The Process

Below is a list of activities, resource materials, and additional support to help you while working on this WebQuest project with your group. 

 

Not sure where or how to start the project?  What are the best online, print, and multimedia sources to check out and help you develop your presentation?  Don't worry!  All of these topics are discussed below with links to online sources that you can print out, copy, or use directly online.  And if you're still not sure how to organize all that information you gather from these sources, look at the additional links helping you to feel more comfortable and confidence in developing your writing, researching, and persuasive arguement skills! 

 

Step 1: The Scenarios and Project

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine your best friend, family member, or even yourself suffering from depression and struggling with sad thoughts all the time.  How do you convince others around you and in the community that teenage depression is a very serious topic and deserves to be equally recognized and discussed?  

That is you task in this journey -- to work with one of the three scenarios, do some research and writing on what you discover, and then give an effective and visually appealing oral and visual presentation to persuade your classmates on your main issues.   This project is all about learning how to use information from various sources, especially the Internet, in a concise and organized way that will allow you to speak your views and share with others what you feel the pulic needs to be doing about teenage depression. 

To get started, follow the directions below.  If you need some more guidance and ideas, skim down to Step 2!   You will have 3 weeks to gather enough "proof" or "evidence" to support your conclusions.  During the 4th week, you will share your 10-15 minutes presentations with your classmates.

 

 You will form into groups of four and will randomly draw a slip of paper from a box that has your role/scenario on it.  There are 3 different roles for you to debate/defend in this class project.  

 

Below are three different role-playing scenarios.  Each group will have drawn one to work with.  Please read your scenario carefully and prepare how to best address the questions, and what arguments, viewpoints, and factual information you many need to use.  

 

 

 Spend a half hour brainstorming with your group how you will approach this role.  What types of information do you need to use?  To help make your case strong?  Will there be a need for visual graphics, a video recording, or role-playing assignments involved? 

 

                                      

   Print out copies of the below worksheets or complete online to help your group work through their investigation.  Each set of worksheets discusses a different research and information skill to help guide you during your research process. 

 

 Each group will have adequate time (3 weeks) and access to materials to complete this research project and provide evidence that teenage depression is a serious matter and deserves public attention. During the 4th week, each group will have the chance to present their 10-15 minute persuasive argument.

 

You may want to use graphs, charts, and statistics to promote your ideas.  This type of information can be located under the Resources link.  Here, you can select what sources to use to support and present your argument effectively.  These resources include websites and databases, national organizations and health topics; multimedia sources including DVDs and videos exploring teen depression and its effects; and computer programs which allow someone to keep track of their feelings all with the teen in mind.  Remember, your group has the freedom in deciding what you feel is important to use and include for proving your point of view, stance, or argument!  

Step 2:  Reflection Questions and Research Tips

While working on your persuasive presentation, don't forget to address these reflection questions, in addition to the ones listed on your scenario card.  Also, feel free to explore some other links that provide suggestions and tips on researching, organizing and using information; and creating and using PowerPoint presentations for your presentation!  

 

 

              1.  Does your actions as a concerned parent, close friend, depressed teen, a public speaker for your school, or educator(s) have any effect on anything or anyone else?  Explain in detail.

          2.  Do you feel that your actions and views are influenced by personal reasons/experience or scientific reasons?  Tell me why and if the answer is both, explain.

         3.  What responsibility do you have to yourself?  Your friend?  The community?

        4.   What types of objections may your conclusions and responses face?

       5.  How does the media affect your conclusions and arguments?

       6.  What personal information or experiences might influence the "audience" in your scenario?  Your classmates?

 

 

Here are some more research tips, printable worksheets, along with Internet links that can help you gather, organize, and develope your persuasive arguments and visual projects for your class presentations! 

                  

 

 

 

 

  •  Persuasion Map: Excellent tool to help you organize your thoughts and arguments.

To use this interactive tool, review the short tutorial and screenshots below!

1.  First, go the link at ReadWriteThink for the Persuasion Map activity located here: http://www.readwritethink.org/materials/persuasion_map/.

2.  Type in your name and title of your project and select "ok".

3. Next, you will see a screen asking for you to type in your goal or thesis you are using to persuade the "audience" from your scenario card and your classmates.  Then click on the arrow cursor.

                                  

4.  Here, you can start to get more specific with your goal or point of view by listing reasons to convince your "audience" and classmates.

5. After listing your main reasons, click on the arrow cursor to begin arranging your facts and examples to support your main reasons.

6.  Use the back arrow cursor to return to your main reasons and continue listing your supporting evidence and facts for each one.