Global Societal Problem, Argument and Solution

 

Prepare: The topic of your essay needs to be a global societal problem from the following list: adult illiteracy, funding for General Education vs STEM in primary and secondary schools, minimum wage, oceans desertification, overcoming the digital divide, refugee (escaping persecution, war, or death) crises, species extinctions (modern), tax havens, Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP), universal statement of human rights (pick one), airport security, or wealth disparity. Review this GEN499 Sample Final Paper Guide for additional guidance on the expectations of this assignment.

Reflect: Based on your chosen topic  Wealth Disparity, you will need to use critical thinking skills to thoroughly understand how this topic can be a global societal problem and determine some logical solution(s) to the problem.

Write: This Final Argumentative Essay will present research relating the critical thinker to the modern, globalized world. In this assignment, you need to address the following items in separate sections with new headings for each:

• Identify the global societal problem within the introductory paragraph and conclude with a thesis statement that states your proposed solution(s) to the problem. For guidance on how to construct a good introduction paragraph, please review the Introduction Paragraph Guideline from the Ashford Writing Center.
• Describe background information on how that problem developed or came into existence. Show why this is a societal problem, and provide perspectives from multiple disciplines or populations so that you fully represent what different parts of society have to say about this issue.
• Construct an argument supporting your proposed solution(s). Be sure to consider multiple disciplines or populations so that your solution shows that multiple parts of society will benefit from this solution. Provide evidence from multiple scholarly sources as evidence that your proposed solution is viable.
• Interpret statistical data from at least three, peer-reviewed scholarly sources. Do this by discussing the validity, reliability, and any biases; identifying the strengths and weaknesses of these sources; and pointing out limitations of current research and attempting to indicate areas for future research. You may even use visual representations such as graphs or charts to explain statistics from sources. Evaluate the ethical outcomes that result from your solution. Be sure to provide at least one positive ethical outcome as well as at least one negative ethical outcome that could result from your solution, and explain at least two ethical issues related to each of those outcomes. It’s important to consider all of society.
• Develop a conclusion as the last paragraph(s) of the essay, starting with rephrasing your thesis statement and then presenting the major points of the topic and how they support your argument. For guidance on how to write a good conclusion paragraph, please review the Conclusion Paragraph Guideline from the Ashford Writing Center.

The Final Argumentative Essay

• Must be 3,300 – 3,900 words in length (approximately between 10 – 12 pages; excluding title and reference pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Must include a separate title page with the following:
  • Title of paper
  • Student’s name
  • Course name and number
  • Instructor’s name
  • Date submitted
  • Running header with page numbers
• Must include in-text citations from at least 10 scholarly sources. Be sure to integrate your research rather than simply inserting it.
• Must document all sources in APA style as outlined here and here.
• Must have no more than 15% quoted material in the body of your essay based on the Turnitin report. Reference list will be excluded from the Turnitin originality score.
• Must include a separate reference page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.
• Source Document Requirements:
  • Multimedia sources (such as videos) may be used, but no more than two such sources may be used. If multimedia sources are used, they must be authored and distributed by credible sources, such as universities, law schools, medical schools, or professors, or found in the Ashford University Library.
  • Government sources may be used, but no more than two such sources may be used. Examples include whitehouse.gov, state.gov, usa.gov, cdc.gov, etc. These websites can be used to make a stronger point about your proposed soluation within the argument.
  • Where print documents are used for source materials, those must be peer-reviewed, scholarly journal articles, and academically published books. Popular media sources (e.g., newspapers, magazines, television and radio shows, etc.) must not be used. Materials from advocacy groups (e.g., Greenpeace, Human Rights Campaign, National Organization for Women, etc.) must not be used.
  • Sites such as ProCon.org and Wikipedia must not be used.
  • Religious texts must not be used.

