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Generation Citizen Middle School Curriculum Common Core-Aligned

Version 3.0 Revised: August 2011 Middle School Curriculum

Table of Contents Introduction The Generation Citizen Philosophy 4 Generation Citizen’s Core Values 5 Generation Citizen’s Program Goals 6 Curriculum Scope & Sequence 7 Curriculum Framework Alignment with Standards 8 Vocabulary Instruction 9 Flexibility and Additional Resources 9 Steps (Lessons) UNIT 1 – INTRODUCTION TO GENERATION CITIZEN 10 1 The GC Community 13 2 The Classroom Community 18 3 The Local, National, and Global Community 26 4 A Deeper Look at Our Community 33

UNIT 2 – LEARNING TO TAKE ACTION 59 5 Narrowing Our Focus issue 44 6 Choosing Our Issue 61 7 American Government 101 65 8 Theories of Change and Grassroots Movements xx 9 Grassroots Advocacy 101 xx

UNIT 3 – TAKING ACTION 80 10 Formulating Our Action plan xx Activist Tool: Working in Project teams  Researching Our Issue 87 Activist Tool: Learning from an Expert xx  Storytelling and Messaging xx Activist Tool: Influencing Decision Makers xx Activist Tool: Lobbying Our Issue xx  Mobilizing Others 87 Activist Tool: Effective Public Speaking xx  Persuasive Writing 87 Activist Tool: Opinion Pieces xx  Getting Media Attention 87 Activist Tool: Social Media xx

UNIT 4: TAKING THE NEXT STEP xx  Wrapping Up and Preparing for Civics Day xx  Civics Day xx  Reflection xx Introduction

Welcome to Generation Citizen! We’re excited that you’ve chosen to embark on this democratic journey. This curriculum will be the framework for a powerful experience, enabling your students to benefit from an innovative pedagogical approach known as “action civics.” Generation Citizen’s mission is to empower historically under-represented youth to be active participants in the democratic process. We envision a nation in which every individual is informed and engaged in the democratic process. We fulfill our mission by training college students to partner with teachers to implement an action civics curriculum in lower-income secondary schools. The Generation Citizen Philosophy Generation Citizen believes that the American democratic system functions most effectively when active citizens critically evaluate important community issues and advocate for change. We feel that youth participation is a vital component to the American democratic process. Accordingly, the Generation Citizen Curriculum – the heart of our program – promotes student self-agency and empowerment. The students – not the college Mentors or teacher – select the focus issue, and the students decide how to take action on it. This student-centered approach is crucial to our curriculum. Generation Citizen believes strongly in the ability of youth to create change on issues they care about; this curriculum provides an academically rigorous framework for this to happen as organically as possible. The Generation Citizen curriculum provides a way for classes to target objectives in subject areas such as government, civics, and U.S. history. The curriculum – like civics itself – is interdisciplinary, and is therefore aligned to the Common Core standards. Recognizing that one must be an educated person in order to be an effective citizen, the curriculum places a heavy emphasis on literacy and writing (through authentic civics content). The curriculum also helps students develop skills in oral and written persuasive communication, group work, and critical thinking. Thus, at the same time they are learning about the democratic process, students will be developing the 21st century skills they will need to be successful in college and the workplace. The Generation Citizen curriculum emphasizes action: we want students to learn about being engaged citizens through becoming involved. We will encourage classes to think outside the box, and constantly engage and challenge their peers, parents, and community members in a mutual change-making process. The Generation Citizen curriculum represents merely a starting framework for a generation of youth making change on issues they care about.

Generation Citizen’s Core Values Generation Citizen’s values embody everything that we stand for as an organization. Each aspect of our programming and each constituency, including staff, students, college Mentors, and teachers, strives to live by these values. They inspire, motivate, humble and encourage us each day in our work to expand democratic participation.

1. Generation Citizen values diverse points of view. We believe that a key strength of the United States of America lies in individuals of diverse backgrounds engaging in healthy debates about issues they care about. Generation Citizen is a non-partisan organization that seeks to support and respect the opinions of all individuals, regardless of ideology.

2. Generation Citizen values a comprehensive approach. We believe that it is vital to take a comprehensive approach to understanding all aspects of an issue and the key players involved. Effective decisions that lead to sustainable solutions are found through informed research and thoughtful reflection.

3. Generation Citizen values persistence. We believe that our work is urgent, vast, and difficult, requiring ambitious and lofty goals. Pursuing ambitious goals of reform, growth, and change in our democratic society will be challenging work. This requires sustained and relentless effort from all individuals committed to our cause.

4. Generation Citizen values lifelong learning. As we respect one another, and others who work in the realm of education and action civics, we understand that we do not have all the answers. Our partners, our communities, and our students can teach us valuable lessons. We have accomplished much, but we have even more to learn.

5. Generation Citizen values excellence. We believe in the value and importance of our work. It is critically important that all we do is carried out with excellence and of high quality. Generation Citizen’s Program Goals The Generation Citizen program is designed to help students become engaged and effective citizens. We hope to impact and improve students’ civic knowledge, civic skills, and civic motivation. Each lesson has been crafted to meet one or more of the program goals. Civic Knowledge: Civic knowledge is defined as a student’s ability to grasp basics civic knowledge, which is taught throughout the course. This basic understanding of how the governmental process works is necessary to effectively become an engaged citizen.

Civic Skills: Civic skills are defined as the skills needed to effectively participate in the democratic process. These include developing a student’s ability to analyze and examine issues and the ability to critically think about the role of an individual in a democratic society. Skills include oral and written persuasive communication, and group collaboration. We view these as necessary skills to effectively participate in the political process as an engaged citizen.

Civic Motivation: Civic motivation is defined as a student’s desire to actively participate in the political process and take action on issues they care about. This includes a student’s sense of social responsibility, civic agency and self-efficacy, and identity. Measuring students’ motivation to participate in the political process and take action as democratic citizens is crucial in our goal of creating engaged youth community leaders.

Note: The following terms will be used to refer to different constituents of the GC program.

- Student: Students participating in the Generation Citizen program

- Teacher: Public school teacher who will implement the GC program in collaboration with assigned Mentor(s) in his or her classroom

- Mentor: College student who will work directly in GC classrooms throughout the course of the semester/year

Scope & Sequence The Generation Citizen curriculum is laid out in a series of steps, designed to organize the progression of work but intended to be used over differing periods of time and in different order depending on the preferences of Mentors and teachers, as well as the demands of the specific focus issue students choose. A “lesson” is our term for a single class period, while a “step” is a segment of the curriculum, which may take between 1-3 lessons to complete. The steps are designed to provide ample flexibility and opportunities for differentiation. Each class will be different, with different focus issues and different learning styles, so Generation Citizen offers a variety of options to best fulfill each class’s needs. The first 10 steps of the curriculum are numbered sequentially, and we recommend using them in this sequence (though they can be paced as needed). Following the step entitled “Formulating Our Action plan,” the curriculum changes form, and Mentors and teachers become responsible for choosing the sequence of steps that make the most sense for their students based on the decisions made in the “Formulating Our Action plan” step. Additionally, in Unit 3, users will see that certain steps are labeled “Activist Tools.” These are not complete steps, but rather skill-building segments which can be taught to all or a portion of the class depending on the needs of different project teams (also created in “Formulating Our Action plan”). Activist Tools are not mandatory, and will be relevant depending on the action plan taken on by the class.

Accompanying the GC curriculum is the Student Handbook. This parallels the order of the Lesson Framework and compiles the necessary worksheets and handouts for students to use in each step. Much of the work in the Handbook is cumulative and can also help students prepare for Civics Day. Students should therefore take care of these Handbooks as resources both during and after the GC program. Mentors and teachers should regularly collect these Handbooks as a means to assess student progress, provide feedback, and gain insight on class interests in certain focus issue areas.

(Note: See “Flexibility and Additional Resources” below for more information on curriculum adaptation and modification.) Unit 1: Introduction to GC and Community Students meet Mentors, learn about the overall scope of the semester, and get engaged and motivated about the program. Students learn how other young people have, through action civics, made change in their communities. Mentors offer the perspective of working on a local level and how it ties to our position in the world: student, school, neighborhood, city, state, country, and world. Students begin to map the assets and needs in the communities with which they most identify. This unit also challenges students to think about how those assets and needs can be connected in finding solutions to their communities’ most pressing issues.

Unit 2: Learning to Take Action Students hold a dialogue on important issues they care about, discussing issues they would change if they were in charge of their school, city, state, and world. The students narrow in on and research a few specific issues before selecting one focus issue as a class using a democratic process. Students review the basic concepts of the American governmental system, especially as it relates to taking action on their selected focus issue. They also learn about historical movements for change, the time it takes to enact this change, and how analyzing root causes is essential to any successful movement. This is the last step before the students ultimately start to take action.

Unit 3: Taking Action. Students use their civics knowledge and skills to create an action plan and develop goals, objectives, and divide into project teams. The students themselves, with the help and support of the mentors, enact their plans. Depending on their focus issue, students receive training on writing an effective opinion article, lobbying an elected official, and mobilizing others. This unit includes intensive research, reading opinion articles and position papers, and writing individual editorials.

Unit 4: Taking the Next Step. The purpose of this unit is for students to successfully complete their projects and then prepare for Civics Day. Mentors and teachers will use this as a chance to contextualize how Civics Day is part of the process of engaged citizenship – not the end of their efforts. They will ensure that whether or not all students can attend the event, ALL students are engaged. Civics Day is an exciting and unique part of our program where student representatives from classes in each city get to present their work to other students, community members, and public officials to celebrate their work and gain feedback to further their efforts. This unit is also a chance to link the GC experience with relevant ways for students to continue being civically engaged after the end of the program. Curriculum Framework Vocabulary Instruction Language acquisition is critical to equipping our students with the tools necessary for effective democratic participation. It is imperative that students are able to communicate effectively in the realm of action civics. To this end, the curriculum identifies key vocabulary terms that are most relevant for each lesson. Generation Citizen values a print-rich classroom environment and recognizes its importance for students to readily access content-specific words they can use in class discussions, lessons, and eventually in everyday life. Therefore it is highly recommended that Mentors and teachers create a “word wall” in the classroom to keep track of all the terms students learn throughout the semester. As outlined in Teach Like a Champion, by Doug Lemov, we suggest a few best practices for teaching vocabulary: 1. Multiple takes: To enter a word into their functional memory, students need to hear a word (and ideally its pronunciation) multiple times.

a. Have students practice using a word in different settings and situations and give an example of a time when they might use it. b. Circle back to words you previously taught – yesterday, last week, or last month. 2. Compare, combine, contrast: Beware the “synonym model.” It’s the difference between similar words that creates meaning in a passage. a. Ask students to distinguish between or compare two different words; focus on nuances of meaning b. Ask students to describe how and whether they could combine vocabulary words. 3. Upgrade: Find opportunities to use richer and more specific words whenever possible. a. Ask students to use introduced words in class discussions. b. Ask explicitly for a better word. (1. Doug Lemov, Teach Like a Champion (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010), 273.) Flexibility Generation Citizen encourages its Mentors and teachers to be creative with the curriculum and teaching strategies, while sticking to the core objectives and standards. While this curriculum strives to provide universally relevant steps towards a successful action plan, Generation Citizen recognizes that not every class is the same. The curriculum should therefore be tailored to the individual needs of the each class. This requires close collaboration between the Mentors and the teacher, who should discuss the merits of various approaches and learning styles and how those can be most effectively utilized to teach the curriculum. The curriculum has been formatted to include blank space within each step to encourage Mentors and teachers to tailor each lesson, keep track of student input, and think ahead about issues and subjects which may arise in class. The curriculum also provides a column for notes on each page so that Mentors and teachers may add comments, links to current events, include differentiation strategies, etc. Additionally, innovation and interests should be encouraged; pursue “teachable moments.” If classes are enjoying specific conversations on subjects, those conversations should be encouraged, as long as the overview of the curriculum is still being fulfilled. While the curriculum has been designed for approximately 20 classes, it can be either slightly reduced or extended if the class heads in a particular direction or time is thin.

Additional Resources Online Through the course of the curriculum, Mentors and teachers may encounter lessons or steps that call for outside resources, especially for focus issue information, the research process, and examples of other young people taking part in the democratic process. Generation Citizen provides many additional resources for Mentors and teachers to access via our internal online site. Please check here first for information on focus issue research, action planning, previous GC student work, and more. www.generationcitizen.weebly.com

Using the Generation Citizen Curriculum Each step contains several components, outlined here:

An OVERVIEW of the step is provided to explain the purpose of the lesson and give a brief snapshot of what students will experience in the step.

In the PROGRAM GOALS & SKILLS ASSESSED section, Mentors and teachers will note how the step fits with the broader program goals of improving civic knowledge, civic motivation, and civic skills. This section includes the appropriate civic skills that can be assessed within the step using the four skill-specific rubrics provided—the Critical Thinking Rubric, Written Persuasive Communication Rubric, Oral Persuasive Communication Rubric, and the Group Collaboration Rubric.

For each step, one to two KEY QUESTIONS are presented at the beginning of the lesson to help Mentors and teacher meet the step objectives and standards. These questions are meant to provide a way to blend student learning across content areas. The key questions are not meant to generate concrete answers, but rather, lead to general points of discussion and critical thinking. Two to four OBJECTIVES for each step will outline what the students should accomplish by the end of the step.

MATERIALS for each class are listed and should be gathered and prepared before the class.

A WORD OF THE DAY is listed for each step. These terms should be frontloaded and explicitly taught at the beginning and/or throughout each step, as well as utilized throughout the course of the semester to reinforce vocabulary acquisition. This is not an exhaustive list of terms that pertain to each step topic. Mentors and teachers should feel free to explicitly teach additional terms as they apply. Please see above in “Vocabulary Instruction” for more information.

The PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS section offers key materials that need to be prepared before class starts. This section also suggests items that should be ironed out between the Mentors and teacher before each class.

The INTRODUCTION (or the “hook”) provides a context for what the students will engage in during the step. This might be in the form of reviewing a past step or engaging in a pre-step activity or discussion that is especially relevant to the objectives set forth in the step.

The LESSON section provides step-by-step directions for activities and products that students should complete to meet the objectives of the step. Notes and suggestions are offered to help Mentors and teachers facilitate learning. It is important to note that the step can be adjusted; Mentors and teachers should feel free to adapt to the needs of their specific class, especially as it relates to relevant goals and objectives.

The CONCLUSION offers a wrap-up activity or product that is aimed at helping students process what they have gained from the step. It is crucial that students have the time and space to synthesize learning and reflect on the step.

Alignment with Standards Because Generation Citizen is an in-class experience, the curriculum is aligned with district, state and national standards for each site location. These include Common Core standards in English language arts and (for some focus issues) mathematics. Please see the relevant standards at the bottom of each lesson plan. Generation Citizen complements existing classroom material, while demonstrating the viability of civics as an effective interdisciplinary pursuit. Reading Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies 6-12 Xxxx Writing Standards for Literacy in History/Social Studies, Science, and Technical Subjects 6-12 Xxxx Unit 1: Introduction to Generation Citizen About Unit 1 Components: Step 1: The GC Community Step 2: The Classroom Community Step 3: The Local, National, and Global Community Step 4: A Deeper Look at Our Community

Main Goals: At the end of Unit 1, Students will be able to:  Explain Generation Citizen, the role of the Mentors, and identify general issues on which other individuals in GC have made change in their school and community  Describe the GC movement, which engages youth in the political process throughout three cities, and will understand how they fit in to this movement  Explain how GC students in their school/community in the past took action on issues  Describe the rules and purpose of the class contract and the rationale behind each rule  Create and personalize a GC Student Handbook to keep track of assignments and assessments over the semester  Identify different issues that pertain to the local, national, and global levels of a community  Interpret how local, national, and global issues can be changed by youth by citing specific examples of youth in action making change  Define how they envision their ideal community (school, local community, combination, etc)  Create a personalized Community Map using pictures and words to illustrate the communities with which they identify  List the assets (i.e., resources) and needs (i.e., problems) in their communities

Students will have:  Learned about the GC community and examples of other youth making change  Jointly set guidelines for classroom interaction to enable productive discussion  Mapped their communities’ needs and assets

Unit Summary Students meet Mentors, learn about the overall scope of the semester, and get engaged and motivated about the program. Students learn how other young people have, through group collaboration, made change in their communities. Mentors offer the perspective of working on a local level and how it ties to our position in the world: student, school, neighborhood, city, state, country, and world. Students begin to map the assets and needs in the communities with which they identify most. This unit also challenges students to think about how the assets and needs can be connected in finding solutions to their communities’ most pressing issues. OVERVIEW NOTES: Introduction to the Generation Citizen Community where students meet Mentors, learn about the overall scope of the semester, and get engaged and motivated about the program.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Motivation Critical Analysis

KEY QUESTIONS  What is the Generation Citizen movement and what have young people in the program done before?  Why is it important for young people to have an active voice and role in their schools and communities? CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Explain Generation Citizen, the role of the Mentors, and identify general issues on which other individuals in GC have made change in their school and community.  Describe the GC movement, which engages youth in the democratic process, and will understand how they fit in to this movement.  Explain how GC students in their school/community in the past took action on issues. HANDBOOK PAGES: MATERIALS  Generation Citizen Civics Day Video http://www.abc6.com/GLOBAL/STORY.ASP?S=13641062  Projection technology for video  Materials for Mentor introduction (i.e. photos, meaningful/personal items from the Mentor)  Agree/Disagree activity labels on two sheets of paper: “Agree”, “Disagree”

WORD OF THE DAY  Active Citizenship

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors gather materials, photos, etc of anything they want to share DIFFERENTIATE during introduction. BY LEVEL English Language Learner: 2. Mentors get roster from teacher to begin learning student names as  soon as possible.

