LESSON PLAN AND ACTIVITIES
Grade Level: 9, 10, 11, 12
Subject(s):
Description: Before students can become active in their communities, they need a basic overview of the types of participation that citizens engage in. This lesson provides students with an overview of activism in government and communities. It requires students to identify the methods of citizen participation, form and analyze local public policy, and address policy concerns to actual decision-makers in government.
Goals:
ISBE Standards:
1. Social
Science
· 14D: Understand the roles and influences of individuals and interest groups in the political systems of Illinois, the United States and other nations.
· 18B: Understand the roles and interactions of individuals and groups in society.
2.
English/Language Arts
· 1B: Apply reading strategies to improve understanding and fluency.
· 1C: Comprehend a broad range of reading materials.
· 3A: Use correct grammar, spelling, punctuation, capitalization and structure.
· 3B: Compose well-organized and coherent writing for specific purposes and audiences.
· 3C: Communicate ideas in writing to accomplish a variety of purposes.
· 4A: Listen effectively in formal and informal situation.
· 4B: Speak effectively using language appropriate to the situation and audience.
· 5A: Locate, organize, and use information from various sources to answer questions, solve problems and communicate ideas.
Objectives:
1. Identify the many ways citizens may participate in government;
2. Analyze stories about student activism;
3. Identify and suggest democratic tools that can be used in a particular situation (Activity One);
4. Create and express policy positions on issues they consider to be locally important;
5. Research a public official’s position on an issue; and
6. Write appropriate letters to a local representative on a specific issue.
Materials:
1. Notebook paper/pen
2. Blank overhead or chalkboard
3. “How to Write To An Elected Official” Handout (one per student)
Instruction and Activities:
Day 1:
1. Ask students if they or their parents have every voted for anything. What or who were they voting for? Do they think voting is important? Voting is one way citizens can participate in a democracy, and is often the activity we think of first, but there are many other ways a citizen can participate.
2. Have students brainstorm a list of ways they can
participate in government (local, state, and national levels). Write ideas on the board and have students
write down the methods as well. Compare
their results to the list below. Is anything missing?
Examples of
Ways Citizens Can Participate
· Reading different sources of newspapers/ magazines
· Voting in school or classroom election
· Running for/Holding a public office
· Holding a group discussion about a political issue
· Trying to convince someone to vote a certain way
· Drafting a petition or signing a petition for a cause
· Wearing a button or putting a sticker that has a political message
· Giving money to a party or candidate
· Writing a letter to your local representative about an issue that concerns you
· Campaigning for a candidate
· Writing a letter to the editor of your school paper or local paper
· Attend a school board or local county board meeting
· Making a public comment at a board meeting
· Organizing an after-school group to discuss issues
· Volunteering
· Keeping yourself informed of the goings-on by reading/watching the news
· Serving the country through military or civil service
· Disobeying laws and accepting the consequences to show that a law or policy is unjust
· Serving as a juror
· Participating in a protest march or boycott
· Joining an interest group
3. How many students have participated in ways that students brainstormed? Have all the students begin standing and start going through the list. Are there any students left standing by the end of the list? Ask the students the following questions:
· Are you surprised by the results? Why or why not?
· For those of you who don’t engage in activities, why? (lack of education/practice, intimidation, no one else is doing it, can’t vote yet, etc)
·
Of the list of methods of participation generated,
which would you be most likely to engage in?
Least likely to engage in? Why?
4. Have students
take the list home and ask their family members to check which of those
activities they have participated in.
When did they engage in the activities, do they still participate, what
keeps them from participating more (if this applies), and which methods of
participation they think are most advantageous/desirable and why. Students should write out their answers to
turn in.
Day 2:
Have students discuss their results from the assignment in the large class setting. What have their parents participated in? Who was surprised by the amount of participation? Which methods did parents like the most and why?
2. Split students into groups of 6 or 7. Each group represents a campaign committee for a local mayoral candidate. (Have each student group pick a candidate.) What result would they like to see to the issues raised above, how would the result address the concerns raised, and how would their solution address everyone’s concerns, not just theirs? Have each group draft policy statements on three different issues that include:
1) What is the policy and why is it important?
2) Why is this policy good for the public and the community.
3) What are the steps that need to be taken to implement this policy?
3. Have each mayoral candidate present the drafted policies for the candidates. Have the class take a class majority vote to see which candidate would win. Why did students vote for one candidate over the other and why did the winner prevail?
4. Assignment: Have each group pick one issue they
focused on in the last activity and investigate what their city officials’
(whether it be the mayor or school board president) actual stance is and
why. This information may be found in
local papers, on the web, or students may need to contact the appropriate
official. Give students a week to
gather the information.
Now that the students have gathered the information on a local issue, have them draft a letter to their local official agreeing or disagreeing with the position. Letters should 1) convey their opinion, 2) list three reasons supporting their opinion and 3) ask for a response. Students should peer edit their letters before sending them out.
Sources consulted:
Chin, Tanya and Clayton DeKorne. “Defining Issues:
Exploring Civic Awareness and
Political Involvement in Your Community”.
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lesson/20020509thursday.html
“How Can Citizens Participate?”
http://www.civnet.org/resources/teach/lessplan/level2b.htm
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Citizen Advocacy Center. All rights
reserved. No part of this lesson plan
may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior, written permission
of the Citizen Advocacy Center. The Citizen Advocacy Center is a 501(c)(3)
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call 630.833.4080. The Center is located at 238 N. York Rd., Elmhurst IL 60126