Good Critical Thinking Tips:

• Your paper should include academic sources that explain multiple sides of the issue.
• Your interpretations of the evidence should be objective and state the conclusions and theses presented in the evidence clearly and fairly.
• Your paper should place the various forms of evidence in relation to one another and demonstrate why one form or perspective is stronger than the other positions that one could take on the issue.
• Your paper should point out the limitations of current evidence and attempt to indicate areas for future research.
• Writing Tools:
  • Before you submit your written assignment, you are encouraged to review the The Grammarly Guide: How to Set Up & Use Grammarly tutorial, set up a Grammarly account (if you have not already done so), and use Grammarly to review a rough draft of your assignment. Then carefully review all issues identified by Grammarly and revise your work as needed.

The third step in planning a unit plan is to prepare how you will differentiate and accommodate instruction for your students to meet their specific learning needs.

Differentiation and accommodations are some of the most important components when preparing a unit plan, because it guides the teacher in meeting the diverse needs of all students during instruction. The planning process will help the teacher determine when to differentiate and make accommodations. It is critical for teachers to observe or review academic data in order to appropriately differentiate for their students.

Part 1: Differentiation – Unit Plan

For this assignment, you will complete the Differentiation and Accommodation portion for the “Science Unit Plan” to prepare for students that are below, average, and advanced in academic ability.

Use the “Class Profile” as you are determining differentiation strategies and appropriate accommodations:

• Differentiation strategies and learning opportunities that effectively address student’ learning needs identified in the “Class Profile.”
• Resources and instructional adaptations to support specific differentiation needs, including testing accommodations required to meet students’ needs.

The details of the “Science Unit Plan” will continue to be fully developed and revised throughout the duration of the course, culminating in a complete unit plan due in Topic 5.

Part 2: Reflection

In 250-500 words, summarize and reflect on the process of planning for differentiation strategies in order to meet the diverse needs of students in the science content area. What issues might arise that would need additional emphasis in the event differentiation was not effective? What resources or support staff could you utilize to meet specific differentiation needs?

Support your reflection with at least two scholarly resources.

Science Unit Plan

Grade: Grade 2

Unit Theme: <Plants and Animals in habitats Topic 1>

Week 1	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday
Lesson Title, Brief Summary, and Rationale (fill in during Topic 1)	Life Science: Plants and Animals in habitats Overlapping concepts include environment, region, adaptation, interdependence Students will explore various habitats i.e., deserts, forests, mountains, etc	Life Science: Plants and Animals in habitats The teacher will introduce the concept of non-living and living things in the environment	Life Science: Plants and Animals in habitats The teacher will challenge students to create connections about animals and their environment and how human beings interact with other organisms in the environment	Physical Science/Life Science Overlapping concepts include life, physical Students will explore different forces	Physical Science Students will explore how different forces impact objects
State-Specific Standards (fill in during Topic 1)	Observe the patterns plants and animals use to survive	Use media and read the text to identify patterns of behavior of offspring and parents.	Plants need water and light to survive while animals obtain their food from other animals and plants	Pulls and pushes may have different directions and strengths and can alter the direction or speed of an object	A bigger pull or push makes objects slow down or speed up more quickly
Learning Objectives (fill in during Topic 1)	Students will understand that organisms survival depends on their habitat, environment, habits, choices	Students will understand that the function and structure of body systems rely on organism behavior, water, and food consumption	Students will understand that the consumption of various foods impact an organisms overall health and energy	Students will comprehend that push and pull are forces that make objects move	Students will understand that forces are applied to alter the location and direction an object is moving in
Vocabulary (fill in during Topic 1)	Habitat, organism, behavior	Living components, non-living components, basic need	Survive, population, resources, energy	Force, gravity, wind	Motion, magnet
Instructional Strategy (fill in during Topic 2)	The teacher will use models i.e., drawings and illustrations to organize concepts	The teacher will provide selections and illustrations to students	The teacher will instruct students to work in pairs and develop their artistic representations in pairs	The teacher may incorporate different modifications i.e., oral presentation, extended time, and user of dictionaries	The teacher may use one-on-one presentations with groups of students
Summary of Instruction and Activities for the Lesson (fill in during Topic 2)	The teacher will use the model to show students the environmental surroundings of organisms and their habitats	The teacher will use the selections and illustrations to show students the non-living and living features of different organisms	The teacher will use the model to show students the food choices that enable humans and other organisms to survive	The teacher will introduce terminologies and vocabulary Assess students on prior knowledge about forces.	The teacher will read and discuss forces with students in small groups Students will write summaries of what they have learned
Differentiation and Accommodations (fill in during Topic 3)	Students may write a single sentence about an organism’s habitat. Students can create a menu to illustrate multiple environments	Students will work in groups and in partners to discuss living and non-living organisms Students will develop a presentation to reflect on their discussion	Students will communicate verbally the food and beverage choices of different organisms Students will create an artistic representation of the discussion	The teacher will utilize progressive tasks to help all students understand force, gravity, and motion The teacher will use ongoing assessments during the lesson on different students	The teacher will use flexible-pace learning and collaborative learning to help the students discuss. The teacher will provide verbal support during student discussions
Materials, Resources, and Technology (fill in during Topic 4)
Formative Assessment (fill in during Topic 5)
Summative Assessment (fill in during Topic 5)

