How Free Should We Be?

 

Question:

 

Should the federal government monitor phone and internet activity through federal offices, such as the National Security Agency (NSA), to protect the security of the United States and its citizens?

 

As a culiminating authentic assessment activity for the first unit in American Government (Traditional) we will deliberate or hold a Socratic Seminar on Monday on the question above. You will use the resources at CSPAN Classroom National Security & Surveillance site. This will be a 30 point assignment:

• 20 points -- Note-Taking Chart; Vocabulary Preview; Dialectical Journal (6 quotes)
• 10 points -- Your participation in Monday's deliberation/seminar

Articles should be read, and videos should be watched, with evidence from the texts incorporated in your writing. The written portion of the assignment will serve as your "talking points" for Monday's experience.

Some Rules of the Road for Friday's Experience

1) Talk to each other, not just to the discussion leader or teacher.

2) Refer to evidence from the text to support your ideas.

3) Ask questions if you do not understand what someone has said, or you can paraphrase what another student has said for clarification. (“I think you said this, is that right?”)

4) You do not need to raise your hands to speak, but please pay attention to your “airtime” – how much you have spoken in relation to other students.

5) Don’t interrupt.

6) Don’t put down the ideas of another student. Without judging the student who you may disagree with, state your alternate interpretation or ask a follow-up question to help probe or clarify an idea.