8/3/2019 Current Events Journal

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Mr. Mladnick

Current Events Journal(adopted from Mr. Mladnick)

Due date: December 21st

Total number of journal entries: 6Total point value: 30 points (this is about a quiz grade)

In order to be a global citizen, you need to know what is happening in the world. Building your awareness

of issues and events in our local, state, national, and international communities is a beginning to makinga positive difference. Therefore, throughout the year, you will be required to read, summarize, andanalyze many current events. You will also be sharing what you learn with your classmates.

Assignment Steps

1. Once a week, select a newspaper article on a subject of local, state, national, orinternational concern. Your article may come from a printed newspaper or online news source.Make a concerted effort to select an article that is challenging for you and relates to the subjectmatter of this class. Unfortunately, many news sites now emphasize fluff articles, so you will need tosift through the news to find something of consequence. For example, avoid gossip about Hollywoodcelebrities, sports, or stories about random strange and gruesome acts. Instead, focus on stories thatpertain to issues that affect our community, state, nation, or world.

2. Read the article you selected 2-3 times, and make sure that you have a goodunderstanding of the material. Look up new terms, and find the locations of any cities, countries, orregions that are referenced in the article.

3. Put the article aside, and write a one-paragraph summary of the article. Do this withoutlooking at the article. This will help you to put the information in your own words. Only look back atthe article after you are finished with your one-paragraph summary, so you can make sure that yourspelling is correct and double-check any facts that you are unclear about.

4. Write a one-paragraph analysis of the article. In this paragraph, focus on your opinions orreactions to the article. Why is this an important story? What might be some impacts of this? What, if

anything, do you think should be done about this issue?

5. Cite the source of your article. Underneath your second paragraph, list the citation for yourarticle in MLA format. You may use the Citation Machine website (http://citationmachine.net/ ) to helpwith this. Below are two examples of citations:

Richtel, Matt. "Driver Texting Now an Issue in Back Seat." New York Times 09 SEP 2009, late ed.: A1.Print.

"Venezuela to Get Russian Missiles." BBC News. 12 Sep 2009. BBC News. 12 Sep 2009..

6. Type and proofread to make sure that there are no grammar mistakes and all ofyour writing is in YOUROWNWORDS . Any plagiarism will result in a zero.

7. I encourage you to share your journal with friends, parents, teachers etc. They candouble-check for grammar mistakes and also write comments on the bottom of thearticle. You may earn extra credit for this if I can tell there is a substantial discussiontaking place.

http://citationmachine.net/http://citationmachine.net/

8/3/2019 Current Events Journal

2/2

Mr. Mladnick

Grading Rubric for each Current Events Journal(A) 5 points (B) 4 points (D) 3 points (F) 2 points or below

Quality ofCurrentEventsAssignment

Paragraph is typed First paragraphclearly andthoroughlysummarizes the

article Second paragraphclearly andthoroughlyprovides youranalysis of thearticle/issue Paragraph hasbeen perfectlyproofread Source is cited inproper MLA format

First paragraphprovides mostlyclear & thoroughsummary Secondparagraphprovides mostlyclear & thoroughanalysis Paragraph hasbeen proofreadbut may haveminor mistakes Source is cited,and I am able tolocate it

First paragraphprovidessomewhat clear& thoroughsummary

Secondparagraphprovidessomewhat clear& thoroughanalysis Source is cited,and I am ableto locate it

Summary oranalysis paragraphsare very unclear orincomplete Citation of sourcedoes not allow meto locate it NOTE: Anyplagiarism willresult in anautomatic zero