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THE HOMELESSNESS PROJECT
DRIVING QUESTION: Who are the homeless, how did they get there, and how can we help those in Sonoma County?
THE HOMELESSNESS PROJECT
DRIVING QUESTION: Who are the homeless, how did they get there, and how can we help those in Sonoma County?
OBSERVE phase - WHO ARE THE HOMELESS?
The Trailhead: Document Your Assumptions
Students explore previously held notions about the homeless population. How do people become homeless? What is it like for them? How do they meet their basic needs? How do they exit homelessness? Groups synthesize their individual assumptions and sum them up in a Statement of Bias (to be used later in the project).
Bridge to B1: Research Prep
Groups settle on a research topic for the OBSERVE phase, set up individual Working Works Cited documents, learn the new notetaking method at NWP, and begin searching for their first source.
Benchmark 1: Discover the Issue
The student body works together to answer the question What is the state of homelessness? Each group has a Guiding Question (GQ) that directs their specific path of inquiry. Students select and assess sources, annotate them, and sum up their key takeaways.
Bridge to Infographic: Consolidate & Categorize
Groups combine and organize their collective research findings in alignment with their anticipated infographic design.
Benchmark 2: Represent the Issue
Groups collaborate to build a comprehensive digital infographic that answers their GQ in an engaging and clear fashion. Collectively, these infographics will paint a comprehensive and contextualized "portrait" of homelessness today.
Bridge to B3: Prepare to Regroup
As students prepare to disband or reconfigure their groups' make-up, they reflect on what worked, what didn't work, and why. They also take a number of steps to ensure that documents and relationships transition to the THINK phase in working order.
THINK phase - HOW DID THEY GET THERE?
Benchmark 3: Question Creation
In new groups, students determine a specific lens through which to conduct their Pathway Research (see Benchmark 4). They craft Sub-driving Questions (SDQs) and Guiding Questions (GQs), and engage in a brief period of preliminary exploration of topics.
Benchmark 4: Pathway Research
Through an array of modalities of research, groups gather information on the pathway to homelessness through their particular lens. Students connect with experts, conduct field research, and make use of a wide array of online resources.
Bridge to B5: An Outline (of sorts)
Groups collate their research findings into a useful and logical arrangement.
Benchmark 5: Depict Findings
Groups engage in critical analysis of their findings to determine the pathway to homelessness in relation to their lens. They create a digital depiction of this pathway, using illustrations and annotations.
ACT phase - HOW CAN WE HELP THOSE IN SONOMA COUNTY?
Benchmark 6: Devise Pathway Shunt
Using their Pathway Depictions as visual guidance, and their outlines as information databases, groups consider constructive ways to "interrupt" the paths to homelessness in Sonoma County. They design a specific shunt and devise a plan to see it through.
Benchmark 7: Implement and Report
Groups work to realize their plan! To implement their pathway shunts, some groups will need to arrange off campus activities and outreach. All phases of this benchmark should be documented for exhibition.
Benchmark 8: Exhibit!
Groups come together for a public presentation of their research findings and shunts, educating the community on the state of homelessness, and ways it might be mitigated.
Benchmark 9: Reflect
As students look back on the semester of hard work they engage in an array of structured reflections to increase their mindfulness, promote their academic growth, and enable even greater success next time around!
The Trailhead: Document Your Assumptions
Students explore previously held notions about the homeless population. How do people become homeless? What is it like for them? How do they meet their basic needs? How do they exit homelessness? Groups synthesize their individual assumptions and sum them up in a Statement of Bias (to be used later in the project).
Bridge to B1: Research Prep
Groups settle on a research topic for the OBSERVE phase, set up individual Working Works Cited documents, learn the new notetaking method at NWP, and begin searching for their first source.
Benchmark 1: Discover the Issue
The student body works together to answer the question What is the state of homelessness? Each group has a Guiding Question (GQ) that directs their specific path of inquiry. Students select and assess sources, annotate them, and sum up their key takeaways.
Bridge to Infographic: Consolidate & Categorize
Groups combine and organize their collective research findings in alignment with their anticipated infographic design.
Benchmark 2: Represent the Issue
Groups collaborate to build a comprehensive digital infographic that answers their GQ in an engaging and clear fashion. Collectively, these infographics will paint a comprehensive and contextualized "portrait" of homelessness today.
Bridge to B3: Prepare to Regroup
As students prepare to disband or reconfigure their groups' make-up, they reflect on what worked, what didn't work, and why. They also take a number of steps to ensure that documents and relationships transition to the THINK phase in working order.
THINK phase - HOW DID THEY GET THERE?
Benchmark 3: Question Creation
In new groups, students determine a specific lens through which to conduct their Pathway Research (see Benchmark 4). They craft Sub-driving Questions (SDQs) and Guiding Questions (GQs), and engage in a brief period of preliminary exploration of topics.
Benchmark 4: Pathway Research
Through an array of modalities of research, groups gather information on the pathway to homelessness through their particular lens. Students connect with experts, conduct field research, and make use of a wide array of online resources.
Bridge to B5: An Outline (of sorts)
Groups collate their research findings into a useful and logical arrangement.
Benchmark 5: Depict Findings
Groups engage in critical analysis of their findings to determine the pathway to homelessness in relation to their lens. They create a digital depiction of this pathway, using illustrations and annotations.
ACT phase - HOW CAN WE HELP THOSE IN SONOMA COUNTY?
Benchmark 6: Devise Pathway Shunt
Using their Pathway Depictions as visual guidance, and their outlines as information databases, groups consider constructive ways to "interrupt" the paths to homelessness in Sonoma County. They design a specific shunt and devise a plan to see it through.
Benchmark 7: Implement and Report
Groups work to realize their plan! To implement their pathway shunts, some groups will need to arrange off campus activities and outreach. All phases of this benchmark should be documented for exhibition.
Benchmark 8: Exhibit!
Groups come together for a public presentation of their research findings and shunts, educating the community on the state of homelessness, and ways it might be mitigated.
Benchmark 9: Reflect
As students look back on the semester of hard work they engage in an array of structured reflections to increase their mindfulness, promote their academic growth, and enable even greater success next time around!