 

Reflection Topic 1: The process of developing the science unit plan was guided by the purpose and objectives of this course. The purpose of this science unit plan is to develop concepts, skills, and terminology that will be used to teach grade 2, science students. This unit plan helps the teacher in linking one lesson plan to the next. Developing a unit plan helps to support the key concepts of the course under a carefully mapped structure of the unit. This science unit plan for grade 2 students will contribute to optimized learning which will expose the students to key learning goals and concepts. The key components of the science unit plan are the state-specific standards i.e., Wisconsin science standards. The state-specific science standards outlay the desired content of the science curriculum for grade 2 students. Wisconsin science standards-Life Science allows students to understand phenomena and provide solutions to problems. State-specific standards are a key component in the science unit plan. These standards emphasize student curriculum through their Kindergarten through to grade 12. The state-specific science standards are further outlined into performance indicators and learning priorities. This increases the efficiency of the science unit plan by providing a learning progression for grade 2 science students. The process of developing unit plans is fundamental in future professional practice. It allows the teacher to set out the learning goals for the course into a coherent array of lessons. During future professional practice, unit plans will provide a sense of organization and direction that will help the teacher and students achieve the objectives of the course and achieve significant academic progress.

 

 

Reflection Topic 2: The development of instructional strategies to be used in this lesson will allow the teacher to ask and answer questions like what, who, when, why, where, and how. This will improve content delivery and help the students to understand the details in the text. Students will understand that force involves a push or a pull that makes objects move and how forces alter the direction of objects. These instructional strategies will allow for student motivation and keep the students engaged during the lesson. Additionally, the instructional strategies applied will allow the teacher to link the life science and physical science content to prior student knowledge (Ford, 2018). These instructional strategies aim to help the students to become strategic learners, critical thinkers, and independent. This unit plan is effective in helping students to meet lesson goals and accomplish activities and tasks during the lesson. In this unit plan, the use of group discussions and partner collaboration during the lesson will improve student comprehension and engagement in the classroom. The instructional strategies that best complement the teacher’s standards are oral presentation, use of models, drawings, and illustrations to help organize lesson content. The instructional strategies included in this unit plan will encourage creativity, student engagement through asking and answering questions, and encourage decision-making (Rehmat, et al., 2020). Students will brainstorm in groups which will improve critical thinking, inspire creativity, and help them connect ideas. In future professional practice, I will utilize these instructional strategies to help check for understanding, engage students, help the students understand and solve real-world problems. These instructional strategies will also help me provide explicit and clear instruction to students. This will improve student thinking skills and also their overall performance in assessments.

 

 

Reflection Topic 3:

 

 

Reflection Topic 4:

 

 

Reflection Topic 5:

 

 

 

 

 

References

Ford, C. (2018). Effective practice instructional strategies: Design of an instrument to assess teachers’ perception of implementation. Studies in Educational Evaluation, 56, 154-163.

Rehmat, A. P., Ehsan, H., & Cardella, M. E. (2020). Instructional strategies to promote computational thinking for young learners. Journal of Digital Learning in Teacher Education, 36(1), 46-62.

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