Weeks 8-10: Triangulation, student-choice cases

Week 8 begins our unit on political triangulation. Political triangulation is about considering two dominant sides to an issue and finding a “third-way” solution (one that appeals to each side more or less equally). Because student interests vary from semester to semester, you will be able to select (as a class) the three topics you would like to work on during this unit.

Consider this table of contents for some possible issues.

After we select the issues as a class, the readings for each week will appear below. (These are the readings you will use to complete the memo for each week):

Week 8 readings:

———-TBD in class———-

Week 9 readings:

———-TBD in class———-

Week 10 readings:

———-TBD in class———-

This unit prepares you for your 3rd project (The triangulation essay) by doing in class what you will do in writing with your own topic! Take your topic, find two different sides, present them both, then recommend a “third-way” solution.

After each week, write up a paragraph or two on how you can use what you learned that week to help you complete your 3rd project. 

Activities

The in-class activities in this unit will happen in three phases (usually one per class period):

  1. Teams will meet to discuss the case and pick which side they think is the most accurate. Teams will write up a one-page document supporting their opinion. The document will be clear (main point clearly stated, clear supporting evidence and clear statement of how, exactly, the supporting evidence connects to the main point), elaborate (tell why! use “because” as a joining word) and connected (to the real-world, outside academic material and to course concepts).
  2. Teams will meet to plan a “third-way” solution. Teams will write up a one-page supporting document for the facts surrounding the issue. The document will be clear (main point clearly stated, clear supporting evidence and clear statement of how, exactly, the supporting evidence connects to the main point), elaborate (tell why! use “because” as a joining word) and connected (to the real-world, outside academic material and to course concepts).
  3. Harkness Discussion in which students define the most important questions for the problem we have discussed during the week.