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Marie
Fitzsimmons
09
Project
Summary
Watkins Glen
Central School District
Marie Fitzsimmons
TAH PROJECT
PROPOSAL:
Year Two of the
Model United Nations and Global Issues (MUNAGI Class)
General Overview
of the Proposed Project:
Watkins Glen High
School will fine tune the United Nations Curriculum that has
culminated with participation in Cornell University’s Model UN. The
students will continue to study the United Nations’ many roles and
research the roles of each of its committees. The students will
examine the role of the UN in determining U.S policy and the
influence of the United Nations on the policies of the United
States. As a culminating activity, the students will participate in
a four day Model United Nations at Cornell University.
2. Clear Purpose
and Objective:
-
students will learn about the role of
the United Nations in determining global policies
-
students will identify the successes
and shortcomings of the UN
-
students will examine the role of the
United States in developing United Nations Policy
-
Students will take on the role of
United Nations representatives
-
Students will investigate issues and
determine solutions
-
Students will build alliances and write
proposals
-
Students will debate policy
-
Students will consider a policy issue
of the United States(this year in conjunction with the League of
Women Voters’ study of the Electoral College)
-
Students will host an International
Night for the community including ethnic dishes, presentations
by our foreign exchange students and information about MUNAGI
-
Student will develop a forum with the
community posing both sides of
of the Electoral
issue
3. Stakeholders:
grade level, who will benefit, who will participate in this project.
Students will be 11th
and 12th grade students who are studying American History
or Government and Economics. Community members
-
U.S. History Content Area-
Government,
International Relations, Economics, World Issues, War and Peace,
Citizenship -All
five of the NYS Social Studies Standards
-
Outline Describing Content
I.
Examine the history of the UN
and the reasons behind its creation
II.
Examine the setup of the UN and
the work of each of the committees
III.
Examine the membership of the UN
and the voting structure
IV.
Examine the past successes and
failures of the UN
V.
Examine current issues of the
United Nations
VI.
Participate in the Cornell Model
United Nations
VII.
Research assigned countries and
positions on issues facing the UN
VIII.
Compare assigned countries’
Point of View with that of the United States
IX.
Participate in Four Day Model
United Nations
X.
Critique participation in the
Model United Nations and evaluate proposals
XI.
Follow the United Nations’
progress with special attention to the role of the US. Consider the
influence of the US on the UN and the influence of the UN on the
United States
-
Software to be used, internet
materials, contacts, etc.
-
Internet Research
-
Cornell University
7. Level of
Student Involvement
Maximum: Students
will research, debate, write proposals, and make alliances.
This will be a
group intensive class with cooperative learning at every stage of
the process.
8. Evaluation
process (include students when possible
1. The major
evaluation will be the assessment of the Model UN
2. Student
evaluation of group work
3. Quizzes and exams
4. Written essays
5. Pod casts of mock
UN debates
6. Participate in a
student created blog on Toolbox pro
6. Debate of
Electoral College
7. International
Dinner Presentation
9. Timeline: how
you envision the project being carried out between start up and
conclusion
Begin January of
2009
Hold Community
International Dinner in March 2009
Attend Model UN
in April of 2009
Hold Community
Forum on Electoral College in May
Conclude June
2009
10.
Finances for purchasing
materials for project: $250.00 . Will submit receipts as needs
develop.
TAH Project Summary
June 2009
Marie Fitzsimmons:
Year Two of the
Model United Nations and Global Issues (MUNAGI Class)
General Overview
of the Project:
Watkins Glen High
School will fine tune the United Nations Curriculum that has
culminated with participation in Cornell University’s Model UN. The
students will continue to study the United Nations’ many roles and
research the roles of each of its committees. The students will
examine the role of the UN in determining U.S policy and the
influence of the United Nations on the policies of the United
States. As a culminating activity, the students will participate in
a four day Model United Nations at Cornell University.
2. Clear Purpose
and Objective:
-
students will learn about the role of
the United Nations in determining global policies
-
students will identify the successes
and shortcomings of the UN
-
students will examine the role of the
United States in developing United Nations Policy
-
Students will take on the role of
United Nations representatives
-
Students will investigate issues and
determine solutions
-
Students will build alliances and write
proposals
-
Students will debate policy
-
Students will consider a policy issue
of the United States(this year in conjunction with the League of
Women Voters’ study of the Electoral College)
-
Students will host an International
Night for the community including ethnic dishes, presentations
by our foreign exchange students and information about MUNAGI
-
Student will develop a forum with the
community posing both sides of
of the Electoral
issue
3. Stakeholders:
grade level, who will benefit, who will participate in this project.