3. Mentors determine with teacher how they will divide classroom management, teaching, etc. (see Handbook for guiding worksheet on joint expectations). This should also include joint understanding of what expectations are for homework, grading of GC time, etc. Below Grade Level Learner:  4. Mentors set up the classroom for the Four Corner Activity 5. Mentors talk to teacher about past action plans that happened in his/her class

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) Advanced Learner: 1. Mentor Introduction Mentors introduce themselves (name, college,  course of study), and why they’re excited about working with the class. If possible, Mentors should show the GC video from Civics Day. Mentors should think of a creative way to introduce themselves since this is the first impression students will have of them. Consider bringing in photos of past civic or advocacy involvement, or simply appropriate photos about their lives in college. Students will most likely have Special Education questions. Mentors should feel free to answer a few, but also Modifications: acknowledge that they would be more than happy to talk about their  experience in college throughout the semester. Teachers should take the time to stress the role of the Mentor to the students and that the Mentor must be respected at all times.

2. Mentors should also have students introduce themselves in some way (ex. in a circle with one fact about yourself).

3. Mentors and teacher explain what each of them will do this semester to support students in their project as well as expectations for homework, participation, etc. Mentors and teacher should decide on joint expectations to share with students about requirements for qualifying for attending Civics Day (participation, attendance, attitude, etc.).______

4. Mentors and teacher share description, photos, materials of any action plans that students at that school did in the past

LESSON (30 minutes) 5. Generation Citizen Goals and examples Communicate the goals of Generation Citizen and explain the general overview of the semester along with samples of topics that have been chosen before. For middle school students, Mentors and teacher should draw a diagram or timeline on the board to summarize the framework of the semester visually for students. The full curriculum framework is also included in the student handbooks (distributed next class).  Students will learn how to become active citizens both now and in the future.  Students will think about their community, jointly choose a topic, learn strategies to take effective action, and actually do a project on an important issue that matters to them.  This will culminate in Civics Day where class representatives will meet other GC students from around the city who have also taken an active role in improving their schools and communities and present their projects to local government officials and community leaders. Mention other schools where GC is working in your city ______and other cities with GC students ______.  Students in the past have worked on issues such as gang violence, teen pregnancy, environmental conservation, public transportation, homelessness, and ______.  Mentors should use this opportunity to further articulate that Mentors should take notes in students are part of a larger civic education movement that the provided blank lines values their voice and strives to prepare them to participate and about student responses as a take action on important issues both now and in the future. reference for framing subsequent classes. 6. Relevance of Generation Citizen Engage students in a quick dialogue about how and why the goals of Generation Citizen might be Blank lines appear relevant to them. throughout the curriculum  Do you think the goals of Generation Citizen are important to and are intended to provide you? What important issues matter to you right now? Why? space for Mentors to ______adapt/personalize/enhance ______the curriculum. Mentors should examine these blank ______spaces carefully before class and fill in relevant blanks as  What parts sound interesting? What questions or part of their preparation. concerns do you have about the program as you understand it so far? ______

 How would you describe GC to a student who was absent today? ______

7. Introduce Agree/Disagree Activity Mentors and teacher explain how the activity works:  Mentors and teacher read a statement and the students move to the appropriately-labeled corner of the room (strongly agree, agree, disagree, or strongly disagree). If a student has conflicting opinions about the statement, they can stand in the middle of the room.  Mentors and teacher emphasize that students should try to think about how they feel, not about where their friends are moving. Mentors and teacher also emphasize that every issue has multiple perspectives, and so no student should be treated disrespectfully because of where they stand.

8. Implement Agree/Disagree Activity Mentors and teacher reads several statements. After each statement, ask for student volunteers (or chooses students) to explain why they’re standing in the corner they have chosen. Probe students’ thinking and suggest multiple alternative perspectives, while remaining respectful and impartial. Ask a few students in each side of the room why they chose the side that they did.  Begin with simple, easy statements and then increase in complexity, aiming for 7-10 statements. Possible statements may include: o I like dogs more than cats. o The Red Sox are better than the Yankees. o I think students should be paid to go to school. o In my opinion, global warming is a big problem. o I think anyone should be allowed to own a handgun. o Gang violence is a problem in our community. o ______o ______o ______o ______ If students have statements they want to submit, as long as they are appropriate, they can form part of the activity as well.

9. Debrief Agree/Disagree Activity Mentors and teacher debrief the activity:  How did the statements make you feel?  How did it feel to be in parts of the room with fewer people? A lot of people? With your friends? Not with your friends?  What did you learn from hearing other people’s perspectives on the issues?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 10. Forms to Sign Mentors and teacher ask students to take home the “Consent Form and Media Release”. Mentors and teacher explain that these two sheets must be completed by Lesson 2.  This homework is important for us being able to keep in touch with you and so you can participate in exciting activities later this semester and is the easiest homework you’ll ever have. Don’t get a zero!

11. Whip Around! Have students think about one word that encapsulates how they are feeling about being part of the Generation Citizen movement. Quickly whip around the room to get a sense of how students are feeling about the semester.

12. Mentors preview next lesson: ______13. Exit Ticket: (This writing should be collected by the Mentors and saved for inclusion in the Student Handbook in Step 2). Write two sentences about your initial thoughts, concerns, or questions about the program: Which parts sound interesting? What questions or concerns do you have about the program as you understand it so far?

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket

STATE STANDARDS xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.7  WHST.6-8.1a

OVERVIEW NOTES: In this step, students will learn how GC students have, through group collaboration, made change in their communities. This lesson will also Mentors will need to bring establish the classroom expectations through the class contract and student Student Handbooks to class handbook. this day. Mentors and teachers should also collect Recommended number of class periods: 1 any consent forms and remind students to continue PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED returning these. Civic Motivation Persuasive Speaking, Group Civic Skills Collaboration  Group Collaboration Rubric

KEY QUESTIONS  Why is it important to find and listen to different points of view?  Why is group collaboration important in attempting to take effective action?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Describe the rules and purpose of the class contract and the rationale behind each rule  Create and personalize a GC Student Handbook to keep track of assignments and assessments over the semester  Explain how GC students in their school/community in the past took action on issues

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Large paper or poster board for class contract discussion

WORD OF THE DAY CURRENT EVENTS  Collaboration CONNECTIONS: PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors talk to teacher about where to keep Handbooks. ______

2. Mentors should ask teacher about any pre-existing Class Contract. If one exists, a plan should be determined on how this new one fits in. ______

3. Mentor should talk to teacher about if/where they can post Class Contract in classroom.

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Students should write down 1-3 focus issue topics that they remember that Mentors mentioned in the last step. 2. Do Now Review and Student Handbook Mentors ask a few students to describe what the previous lesson included: students should describe the Generation Citizen program and what other young people/GC students have accomplished in their communities in the HANDBOOK PAGES: past. Mentors should ask students their immediate thoughts on taking action on an issue they care about.  Venn Diagram Handout (p. # in 3. Mentors should have students reflect about the Agree/Disagree Handbook) Activity and comment on what they think the purpose was. Ex. ______

4. Mentors pass out Student Handbooks and explain:  This Handbook will be a place to keep all Generation Citizen work for the semester and that this will be collected occasionally by either Mentors or teachers to read over assignments and reflections.  This Handbook is also one of the concretes students will bring to Civics Day to demonstrate the work they did over the semester. They should therefore be handled carefully.  We will use different sections in the folder as they come up. There is a blank page at the start of each lesson for taking notes or writing Do Nows for each step, work pages for each step, and space to keep materials and research or project pieces as the semester progresses.  Students should leave the folders with the Mentors and that during spare moments during the GC class, they are encouraged to personalize their folders.

5. Mentors explain that the first item we will be doing in the Handbook is creating a class contract.

LESSON (30 minutes) 6. Tying in Agree/Disagree Activity to the Class Contract Mentors and teacher draws a big Venn diagram on the flipbook paper (making the largest section the middle section). Explain that the Agree/Disagree Activity from the previous class illustrates that we all have different backgrounds and opinions and in this class we may disagree. It is important to listen to perspectives and value and respect those different than ours. Throughout the semester, this will be an ongoing theme in all that the class does.

7. Explain the Purpose of the Class Contract With one circle labeled “Mentors/Teacher” and the other labeled “Students,” Mentors and teacher explain that since this class is different from a normal class, and we’ll be doing a lot of group work, we need to come up with a set of guidelines to make sure that everybody, both Mentors/teachers and students, gets along and works hard on their part of the project. However, rather than dictate a set of rules that students have to obey, Generation Citizen believes in having students co-write the guidelines, agree to follow them, and determine consequences for failure to do so. Mentors should also talk about how this will fit in with any existing class contracts if applicable.

8. (If time permits) Think-Pair-Share the Co-Writing Process Have students Think-Pair-Share on one or all of the following questions:  Why might it be different to have students create the rules rather than have the Mentor or teacher create the rules?  If we were to come in and say we're in charge and then simply dictate what the rules were that you had to obey, what would that be like?

9. Ideal Guidelines Mentors and teacher explain that the students will first come up with ideas for guidelines on the Notes page of their Handbook and then they’ll share their ideas with the class and we’ll put together a complete contract. Encourage students to come up with guidelines that are:  Not too narrow and not too vague. For example, the rule “listen” is too broad to be helpful or enforceable, while “sit up straight in your chair with your feet on the floor and your head raised, with your eyes on whoever’s speaking while you listen to what they’re saying” may be a good thing to do but is far too specific to be a rule for discussion. Strive for something in between, like “listen and be respectful when someone else is speaking.”  Positive (e.g. avoid saying “don’t” and instead say “do” when possible).

10. Brainstorm in Small Groups Give students five minutes to break up into groups of 4-5 to brainstorm at least 1-2 guidelines per area on the Venn diagram. Each group should designate a “Scribe” to record the group’s ideas and a “Reporter” to share the ideas with the whole class. Monitor the time closely, especially if it is running short.

11. Share and Connect Student Ideas Mentors and teacher ask each group to share the guidelines they came up with, writing each group’s contribution on the board. Mentors and teacher will periodically ask for student feedback about the suggestions on the board in order to refine the list. Mentors and teacher group overlapping guidelines as they are suggested and ask students for suggestions about how to rephrase guidelines so they include all the students’ suggestions. Some potential categories to cover might be:  Making class interesting and fun  Respectful conversation  Participation and preparation  Consequences for breaking these rules

12. Finalize the Contract Once all of the suggestions are on the board, Mentors and teacher help students to select a handful of guidelines (5- 10), writing the finalized guidelines on the piece of chart paper in pen. Students can write this in their Handbook page.

13. Sign the Contract When the contract is complete, each student comes up to the flipbook and signs the contract in its margins. Mentors and teacher also sign it.

14. Display the Contract This class contract should be posted publically in the classroom and referred to throughout the semester if students do no abide by the contract. (Note: In addition, consider typing up the class contract and printing on nice paper and pass them out to students in the next class so they can keep them in the Handbook and refer to the contract throughout the semester.)

CONCLUSION (10 min) 15. Mentors lead students in reflection discussion on:  What was difficult about this process? Why do you think it was important for a class based on group collaboration? What do you think will be the most difficult parts to carry out? Why? ______16. Mentors preview next lesson: ______17. Exit Ticket: What is one guideline we made that you think would be important in discussions even outside of GC class?

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Group Collaboration Rubric: Use the Group Collaboration rubric during the Class Brainstorming in Small Groups to gauge how well students work together to brainstorm ideas for the class contract. This rubric can be used to evaluate students individually or in groups.  Class Contract from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation.

STATE STANDARDS xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.2  RH.6-8.3  RH.6-8.6

Mentors and teacher should emphasize now and throughout the semester that work in the Handbook could be presented at Civics Day and therefore should be of the highest quality possible.

Make sure students write their names on the folders before collecting these. The Mentors or teacher should hold on to all folders throughout the semester to ensure that no work gets lost.

If you deem it appropriate, feel free to adapt the lesson plan such that the class contract gets written up more formally. You will have to be the judge as to whether or not the class will take a contract written on a large piece of flipbook paper seriously. If not, it may be wise to write up the contract more formally after Lesson 1, print it, and have each student sign it. Also, if you are running short on time, you may choose to avoid the group brainstorming session, and instead facilitate a whole- class brainstorm/discussion.

DIFFERENTIATE

BY LEVEL

English Language Learner:



Below Grade Level Learner:

 Advanced Learner:



Special Education Modifications:



OVERVIEW NOTES: Mentors should start In this step, students will discuss the various communities that they interact listening for what issues they with on a daily basis in their lives: student, school, neighborhood, city, state, hear in students’ discussions country, and world. Students will begin to understand how working locally can and start considering these be one of the most effective ways to make changes to their everyday lives. for Narrowing the Issues. Keep track of these in Mentor Recommended number of class periods: 1 Handbook. PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration, Critical Civic Motivation Analysis Mentors may also consider raising conversation about KEY QUESTIONS other kinds of communities like  Why is it important to identify different communities? religious, ethnic, or  How and why does taking action look different at different levels of communities that are communities? oppressed.  How do the levels of community relate and overlap?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Describe different levels of community  Identify different issues that pertain to the local, state, national, and global levels of community CURRENT EVENTS  Interpret how local, state, national, and global issues can be changed CONNECTIONS: by youth by citing specific examples of youth in action making change

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Print-outs of 2-4 articles from GC Internal Website library of Youth Making Change which demonstrate different levels of community. www.generationcitizen.weebly.com  Tape  Notecards  Optional: projection equipment for video clip HANDBOOK PAGES:  Optional: Video clip from http://wordia.com/community  Note-taking page (p. #) WORD OF THE DAY  Community

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should prepare copies of 2-4 articles/summaries of articles on Youth Making Change, especially examples of Middle Mentors should take notes school students. They should choose these at different “levels” of on this in their Handbook. community. These can be found on the GC internal website.

2. Mentors and teacher prepare sample issue cards, each representing DIFFERENTIATE various problems affecting a student’s school, city, state, country and BY LEVEL

25 world.  For example, the sample issue card for school will have a picture of bully, one for city will have a picture of drugs, the one for national will have a picture depicting unemployment, and the sample issue card for the world will have a picture showing pollution. The sample issue for the state level will vary given the specific problems in RI, MA, and NY. Mentors and teacher should create the same issue card based on a problem affecting their state. See examples at the end of this lesson.

3. Mentors and teachers write the following five headings, leaving a few lines below each: ‘world,’ ‘country,’ ‘state,’ ‘city,’ and ‘school.’ Note: for Middle school students, if Mentors and teacher deem it appropriate, narrow these headings to ‘state’, ‘city’, and ‘school’.

4. Optional: Download clip from http://wordia.com/community

5. Write the “Do Now” prompt on the board.

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher distribute the issue cards (ensure that students sitting next to each other do not get the same one) and read the Do Now instructions on the board:  “You have been given a card with an issue (problem) on it. Describe how that issue affects you or your community in some way.”  Students should write on their issue for about three minutes. As they are writing their responses, circulate the room giving each student a small piece of tape.

2. Do Now Share-out Mentors and teacher call on volunteers to share their issue with the class and read what they wrote for their Do Now. Mentors and teacher will call on students with different issues so that all issues can be heard.

3. Match Issues to Levels Mentors and teacher explain that the five headings on the board represent the levels on which these issues exist. Invite students to come up to tape their issue card under the heading they think is most appropriate.  Once all students have taped their issue cards to the board, Mentors and teacher will talk about each issue level (school, city, country, etc.) and explain that some issues can fit under more than one category.

4. (Optional) Watch Wordia Video of Community Have middle school students watch the clip from wordia.com about the word “community” as defined by Craig Newmark, the founder of Craigslist.

5. Review Class Contract Mentors and teacher review that they co- wrote a class contract in the last lesson and all agreed to abide by the guidelines set forth in the contract. Review the consequences for breaking the guidelines and consistently refer to these guidelines

26 throughout the lesson and the semester. (Note: Consistency in holding the class to these guidelines in crucial to maintaining a safe and productive classroom community.)

LESSON (30 minutes) Introduce Lesson: 1. Mentors and teacher explain that, like students just discussed, there are many different issues which affect people on many different levels. Ways of making change differ based on what level we are considering. During this lesson students will be looking at articles and descriptions of issues and projects that other young people have worked on all around the country. Some are from Generation Citizen students and some are from youth making change all over the country.

Analyze Materials 2. Mentors and teacher groups students into groups of 3-5 and have students decide upon a Reporter.

3. Mentors and teacher pass out articles/summaries to each group. Have students take notes on their discussion in their Handbook.

4. Students will read the articles/summaries in their groups and jointly determine:  What issue did these young people choose to work on?  What level of community does this issue connect to?  What did the students do to make change?  Why do you think they chose the level to address this particular issue? Could you have chosen a different one?

Discussion: 5. Reporters from each group share answers to the questions about the article/summary from their group. Reporters also tape a copy of their group’s article/summary on the board under the level they think it relates to.

6. Mentors and teacher ask questions of the whole class to probe into responses:  Do any of these issues seem like they would also matter to you or people you know? Why?  Why do you think it matters to think about community on these different levels? (Mentors and teacher can preview that different levels connect with government on different levels which students will learn in later class.)  Would you move any of these issues to a different level? Why do you think that issues sometimes overlap with multiple levels?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 7. Exit Ticket: Students complete an Exit Ticket or talk in pairs to answer the question:  Which of the examples of youth making change did you connect with the most? Why?

8. Mentors preview next lesson: Students will be making community

27 maps, in which they review assets and problems in their communities. They should begin thinking about the issues they care about in their communities, and potential assets as well.

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Critical Analysis Rubric: Use the Critical Analysis rubric to assess students as they examine the articles about other students making change.

STATE STANDARDS xxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.4  RH.6-8.7

SAMPLE ISSUE CARDS

BULLYING DRUGS

28 POLLUTION

UNEMPLOYMENT

TAGGING/GRAFFITI

POVERTY WAR

29 OVERVIEW NOTES: Mentors should start Students will create community maps based on a clearly identified level of listening for what issues they community (i.e., city, neighborhood, school) where they might want to work for hear in students’ discussions change as a class. Students describe their ideal community and the and start considering these community as it truly looks as they begin to map the assets and needs in the for Narrowing the Issues. communities with which they most identify. This lesson also challenges Keep track of these in your students to think about how the assets and needs can be connected in finding Mentor Handbook. solutions to their communities’ most pressing issues. This lesson lays a foundation for the lesson where the class will choose their focus issue. Mentors should be familiar by now with local neighborhoods & Recommended number of class periods: 2 communities of their students.

