. This is the most difficult step for students. It is hard to suddenly switch hats and to now have to powerfully and persuasively argue your opponent’s position. It might be helpful to remind students here about the ultimate goal and expected outcome of Academic Controversy: a new position that both pairs can live with, a real win-win situation that leaves no one the loser.

2. Allow each pair four to five minutes to prepare their new position, encouraging them to carefully review the notes they took during their opponents’ presentation. Remind students that the task here is not to find the loopholes in their opponents’ positions, but rather to identify and argue those points that are the strongest and most persuasive as if they were their own.

3. Allow each pair three to four minutes to represent the best reasoning of the opposite perspective.

Day 5-6

Re-Group and Synthesize

1. Restate what the two positions have been for this Academic Controversy:

  • Position A: It is acceptable for those struggling for independence or freedom from occupation to use violent means.
  • Position B: It is not acceptable for those struggling for independence or freedom from occupation to use violent means.

Ask a representative from the Position A pair to summarize for the other three people in their group what the three to five most compelling, well-reasoned arguments they have made are. Ask a representative from the Position B pair to do the same thing.

2. Now opposing pairs need to come together to jointly select and agree on the best reasoning from both Position A and Position B. Ask the pair supporting Position B whether the arguments just presented by the pair supporting position A are the most compelling and well-reasoned. Ask the same of the Position A pair. What other key points were made that are missing from the list? Are any arguments not well reasoned (with supporting evidence) and persuasive?

3. Have each group of four use Student Handout 7 to identify and articulate all the key elements of their new position, one that incorporates the best elements of both Position A and B. Refer students to the goal of the exercise as explained on Handout 7: a solution that represents a synthesis of the reasoning behind both positions. Walk through how to use Handout 7, highlighting where students note the key points from both arguments and where they record their ideas for solutions.

The new position is more than just a compromise. It should represent new thinking and possibilities, and it should not force either side to “give up” too much. The new position may be something that might not be entirely possible without new international efforts, laws, or sensitivities. This is a chance for students to “think outside the box” – to imagine brand new ways of resolving the given conflict.

For this particular Academic Controversy, new positions might include:

  • Violent means are acceptable if employed by oppressed groups who have suffered many losses of innocent life among their own.
  • Violent means are acceptable as long as the targets are military ones and not civilians.
  • Those who lack independence and freedom must get the assistance from the international community so they can avoid using violent means.

Creating a joint report

1. Each group of four will create a report that briefly describes the presentation and main arguments of the two positions; identifies and explores the key elements of and rationale for the new position; and provides a creative and persuasive case for the new position.

2. Refer students to Student Handout 4, Rubric for Assessing Performance In Academic Controversy: Written Report. Ask students to read through the rubric. Then, walk the class through one or two of the columns of the rubric, highlighting the differences between scores (one-four points) and emphasizing the criteria you will consider when you evaluate their work. Allow time for students to ask any questions they may have regarding the rubric. Through this exercise, students should gain a clear sense of what is expected of them as they embark on the preparation of the joint report. This is also a good time for the teacher to discuss deadlines (e.g. outline of report due Monday, bibliography of resources due Tuesday, etc.).

3. For the final joint report, each group of four will prepare a written report that includes a thesis statement that clearly advocates for a new position, a rationale for that new position, and a conclusion that includes next steps for the United States and the international community to take. Students might divvy up writing responsibilities after brainstorming together, or the group might outline the paper together and then divide up writing responsibilities among individuals or pairs.

4. Then, if time permits, each group can choose one of the following creative options as an additional joint-product to hand in.

  • An illustrated timeline of events in Chechnya since 1994. Students might include statistics that illustrate the experiences of civilians.
  • A mural or collage (including text and visuals) chronicling the experiences of Chechens under Russian occupation. Students could include the actions and experiences of the rebels.
  • The enactment of a scene (either performed live in the classroom or videotaped) – either fictional or an historical re-enactment.
  • The development of a fictional personal narrative (e.g. a Chechen rebel and his or her rationale for using violent means to achieve independence).
  • The development of a resolution to the United Nations regarding steps the international community should take to ensure a peaceful resolution to the on-going war in Chechnya.

Extension Activities

The ideas below offer opportunities to explore the issue of violence as a means for resistance to oppression and/or occupation.

Consider the following case studies: Palestinian struggles for statehood and the use of suicide bombers as a means of resistance (http://www.esrmetro.org/currentpalestine.html); the South African anti-apartheid struggle; Gandhi’s non-violent resistance in India and South Africa; Martin Luther King’s vs. Malcolm X’s strategies in the U.S. civil rights movement.

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