Students will be 11th
and 12th grade students who are studying American History
or Government and Economics. Community members
-
U.S. History Content Area-
Government,
International Relations, Economics, World Issues, War and Peace,
Citizenship -All
five of the NYS Social Studies Standards
-
Outline Describing Content
I.
Examine the history of the UN
and the reasons behind its creation
II.
Examine the setup of the UN and
the work of each of the committees
III.
Examine the membership of the UN
and the voting structure
IV.
Examine the past successes and
failures of the UN
V.
Examine current issues of the
United Nations
VI.
Participate in the Cornell Model
United Nations
VII.
Research assigned countries and
positions on issues facing the UN
VIII.
Compare assigned countries’
Point of View with that of the United States
IX.
Participate in Four Day Model
United Nations
X.
Critique participation in the
Model United Nations and evaluate proposals
XI.
Follow the United Nations’
progress with special attention to the role of the US. Consider the
influence of the US on the UN and the influence of the UN on the
United States
-
Software to be used, internet
materials, contacts, etc.
-
Internet Research
-
Cornell University
7. Level of
Student Involvement
Maximum: Students
will research, debate, write proposals, and make alliances.
This will be a
group intensive class with cooperative learning at every stage of
the process.
8. Evaluation
process (include students when possible
1. The major
evaluation will be the assessment of the Model UN
2. Student
evaluation of group work
3. Quizzes and exams
4. Written essays
5. Pod casts of mock
UN debates
6. Debate of
Electoral College
7. International
Dinner Presentation
9. Timeline: how
you envision the project being carried out between start up and
conclusion
Begin January of
2009
Hold Community
International Dinner in March 2009
Attend Model UN
in April of 2009
Hold Community
Forum on Electoral College in May(Exchange this for a Mock
Legislative Meeting on the Environment)
Conclude June
2009
10.
Finances for purchasing
materials for project: $250.00 . Will submit receipts as needs
develop.
SUMMARY: This year’s
program was designed to fine tune and expand upon the original
program. With all the richness(see 08 plan) of our first year as a
tremendous springboard, I had some big ideas that I wanted to
implement to enrich our already impressive program. Writing the
word, “I”, I am ruefully reminded of why this year demanded such
flexibility. For as the designed United Nations Program was a
smashing success with the students experiencing the good work of
research, teamwork, outreach, writing, and finally, debating at the
Cornell Model UN, it was our post UN experience that demanded the
restructuring of my formulated class project.
The first half of
the course truly went as planned. We had a remarkable International
Night with about 150 people from our community attending. The
students developed a first rate program with seven international
speakers and prepared a meal that was raved about by all. The
experience of organizing, advertising, serving, presenting,
cleaning, etc brings the students to a new level of maturity that is
exciting to both them and their parents! The money they earn feeds
them for the four day experience at the UN and they are proud of
their role. Both the students and I now have a good understanding
of what is expected at Cornell and have improved in the components
that are needed for a successful experience. While I recognize that
it would serve us well to have a debate coach, I am overall pleased
with the growth the students experienced. (I am scheming with the
English department to get some assistance for next year) My second
year students served as remarkable role models to the new student
set and the kids were informed, brave, and often well spoken. The
first year class experienced a bit of public speaking angst but
there is nothing like debating to diminish that fear. We
represented Pakistan, Poland, and the Ukraine and served on the WWI
committees and represented Desmond Tutu at the Truth and
Reconciliation Committee. They were exciting roles and the students
were enthusiastic, responsible, engaging, and engaged. Upon the
completion of the UN, we were ready to address part two of our
class: the issue of the electoral college. But –the kids didn’t want
to…….
Our League of
Women Voters is a strong advocate of student participation in
government and the League President had invited us to attend monthly
meetings. Our Student Council voted to fund four students per month
and the students had been intrigued by the notion of actively
participating in government. When the League president invited two
students to participate in Students Inside Albany, a new door opened
and our student representatives came home clamoring for work on a
local issue. We had spent a good deal of the Fall curriculum on the
election and the students did not want to address the electoral
college issue that I had built into the curriculum. They wanted to
work on a local issue and they wanted it to matter in their daily
lives. They wanted to address an environmental issue.
Not only do we have
the good fortune to have an excellent rapport with our League of
Women Voters, but we have an exceptional relationship with our
County Administrator.