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge, Civic Motivation Critical Analysis Persuasive Communication (Oral)

KEY QUESTIONS  Why are communities such an important part of our society?  What role does our specific communities play in the issues we think are important?  What levels of community are most important to us as individuals?  Is it possible to belong to multiple communities?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Define how they envision their ideal community (school, local community, combination, etc)  Create a personalized Community Map using pictures and words to illustrate the communities with which they identify  List the assets (ie. resources) and needs (ie. problems) in their communities  Connect the community problems that matter most to resources that might be helpful in finding a solution to the problem  Interpret how local, national, and global issues can be changed by youth by citing specific examples of youth in action making change

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Examples of community mapping (on large paper)

WORD OF THE DAY  Asset

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should make two versions of their own personal Community Map to demonstrate to the class. These should look different and be of different communities, preferably from different “levels” that were introduced in Step 3 (ex. One map using literal streets and buildings to show your neighborhood community and one

30 map using more symbols and lines/words to show your school community).

2. Mentors should research local resources in school neighborhood which might be useful. They should know specific names and missions (ex. YMCA’s, large churches, local nonprofits, legislators, leaders for that school district, etc.).

3. Mentors should research local issues/current that have been in media about this area recently. These will help the Mentors contribute to the discussion of community needs when students are creating Community Maps.

4. Mentors and teacher should estimate where Step 4 could be split into two classes. Determine where in the Step to stop/start and what the conclusion and introduction between lessons will look like:

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Students should write a few sentences describing the neighborhood where they live to someone who has never been there before.

2. Mentors and teacher recap previous class (Step 3) and ask students what they remember from last time. They may also call on a few students to share their Do Now answers. ______

3. In their Handbook on the page for Community Brainstorm, students should brainstorm their own definition of community, using what they remember from Step 3 about the levels of community we discussed. Mentors remind them to think about:  Who is in a community?  What is in a community?  Where is a community?  What communities do you feel a part of?

4. Note: for Middle school students, you may want to have students brainstorm individually on each topic above and have them share after each topic. Mentors and teacher can write a collective brainstorm on the board from student comments.

LESSON (40 minutes) – plan to split over 2 days

5. Introduce Community Mapping Activity: We have now looked at a broad range of ways other people have defined community and we are going to make our own definition of community built on our individual interests and how those connect as a class. Remind the class that this semester, we are going to be choosing a focus issue and working to make change on it, but before we can do this we need to better understand our communities. Explain that just as we create maps so that we understand places better, we are going to create maps of our 31 communities. Everyone will create individual Community Maps by drawing on the blank sheet of paper and that the class will create their maps in three major parts: basic outline of community, assets, problems.

6. Students’ Communities: Mentors and teacher explain that this drawing does not have to be beautiful, just detailed enough such that it is understandable and others can get a sense of their community. Mentors show their sample Community Maps and explain that there are many ways these could look and these are just a few examples.

7. Mentors and teacher instruct the students to draw the community they identify with most (for example, your school, your religious community, your neighborhood, or your city) and that they think might be a good one to focus on for this class (a community they care about, that they know a lot about, that they think could be effective for change). Students may refer to their Do Now if they decide to focus on their neighborhood.

This is the recommended place to break for Day 2.

LESSON (50 minutes)

1. Mentors and teacher explain that an asset is a resource that exists within the community and can be used to help make the community a better place. These can be in categories such as people, places, physical resources, information and knowledge etc. Mentors and teacher should write two columns on the board and do an example for middle school students. See the example below:

Community: This class

Asset Need Energetic Students New Set of Textbooks

2. Mentors and teacher ask students to give examples of assets and write these on the board in one column.

3. For Middle school students, offer ideas such as community centers, helpful neighbors, good teachers.

32 Ex.______

______

______

4. Add Assets: Mentors and teacher instruct the students to add assets or resources that can be found in their communities on to their Community Maps. Give students a few minutes to work on this.

5. (Optional) Share with a Partner: Have students share with a partner what resources they included in their community. Tell the students that after two minutes, you will ask students to share two resources their partner has included on their community map.

6. (Optional) Partner Share-out : Ask a few students to share their partner’s community map and resources.

7. Mentors and teacher explain that a need can be a problem or an issue that is making the community a worse place and could be improved. Mentors and teacher ask students to give examples of possible assets and write these on the board in one column.

8. For Middle school students, offer ideas such as vacant lots, gangs, lack of fresh food, school safety, etc.

______

______

______

9. Identifying Needs: Mentors and teacher ask the students to identify needs (problems or issues) in their communities. Give students a couple minutes to add these problems on their community maps.

10. Share Needs: Mentors and teacher ask a few students to share with the class the problems they drew and explain why those problems exist. Mentors and teacher write these in a second column on the board.

33 11. Connect Needs and Assets As a final step, have students connect problems to potential resources that might be able to help solve the problems. Give Middle school students examples by drawing lines on your own map or on the board (such as a community center which could cut back on teen violence).Tell students to reconnect with their original partner and talk through some solutions. Encourage partners to offer different ideas or to add to one another’s maps. Have students draw lines between any assets and needs that could connect.

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 12. Mentors explain that we will use their Community Maps again when we decide what we would like to do about our issue. To start this, Mentors explain that they will use community maps (and collect student handbooks) to bring in some materials to help us narrow down the issues to arrive at a topic issue we want to focus on the rest of the semester. Mentors and teacher should ask students for their input on this:  What kinds of information sources might they look for?

13. Mentors preview next lesson: ______

14. Exit Ticket: What is the biggest need you see on your community map? What is the strongest asset?

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Community Maps from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation.

STATE STANDARDS xxx COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.1  RH.6-8.2  RH.6-8.4

34 Unit 2: Learning to Take Action About Unit 2 Components:  Step 5: Narrowing Our Focus issue  Step 6: Choosing Our Issue  Step 7: American Government 101  Step 8: Theories of Change & Grassroots Movements  Step 9: Grassroots Advocacy 101

Main Goals: At the end of Unit 2, Students will be able to:  Analyze written material to determine a potential focus issue’s significance and attainability

 Describe different types of voting techniques and use one technique to vote on the class’s focus issue

 Reflect on the fact that democratic decision processes involve compromise; not all individuals are happy with the final decision

 Explain the meaning of “representative democracy”

 Identify the three branches of government, and their roles in the governmental system

 Identify how individual American citizens can participate in the process at a local and federal level

 Critically reason why the American government is set up the way that it is

 Identify the traits of successful social movements

 Explain the term “root cause” and how that relates to their focus issue

 Relate to the efforts of other youth to effect change

 Reflect on the challenges of engaging in grassroots advocacy

 Articulate the goals and objectives of their action plan

 Identify why they care about the focus issue that the class selected

 Outline the steps for researching the necessary components of their issue

Students will have:  Decided upon their focus issue  Contextualized their focus issue within relevant government structures and historic grassroots movements  Learned about the basic stages of grassroots advocacy Unit Summary

Students hold a dialogue on important issues they care about, discussing issues they would change if they were in charge of their school, city, state, country, and world. The students narrow in on and research a few specific issues before selecting one as a class using a democratic process. Students review the basic concepts of the American governmental system, especially as it relates to taking action on their selected focus issue. They also learn about historical movements for change, the time it takes to enact this change, and how assessing root causes is essential to any successful movements.

OVERVIEW NOTES: This class requires extra Narrow in on a few specific issues stemming from student discussions, preparation time on the community maps, etc. Start initial discussion of how we will make choice and part of the Mentors. It is look at resources regarding different options to start getting ideas. critical that Mentors do good research and think Recommended number of class periods: 2 ahead in THIS lesson about what the final action PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED plans might be according Civic Knowledge Persuasive Speaking, Critical to different issues which Analysis have been discussed so far. KEY QUESTIONS  What are the aspects that make an issue important to individuals?  Can we convince others to care about our issue?  What role does our community play in the issues we think are important?  How can communities take effective action on specific issues?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this step, students will be able to:  Describe “significant” and “ attainable”  Analyze written material to determine a potential focus issue’s significance and attainability  Determine a list of 3-4 issues in their community that they would like to address as a class, 1 of which will be selected in the next step CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Day 2: At least two articles or video clips on each of 4-5 potential issues mentioned by students on Day 1.

WORD OF THE DAY  Day 1: Significant  Day 2: Attainable PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Before Day 1: Mentors and teacher write the Do Now prompt on the board: “If you were in charge of our ______, what would you change?” Offer the following options for the blank “School, City, State, Country, World”. Note: for Middle school students, Mentors and teacher may decide to narrow these to “School, City, and State” only.

2. Before Day 2: Mentors need to do research on 4-5 of the main issues mentioned by students in Day 1 of this Step and bring at least two short articles about each of these. For middle school students or those at lower reading levels, Mentors can also find video clips about different issues that students can watch in class instead. These should be age- appropriate and at least one should be informative about the problem/issue and one should be about a way that someone is trying to make change about it (especially locally if possible).

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) a.i.1. Do Now In the Do Now section of their handbook, students answer the question: “If you were in charge of our ______, what would you change?” from the board. (Students can choose between school, city, state, country)

a.i.2. Review Previous Class Mentors and teacher review previous class on Community Maps.

LESSON (35 minutes): Issues Dialogue (Day 1) 3. Gather in a circle to have a dialogue: Once students are finished writing, they will gather around in a circle with Mentors and teacher to engage in a dialogue. Mentors and teacher will ask students to share their responses with the group. Mentors and teacher should ask probing questions to expand student thinking and give examples whenever possible for Middle school students. Mentors and teacher should write them on the board or chart paper. Possible questions include, but are not limited to:

 What would you want to change? Why?  Why do you care about this specific issue?  Who else cares about this issue?  What can we do to change this issue?  In your community, how have some of these issues been addressed?  Why is this issue a problem?  Who (school/government/individuals) should be taking action to make a difference on this issue?  Why do you think that issue connects with the level of community that you chose? Can anyone think of another level at which this issue would matter? Students should be specific and should be encouraged to expand their thinking. Conversation should be encouraged amongst students as much as possible, as long as they are respectful and abiding by the Class Contract. Mentors and teacher should only proceed to another issue if the conversation stalls. As students share their ideas, the Mentors and teacher should write them on the board or chart paper.

Optional Addition: During student responses, Mentors and teacher ask students to try to name which government structure might correspond with each level (i.e., president, Senate, House, governor, mayor, principal) and guide them in answers. Mentors and teacher explain that students will be reviewing this question again when they learn more about the branches of government and that knowing which level to work on is critical to making change on their focus issue.

The dialogue should take the majority of the class. Mentors and teacher should make sure to write down the main issues that the students chose to begin with next class. ______

4. Introducing Definitions of Significant and Attainable Mentors and teacher explain that in the following class, the class will narrow down this list of issues by looking at information about the issues and using two important criteria to decide which topics are significant and attainable. Mentors and teacher ask if any students have any ideas about what these mean. Write any responses on the board. Mentors and teacher write sample definition on the board.

 For middle school students, Mentors should give examples of various issues which are significant to them (ex. They care about safe schools because they attended a school where several of their friends got hurt. This is important to them personally and to others who attend similar schools.) ______ Mentors and teacher should lead brief discussion in why it is important that we think about an issue that is significant not just to us personally but to us as a class and to others.

 For middle school students, Mentors should give examples of something attainable to them (ex. They can create a student group at their college because it takes 10 people and one teacher to start it and they have 10 friends who have expressed interest and a teacher who will offer support.) ______Exit ticket Day 1: Write down one of the issues you heard someone else mention today that you think is both significant and attainable and explain why in two sentences.

Before Day 2, Mentors should conduct basic research on the top issues, including current action being taken on the issues, and possible ways the students can lend their support.

Narrowing Issues (Day 2) LESSON (40 minutes)

1. Do Now (Day 2) Have students write down as many issues as they can remember from the discussion in the previous class.

2. Review Issues from Previous Class: Mentors and teacher should review the previous class with students, going over the main issues that the students selected. Mentors and teacher should ask students to review what they remember about definitions of Significant and Attainable. Students should write these on the Narrowing our Issue page of their Handbook.

3. Introduce Criteria: Mentors and teacher explain that the class must narrow down the issues to four or five that will be voted on in the next step. Mentors and teachers explain that today class will use the criteria of Significance and Actionable to narrow down their potential issues. Students will use some initial research to determine this.

4. Analysis of Initial Research: Mentors and teacher explain that the material we will look at next was gathered as some basic research to help us make decisions based on the initial subjects of interest we heard students talk and write about so far.  Mentors and teacher group students into small groups and pass out information or videos on one potential focus issue to each group. Groups should elect a Reporter.  In their Handbook, students should take notes about the reading to pull out what might make this issue “significant” and “attainable”  Mentors and teachers should call on the Reporter to explain what issue the group was reading about and what made this issue significant and attainable.

5. Discuss Narrowing Issues: Mentors and teacher facilitate a discussion on the issues mentioned, and which ones are significant and attainable. Probe students and challenge them to consider how a seemingly impractical or greatly significant issue can be broken down in smaller parts that can be tackled as a class.  Mentors and teacher encourage students to think about how they can make a difference on the issues mentioned.  Mentors and teacher will continue this process of probing discussion and hand-raising until the list of issues is narrowed down to four or five.

6. Vote on the Significant and Attainable Issues  Mentors and teacher read through each issue mentioned, asking students to raise their hand for those that they think are both significant and attainable. Mentors and teacher should attempt to generate the top 4-5 issues that the class cares about. ______

CONCLUSION (10 minutes) 7. Mentors should preview next lesson. ______8. Exit Ticket Day 2: Rank your top three choices for our focus issue. For your first choice, write 1 sentence about why you want to take action on this issue?

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Critical Analysis Rubric: Use the Critical Analysis Rubric to assess students as they determine which issues are significant and attainable.

STATE STANDARDS xxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.3  RH.6-8.5

OVERVIEW NOTES: Mentors and teachers should The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand different focus on coming to a styles/methods of voting and decide upon their focus issue for the semester. decision and framing that Additionally, this lesson will offer many teachable moments as students decision for students in this discuss issues that matter to them. It will be important for Mentors and lesson. They should have a teachers to remain sensitive to these issues and validate the way they feel. strong sense of what different topics from Recommended number of class periods: 1-2 Narrowing the Issues might be good choices while still letting student voice be a PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED main driving factor in the Civic Skills, Civic Motivation Persuasive Speaking decision.

KEY QUESTIONS  Is there a “most effective” or “most ideal” voting method?  What makes an issue important enough for a person to do something about it?  How does the democratic decision-making process ensure that the voice of individuals is adequately represented? OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Describe different types of voting techniques  Use one technique to vote on the class’ focus issue.  Analyze how their own perspective about an issue is shaped by their unique life experiences  Reflect on the fact that democratic decision processes involve compromise; not all individuals are happy with the final decision

MATERIALS

 Student Handbooks

 “Ballots for Voting” handout, one ballot per student

 Post-it notes for feedback (a few for each student)

 One large poster-size paper for each focus issue option, set up with as a graphic organizer with the following format. Each focus issue will be on a separate poster

OPTION 1: (insert possible option here) Relevance: Potential Action Challenges: Why would this issue Plan: What challenges can be important to What could we do we expect? address? about the issue?

WORD OF THE DAY  Representative Democracy

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teachers need to discuss which options from the Narrowing the Issue lesson are NOT acceptable choices and decide how to frame this for students in an appropriate way. This is especially important for middle school. ______2. For middle school students, Mentors and teacher should decide whether they will have students decide on a voting method as a class or whether Mentors and teacher should predetermine this.

3. Mentors and teacher should first review any parts of Classroom Contract which are relevant for discussion and decision making.

4. Mentors and teacher should prepare one large poster-size paper for each focus issue option from the previous step, set up with as a graphic organizer in the format shown above. Each focus issue will be on a separate poster.

5. Mentors and teacher should prepare voting ballots.

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes)

1. Do Now xxxx

2. Introduce Lesson Mentors and teacher tell the class that they will select their focus issue in this class. Before deciding on the issue, the class will talk about how to make group decisions and talk about the different ways that governments in different countries around the world decide policies.

3. Review of Previous Lesson Discuss the information that was brought up in the last class with regard to the focus issues. 4. Mentors and teacher should describe methods of decision-making voting (direct democracy vs. representative democracy) and lead students in brief discussion of pros/cons of different voting processes. Potential questions include:

-Why would it be efficient to choose ___system?

-What problems might occur if you chose ____ system?

5. Optional: To check for understanding, Mentors and teacher ask students to identify the use of government in their lives. Use the guiding questions: “If this classroom were a government who do you think holds the power? Who makes the decisions and rules? What about our city government? Who is in charge? Who holds the power to make decisions and laws?” (Answers: teachers, principal, mayor, city council, etc.)

LESSON (35 minutes)

a.i.1. (Optional for middle school) Choosing a Voting Method (10 minutes)

 Mentors and teacher explain that the class is going to be voting on which issue the class is going to be focusing on this semester, so it is important that students think about how we want to vote on the focus issue.  Mentors and teacher explain that the class needs to come to a consensus about which method of voting will be used to decide on the focus issue. Mentors and teacher should first review any parts of Classroom Contract that are relevant for discussion and decision making.

 Mentors and teacher should guide the students to selecting the democratic method, so that every student should get one vote. There should be a determination about what ratio is necessary for a decision and what process of elimination will be used.

It is also preferable that this be a silent vote, so that students do not feel pressured by their peers.

a.i.2. Thinking Through the Issues

Before actually voting on an issue, Mentors and teacher instruct the students look around the room at the prepared giant graphic organizers for each of the different focus issue options. As a class, students will work in small groups (preferably heterogeneously grouped) and rotate around the room to think through the following:

 Why would this issue be important to address?

 What could we do about the issue?

 What challenges would we encounter?

 Can we do something meaningful on this issue in one semester?

3. Around the Room Activity

 Once groups have been formed, give students 3-5 minutes for each option that is around the room. Students may offer a new idea or using a post-it, they can offer feedback (comments or questions) to something that has already been written. This can include:

o I think this focus issue is appropriate because …

o I really care about this focus issue because…

o I think we could take action on this focus issue by…

o I think this focus issue is significant because…  When students have completed “Around the Room” activity, Mentors and teacher go to each poster and read the main arguments and ideas that were written for all students to hear.

