This paper will include the following:
1) A statement introducing your position
2) Three well-founded and informative arguments that support your position
3) One argument against your position that you refute
4) A conclusion
Example:
The Atlantic Yards stadium should not be built! The idea to build a stadium is ill-conceived, expensive and harmful to an already over-crowded community.
Bruce Ratner bought the New Jersey Nets not because he was a basketball fan but because he wanted a reason to build a money-making stadium in Brooklyn. Ratner plans to build this stadium at one of the busiest and most dangerous intersection in the entire city. It is already incredibly dangerous to cross the street at the corner of Atlantic and Flatbush and here Ratner wants to add 10 new apartment buildings and a stadium that will attract drivers from all over New York City and New Jesrsey! The children playing in the area will be at risk and the traffic will create new air pollution!
Bruce Ratner is receiving tax breaks to build an un-needed project for the city of New York. Mayor Bloomberg and the Governor Patterson are actually using taxpayers’ money to support this project when we are in a recession and our schools budgets are getting slashed!
Bruce Ratner is trying to convince the city the neighborhood in which he wants to build is “blighted” and that the government should use the power of eminent domain to kick people out of their homes! This was a well-kept neighborhood with a mix of luxury and middle and low income apartments that Ratner has bought out and torn down, now blighting the community! Ratner has blighted the area that was once a completely viable neighborhood! Now he wants to claim that the area is useless except for his project.
People are excited about the idea of professional sports coming back to Brooklyn but what they don’t understand is that Ratner doesn’t even care about sports. He is using the arena as an entry-point into building luxury condominiums that help no one but the already well off.
As a long-time community resident I am strongly opposed to Bruce Ratner’s plans to build this arena. The city should stop the plans and leave the community as it is. The money the tax payers are giving towards this project should be diverted towards social services.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
What is the greater good for the Gowanus?
Overview:
The Gowanus area is at a crossroads. Developers, Mayor Bloomberg, environmentalists, community activists, factory-owners, artists, and long-time residents are all trying to figure out what is the Greater Good for the neighborhood. A Community Meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at the Secondary School for Research where these different groups will get to debate their points of view. As part of this debate, you will be arguing against a group of highly active citizens – environmentalists, developers, factory-owners and workers, and long-time residents who have either been living in and/or making art in the area for up to 20 years.
The Task:
On December 22 you will be debating as part of a group of concerned citizens. Your task is to develop the most informed, persuasive argument that you can for use in the debate. You will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the topic by writing a one-page position statement, and through your participation in the debate.
Your Grade:
You will receive both an individual grade (70%) and a group grade (30%) for your preparation and participation in the debate.
The Individual grade will be based on a combination of your one-page position paper and your personal contribution during the debate. For this part of your assessment you will be graded both on your verbal contribution during the debate 1) how much you speak, 2) how persuasive you are in using evidence, 3) accuracy and knowledge, and 4) professionalism.
The group grade will be based on how well your group works as a team during the debate. For this part of the assessment you will be graded on 1) teamwork – how well group members support each other, 2) how many group members participate (both actively in the debate but also as content support)
The Gowanus area is at a crossroads. Developers, Mayor Bloomberg, environmentalists, community activists, factory-owners, artists, and long-time residents are all trying to figure out what is the Greater Good for the neighborhood. A Community Meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 22, 2009 at the Secondary School for Research where these different groups will get to debate their points of view. As part of this debate, you will be arguing against a group of highly active citizens – environmentalists, developers, factory-owners and workers, and long-time residents who have either been living in and/or making art in the area for up to 20 years.
The Task:
On December 22 you will be debating as part of a group of concerned citizens. Your task is to develop the most informed, persuasive argument that you can for use in the debate. You will demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the topic by writing a one-page position statement, and through your participation in the debate.
Your Grade:
You will receive both an individual grade (70%) and a group grade (30%) for your preparation and participation in the debate.
The Individual grade will be based on a combination of your one-page position paper and your personal contribution during the debate. For this part of your assessment you will be graded both on your verbal contribution during the debate 1) how much you speak, 2) how persuasive you are in using evidence, 3) accuracy and knowledge, and 4) professionalism.
The group grade will be based on how well your group works as a team during the debate. For this part of the assessment you will be graded on 1) teamwork – how well group members support each other, 2) how many group members participate (both actively in the debate but also as content support)
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Gowanus HW 1-3
- Read Artical "On the Waterfront" and fill out the Worksheet.
- Complete Speaker 1 Analysis Worksheet
- Complete Speaker 2 Analysis Worksheet
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