The students in Allen Jordan’s law enforcement class will perform research to better understand the causes behind traffic accidents. Through data provided by the state police, students will examine accidents reported over a five-county area in the course of one month. The students will be able to determine the percentage of accidents that were due to drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The project will culminate in an assembly delivered to the school by the law enforcement students. Hopefully the information that they provide will encourage safe and responsible driving to their peers.
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The Arts; Health and Physical Education; Language Arts Literacy, Mathematics; Consumer, Family, & Life Skills
Responsibility Behind the Wheel
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By: Allen Jordan and his law enforcement class Teaching Team: Allen Jordan School: Gloucester County Technical Institute Grade Levels: 10-12 Academic Focus/ The Arts(Visual and Performing) 1.1, 1.2
Comprehensive Health and Physical Education 2.1, 2.2
Language Arts Literacy 3.1, 3.2, 3.3 Mathematics 4.1, 4.4
Consumer, Family & Life Skills 9.1A, 9.2A, 9.2C, 9.2D Core Ethical Values:
Responsibility
Concern for the safety of others Protecting members of the community |
Project Description:
The students in Allen Jordan’s law enforcement class will perform research to better understand the causes behind traffic accidents. Through data provided by the state police, students will examine accidents reported over a five-county area in the course of one month. The students will be able to determine the percentage of accidents that were due to drivers under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The project will culminate in an assembly delivered to the school by the law enforcement students. Hopefully the information that they provide will encourage safe and responsible driving to their peers. Target Audience: Young and inexperienced driver at GCITs especially, but really anyone who operates a vehicle Timeline:
2007-2008 academic year Project Scheduling: During class time Equipment Needed: Computer printer, digital camera, measuring devices, breathalyzer, vision-impairing goggles Academic Focus:
The Arts (Visual and Performing) – Preparing and delivering an assembly to the student body Comprehensive Health and Physical Education – investigating unsafe driving and the results of it, advocating for safer and more responsible motorists Language Arts Literacy – reading and analyzing data, writing out what will be said for the assembly, speaking to the student body Mathematics – critically analyzing statistics and figuring out likelihood that accidents are caused by drugs/alcohol Consumer, Family, & Life Skills – many of the students in the class are planning for a career in law enforcement and will be dealing with information that law enforcement officers face on a daily basis; students will also realize the role they can play to make their communities safer. |
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Hurdles Encountered: Hurdles: Finding sufficient time to do research; planning the assembly. Solution: An overall allocation of duties with timelines was established; worked with the administration in determining the most appropriate time for an assembly.
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Educational Strategies:
Performance-based Education: Students address a real-life situation through hands-on research and making analytical deductions. Cooperative Learning: Students work together in teams both during the research phase and the assembly-preparation stages.
Interdisciplinary Approach: Many disciplines are involved in preparing and presenting an effective forum Personal Growth Outcomes:
The project will foster a greater understanding of what it means to be a responsible citizen. To add to that, it will advocate teaching others potentially life-saving information. Finally, students will have the chance to do something extremely important for a large number of people that make up their communities. |
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Celebration:
Assembly presented to students of GCIT Recognition:
Press Release to local papers Key Findings: TBD |
Community Involvement:
Since GCIT has students coming in from a range of different communities, the information delivered at the assembly will be brought to many different towns within Gloucester County. In addition, law enforcement agencies are getting involved by providing the data necessary for a project of this nature. Parents and Volunteer Involvement:
Parents are invited to attend the assembly in order to further promote safe driving to their children. Reflection Activities:
Class discussion on what has been learned; students write individual reflections on the experience, showing how it has added to their knowledge and made an emotional impact. Means of Assessment:
Rubrics are used to evaluate each stage of the project, including research, writing, presentation, individual and team effort. |