We recommend this as a place to break this step into multiple days.

Optional Exit Ticket Day 1:

a) Direct Democracy ___those voting might be intimidated b) Representative Democracy ___may take a long time c) Open Vote ___ others may not know your vote d) Silent Vote ___ you must trust your representative

4. Student Lobbying

 Mentors and teacher give any volunteer students an opportunity to voice their support for a specific issue they feel strongly about. They can address their peers and attempt to convince them to vote for an issue.

5. Issue Selection

 Upon completion, students will vote to select their focus issue

 Mentors and teacher guide students to vote via the previously determined method.

 Mentors and teacher announce the issue that students will focus on ______.

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 6. Reflection on the Process Mentors and teacher frame the decision making process and focus issue choice  Optional: Start by having students write silently for a few minutes about their feelings on the voting process and decision.  Mentors and teacher guide a discussion about the process of making a group decision o How did you feel about the process? o How do you feel about the selected issue? o What difference did it make that we got to make up our own voting method? o What are your thoughts about how we can work together to move forward even if this was not the initial issue you wanted to work on?  Mentors and teacher give examples/explanation of how democratic decisions are hard to make o In a Presidential election, usually at least 45-48% of the entire population votes for the losing candidate

7. Mentors should preview next lesson to get students energized for action plan. Mentors and teacher emphasize that soon we will be breaking into teams and working on different aspects of this Issue so there will be many opportunities for students to get involved in the way that interests them the most. ______

8. Exit Ticket Day 2: Finish the following statements with complete sentences. When I think about our Focus issue, one thing I am excited about is ______and one thing that I have a question about is ______.

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket (Day 1 and 2)  Oral Persuasive Communication Rubric: Use the Oral Persuasive Communication rubric during class to assess how students lobby for their issues and which they wish to pursue.

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.3  WHST.6-8.4  SL.6-12.1a-d

VOTING BALLOTS

Focus issue: Focus issue: Focus issue: Focus issue: Focus issue: Focus issue:

Focus issue: Focus issue: Focus issue:

Focus issue: Focus issue: Focus issue: OVERVIEW NOTES: Some students may already Students review the basic concepts of the American governmental system, be more familiar with how the especially as it relates to taking action on their selected focus issue. Before American governmental students get involved in an issue, it is important to know how to work within system works. This step can our country’s system. The basics of government and how government is be tailored or left out structured are key to students understand who they can realistically target. depending on how much knowledge students already Recommended number of class periods: 1-2 have about the process.

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration Civic Motivation Critical Analysis

KEY QUESTIONS  Why is the American governmental system structured the way that it is? Does it allow for sufficient citizen input? CURRENT EVENTS  How can individuals participate in the political process? CONNECTIONS:  What are the advantages of a representative democracy? What are its limitations?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Explain the meaning of “representative democracy”  Identify the three branches of government, and their roles in the governmental system  Identify how American individuals can participate in the process at a local and federal level HANDBOOK PAGES:  Critically reason why the American government is set up the way that it  “Three Branches of is Government, Separation of Powers, and Checks and MATERIALS Balances”. (p. #)  Student Handbooks  Photos (printed or PowerPoint) of political figures (available on the GC internal website)

WORD OF THE DAY  Executive  Legislative  Judicial PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should talk about how much government knowledge students already have. ______

2. Mentors should start to do research on the focus issue that students have selected, and ensure that the lesson relates to this Issue. ______

3. Mentors and teachers should discuss whether they want to do the lesson for Middle School students at the local or national level. ______4. Mentors should obtain and print (or power-point) photos of the local political figures: the school principal, the mayor, the governor, the two U.S. senators, the local Congressional representative, a member of the Supreme Court, the president (available on the GC internal website).

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “Do you think the way that the American government is set up for individuals to make a difference in the process? Why or why not?  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Review Step 6:  Mentors and teacher should review step 6, in which students chose the issue they are going to focus on for the rest of the semester. Students should be encouraged to review the reasons that they chose the issue.

 Mentors and teacher should explain that in order for students to take effective action, they need to understand how the governmental process works, and how they can have a say in issues they care about. In step 7, students will learn about how the governmental system, and how they can use their voices to make a difference.

LESSON (30 minutes) a.i.3. Understanding the Three Branches of Government: Briefly overview the three branches of government and the roles of each branch. Refer to the Handbook for the handout on, “Three Branches of Government, Separation of Powers, and Checks and Balances.”  Mentors and teacher go over each of the three branches with the class

 Mentors and teacher ask students to refer back to their Do‐Now

in their Handbooks about “If you were in charge of ______” from Step 5 and ask for student examples of how their ideas corresponded with different branches  Mentors and teacher ask students to reflect upon which branches of government they think their focus issue corresponds with (there may be more than one) a.i.4. Government on a National Level (alternatively, this can be played with Government on a Local Level, see below)  Note: Students should write down correct answers as they go in their Handbooks on the page for Identifying Political Figures.  Mentors and teacher put pictures of the following people on the board: the two U.S. senators, the local Congressional representative, a member of the Supreme Court, the President.  Mentors and teacher say that on the board there are various political leaders representing different branches and levels of government. For Middle School students, Mentors and teacher should write “Executive”, “Legislative” and “Judicial” on the board as well as the words “US Senator, Local Congressional Representative, member of the Supreme Court, and the President”.  Split the class into two teams.  Mentors and teacher instructs the first team to collaborate and determine which picture shows the President.  If the team selects the correct photograph, they earn 1 point, and have the opportunity to win a second by naming the President and third point by describing some of his roles and responsibilities as defined in the constitution.  If they do not complete the task, the second team as the opportunity to win the point.  If the team selects an incorrect photograph, the second team has the opportunity to select the correct photograph and win the point  As a way to review the branches of government, after each figure has been identified and explained, the mentors and teacher whole class what, if any, branch of government s/he is affiliated with.  Repeat the above steps for each Political office.  The team with the most points wins. a.i.5. Government on a Local Level (alternatively, this can be played with Government on a National Level, see above)  Mentors and teacher will review with students that in addition to more national figures (President, Senators, etc), local officials exist, enabling students to focus their efforts on individuals that live in their communities. Note: for Middle School, this is particularly important as they focus on change at a local level.  Mentors and teacher should go over the Branches of Government on a state and city level, including: o Executive: Governor (state) and Mayor (city) o Legislative: State Representative and State Senator (state) and City Councilperson (city) o Judicial: State Supreme Court (state) and District Court (city/smaller parts of the state)  The same game can be played to identify local public officials; for their action plan, it is probably even more important that students can identify local public officials.

NOTE: This step can be extended to two lessons to allow sufficient time to cover both the three branches of government and the identification of national and local politicians.

CONCLUSION (10 minutes) a.i.6. Tying it together: Mentors and teacher writes the following prompt on the board: “What branch of government do you think we should focus our efforts on? Why? Which public officials do you think have the power to make a change on their issue?” Have students respond to this prompt in their Handbook.

a.i.7. After students reflect, have them share their answers with the group. What did they learn about the three branches of government? How is it relevant to their lives, and specifically, their focus issue?

a.i.8. Mentors preview next lesson: ______a.i.9. Exit Ticket: Which branch of the government: Declares whether laws are constitutional? ______Can change laws or initiate a constitutional amendment?______

Write the name, title, and branch of government of one public official you learned about today Name:______Title:______Branch:______

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Group Collaboration Rubric and Persuasive Oral Communication Rubric Have students pull out one or both rubrics from their Handbooks and evaluate their ability to communicate their thoughts and their performance in the group work time during the branches of government game.

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.3  RH.6-8.4  RH.6-8.5  RH.6-8.7

OVERVIEW NOTES: Students to learn and discuss historical movements for change. Students will learn about previous efforts, the time it takes to enact change, and how assessing root causes is essential to any successful movements.

Recommended number of class periods: 1-2 PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration CURRENT EVENTS Civic Motivation Critical Analysis CONNECTIONS: KEY QUESTIONS  What are some of the key aspects that successful social movements have in common?  Why does social and policy change take so much time?  What is it important to look at the root causes of a problem?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Identify the traits of successful social movements HANDBOOK PAGES:  Explain the term “root cause” and how that relates to their focus issue  Notes on Greensboro  Relate to the efforts of other youth to effect change Sit-ins (p.#)  Reflect on the challenges of engaging in grassroots advocacy  Analyzing examples of Youth Making Change MATERIALS (p.#)  Student Handbooks  Greensboro sit-ins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbbcjn4d1cE  Projection technology for video

WORD OF THE DAY  Grassroots DIFFERENTIATE BY LEVEL English Language Learner: PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS  1. Mentors and teacher should get the following clip set up on the Greensboro sit-ins: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xbbcjn4d1cE (ensure that the video is downloaded on a computer before class starts as many schools do not allow YouTube access) a. Ensure that projection is set up to watch this on a TV or screen Below Grade Level Learner: 2. Mentors and teacher should also pull 4-5 articles from the GC online  library of Youth Making Change. www.generationcitizen.weebly.com ______

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) Advanced Learner:  a.i.1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “What are some historical examples you can think of when youth have brought about change? Do you think it was easy? How long do you think it takes to bring about real change? Special Education After students have written down their answers, invite two to three  Modifications: students share answers.  a.i.2. Review Previous Lesson ______

3. Introduce Lesson:  Mentors and teacher should tell students that the class will focus on times in history, and in the present, when students have successfully engaged in projects that have produced change. The goal will be to inspire the students in their current action plan, while also teaching them that change is difficult, and takes time.

LESSON (30 minutes) 4. The Greensboro Sit-Ins: Mentors and teacher should play the YouTube clip for the Greensboro Sit-Ins. This should be an inspirational clip, allowing students to realize how young people their age were able to come together to effect real change. After the video clip, the mentors and teacher should engage the class in a conversation. Some possible questions to spark the conversation include:

 Why did the students participate in the sit-ins if they were illegal? Do you think this was okay and if so, why?  Were they successful in accomplishing their goals?  What were some of the tactics they used to achieve their goals?  How did this relate to the larger Civil Rights Movement?  What can you take away from this, being young people yourselves?

We recommend this as a place to break this step into multiple days. 5. Discussion of Root Cause  Mentors and teacher should lead a discussion on the definition of a “root cause.” o Mentors and teacher ask students what their definition of “root cause” and write down any ideas on the board. o Mentors explain one way of describing definition is “an initiating cause of a causal chain which leads to an outcome or effect of interest.” o In other words: the first cause for any event. o Main thing we are concerned about with at GC is “root cause(s),” not surface-level problems (another way of putting it: we’re interested in curing the disease, not just looking at the symptoms). Question for students: Why do you think GC uses this approach? o As an example of the importance of root cause, the issue of “hunger” can be used: . One way to deal with hunger is to visit a soup kitchen: is this dealing with a root cause? . What might be a root cause of hunger that we could take action on?  Mentors and teachers ask students to discuss the question “How did the Greensboro sit-ins relate to ‘root cause’?” o For example: A root cause of Civil Rights Movement related to racism and inequality: white people thinking they are superior to blacks. 6. Current Youth Movements  Mentors and teacher should separate the class into 4-6 groups  Each group should receive an article from GC online library of Youth Making Change. www.generationcitizen.weebly.com  Groups should read the article, and then answer the following questions together in their Handbooks o What is the main issue the students are tackling? o What is the root cause? o What tactics did they take? o Were they successful?  Students should then report out to the group on the analysis of their article

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 7. Class Debrief  Mentors and teacher should review the main points of the lesson: o Young people can effect change o Change takes a long time o Analyzing root causes are incredibly important towards lasting change  Mentors preview next lesson ______8. Exit Ticket: Write a two-question quiz for another student (multiple choice or true/false) about the Greensboro sit-ins. Include the correct answer and circle it.

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Written Persuasive Communication Rubric: Use the Written Persuasive Communication rubric during class to assess students in their work on writing about the Greensboro Sit-ins and current youth movements.

STATE STANDARDS  xxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS xxx check these  RH.6-8.1  RH.6-8.3  RH.6-8.4  RH.6-8.7

OVERVIEW NOTES: Mentors should familiarize The purpose of this step is for students to get a basic overview of Grassroots themselves with the process Advocacy. This step will provide the framework for the students determining their plan of action: introducing the steps they need to be successful, and of Grassroots Advocacy potential strategies they may use along the way. Students will also begin (including pre-action and creating goals and objectives to address their focus issue. This is the last step action) as well as the Action before the students ultimately start to take action. Plan Rubric prior to this step. Recommended number of class periods: 1-2

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS Civic Knowledge ASSESSED Civic Motivation Group Collaboration Critical Analysis

KEY QUESTIONS CURRENT EVENTS  Why is it essential to consider the pre-action elements before we CONNECTIONS: actually take action on issues we care about?  What are some of the pitfalls when we act before we think through important decisions? Why might it be tempting to act immediately?  How do all grassroots advocacy steps relate to each other?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Explain the concept of grassroots advocacy  Articulate the goals and objectives of their action plan  Outline the steps for researching the necessary components of their HANDBOOK PAGES: issue  Steps of Grassroots  Reflect on the challenges of engaging in grassroots advocacy Advocacy (p.#)  Action plan Research (p.#) MATERIALS  Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY  Advocacy DIFFERENTIATE BY LEVEL PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS English Language Learner: 1. Mentors and teacher should do extensive research on the issue that  the students have selected. They should review the “Action Plan Template” in their Mentor Handbooks to help determine the type of research they should be conducting: a. The background, need, constraints, and current actions being taken should all be known b. Relevant articles on the issue should be pulled out Below Grade Level Learner: ______ ______

2. Mentors and teacher should also have started to brain-storm possible ways that the students may be able to take action based on the “Specific Suggestions for Project Objectives” provided on the Advanced Learner: GC internal website under Action Planning Resources.  ______

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) Special Education 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the Modifications: board: What do you think about when you see the word “Grassroots”? Write down 2-3 words, phrases, or ideas that come to mind.

2. Review Previous Lesson ______

3. Introduce Lesson:  Mentors and teacher should remind the students that last class, they focused on other successful youth-driven movements in history and modern day. Realizing that they can make a difference, this step will focus on concrete grassroots advocacy strategies they can use to make a difference in their communities.  Mentors and teacher should explain that the examples of the last class were all “grassroots advocacy.” They should ask, “What is grassroots advocacy?” Mentors should ask students to share ideas from the Do Now and write ideas in a brainstorm manner on the board.  After students give their ideas, Mentors and teacher give the definition: o Grassroots advocacy is a form of advocacy that originates among concerned citizens, rather than being orchestrated by organizations or companies. The idea behind the term “grassroots” is that it refers to a movement that grows from the people, rather than the “grasstops”, which would be by people or organizations who already have a lot of power.

Mentors should make clear LESSON (30 minutes) here that these steps might 4. Grassroots Advocacy: seem complicated, but over  Essentials of Grassroots Advocacy Mentors and teacher explain the rest of the GC program, that with an action plan, we have “pre-action”, steps that must we will decide on our plan of occur before action is taken, and “action”. Mentors and teachers action and then work explain that the rest of the term will be dedicated to doing these through each of these steps steps together to take action on our focus issue using what we together. have learned about community, government, youth making change, and grassroots advocacy. Many of these steps appear on pages in the Handbook and are outlined in the “Steps of Grassroots Advocacy” page of their Handbook.  Pre-Action: Mentors and Teacher will explain the basics of "pre- action," and why they are important to taking effective action:

o Research: It is crucial to understand the complexities of an issue before taking action on it. o Storytelling and Messaging: In order to get others to care about an issue, it must be framed so that everyone understand how the issue pertains to their lives. (Example: One could “frame” global warming to someone from Florida by explaining how rising sea levels might eventually flood that person’s home.) o Mobilizing Others: In order for decision-makers to take action on an issue, a large mass of people must take action on the issue.

 Action: Once students engage in pre-action, then it is necessary to take action. Teacher and Mentors should review that there are three main ways to get elected officials to take action: votes, money (i.e., for their campaigns), and media. Politicians are interested in money and media primarily because those things help them reach voters and get their votes. The class will be focusing on impacting votes and media. The more voters a grassroots advocacy campaign can get on its side, the more influential it will be with politicians. The concrete ways to take action to influence votes are through: o Influencing Decision-Makers- This can occur through:  Petitions  Letter-writing/email campaigns  Phone calls to offices  Direct meetings with decision-makers o Getting media attention- This can occur through:  Opinion articles/Letters to the editor  Signs/billboards/pins/t-shirts/bracelets  Press conferences/press releases  Media attention through events (example: students are photographed and interviewed by the local newspaper when they hold a public showing of a documentary they filmed)  Rallies/protests/marches o Students should recognize that before they contact decision-makers or get media attention, every pre-action step is necessary (they must research their issue, frame the issue so that decision makers will care, and ensure that a large coalition of people care about their issue)

5. Pre-action: Starting our Research  Mentors and teacher should pass the relevant articles/research they have done around the room. They briefly explain the process of where they got this research.  Referring to the “Action Plan Research” page in the Handbook, mentors and teacher should tell students that there is certain research (pre-action) they must undertake before taking action and we are going to start that today. The categories we need: o Background o Need o Constraints o Resources Available o Resources Needed  Using the provided articles/research students should start to fill out the template under the Background section of the Action Plan Research page of the Handbook.  Mentors and teacher explain that we will continue to fill out the other sections in a later class.

