Current Events Research / Podcast Project (Level I)
Current Events Analysis and Research / Technology Project
Directions:
Part One: Research the current political, economic, and social issues in your assigned country. Type a 2page paper that covers the basic history leading up to the current political, economic, and social issues in your country. The report should focus on the major issues in the country. The report needs to include an explanation of any major problems as well as an analysis of any major historical events that led to these problems.
Government Questions
Historical Background:
-Was your country ruled by another country at some point?
-Did your country have a major revolution or important political event in the past?
Current Events
-Is your country a Democracy?
Are there Free Elections meaning no corruption or rigged elections
-Is there one political party or multiple political parties? One party means there is most likely a dictatorship
-Is there freedom of press and speech Free Independent Media?
-Is there a Military Dictatorship?
-Is there a Civil War in your country right now?
*Key Analysis- What do the answers to these questions tell about the country’s government?
Economy
Historical Background
-Does your country have a history of strong economy or a weak economy?
-Did another country take resources away from this country during imperialism?
Current Events
-Is the economy stable?
-Is there high Unemployment?
-What is the GDP? Where does it rank with rest of world?
-What is the average household make average Per Capita?
-What the Major Products?
-What is their industry?
-Manufacturing / Tech / Service Based Economy?
*Key Analysis- What do the answers to these questions tell about the country’s economy?
Social Issues
Historical Background
-Does your country have a good history involving health and educational issues?
Current Events
-What is their hospital system like?
-What is their life expectancy?
-What is their infant mortality rate?
-Major diseases?
-What is their education system like?
-Pupil Student expenditure, literacy rate, average amount of years in school?
*Key Analysis- What do the answers to these questions tell about the country’s key social issues?
Outline for Paper
- Introduction with a thesis statement
- Historical Background of Government / Government and Politics Overview
- Economic Background / Economy Overview
- Social Issues History / Social Issues Overview
- Potential Solutions
- Conclusion
A Works Cited Page is Needed
* Use parenthetical citations in the report. There needs to be an MLA formatted works cited page at the end of the report with at least 4 sources.
**Two of those sources need to be CIA World Factbook and BBC country profile**
Part Two: Use the analysis reports to create a podcast and windows movie maker presentation. This portion of the project will be produced with a partner that has another problem in the same country. You will need to write a detailed script. Present the main points of your report.
The podcast will be graded on the following categories:
- Length 2-3 minutes
- Introduction
- Content
Analysis of problems and history leading to these problems
- Delivery of material (creativity)
- Music Enhancements
-Visual details
- Conclusion
List of countries to choose from:
Central America South America Europe
Dominican Republic Colombia Russia Greece
Mexico Venezuela Poland Croatia
Guatemala Peru CzechRepublic Bosnia and Herzegovina
El Salvador Ecuador Italy Serbia
Honduras Brazil Ukraine Albania
Nicaragua Argentina Belarus Romania
Cuba Chile Spain Armenia
Haiti Bolivia Iceland
Any of the other former republics of Yugoslavia
Northern Africa Sub Saharan Africa Asia
Morocco Angola Thailand India
Algeria Liberia Cambodia Pakistan
Libya Ghana Vietnam Myanmar (Burma)
Mali Uganda Laos Afghanistan
Tunisia Somalia Bangladesh
Sudan Zimbabwe North Korea Malaysia
Egypt Cote D’Ivoire Mongolia Indonesia
Sierra Leone Any of the countries ending in –stan
Democratic Republic of Congo
South Sudan
Chad
Nigeria
Kenya
Middle East
Saudi Arabia
Syria
Lebanon
Israel / Palestine
Jordan
Iraq
Yemen
Iran
Turkey