When I called him
asking if the students could meet with the legislature, he was
enthusiastic. Quickly, a plan evolved with the students that they
would propose a composting project to the Legislature, however,
being Model UNers, they wanted to BE
the Legislators. Before
long a simulation was born and the students took on the research,
dialoguing, and debating that would be necessary. We dropped the
electoral college idea and off we went. Our resident
Environmentalist “Ms. B” was terrific! She quickly embraced our
project and helped us to develop a list of resources, most notably,
that of Cooperative Extension. On our first conference call with
the environmental educator, we knew we had struck gold. Within a
day, she was at our school conferencing in person and our proposal
was on its way. With the extraordinary assistance of the County
secretary, our BOCES Career Development Specialist, our legislative
mock session was born. Be sure to read the articles below that
descried thes experiences.
MUNAGI continues to
be one of the most important learning experiences that our students
engage in. The students make liaisons win the community, the nation,
and world at large. They feel the importance of their activism and
get a true sense of democracy form the local to the international.
This program is one of, if not the most ,effective lessons of
democracy that I have taught. To be so often beyond the classroom,
is instrumental in the learning that takes place. A truly remarkable
class experience for teacher, students, mentors, and community
liaisons.
From the League
of Women Voters Newsletter
News
Update:
Ms. Caroline Likoudis will be a senior at Watkins Glen High School
2009-2010. Vanessa Tran a graduation senior from Watkins Glen High
School, and exchange student from Vietnam will attend Wesleyan
Women's College in Macon, GA as a freshman in September 2009. Both
of these students while attending Watkins Glen High School were this
April's 2009 attendees to the 'Students inside Albany' 3-day
Conference. For some eight years the NYS League has sponsored this
Conference through their Education Foundation, Inc. The 'Students
inside Albany' program is designed to increase high school students'
awareness of their responsibility in a representative government and
to provide them with the tools necessary for encouraging that
responsibility, in themselves and others. The Conference is free
for one student from any area LWV chapter.
If you know a student in Schuyler County who might be interested in
Political Science in this hands-on program please contact LWV
President Maxine Neal at
maxn@lightlink.com
or call 607-535-6169 for information for 2010 Albany program.
WGHS students
blend government, environmentalism in Legislature setting
Students in the
Junior Model United Nations and Global Issues class at Watkins Glen
High School got a taste of real-world government Wednesday when they
took the seats of Schuyler County legislators to debate the merits
of a composting proposal and fashion a legislative resolution
regarding it. Teacher Marie Fitzsimmons, who was there to observe,
reports on the students' experience in the simulated setting.
The Junior Model United
Nations and Global Issues Class at WGHS completed its final action
project in style Wednesday! Smartly dressed in business attire, the
five social activists -- Phillip Kellogg, Colin Davis, Carter
Flahive, Gianni Peters and Caroline Likoudis -- gathered in the
Schuyler County Legislature's seats to promote composting in
Schuyler County.
Seasoned from
participation at the Cornell Model UN, the team offered an eloquent
and thoughtful dialogue on answering President Obama’s call for
greener communities.
The Model UN team was
joined by three members of the freshmen academy -- Jenna Gimbar,
Nick Sorensen and Kelsie Hamelin. The trio was most receptive to the
upper class mentoring, and it is hoped that their experience will
lead to a lifelong commitment to community action. Student
environmental consultant Elliott Kelley joined the group to act as
advisor during the project. All the students share a passion for
environmental stewardship as well as a strong interest in government
The 30-minute
legislative simulation was developed in coordination with Schuyler
County Administrator Tim O’Hearn and Secretary Peggy Tomassi. The
students first had the opportunity to observe the Legislature at
work before the county representatives gamely gave up their seats to
the visiting students.
With Phillip Kellogg
acting as chair, the student “legislators” quickly developed a
spirited discussion as Caroline Likoudis put forth the idea of
creating a mandatory compost program for the county. Despite her
poised yet impassioned plea, she was quickly challenged by Colin
Davis and Gianni Peters, who were concerned with the fiscal
implications and the beleaguering of businesses dealing with
difficult issues in these complex times.
Likoudis, who attended
the New York State Students Inside Albany last month, dealt with
each challenge with thoughtful solutions as she urged her fellow
legislators to move forth with the composting project. The ensuing
dialogue revolved around finances, labor, education, composting
methods, location, community support, existing programs, and more.
Having conferenced with both Jenna Hicks from Cooperative Extension
and Science teacher and environmentalist Kate Bartholomew, the
students were able to present information on composting methods,
financial implications, and the processes required for tackling such
a project.
After serious debate,
Ms. Likoudis put forth a motion to create the infrastructure for
composting in Schuyler County and to encourage, not mandate,
participation by residents and businesses. The motion was passed 8-1
with Mr. Peters the lone opponent.
At the conclusion of
the Model Legislative Meeting, the real legislators offered the
students constructive criticism. Complimented by Mr. O’Hearn for
maintaining professional and respectful rapport with one another
while recognizing the many facets of decision making, the students
left much richer for their experience.
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