We recommend this as a place to break this step into multiple days. Ex. Goals:  -Convincing school 5. Introducing Definitions of Goals and Objectives officials to give students a voice in the curriculum process Goals through a formal position on  Mentors and teacher should explain that we need to concretely the school board identify our goals and objectives before we prepare the action  -Convincing your plan. school to provide for more  Goals should answer the question, “What situation do we hope to nutritious lunch options see when our action plan is complete?”  Mentors and teachers explain that when we finalize these goals, we will use some criteria to make sure our goals are S.M.A.R.T. (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely). We will go over these in the next step. Ex. Objectives:  Mentors and teacher should explain that these goals should help  -Publishing an opinion them parse their focus issue into small, achievable pieces: they (op-ed) article in your school need goals that they can accomplish by the end of the term. or local paper  -Holding a school  Mentors and teacher should review sample goals. assembly on bullying or gang ______violence awareness ______Mentors, see the sample Objectives project objectives on the GC internal website under Action  Mentors and teacher should explain that after we set out bigger plan Resources. Your goal, we need to identify our specific objectives examples should take these  Objectives are larger steps that we can use to achieve our ideas and tailor them to the ultimate goal specific focus issue for your  Mentors and teacher should review sample objectives class. ______

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 6. Class Debrief  Mentors and teacher should go over the main points of the lesson: o Review the pre-action and action steps o Review the Background Research, Goals, and Objectives part of the action plan 7. Mentors preview the next lesson ______8. Exit Ticket: To practice setting objectives, pick one of the following goals and write 2 objectives that might fit with that goal. a. Convincing school officials to give students a place on the school board b. Holding a teen jobs fair with employers from your city

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Research page in Handbook from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation.  Critical Analysis Rubric: Use the Critical Analysis rubric during class to assess students during their research as they determine the background and need surrounding their focus issue.

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS xxx check these  RH.6-8.1  RH.6-8.3  RH.6-8.4  RH.6-8.7 Unit 3: Taking Action About Unit 3 Components:  Formulating Our Action Plan and Activist Tool: Working in Project teams  Researching Our Issue and Activist Tool: Learning from an Expert

 Storytelling and Messaging, Activist Tool: Influencing Decision Makers, and Activist Tool: Lobbying Our Issue  Mobilizing Others and Activist Tool: Effective Public Speaking

 Persuasive Writing and Activist Tool: Opinion Pieces  Getting Media Attention and Activist Tool: Social Media Main Goals: At the end of Unit 3, Students will be able to:  Explain the purpose of mobilizing others towards taking collective action on their issue

 Articulate to a variety of audiences the root causes of their issue and the goals of their action project, incorporating different persuasive techniques

 Generate a call to action and describe ways that various audiences can join their effort towards their project

 Evaluate their efforts in mobilizing others by following up with various constituents on the call to action

 Collect research from reliable sources to use in the research of their appropriate objective and Focus

 Articulate their issue in a compelling way that appeals to a wide variety of audiences

 Present their action plan to diverse audiences, including community members

 Examine which persuasive measures are most appropriate for their focus issue (i.e. petitions, letter- writing/email campaigns, opinion articles in news publications, etc.)

 Write a persuasive piece

 Explain the importance of getting media attention

 Understand how to craft a message for the media and outline a plan for bringing media attention to their focus issue

Students will have:  Created an action plan with goals, objectives and project teams  Conducted research on their focus issue and its root causes  Taken action on their focus issue through crafting a message, writing, community and media outreach, and mobilizing others Unit Summary Students use their civics knowledge and skills to create an action plan and develop goals, objectives, and project teams. The students themselves, with the help and support of the mentors, enact their plans. Students receive training on writing an effective opinion article, lobbying an elected official, mobilizing others, and crafting a message. This unit includes intensive research, reading opinion articles and position papers, and writing individual editorials.

OVERVIEW NOTES: Teachers and Mentors The purpose of this step is for students to begin to articulate their action plan. should at this point begin This is the first step of the action unit: students should start to begin to put becoming familiar with the their knowledge and skills into concrete action. By the end of the step, the Action plan Rubric which will class should have a concrete idea of what they plan to do for their action plan. be used by judges during Civics Day to assess student Recommended number of class periods: 1-2 work. This is included in the Wrapping up and Preparing PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED for Civics Day Step for Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration students and is also in the Civic Motivation Critical Analysis Mentor Handbook.

Mentors and teachers should KEY QUESTIONS also be tracking student  Why is it important to set goals that are Specific, Measurable, Goals, Objectives, and Attainable, Realistic, Timely (SMART)? associated Project teams  How are we going to ensure that we are successful, but still keep our using the appropriate charts expectations in line? in their Handbooks.  How can we make sure that every student is engaged in these efforts?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Describe the difference and relationship between goals and objectives  Create goals based on S.M.A.R.T. criteria  Create objectives to address project goals CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: MATERIALS  Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY  Specific  Measurable  Realistic  Timely HANDBOOK PAGES:  Smart Goals (p. #) PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS  Action Plan Goals & a.i.1. Mentors and teacher should continue doing research on Objectives (p. #) potential action plan background, goals, objectives, and methods, keeping in mind the semester-long timeframe. a. We strongly suggest that mentors and teacher meet before this class to review potential action plans. 2. Mentors and teacher should come up with a list of potential objectives which can be realistically carried out over the semester and can be assigned to project teams (assigned in the following Activist Tool). Specific examples of project objectives can be found on the GC internal website under Action Plan Resources. ______

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  What are some concrete ways that you think we can take action on our issue? What do you feel should be in our action plan?  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Review Previous Lesson ______

3. Introduce Lesson:  Mentors and teacher should remind the students that the last step, they focused on grassroots advocacy basics. In this class, they will start to put their ideas together to formulate an actual action plan. This action plan is what they will spend the rest of the semester implementing.

LESSON (25 minutes) 4. Continuing Research (alternatively, to save time, this can be assigned for homework, to a project team later, or completed as part of the Researching Our Issues step)  Mentors and teacher divide the class into 4-5 groups.  Students should also be instructed to take out their Handbooks and turn to the section from the last step on action plan Research  In groups, students should review the Background portion of the Research handout using resources and research provided by Mentors and teacher in the last step  Students should fill in as much of the Need, Constraints, Resources Available, and Resources Needed categories as possible as Mentors and teacher circulate throughout the room

We recommend this as a place to break this step into multiple days. 5. Review and Articulate SMART Goals o Teachers and mentor should explain S.M.A.R.T. goals: o Write the word “SMART” in all capital letters vertically on the board. Ask if any Students know the meaning of each word in the acronym. Solicit ideas and clarify if necessary. Be sure to discuss the importance of each criterion, taking care to emphasize that not only must the goal be SMART, but it must also be SMART for the semester-long timeframe.  Specific  Measurable  Attainable  Realistic  Timely  In groups, using their “Action Plan Goals & Objectives” page students should articulate 2-4 potential S.M.A.R.T. goals for the project as Mentors and teacher circulate.

6. Review and Articulate Objectives o Based on the S.M.A.R.T. goals articulated in the previous exercise, students should use the “Action Plan Goals & Objectives” page, to articulate objectives that will help them reach that bigger goal o Groups should report out as to some of their ideas. o Students should be encouraged to think of everything that will be required to achieve those ultimate goals: they will all be working together to accomplish their objectives to reach the larger goal by the end of the action project o Students should write down 3-5 objectives, and then share- out to the class

7. Bringing it all Together (15 minutes)  Mentors and students facilitate a class discussion which reviews the goals and objectives that each group has come up with: o Which goals do they think are S.M.A.R.T? Which do they want to work through throughout the semester? o Which objectives will help them to reach that goal?  Mentors and teacher should write finalized goals on the board. Students should write the finalized goals on their “Action plan Goals & Objectives” page  If time permits, teachers and Mentors can allow students to talk about which objectives they would be most interested in working on  Mentors preview next lesson: ______

CONCLUSION (15 minutes) 8. Mentors and teacher explain that the next step is to take our objectives and divide the class into project teams to address these.

9. Mandatory Exit Ticket: Write your top two choices for objectives you would like to work on and one sentence about why.

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Goals and Objectives from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation  Group Collaboration Rubric: Use the Group Collaboration rubric during class to assess students on their joint ability to establish goals and objectives

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS xxx check these  RH.6-8.3  WHST.6-8.4  WHST.6-8.5  SL.6-12.1a-d OVERVIEW NOTES: Mentors and teachers should The purpose of this step is for students to begin to articulate project teams in be tracking student Goals, order to begin dividing and addressing action plan objectives. Students will be Objectives, and associated grouped in project teams according to interest and will work collaboratively to Project teams using the achieve the class’s goals. appropriate charts in their Handbooks. Recommended number of class periods: 1-2

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Skills Group Collaboration Civic Motivation

KEY QUESTIONS CURRENT EVENTS  How can we create and work in project teams to effectively achieve CONNECTIONS: our class goals?  How can we make sure that every student is engaged in these efforts?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Analyze their goals form project groups to address different objectives  Organize project teams based on student interest, cooperative abilities, and skills  Determine individual roles within the team to best achieve the given objectives HANDBOOK PAGES:  Dividing the Work (p #) MATERIALS  Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY  Source

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should continue doing research on potential action plan background, goals, objectives, and methods, keeping in Mentors, for examples of mind the semester-long timeframe. Project Team subjects, refer a. We strongly suggest that Mentors and teacher meet before this to the GC internal website. class to review potential action plans. 2. Mentors and teacher should also map out 4-5 potential project teams (based as much as possible on student input from the previous Exit Ticket). These teams should be deliberately set up to combine a number of active students and those that talk on a less regular basis. a. If Mentors and teacher think that it would be more productive to have teams based on interest: that can be worked out after this DIFFERENTIATE initial class. BY LEVEL ______English Language Learner: ______ ______

Below Grade Level Learner: INTRODUCTION (10 minutes)  1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following questions on the board: Which of the objectives we outlined in the last step do I think I would be best at working on? Which ones are most interesting to me? 2. Introduce Lesson: Mentors and teacher should remind the students that the last step, we determined goals and objectives for our action Advanced Learner: plan. Today we will split into project teams and begin determining our  individual roles to achieve our objectives. 3. Review Previous Lesson

LESSON (30 minutes) 4. Setting Up Project Teams Mentors and teachers explain that from the Special Education Exit Ticket in the last step, they have set up some initial project teams. Modifications: They read out names and divide the class into groups according to this plan. Each group is assigned one or more objectives to accomplish.  Mentors and teachers may lead a discussion about whether anyone would like to change groups. Students should have to make a compelling case by answering why they want to move, what they would contribute differently in a different team, etc. 5. Dividing the Work Once project teams are determined, students in their groups begin to fill out the “Dividing the Work” page in their Handbooks. Mentors and teachers should guide group discussions on  Who will do exactly what in the project?  What skills do we each have on our team that will help us?  How will decisions be made? (Group vote or one person in charge?)  Will our project run more smoothly if one of us were the manager? Who would fill that role?  How will we share what we are doing in our group with other groups? 6. Sharing our Ideas Mentors and teacher ask student volunteers from each group to read the individual tasks of each group member. Mentors and teachers also ask for ideas from any groups about how they made choices about the structure of their project team (in terms of decision making, dividing work fairly, etc.).

CONCLUSION (10 minutes) 7. Mentors and teacher explain that their role will be to coordinate between groups so we can share resources, ideas, and avoid repeating our mistakes. They will also support each group in accomplishing its objectives in the pursuit of class goals. 8. Mentors preview next lesson: ______9. Exit Ticket: What will be the most fun part of your role? What will be the most difficult part of your role? ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  “Dividing the Work” page in the Handbook from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation  Group Collaboration Rubric: Use the Group Collaboration rubric during class to assess how students create and/or divide work in teams

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  SL.6-12.1a-d OVERVIEW NOTES: This is an essential component to students taking action on issues that matter Mentors will again need to to them. This will prepare students to better understand the issue their class do extensive research before will work on and the objective assigned to their project team. The depth of this class period to be able research will directly correspond to the quality of their action projects—the to guide their students in deeper the research, the more likely students will hit on the root causes of the finding their own research. issues they are trying to change. Mentors should be able to Recommended number of class periods: 2-4 recommend good starting sources of information for PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED students in each project team (with research tailored Civic Skills, Civic Motivation Critical Analysis to things that might be most relevant for each group) KEY QUESTIONS Why is it critical to conduct thorough research before taking action? Why is important to look at differing viewpoints on an issue before taking action? This can be a step that OBJECTIVES students might dread since the By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: word “research” can have  Explain why research is necessary preparation for grassroots advocacy many negative connotations.  Identify what they know and what they would like to know about the Encourage students to think potential focus issues outside the box about how they  Differentiate between reliable and unreliable sources can learn about this issue in a  Collect research from reliable sources to use in the research of their multitude of ways—in-person appropriate objective and focus issue interviews, bringing in relevant  Distinguish between different types of sources (i.e., first-hand news articles, internet interviews, articles, websites, studies, etc.) and describe the research, visiting relevant importance of having varied sources agency websites to learn the real facts behind the problem MATERIALS the students have identified.  Student Handbooks  Articles/printouts of reliable sources  Articles/printouts of unreliable sources

WORD OF THE DAY  Day 1: Reliable  Day 2: Compelling

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS a.i.1. Mentors and teachers should review available and appropriate resources for research in the school/classroom: ______CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: 2. Mentors should find several unreliable resources to bring to class for students to see examples of what NOT to look for: ______

3. Mentors and teacher should estimate where the Researching our Issue step could be split into multiple classes. Determine where in the step to stop/start and what the conclusion and introduction between lessons will look like: ______HANDBOOK PAGES:  Reliable Sources (p. #) INTRODUCTION (10 minutes)  Using Research for our 1. Mentors and teacher explain that in today’s lesson, students will be Action plan (p. #) returning to the pre-action step of Researching our Issue now that we  refer to Action plan are in our project teams. We will start by looking at some materials to Research (p. #) determine whether they are reliable sources of information to use when carrying out their action. o Mentors and teacher ask for student volunteers to define what they think the word “source” means. ______o Mentors and teacher ask class why it might be important that resources be reliable. They lead a discussion of the definitions of “bias” and “reliable.” Ask students for ideas and create a brainstorm on the board. Be sure to phrase and/or explain the following definitions in student-friendly terms.  Bias: “a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question” Examples of sources:  Reliable: People/Interviews “information that can be depended upon Newspapers and magazines with confident certainty for accuracy & honesty” Websites Youtube LESSON (40 minutes) Recognizing Reliable Sources Blogs 2. Mentors and teacher hold a discussion about reliable sources. They Books should start with an example of a statement that might be very Television different depending on the source. (ex. You hear the statement “the best way to get to Cambridge is to take the bus.”) ______Mentors and teacher then ask students whether they would believe this more coming from their classmate or someone who had never visited Boston. o Mentors and teacher distribute the “Reliable Sources” handout and pass out both reliable and unreliable sources related to the focus issue. These can be drawn in part from any previous research done from earlier steps or from the GC internal site. Mentors also need to additionally add more research for students to look at and analyze. Be sure to provide several non-examples of what a reliable source is NOT. o Mentors and teacher guide students to the Reliable Sources DIFFERENTIATE worksheet to comment about what they notice in reference to the BY LEVEL Reliable Sources handout. Each pair or group of students can write English Language Learner: about one source.   Mentors and teacher ask students to draw conclusions about the reliability or unreliability of the source.  Reporter from each group should share whether the source is reliable or not and whether it should be used for the rest of the project. o Engage students in a discussion about different types of sources and indicators of reliability (i.e., which are reliable in which Below Grade Level Learner: circumstances?) Give examples of when a resource might sometimes be reliable and sometimes not (ex. TV news channels  might sometimes be a good source but some TV talk-show channels have very strong biases).  Books, articles, newspapers, people, etc.  For “people”, discuss what characterizes a reliable person as a source vs. an unreliable source, especially as it pertains to the focus issue. Advanced Learner: We recommend this as a place to break this step into multiple  days.

LESSON (35 minutes) Using Research for Action Plan 3. Today students will take a look at the idea of how research can best be used in furthering their action plan in each project Team/objective. Mentors and teacher lead refresher discussion on Special Education the research we already started in the “Action Plan Research” page Modifications: of the Student Handbook.  4. Mentors and teacher should lead discussion of what kind of information can be compelling and useful for our action plans. Discuss definition of compelling.

 What makes something compelling? (Extreme content? Who says it? Visual vs. written?)  Are there unreliable resources that are also compelling?  Why is it important that information be both reliable and compelling for us to use it to carry out our goals?

5. Mentors and teacher ask students to break into project teams to again look at how research can be part of each group’s success as part of the action plan. Mentors and teacher pass out reliable source articles/printouts again (to different groups).

6. Mentors and teacher ask students to read sources in order to fill out their Handbook page about “Using Research for the Action Plan”. All students should also refer to Community Maps to comb for other Compelling: sources that might be helpful. 1. Evoking interest, attention, or admiration in a Mentors and teachers should guide students in interpreting this. powerfully irresistible way. (Ex: A grandmother in the community might remember a previous 2. Not able to be refuted; poster campaign that worked well because it was written in Spanish inspiring conviction. and had photos of the local community. This research helps us decide that maybe our posters should also be written in multiple languages and that we should add photo-taking to our tasks.)

7. Students take notes from resources (and should examine at least two sources).

8. After students have completed this worksheet, Mentors and teacher instruct them to partner up with someone from another project team and share their compelling information and how it will be useful. Students should add notes to their Handbook about interesting information.

CONCLUSION (15 minutes) 9. Student reporter from each group should share something that they found particularly interesting/helpful from their own sources or those from their partners. Optional: Mentors and teacher may do a preview of the Learning from an Expert step if a guest speaker will be visiting class in the future. 10. Mentors preview next lesson: ______11. Exit ticket  Day 1: What is a reliable source where you often get information? What makes it reliable?  Day 2: What research from another group do you think might be useful for your own Project Team’s objective? In your own words, tell us why do we do research before starting the Action portion of our project?

