High school students are researching their governments of choice for their comparative government essay. Their country choices include: Italy, Russia, Namibia, Finland, Switzerland, Taiwan, Ireland, Canada, Malaysia, Vietnam, Germany, France, San Marino, France, Japan, Norway, Suriname, North Korea, and South Africa. They’re finding some really interesting comparison points, and I’m excited to see how this project progresses. They’ve taken time to share what they’re finding so far with their peers in small groups, helping them to process their findings and build their understanding. This project includes a peer review process, so the more comfortable the whole group is with other government structures, the more effective that experience will be.
Political science classes are also spending some time with current events. They’re tasked with working in a small group to identify at least five interesting ongoing stories from five different news organizations. This process helps them to practice collaboration, finding trustworthy sources, skimming an article for its argument, and speaking aloud in class to build comfort.
