POVERTY & HOMELESSNESS EXAM REVIEW
Learning targets:
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Identify causes of oppression against the poor/homeless and analyze how organizations
respond to resulting conflicts.
Read to infer/interpret ideas and cite text evidence.
Analyze how the author’s choice of words, text structure, and point of view shape the
meaning, tone, and style of a text.
Engage in activities that meet community needs.
At the conclusion of the unit on poverty and homelessness, you will have a summative exam consisting of 5
questions (2 short answers, 1 reader response essay, 1 essay, and 1 self-evaluation).
Short Answer
Part one of the exam will ask you to identify and explain the significance of two of the following terms which
were taken directly from class notes and/or assigned readings/handouts:
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episodic homelessness
chronic homelessness
human capital theory
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Culture of Poverty
institutional discrimination theory
food security
When you are asked to identify and explain the significance of a term, please be sure to answer the questions
who, what, where, when, why, and how. Each short answer questions is worth 5 points.
Reader Response Essay
Part two of the exam will ask you to respond to one of the following questions related to Jeannette Walls’s The
Glass Castle. Use the passage that is provided to you, in addition to other evidence from the text and
background knowledge you have on homelessness, poverty and hunger, to construct your response. Bring your
copy of The Glass Castle to the exam, as you will need to reference it to sufficiently respond to the prompt.
This question is worth 15 points.
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Closely read the passage that is assigned to you. Explain the context of the passage, and, using
evidence from both that passage and the rest of the text, evaluate which theory of poverty best applies to
the Walls’ family.
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Closely read the passage that is assigned to you. Explain the context of the passage, and, using evidence
from both the passage and the rest of the text, analyze how the author’s experiences with food affect the
meaning of the text as a whole.
Essay
You will be given one of the following questions and will be expected to provide a response that includes an
introduction (with a thesis statement), body, and conclusion. The essay is worth 15 points.
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Explain, using specific examples from class discussion, two causes for violence against the homeless in
the United States over the last ten years. Then describe the action(s) that could be taken to reduce the
number of attacks against the homeless in America. Be specific about the action(s) you believe we
should take and why it would be a good way to reduce the number of attacks against the homeless.
Incorporate information from documents used in class as well as outside research to support your
opinion.
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Explain, using specific examples from class discussion, two causes for chronic homelessness in the
United States over the last ten years. Then describe the action(s) that could be taken to reduce the
number of people who are chronically homeless in America. Be specific about the action you believe
we should take and why it would be a good way to reduce the number of attacks against the homeless.
Incorporate information from documents used in class as well as outside research to support your
opinion.
Self-Evaluation
In their book titled The Service Learning Companion, Dawn Duncan and Joan Kopperud assert that "At
different stages of your life and with regard to various issues, you may practice different levels of engaged
citizenship. You may act as a personally responsible citizen, a participatory citizen, or a transforming citizen."
Throughout this unit you were provided with multiple opportunities to practice engaged citizenship at each of
the three levels.
Please identify which action(s) you took in response to the issues of poverty and homelessness and reflect on
the level(s) of civic engagement that you achieved. This reflection is worth 10 points.