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Critical Analysis Rubric: Use the Critical Analysis rubric during class to ______

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.1  RH.6-8.7  RH.6-8.8  RH.6-8.9  WHST.6-8.1a-e  WHST.6-8.7  WHST.6-8.8  WHST.6-8.9  SL.6-8.2 OVERVIEW NOTES: The Introduction portion of The purpose of this lesson is for Students hear and learn from a guest speaker this lesson needs to be who has experience with some element of the focus issue. carried out before the guest Recommended number of class periods: 1 speaker arrives. This can happen at the beginning of PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED the period or preferably, Civic Knowledge, Civic Motivation Persuasive Speaking during the previous class meeting. KEY QUESTIONS What is expertise and how does it relate to advocacy? Why is it important to seek the advice and learn from others who have relevant experience? How can experts empower us as individual activists?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Revise and bolster their action plan using evidence from outside expert(s)  Explain how advocacy and expertise intersect  Recognize the importance of outside expertise, and become inspired by outside speakers CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Any materials required by the guest speaker for his/her presentation/workshop  Signed Media Release form, submitted to CC during first week of class  Camera or videocamera to record the visit

WORD OF THE DAY  Expert HANDBOOK PAGES: PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS  Learning from a Expert 1. Mentors and teacher work on obtaining a relevant guest speaker (p. #)  Mentors work with the teacher, the College Coordinators, and Generation Citizen staff if necessary to determine a guest speaker who could benefit the class and figure out how to go about contacting them and getting them to speak or give the class feedback. This should be based on whether the class will use Option 1 or Option 2 (noted below) ______2. Prior to this day, a student class spokesperson is chosen such that s/he may greet the guest. 3. Mentors and teacher should do the introduction portion of this lesson ahead of time (or have one project team write goals). 4. Mentors and teacher should bring camera to class

INTRODUCTION (prior to arrival of speaker) 1. Importance of Experts Mentors and teacher lead discussion of DIFFERENTIATE why hearing from external speakers is important BY LEVEL  To gain knowledge and expertise about an issue, especially English Language Learner: through asking questions and exchanging ideas   To gain the support of an influential person 2. Goals Mentors and teacher lead discussion about how the class hopes to benefit from the guest speaker (ex: to learn specific details of the focus issue, to enlist the guest speaker’s help in spreading awareness, to get the guest speaker to attend an event, etc.)  Mentors and teacher work with class to formulate 1-3 concrete Below Grade Level Learner: goals that the class hopes to achieve by the end of their time with  the Guest Speaker  Mentors and teacher elect at least one student to be responsible for each goal  Students should also each write down at least two questions Advanced Learner: associated with those goals in their Handbook on the page for  “Learning from a Expert”

LESSON Special Education 3. Introductions Modifications:  Mentors, teacher, and class spokesperson welcome guest and give brief introduction to Generation Citizen, their focus issue, and the action plan process 4. Option 1: Presentation/workshop If possible, Mentors should  Guest speaker presents prepared information or explain and run take photos of the students workshop with the guest speaker. If  Students have the opportunity to ask questions and engage in this is the case, ensure that discussion with guest speaker the speaker fills out a copy 5. Option 2: Feedback session of the media release form  Students present ideas/questions to guest speaker (located in the curriculum).  Guest speaker has opportunity to provide feedback on ideas Mentors should send photos and plans to GC staff at end of class.

CONCLUSION 6. Mentors and teacher thank the guest speaker for coming, and encourage students to follow suit  Once guest speaker leaves, Mentors and teacher facilitate a de- brief discussion with students regarding what they learned. Students can also then fill out the lower portion of the “Learning from an Expert” page in their Handbooks  Mentors and teacher should ask for a volunteer project team to write thank-you notes to the guest speaker o Mentors should send these thank-you notes guest speaker after they are written or work with Generation Citizen staff to do so. 7. Mentors preview next lesson: ______

______8. Exit Ticket: What are two things you learned from the guest speaker visit? What is one thing you still have questions about?

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Photos and/or video from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation  Oral Persuasive Communication Rubric: Use the Oral Persuasive Communication rubric during class to assess students as they ask questions and explain their action plan to the guest speaker

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.8

Consent Form for Use of Photographs and Materials

I hereby give Generation Citizen permission to use images (photographs), video, and sound of myself

(name – please print)

in any reports and publications, including an informational brochure and web site. I understand that Generation Citizen is a non-profit educational organization, and that these photographs, videos, sounds and materials will not be used for any commercial purpose. Generation Citizen will not publish the identity of any minor(s).

______signature date

______please print name OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this step is for students to learn how to frame their issue so that they can convince others to care about taking action. This step is also meant to help students craft their own effective stories as they begin to learn the art of public speaking.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration CURRENT EVENTS Civic Motivation Critical Analysis CONNECTIONS:

KEY QUESTIONS  How can we get other people to care about our issue, even if our issue does not directly affect them?  Why is it important to be an effective storyteller?  How does framing and messaging tie into mobilizing others? How is it part of pre-action in general?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: HANDBOOK PAGES:  Articulate their issue in a compelling way that appeals to a wide variety  Me, You, Us (p.#) of audiences  Tell a personal story of why they care about their specific issue  Identify the components of an effective story about their issue  Use their knowledge about framing an issue to mobilize others to care about their issue

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  YouTube clip of first seven minutes of then-Senator Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention speech http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awQkJNVsgKM  Projection equipment to show video/sound  Videocamera or camera to capture student ME, US, NOW speeches DIFFERENTIATE WORD OF THE DAY BY LEVEL  Messaging English Language Learner:  PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule.

2. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that pertain to the issue.

3. Mentors and teacher should discuss a way to monitor the progress of students mobilizing others in their community.

4. Mentors should ensure that they download a clip of Barack Obama’s 2004 Democratic National Convention speech on YouTube so that they can show in class.

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and/or teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “What have you learned from your research that you think would be interesting so far? What makes it interesting?  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Review Researching our Issue:  Mentors and teacher review the last step, in which students researched their focus issue.  Mentors and teacher explain that they will spend time in this class learning how to engage in effective messaging, which will help them frame research they have done, as well as convince decision-makers to care about their issue.

LESSON (30 minutes) 3. The Basics of Effective Messaging: Mentors and teacher should explain that there are three effective components to every message, whether it is a short conversation or a long speech. We all need to understand these three components in order to give an effective message:  ME: Students need to articulate why they care about an issue.  US: Students need to articulate why their audience (whether it is someone in their community or a decision-maker) should care along with the student.  NOW: Students need to articulate why their issue is urgent now: a call to action.

4. A Sample: Barack Obama’s 2004 Speech  Mentors and teacher should explain that the class will be watching the first seven minutes of Barack Obama’s 2004 speech at the Democratic National Convention in order to analyze how he uses “ME, US, and NOW”  Students should turn to the Me, Us, Now page in their Student Handbooks, and students should fill out the questions as the speech plays  After the speech, Mentors and teacher engage students in the following questions: o What was Obama’s purpose in telling his stories? What was he moving people to do? o What values did his story convey? o What details or images help reflect these values? o How does he use the ME, US, and NOW?

5. Practicing our Stories  Mentors and classroom teacher explain that students will now get their own opportunities to convey a message, much like that of Barack Obama.  On their worksheet, students should spend a few minutes crafting the elements of their own personal “Story and Call to Action”, which should be a two-minute message. o ME: Students should write down a few thoughts of why they care about their specific issue. This can be a personal story, statistics, or anything that they find compelling. o US: Students should write down a few thoughts on why other people should care about their issue. This can include how the issue affects the entire community socially or economically, and why we all must do something about it. o NOW: Students should write a few thoughts on why we must act on this issue now. This should include what we want people to do (students should think about their goal and objectives)  Split the class into their project groups.  Students should practice their own stories within the groups. Each student should have 2-3 minutes to practice. Other students should give feedback when they are done.  Mentors and teacher should circle around to give feedback.

6. Report Out  One student from each group should give their speech to the group. Mentors and teacher should videotape if possible.  Mentors and teacher should guide students in discussing common themes. o What do most students say is the reason for ME? o What do most students say is the reason for US? o What do most students say is the reason for NOW:

CONCLUSION (10 minutes) 7. Mentors preview next lesson: ______

______

8. Exit Ticket: What was one speech you heard that convinced you? Why did you think so?

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Persuasive Oral Communication Rubric Have students pull out one or both rubrics from their GC folders and evaluate their ability to communicate their thoughts and/or their performance in convincing others of ME, US, and NOW.  The videos, photos, or text of ME, US, and NOW speeches from this step can be saved and used as a part of your Civics Day presentation.

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  RH.6-8.6  WHST.6-8.2a-f

OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this step is for students to understand the importance of influencing legislators and other decision-makers, and to identify strategies to influence them to take action on their focus issue.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Oral Persuasive Communication Civic Skills CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: KEY QUESTIONS  What are the best ways to approach and engage decision-makers?  Why is it important to get the support of decision-makers on our focus issue?  How can we use the other lessons and skills we have learned to influence decision makers?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: HANDBOOK PAGES:  Explain the importance of influencing legislators through effective grassroots advocacy  Identify several specific ways to influence their local decision-makers  Outline a plan for how to contact the most relevant decision-makers to their focus issue in a succinct, effective manner

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY  Decision-maker PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 4.i.1. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule.

4.i.2. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that pertain to the issue.

4.i.3. Mentors and teacher should brainstorm specific actors and decision-makers that they should be targeting through their action plan, and especially individuals that have not yet been targeted. ______

4. One Mentor should prepare to play the role of a public official.

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “Which decision makers do you think we should be targeting through our action plan? Do you think that they will be responsive to us?  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Grassroots Advocacy Review Mentors and teacher review elements of grassroots advocacy o Pre-action consists of: . Researching and learning about an issue . Storytelling and Messaging . Mobilizing others o Action consists of: . Getting media attention . Influencing decision-makers 3. Mentors and teacher should explain that while we have already formulated our action-plan, in this class we will specifically focus on ways to influence the decision-makers responsible for our focus issue. Remind them that we practiced the Me, Us, Now formula before which will be helpful in this step.

LESSON (30 minutes) 4. Do They Care? . One Mentor explains to students that s/he will play the role of a political figure o Ask the students questions like: . Do you think that decision makers care about you? . Why or why not? . How can we get them to care what we think about our focus issue? . Students will pick a public figure relevant to their focus issue for the Mentor to act out; Mentor will assume this role. o For a few minutes, have students talk to Mentor in their role as a public figure while Mentor asks probing questions about why they should care.

5. Who Should We Target? . Mentors and teacher should lead the class in a discussion on which decision makers the class should target. This can include: o Principals o Politicians (think local: city council people, local representatives and senators) o Local business leaders . Mentors and teacher should also lead a discussion on why these people are decision-makers, and how we can look to influence them. For example: o Principals run a school: we can tell them, respectfully, how we think we can help them improve the school o Elected officials are elected: we can help influence the opinion of the voters that will elect them.

6. Brainstorming a Method Mentors and teacher facilitate a class brainstorm. Ask for students to suggest ways of contacting and influencing decision-makers, or legislators and guide the discussion to touch upon the following options: . Letter/email/phone campaigns . Protests, rallies . Petitions . Fundraisers . Media campaigns . Town hall meetings . Meetings with legislators o The benefits and downsides of all of these should be explored (access vs. time, which are most effective? Which are viable?) o Mentors and teacher should also ask students to consider how these steps can be part of their overall goals and objectives. o Mentors and teacher guide students to come to a consensus on one or two of these elements to take on as part of their action plan.

7. Working on our Action Plan . If time remains, students should spend the rest of their time split into project teams, working on how to incorporate influencing decision makers into their overall approach . Mentors and teacher should circle around to give feedback CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 8. Progress Check-in Mentors and teacher facilitate brief closing discussion, touching upon the following:  What did we accomplish today?  What are our next steps?  How do you think the acton plan is going? How could we improve it? 9. Mentors preview next lesson: ______10. Exit ticket:  What did we learn today?  So what? Why is this important?  Now what? How does this fit into what we’re learning?

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Persuasive Oral Communication Rubric Have students pull out one or both rubrics from their GC Folders and evaluate their ability to communicate persuasively through this assignment.

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.4 OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand how to effectively hold a meeting and lobby decision-makers. This can be a possible step in the action plan.

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Skills Oral Persuasive Communication

KEY QUESTIONS CURRENT EVENTS  What are the best strategies to use when conducting an in-person CONNECTIONS: meeting with a legislator?  Why is lobbying an important part of the legislative process?  How can everyday citizens participate in the political process?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Describe the goal, importance, and procedure of lobbying  Articulate how individuals can effectively participate in the lobbying process  Determine a concrete way to incorporate lobbying into their action plan HANDBOOK PAGES: MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Video on grassroots lobbying from YouTube (one possibility: select clips that seem best to you): http://www.youtube.com/watch? v=n_iS8I_PF4g)  Projection technology for video

WORD OF THE DAY  Lobby

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 4.i.1. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule. DIFFERENTIATE BY LEVEL 4.i.2. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that English Language Learner: pertain to the issue. 

4.i.3. Mentors and teacher should brainstorm specific actors and decision-makers that they could conduct a “lobbying meeting” with. This could include school officials and/or elected officials.

4. Download a video on grassroots lobbying off of YouTube (this is a Below Grade Level Learner: good possibility: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n_iS8I_PF4g) and  determine which section you want to show.

5. Mentors should prepare a role-play between a constituent and an elected official INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “Think of the last time you convinced someone to do something you wanted (this does not have to relate to the class). Who was it and what did you convince them to do? How did you convince them?  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Introduce Lesson: In the last lesson, students talked about influencing decision makers. In this lesson, we will talk about a specific way to do so: Lobbying decision makers in face-to-face meetings.

LESSON (30 minutes) 3. We are All Lobbyists . Based on the “Do Now” mentors and teacher should lead a discussion in which students think about how they act as lobbyists on an every-day basis. . Mentors and teacher should help to think of times in which students have convinced parents/peers/teachers to act a certain way: o For example, have students ever attempted to get parents to let them go to a party? Have they ever tried to get teachers to get them a higher grade? o These are all examples of “lobbying.” o What types of strategies did you use to do this? o Were you successful? . Mentors and teacher explain that we will use these very strategies that students use on an everyday basis to convince others to agree with them to convince decision makers to care about their issue.

4.i.4. What is Lobbying? Mentors and teacher should lead students in an interactive discussion on the definition of grassroots lobbying . Mentors and teacher should ask students how they would define ”lobbying” . Mentors and teacher should explain that we will focus on grassroots lobbying . “Grassroots lobbying involves everyday citizens influencing or persuading public officials to take a desired action, usually to pass (or defeat) legislation” . Show grassroots advocacy video clip . In this lesson, we will specifically be focusing on meeting with elected officials . Mentors and teacher should play the YouTube video on grassroots lobbying

4.i.5. Holding an Effective Meeting: Mentors role-play a meeting between a constituent and an elected official on the focus issue. The first meeting should be a “bad meeting.” The Mentor playing the constituent should:  Address the elected official informally  Not know the specifics of the problem  Not know what they are asking for  Appear frazzled - After the meeting, the Mentors should brainstorm with the students what the constituent did not do well. Then, they should lead an example of an effective meeting which should include:  Addressing the elected official formally  Using research and statistics to state the problem  Provide a concrete way that the elected official should take action  Leave behind a one-pager - After the meeting, Mentors should lead a brainstorm of what went well. Mentors should note that these are the exact same characteristics that they have talked about throughout the class: o Concrete research o Concrete ask o Demonstrating that a lot of people care about the issue o Giving them a way to follow-up

4.i.6. Practicing Lobbying . Students should be split into project teams . Each team should select someone to play a constituent and someone else to play an elected official, and have a sample meeting . After each meeting, the rest of the group should critique what went well, and what could have gone better . If time permits, each group should present in front of the whole class (if this occurs, Mentors should videotape or photograph the exchange)

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 4.i.7. Are we ready to lobby? Mentors and teacher should ask students if they feel ready to lobby. Would they like to conduct an in- person meeting? With whom? What do they need to get ready? They should figure out how to incorporate this into their action plan. 4.i.8. Mentors preview next lesson ______4.i.9. Exit Ticket: If you could meet and lobby anyone about your focus issue, who would you pick and why?

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Persuasive Oral Communication Rubric Have students pull out one or both rubrics from their GC Folders and evaluate their ability to communicate persuasively through this assignment.  Videos or photos from this lesson can be saved and used as a part of your Civics Day presentation.

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.4  WHST.6-8.5  WHST.6-8.10 OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to see themselves as assets and ambassadors to their communities, and to learn how to frame and carry out discussion with different audiences. Specifically, students will learn how and why they should mobilize other community members to care about the issue they have chosen as a class.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED CURRENT EVENTS Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration CONNECTIONS: Civic Motivation Critical Analysis

KEY QUESTIONS  What are the advantages of listening to the needs, concerns, and opinions of various community members when addressing an issue?  What are the pitfalls of not understanding different audiences?  How relevant is it to also listen to those with whom we disagree? Why?  Why do we need to mobilize a large number of people when taking action on our issue? HANDBOOK PAGES: OBJECTIVES  Groups to Mobilize (p. By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: #)  Explain the importance of getting others to care about their issue  Present their action plan to diverse audiences, including community members  Outline steps to get community support for the action plan  Mobilize others to take action on their issue  Examine which persuasive measures are most appropriate for their focus issue (i.e. petitions, letter-writing/email campaigns, opinion articles in news publications, etc.)

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY  Mobilize

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should review the action plan that students came up with in Step 10.

2. Mentors and teacher should brainstorm possible groups to approach that students may be able to mobilize. ______

3. Mentors and teacher should continue to gather relevant articles and research about the topic issue. INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “On a piece of paper, write a list of the names/titles (e.g., teacher, pastor) of every single person or group of people you communicate with regularly, or at least once a week. Also write down three people or groups of people you know are in your community but you do not communicate with regularly.”  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Review Step 10:  Mentors and teacher should review Step 10, in which students put together their action plan for the semester.  With students, Mentors and teacher should review the main goals and objectives for the plan. What are we hoping to accomplish? How?  Mentors and teacher should explain that one of the first steps to taking effective action is to mobilize members of the community.

LESSON (30 minutes) 3. Why Mobilize?  Mentors and teacher explain that each student has a vast network of people with whom they communicate, and these people can be a resource.  Referring back to their Community Maps, lead a discussion regarding importance and value of outreach and accountability to community.  Why is it important for community members to be involved with our action plan? . To gain support from more people . To demonstrate that many people care about the issue . To gain the knowledge and expertise of people in the community and enlist their help in your case . Mentors and teacher should explain that getting community members involved in our action plan is called “mobilizing.”  Mentors can also ask these questions another way to connect to previous lessons and help students be more strategic with whom they mobilize. Why would an elected official want to listen to us on this issue? How many or what types of community members would we have to mobilize in order to make sure a politician not only listened to us, but made the change we are asking for?  What benefits or drawbacks could community feedback provide? (ex. support vs. cumbersome differences of opinion)

4. Who Should we Mobilize?  Mentors and teacher separate students into their project teams.  Using their Do Now, students should brainstorm types of community members they should mobilize to care about their topic issue. This may include: o Parents o Other students o Public Officials o Religious Leaders o Siblings o Sports coaches o Other community Leaders  Students should identify the top 2-3 groups, based on which groups they think: o Would be important to show public support for their issue (i.e., Are there certain community members whose voices would be particularly powerful on this issue? Example: Former gang members if the focus issue relates to gangs.)  Mentors and teacher should bring the class together and solicit each group to provide their main community groups/members to target. Write all answers on the board.

5. How do we Mobilize?  Mentors and teacher should lead class in a discussion on how we might mobilize these members. This will include: o How can we clearly state the problem we are trying to address? (refer to research, etc) o How can we get them to care? o After they care, how can we get them involved in our action plan?  Different ways to mobilize people may include: o Having them sign a petition expressing their support for the action plan o Having them fill out a survey on their views of the topic o Showing up for a rally o Showing up at Civics Day o Training them to lobby elected officials and scheduling visits so they can do so o Inviting them to participate in a call-in to elected officials o Giving them statistics and following up to encourage them to support us on our issue o Asking them how they think they can help  As a class, students should come up with 1-2 ways in which they would like to mobilize other community members, and add it to their action plan (either as a whole or for one project team)

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 6. Next Steps: Mentors and teacher work with the class to establish a reasonable goal for each student in the class to achieve in terms of connecting to people in the community (e.g. Each student will talk to three adults about their issue, and will find one adult willing to help them).

7. Mentors preview next lesson: ______

______8. Exit Ticket: “Who are you going to mobilize? How are you going to engage them in our action plan?” Students should understand that, as homework, they must get in touch with these community contacts and report back at the beginning of next class.

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.4  WHST.6-8.2d OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn the basic elements of effective public speaking. The lesson provides students an opportunity to learn the basics of effective public speaking, while also allowing them the space and time to practice.

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration Civic Motivation Critical Analysis CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: KEY QUESTIONS  Why is being an effective public speaker an important general skill to practice?  Can public speaking be considered an art form? Why or why not?  How is public speaking used to move an audience to action?  Why is public speaking important in the context of grassroots advocacy?

OBJECTIVES HANDBOOK PAGES: By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Effective Public  Describe the tactics that effective public speakers use Speaking (p. #)  Describe why public speaking is necessary in influencing decision-  Public Speaking Dos makers and Don’ts (p. #)  Demonstrate effective public speaking techniques  Present their research in a clear and effective manner  Persuade others to care about their issue through effective and engaging speaking

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks DIFFERENTIATE WORD OF THE DAY BY LEVEL English Language Learner:  Effective  PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS

4.i.10. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule.

4.i.11. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that pertain to the issue.

4.i.12. Mentors review the “Effective Public Speaking” page. One mentor should prepare an effective speech, using the criteria, while the other should prepare an ineffective speech. These speeches should center on the focus issue. Mentors should also draw the following on the board.

PUBLIC SPEAKING PUBLIC SPEAKING “DON’Ts” “DOs"

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Mentors and teacher write the following instructions on the board:  What do you think some of the traits are of an effective speaker? Name some individuals and public figures who you think exhibit these traits. What do they do that makes them good speakers?  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students to share answers.

2. Introduce Lesson:  Mentors and teacher go over the latest steps on the action plan, and review progress. Mentors and teacher explain that they learned the components of an effective message during the Storytelling and Messaging lesson. Now they will learn some of the components of effective speechmaking.

LESSON (30 minutes) 3. Public Speaking Examples: Mentor #1 gives his/her prepared speech demonstrating ineffective public speaking. (Reference the Persuasive Oral Communication Rubric to identify possible ineffective strategies to use.) o As the Mentor delivers the non-example of Public Speaking, have Students record anything they notice in the left column, “Public Speaking Don’ts” of the table in their Handbook. o After the speech, solicit feedback on his/her speech, asking the following questions: . What did you notice? . What could s/he have done better? . Did you understand the main message of the speech? . What seemed confusing? o Mentor #2 should then deliver a brief speech that uses effective public speaking techniques. Students should repeat the same process to offer feedback in the other column of the table in their Handbook.

4. Effective Speaking Tips: o Split class into project teams. o Have each team brainstorm their own Public Speaking “Dos” in their Handbook. o After several minutes, have students turn to the “Effective Public Speaking Tips” Handbook page. In their project teams, have students review the tips and pinpoint the items that they brainstormed and see if they match up with the tips. o As a class, run through the tips quickly and ask if there are any groups that came up with ideas that are not included in the list. o Wrap up the activity by leading a discussion on why public speaking is important to their action plan. Be sure to hit on the following points: . It is not enough that students are knowledgeable about their topic—they have to effectively share that knowledge with other people. . The more effectively you can communicate your idea, the more likely you are to gain support for it. . Public speaking is something that can be used in all venues.

5. Practicing Public Speaking . In their Project teams, each student should plan a speech to give to the class . Each student should speak for 30 seconds-1 minute, following a similar trajectory/strategy that the students went over in the Storytelling and Messaging step (ME, US, NOW) . Students have 10 minutes to plan their speech . Each student should present their speech to the class: every student should speak . Mentors should videotape or photograph these speeches if possible . After each group speaks, other students should give positive feedback, and constructive criticism, based on the discussions held earlier in class

CONCLUSION (10 minutes) 6. Class Debrief Mentors and teacher should review the lesson and effective speaking techniques. Mentors and teacher should lead a discussion of how students might be able to use these techniques in their action plan. 7. Exit Ticket: Students should answer the following question in their notebook: a. Option 1: How can you use these public speaking techniques in other forms or other classes in school? Will it be important in other venues, besides your action plan? b. Option 2: What were the two most effective techniques you saw or heard about today? Why?

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Oral Persuasive Communication Rubric: Use the Oral Persuasive Communication rubric during class to assess students in their speeches. This is best assessed individually  Videos and/or photographs from this step can be saved as part of the presentation for Civics Day

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.7  WHST.6-8.8  WHST.6-8.9

Effective Public Speaking Tips

Knowing how to speak well in public is absolutely critical to making your case to other people. People are often nervous and afraid of public speaking, but it is actually a surprisingly easy skill to learn with practice. When you present your plans and proposals on Civics Day, you will use the same techniques that effective public speakers and politicians use all the time. The only difference between you and them as speakers is that they have more practice. If you get comfortable with these techniques, you’ll be well on your way to moving crowds.

Before speaking in front of an individual or group, it is essential that you know your material and your audience so that you can adjust what you are saying to match their interests and needs. Finally, it is important to practice, practice, practice!

GET ATTENTION – Begin with something that will grab the attention of your audience. This may be a startling statement, statistic, or personal story. You want to make sure that your audience is engaged from the start.

BODY LANGUAGE – More important than even the text of what you’re going to say is that you need to project confidence to your audience. First impressions are extremely important, and even before you open your mouth, your audience will decide whether they should listen to you or not. Maintaining GOOD POSTURE and EYE CONTACT are the two most important things that will make sure you’ll have an attentive audience.

CHANGE YOUR TONE – Inject energy into your speech. You may be talking about what you think is the most interesting and important thing in the world, but others may not agree, and those who don’t will be looking for excuses to zone out. Reading in a monotone is the definition of “boring,” and you’ll give your audience a reason to stop listening. VARY THE TONE AND PITCH of your speech every now and then. If you feel confident and passionate about the issue you’re talking about, it will come through in your tone and hopefully persuade others to feel just as passionately about the topic.

KEEP IT SIMPLE – When you are in front of a group of people, you PRESENT NO MORE THAN A HANDFUL of the most important points (maybe four or five) from your work. A speech is like a verbal summary of what you’ve done. Do not read from notes for an extended period of time, though it is quite acceptable to glance at your notes from time to time.

PERSONALIZE – If you’re making a point that is particularly meaningful or is key to convincing people, hammer it home by TELLING A SHORT STORY that illustrates what you’re saying. It helps make your speech more memorable and gives the listeners a context for why they should care. The story should have a clear, immediately understandable connection to what you’re saying – it should obvious why you’re talking about this moment in your life. Keep it quick, keep it light, and keep it on target.

PAUSE – Make sure that you are not racing through your presentation. Give your audience a little time to reflect on what you are saying. Listen to their questions and respond.

SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT/A CALL TO ACTION – Finally, leave your audience with something to think about or give them a call to action – something specific they can do that will make a difference. People remember best what you say last. You might want to summarize your main points, but make sure that your last words have an effect on your audience.

OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn how to use their knowledge and skills to produce a compelling and persuasive written piece on their focus issue.

Recommended number of class periods: 1 (with homework or 2 without)

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration Civic Motivation Critical Analysis CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: KEY QUESTIONS  Why is it important to be able to communicate through writing, as well as through speaking?  What are the components to a successful and persuasive writing piece?  What are the characteristics of effective persuasion?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: HANDBOOK PAGES:  Explain the importance of expressing themselves effectively through written work  Persuasive Writing (p. #)  Write a persuasive written piece  Letters written by 2010  Articulate the importance of being persuasive and making a successful MET Class on No Child Left argument Behind (p. #)  Articulate the possible venues for written pieces

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Optional: colored pencils or markers for students to mark articles

WORD OF THE DAY  Argument PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS b.i.1. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule.

b.i.2. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that pertain to the issue.

b.i.3. Mentors and teacher should discuss a way to monitor the progress of students mobilizing others in their community.

b.i.4. Mentors and teacher should decide whether students will do their own persuasive writing at home or in a second class.

b.i.5. Mentors and teacher should discuss where they may wish to use the written piece. This may include: letters to decision-makers, opinion articles, or the school paper. Additionally, teachers are encouraged to work with their colleagues in the English department on this portion of the curriculum. ______b.i.6. Mentors and teacher should determine if they want to use the persuasive pieces included in the Handbook or find outside articles which better match the focus issue of their class ______

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. “Do Now” Mentors and/or teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “Why is writing well and persuasively important? What do you think it means to be persuasive?”  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Review Mobilizing Others:  Mentors and teacher should review the last step, in which students learned how to mobilize others.  Mentors and teacher should say that they will spend time in this class learning how to write persuasively, a skill vital for their action plan as a means to convince others in writing, but also throughout their life in general.

LESSON (40 minutes) 3. Importance of Writing Persuasively: Mentors and teacher should lead students in a discussion about the importance of writing persuasively. Mentors and teacher should note that the majority of class has been spent figuring out how to take action, but that writing figures in everything. The question should be posed: Why is writing persuasively important?” o The following should be emphasized: . Writing is part of everything:  E-mails  Letters  Opinion articles  Speeches . It is not always possible to meet in person with decision makers, but it’s always possible to write them a letter . Writing persuasively is broadly important: it’s a main part of most jobs

4. Characteristics of Persuasive Communication: Have students refer to Persuasive Writing page in Handbook. Mentor and teacher should go over the following aspects of a persuasive written argument: . Lead: First paragraph: contains something shocking to draw the reader in. Why should the reader care about this issue? Surprise them. . The Problem: The next step is to describe the problem: what is your issue? Why is it a problem? Include statistics and other evidence that you gleaned from your research on the issue. . The Solution: You should describe what you feel should be done about the issue. . Counter-point: Anticipate potential counter-arguments that someone else might make. Write about why you disagree with these counter-arguments. . Conclusion/Call to Action: End your piece with a concrete call to action: how can the reader get involved and help today?

5. An Example of a Persuasive Piece . Mentors and teacher provide students with a sample opinion article (some are included in the Student Handbook or Mentors and teacher may choose another op-ed or piece about the focus issue) . Students should be split into Project teams . Each group should go through one opinion article and identify the different parts of the written argument they just learned . Groups should then report their analysis out to the class

Possible Break for Day 2 (or homework) 6. Trying it Out Ourselves  Mentors and teacher explain that students will now be drafting a personal piece on their own. This piece may be an opinion article, a blog entry, a letter to a member of Congress, or to your principal.  Students should use their hand-out to start the piece, and mentors and teacher should circulate around the room to help.

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 7. Tying it together: Mentors and teacher lead the class in a discussion based on the question “How do you think what you learned today will help in the rest of the action project?”

8. Mentor and teacher explain that students will either finish their writing in the following class or for homework.

9. Exit Ticket: Write the definition of a “lead” and “counterpoint” so that a student who was not in class could understand. ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Persuasive Written Communication Rubric: Use the Persuasive Written Communication rubric during class to assess students’ writing.  Completed writing from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation.

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  W.6-12.1a-e  W.6-12.2a-f OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn how to use their knowledge and skills on persuasive writing to write an op-ed or blog entry. Students will workshop the piece they began to create during the previous Persuasive Writing Step and discuss where to place the best work.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration CURRENT EVENTS Civic Motivation Critical Analysis CONNECTIONS:

KEY QUESTIONS  How have opinion articles and blogs influenced the way our society thinks about various issues?  What role do opinion articles play in a democratic dialogue?  How can you participate in this process as a young person?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: HANDBOOK PAGES:  Describe the influence of personal and opinion articles on their daily lives  Opinion Pieces (p.#)  Explain the basic components of an op-ed and blog entry, and the differences and similarities between them  Outline their own op-ed or blog entry about the focus issue

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY  Op-ed PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule.

2. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that pertain to the issue.

3. Mentors and teacher should ensure that students bring in their pieces from the Persuasive Writing lesson.

4. Mentors and teacher should discuss outlets (blogs, newspapers (including school and local papers, church bulletins, union newsletters, etc.) where they may be able to place the written article. They should also determine whether they will assign writing for homework.

______

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) 1. “Do Now” Mentors and/or teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “List all of the news/information/opinion sources that you follow regularly (or at least somewhat regularly). For instance, you may follow Teen Vogue, an online technology blog, The New York Times, a news network on television, etc. Then, choose one of these sources, and explain why you follow it. What makes it interesting? Why do you like it?”  After students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

2. Review Persuasive Writing:  Mentors and teacher should review the persuasive writing step. Specifically, mentors and teacher should make sure they review the following steps: o Lead o Problem o Solution o Counterpoint o Conclusion  Mentors and teacher should explain that in this class, students will workshop their written pieces and determine various outlets where they may be able to place their work as part of their action plan.

LESSON (30 minutes) 3. Explain Op-ed Articles and Blog Entries Draw a large Venn diagram on the board, with one circle labeled “op-ed article” and the other labeled “blog entry”  Mentors and teacher should engage the whole class in a discussion about the characteristics of each of these types of articles, guiding the students to recognize the following: o Blog is online, can be well-known and reputable or not at all o Op-ed is in print first, author usually possesses some legitimacy (i.e., they’re an expert on the issue, directly affected by it, etc.) o Both can be opinion pieces, contain links/references to other sources o Both are ways of expressing your ideas to a large audience so that you can influence the decisions that are made about a certain issue o Both can be used to get the word out about our issue, and convince decision makers that it’s an important issue that they should take action on  Specific outlets should also be mentioned. These include: o Blogs: Generation Citizen blog, education blogs, local political blogs, national political blogs, etc. o Op-eds: student paper, local paper, national papers (New York Times, USA Today, etc)

4. How to Place Pieces: Mentors and teacher, using the “Writing Opinion Pieces” page of the Handbook, should review how students can make their personal work compelling, and able to be published. Topics to emphasize include:  Why now? Why should the blog/newspaper publish this piece now? Figure out an event that makes this topic relevant now  Why You? Why should the blog/newspaper publish something by the student? Why is their opinion relevant? (Because they have relevant individual experience, etc)  Why this? Why is this article more compelling than something else written by someone else? Ensure that you have a unique take/perspective on the issue.

5. Workshopping the Personal Piece . Based on the persuasive writing that the students engaged in previously, students will engage in a work-shopping session with one other student. . Mentors and teacher should break students into pairs. . Students have 5-10 minutes to edit their peer’s lesson. When editing, they should: o Ask themselves if the piece is persuasive o Ask if it contains all the elements of persuasive writing (lead, counter-argument, etc) o Edit for writing . Students should then share their thoughts with their peers.

6. Placing the Piece . Mentors and teacher should guide the students in a conversation about where they would wish to attempt to place their pieces. . Students should decide on their own. Possibilities include: o Students combine their ideas together into one piece that they attempt to place in a local or national paper o Students can make their pieces “Letters to decision makers” and send them to decision makers that relate to their topic issue o Students can individually submit their pieces to newspapers or blogs

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) 7. Next Steps Mentors and teacher should help the students come up with concrete next steps. This should include:  Ensuring that each student completes their piece (we suggest, for a grade)  Figuring out where to place their piece

8. Optional: Mentor and teacher should explain that students must finish their written piece for homework, and that the best ones may be placed in the media. 9. Mentors preview next lesson ______10. Exit ticket: Write one pro and one con about blog pieces. Write one pro and one con about op-ed pieces.

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Persuasive Written Communication Rubric Have students pull out this from their GC folders and evaluate their ability to communicate persuasively through this assignment

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.6  WHST.6-8.2a-f OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to recognize the importance of gaining media attention for their action plan and determine which strategies they can/will employ to do so.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Knowledge Group Collaboration Civic Skills Critical Analysis CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: KEY QUESTIONS  How can media be used to bring awareness to issues?  What types of media are used to target different types of audiences?  How can media attention influence decision makers?  How can we get media attention for our issue?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Explain the importance of getting media attention HANDBOOK PAGES:  Articulate the steps for getting media on an important issue  Getting Media Attention  Understand how to craft a message for the media (p. #)  Outline a plan for bringing media attention to their focus issue

MATERIALS  Student Handbook  TV Media clip of GC http://www.abc6.com/GLOBAL/STORY.ASP? S=13641062  Media article from www.generationcitizen.org and from GC internal site library of Youth Making Change

WORD OF THE DAY  Media PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS a.i.1. Mentors and teacher should review the latest on the action plan before class, and ensure that the plan is proceeding on schedule. 2. Mentors should continue to do research on current events that pertain to the issue. 3. Mentors and teacher should discuss a way to monitor the progress of students mobilizing others in their community. ______4. Mentors and teacher should discuss different ways that the class might be able to get media attention. ______5. Mentors and teacher should pull articles from GC internal site library of Youth Making Change. They should also use clips from Generation Citizen’s own media, which is available on the GC website: (www.generationcitizen.org/news-and-press).

INTRODUCTION (15 minutes) a.i.1. Do Now Mentors and/or teacher write the following instructions on the board:  “Why do you think getting media for our issue could be important? What are ways that you think we could get media attention?”  After Students have written down their answers, invite two to three students share answers.

a.i.2. Review Messaging and Storytelling:  Mentors and teacher an earlier step, in which students learned how to tell an effective message. Mentors and teacher review how the mobilizing process is going, and if the messaging practice was helpful.  Mentors and teacher explain that they will spend time in this class learning how to obtain media attention, and will learn how this will be helpful for their action plan.

LESSON (30 minutes) a.i.3. Importance of Media Attention: Mentors and teacher should lead students in a discussion about the importance of media attention. Specifically, they should ask students why it is important to get media attention, and write ideas that students give on the board.  The following should be emphasized: o Media informs others of the importance of the problem and mobilizes them to care o Elected officials pay attention to media since the media influences whether or not people will vote for them o It’s a great way to receive attention for your hard work

a.i.4. Community Project Article Distribute the pre-selected articles about community issues.  Mentors and Teacher divide class into their project groups o 2-3 members are Readers o One member is the Scribe o One member is the Moderator  Each group reads through the article  Moderator facilitates a discussion such that groups answer the following four questions: o What issue does the article focus on? o What have individuals done to take action on the issue? o What is the significance of this issue receiving focus in the press? o Why is it important that the article received press attention?

5. Using Media for Our Focus issue: Mentors and teacher write the following two big questions on the board: o What media sources can and should we target? o How can we make our story compelling?  Mentors and teacher explain the importance of these two questions and how they work together to attract positive, significant media attention  Mentors and teacher draw a vertical line down the middle of the board o On the left, Mentors and teacher writes “Media Sources” o On the right, Mentors and teacher writes “Compelling?”  Mentors and teacher facilitate class discussion on these two questions, asking students to volunteer answers/suggestions and writing them on the board o Possibilities include: . Columnist writing about our project . Article in a church bulletin/newsletter . Local paper writing about our class . Local TV news story . School paper writes a story . Class holds press conference/issues press release

6. Strategizing to Get Media Attention  Students should settle on 2-3 media sources that they think are both viable and compelling  Students should make a plan to get these media sources. This may include: o Contacting reporters o Planning a press conference o Writing an opinion article CONCLUSION (5 minutes) b.i.7. Mentors and teacher lead brief discussion on next steps for reaching out to media sources and which project team might take the lead.

b.i.8. Exit ticket: How do you think the action plan is going? How do you think that media attention will help?

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Critical Analysis Rubric: Use the Critical Analysis rubric during class to assess students in their analysis of articles and planning for the most appropriate media to pursue

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.6

OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand how to use social networks and new media tools for grassroots advocacy.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Skills Persuasive Writing, Critical Analysis

KEY QUESTIONS How has social media changed the way our society is moved to action? How can we effectively utilize social media in our action plan?

OBJECTIVES CURRENT EVENTS By the end of this lesson, students will be able to: CONNECTIONS:  Explain the pros and cons of social networking and new media  Strategize about how to take advantage of the “pros” and avoid the “cons” of social networking and new media tools  Identify if/how they want to use social networking and new media tools in their action plan

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Tape or pushpins to hang paper If necessary, review for  Four large flipbook-size pieces of paper, with the following written in students the definitions of large print on each (or use whiteboards in the room): the terms “pro” and “con.” o Name one “pro” of social networking. o Name one “con” of social networking. o Do you have a Facebook or MySpace account? If so, how often do you use it? How about Twitter? Do you visit YouTube? If so, how often do you use it? o Have you ever been asked to support a cause/issue through a social networking tool?

WORD OF THE DAY  Social Media

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 4.i.1. Mentors should talk to teacher about access to internet/social media at school and school policies on student use. ______4.i.2. Mentors do research into relevant ways that the class’ action plan could be improved through various forms of social media (a class Twitter feed, fan page on Facebook, etc.). Mentors should particularly look at the social media used by GC and how they can make use of these existing networks to expand their reach. 4.i.3. Mentors should bring in examples of how social media has helped lead to change: revolution in Egypt, etc. 4.i.4. Mentors and teacher hang the four large pieces of flipbook paper around the room (alternatively, they can simply lead a discussion if resources are limited).

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes) 1. Do Now Every student should write a “status” (as if they were using Facebook) about how they currently feel about Generation Citizen. Mentors and teacher should facilitate a discussion about the pros/cons of posting a “status.”

2. Defining Social Media Mentors and teacher define “Social Networking” and “New Media” before students begin to walk around the room:  Social Networking: Social networking is the practice of expanding the number of one's business and social contacts by making connections through individuals. Examples include Facebook and Twitter.  New Media: Interactive digital media, such as the Internet, as opposed to traditional media such as print and television.

3. Discussing How We Use Social Media Mentors and teacher instruct students to walk around the room, writing their answers on each of the four flipbook papers.  Mentors and teacher asks students to sit down once they have written down answers on all four sheets

4. Mentors and teacher lead discussion on the following and explain that they will go over some tactics which improve social media:  What are some drawbacks/dangers of using Social Media? (ex.: Not reaching certain groups who don’t use social media, seeming unprofessional, getting negative responses that you cannot control, potentially unreliable data)

5. Mentors and teacher explain that they will go over some tactics which improve social media’s impact, starting with a conversation about the following: What are unique things about social networking and new media that could make them important to our action plan? (ex. Interactivity, ability to reach people quickly, personal connections, exciting/fun content). Mentors review the following tactics:  Always use social media as a way of starting a conversation. End every comment/post with a call for your audience to respond or do something.  Make sure you make use of the “exponential” possibilities of social media. You can reach one set of people. But the power increases exponentially if you have those people reach out to the sets of people that they know.  Have a plan for what to do if someone posts something negative in response to your content. You should have a system for removing inappropriate content. (See the “info” tab of GC’s Facebook fan page for an example of this policy.) Mentors and teacher can relate this back to lesson about Reliable Sources.

LESSON (40 minutes) 4. Using Social Media for the Focus Issue Mentors and teacher facilitate discussion in which the students offer suggestions for how they can use social networking to help their project  Mentors and teacher guide students to finalize a list of ways they can use social media in each project team (or one project team assigned to social media) o ex. making an event on Facebook, sending out a video message to friends on YouTube, creating a Twitter feed, etc.  Mentors and teacher divide the class into groups such that each group has one method to focus on  Mentors and teacher assign a moderator and reporter in each group o Moderator is responsible for ensuring that all group members are participating o Reporter is responsible for sharing with the rest of the class how their group has decided to use social media towards their objective(s)  Groups write about/create their assigned task (i.e., an event description for Facebook and list of invitees, a script of a video message, etc.) on the Social Media Strategy worksheet their student workbooks  Groups submit what they’ve completed at the end of class to be reviewed

CONCLUSION (10 minutes) a.i.5. Wrapping up: Each group should have the reporter share their groups decision for if/how they will use their social media tool to promote the class’s goals. Groups should ask for help from other groups if social media strategy.

a.i.6. Mentors preview next lesson: ______a.i.7. Exit Ticket: Name one unique benefit of using social media in our project. Name one specific challenge we will face by using social media.

ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Social media content from this lesson can be saved and used to showcase as a part of your Civics Day presentation.  Critical Analysis Rubric: Use the Critical Analysis rubric during class to assess students on their work in devising a plan to make use of the unique characteristics of social media.

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  WHST.6-8.6  WHST.6-8.4 Unit 4: Taking the Next Step

114 About Unit 4 Components:  Wrapping Up and Preparing for Civics Day  Civics Day  Reflection Main Goals: At the end of Unit 4, Students will be able to:  Confidently present their action plan  Explain how Civics Day plays a role in their action plan process  Summarize the purpose, process, and participants of Civics Day  Argue for the importance of addressing their focus issue  Discuss the experience of the action plan process  Identify strengths and challenges of working as a team on the action plan  Describe the process of grassroots advocacy and the effect it has had on them throughout the course.  Evaluate the work on their focus issue by assessing the scope and success of the project based on the initial goals outlined  Identify ways to continue the work beyond the GC class

Students will have:

 Prepared a visual and oral presentation of their work over the semester

 Presented their work to local leaders, public officials, and other teachers and students at Civics Day

 Reflected on their work in the semester and its relevance for the future

 Completed post-surveys to assess their work Unit Summary The purpose of this unit is for students to prepare for Civics Day and finalize their projects. Mentors and teachers will use this as a chance to contextualize how Civics Day is part of the process, not the conclusion of efforts on the action plan and get ALL students engaged, whether or not they will attend the event. Civics Day is an exciting and unique part of our program where student representatives from classes in each city get to present their work to other students, community members, and public officials to get feedback and celebrate their work so far. This unit is also a chance to link the GC experience with relevant ways for students to continue being civically engaged after the end of the program.

115 OVERVIEW NOTES: The purpose of this lesson is for students to prepare for Civics Day and finalize their projects. Mentors and teachers will use this as a chance to This step, unlike some contextualize how Civics Day is part of the process, not the conclusion of others, is absolutely efforts on the action plan and get ALL students engaged, whether or not they mandatory. will attend the event. Mentors and teachers need to decide ahead of time Recommended number of class periods: 1 which students will attend Civics Day as the class PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED representatives and ensure Civic Motivation, Civic Skills Oral Persuasive that they have returned Communication, parental permission forms. Group Collaboration ______

KEY QUESTIONS ______What does the process of carrying out a class action plan demonstrate about grassroots advocacy? ______What does an opportunity like Civics Day offer in a grassroots campaign? ______OBJECTIVES ______By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Confidently present their action plan  Explain how Civics Day plays a role in their action plan process  Summarize the purpose, process, and participants of Civics Day

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Any materials needed to complete Civics Day visuals (computer, posterboard, markers, photos, etc)

WORD OF THE DAY Civics Day

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher need to discuss how students will be selected for attending Civics Day and what other students will do in the meantime. ______2. Mentors and teacher review the Civics Day checklist to prepare for what needs to be completed.

CURRENT EVENTS INTRODUCTION CONNECTIONS: 1. Do Now: Mentors and teacher should write Do Now on the board: “What is one thing that you need to finish today? What is your plan?” 2. Mentors and teacher explain the upcoming Civics Day and the need to finalize presentations. Mentors and teacher should lead a

116 brief discussion about what the day’s agenda will look like and how students will participate. ______3. Mentors and teacher review the Civics Day checklist with students in terms of what they need to do today in class. 4. Mentors and teacher preview Student Handbooks for examples of excellent work to bring as part of Civics Day. They can suggest these to students and ask if students give permission for it to be used.

LESSON 5. Finishing our Presentation Mentors and teacher review the Action Plan Rubric with students and explain that this will be used by judges to look at the work from the semester. These judges are looking not necessarily for a 100% successful and complete project but rather a clear understanding of your motivations, process, teamwork, objectives, and steps towards making those a reality now or in the future. During the class today our student representatives will prepare to present our communal work while the rest of us will help them by taking the role of judges and other students that they may meet. 6. Mentors and teacher divides the class into groups as necessary to finish projects. Students can be divided by project team or according to the Project Checklist: (ex. visual presentation, student speakers, student representatives) 7. Students complete the final touches of their visuals for Civics Day (using the categories explained on the Civics Day Checklist). 8. All students in class (those attending and those not) should look through their Student Handbooks to determine which pieces are high-quality and should be displayed as part of the presentation at Civics Day to demonstrate the process of their work. 9. Preparing for Civics Day Mentors and teacher guide Student Representatives in practicing and preparing their presentation for Civics Day. Remind the students that local officials, community leaders, and media will be present at the event, so they should practice professionalism. Students should use the “talking points” on the Action Plan Rubric to think ahead about what may be asked of them. 10. Individual student speakers practice their speech in front of the class, ensuring that it is no more than one minute long. 11. Those NOT attending Civics Day play the role of practice judges and ask questions of other groups, listen to presentations, speeches, etc using the Action Plan Rubric as a guide.

CONCLUSION 12. Mentors and teacher should remind students of business-casual dress expectations for Civics Day, any logistics for meeting for travel, and behavioral expectations as representatives of Generation Citizen and their school. 13. Exit ticket (those attending): What questions or concerns do you still have about presenting your project at Civics Day? Exit ticket (those not attending): What is one question you would ask as a judge? 117 ASSESSMENT  Exit ticket  Oral Persuasive Communication Rubric (for those presenting at Civics Day: Use the Oral Persuasive Communication rubric during Civics Day to assess students’ presentations and communication about the action plan  Group Collaboration Rubric (for the whole class): Use the Group Collaboration rubric during class to assess collaboration of the group in completing the final stages of the action plan

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  xxxx

118 OVERVIEW NOTES: Mentors are expected to Civics Day is an exciting and unique part of our program where student attend Civics Day along with representatives from classes in each city get to present their work to other their students unless students, community members, and public officials to get feedback and extenuating circumstances celebrate their work so far. This should be emphasized as another step in the prevent them from doing so. process rather than a culminating “end” to the effort. They should report this to the CC at least three weeks in Recommended number of class periods: 1 advance and should plan with their teacher about how PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED he/she will manage without Civic Skills, Civic Motivation Persuasive Speaking the Mentors.

KEY QUESTIONS What can be gained from sharing ideas and projects with community members, other students, and public figures? How can information be presented to compellingly demonstrate the entire process of action planning?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Argue for the importance of addressing their focus issue  Discuss the experience of the action plan process  Identify strengths and challenges of working as a team on the action plan Mentors and/or teacher should take photographs or videos if possible to capture MATERIALS student presentations.  Visual (poster or powerpoint) Mentors should submit these  Any publicity materials to CC’s before the end of the  Photos from semester semester.  Sample Student Handbooks

WORD OF THE DAY

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS  Mentors and teacher should be clear on all logistics of travel and responsibility for bringing materials CURRENT EVENTS ______CONNECTIONS: ______

INTRODUCTION  While the exact agenda of Civics Day will be determined nearer to the date of the event, students will take part in a number of important activities:  Students will set up their visual presentations to be seen by judges  Students will be greeted by GC national staff and hear some HANDBOOK PAGES:

119 inspirational words about the work completed in all three cities  1-2 Student Speakers will speak for one minute about their project to the entire audience

LESSON  Students will present their projects to judges (local community members, other teachers, public officials, and GC staff) who will ask questions and provide feedback (as noted in the Action Plan Rubric document).  Students will have an opportunity to look at presentations from other schools and interact with these other students. They will ask questions and give feedback, especially about commonalities in their work.  Judges and GC staff will present awards to classes for excellence in the categories noted on the Action Plan Rubric.

CONCLUSION  Students will have an opportunity to discuss the process, program, and their next steps with their class and the guest adults.

ASSESSMENT  Action Plan Rubric

STATE STANDARDS  xxxx

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  xxxx

120 OVERVIEW NOTES: This is the final step in the Generation Citizen process. This is a crucial step for providing students with context for their work during the term and a chance This step, unlike some to link their GC experience with relevant ways to continue being civically others, is absolutely engaged after the end of the program. It will be important for the mandatory. mentor/teacher to be able to remind students how far they have come over the course of the year/semester. Students will also complete post-surveys.

Recommended number of class periods: 1

PROGRAM GOALS SKILLS ASSESSED Civic Motivation Critical Analysis

KEY QUESTIONS Why is it important to reflect on learning and experiences? Why is it important to apply what we learn in one situation to another? How do we do that?

OBJECTIVES By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:  Describe the process of grassroots advocacy and the effect it has had on them throughout the course  Evaluate the work on their focus issue by assessing the scope and success of the project based on the initial goals outlined  Identify ways to continue the work beyond the GC class

MATERIALS  Student Handbooks  Pre-numbered post-surveys and class roster  Any photos/videos from Civics Day to show other students  Any relevant Pipeline Project informational materials CURRENT EVENTS CONNECTIONS: WORD OF THE DAY  Reflection

PREPARATION BEFORE CLASS 1. Mentors and teacher be sure to match the Students’ post-surveys with the numbers that were assigned for the pre-survey (i.e., If John Smith received Survey #12 for the pre-survey, he should receive #12 for the post-survey as well). HANDBOOK PAGES: 2. Mentors and teacher should discuss Pipeline Project options at his/her school to suggest to students. ______3. Mentors and teacher should gather and bring any photos they took at Civics Day to share with class.

121 INTRODUCTION (30 minutes) 1. Mentors and teacher ask students who attended Civics Day to report about the experience. Other students should be encouraged to ask questions.  What was the event like?  Who did students meet? What other projects did they see?  What suggestions did they hear about the project? How can they act upon these to make their continuing efforts more effective?  What can students do next to continue work on their focus issue now that the semester is over and they’ve been given grassroots advocacy tools? Mentors and teacher should share any photos they took at the event.

2. Exit Survey (please disregard in NYC) Mentors and teacher administer survey. Remind students that they took a pre-survey before the Generation Citizen program began with their Mentor. Today they will take the post-survey to understand how they have improved their civic knowledge, civic motivation, and civic skills.  Mentors and Teacher encourage student to answer honestly, explaining the importance of evaluation. ______

LESSON (15 minutes) 3. Semester Debrief Mentors and teacher facilitate a discussion about students’ thoughts on the year/semester. One Mentor should take notes on this discussion in their Handbook to be submitted to the College Coordinator at the end of the class.  Mentors should explain that we would like to hear reflections on the Generation Citizen program as well as reflections on students’ own personal growth so that we can improve the program for the next group of students. GC is about students and so we want to make sure out program is one that students enjoy and learn from.  Emphasize that while written evaluation (the surveys) is important, oral evaluation and casual conversation can be beneficial, too.  Remind students about what they’ve learned about giving feedback, being respectful, constructive criticism, etc. Mentors should tell students that if they feel more comfortable that they are also welcome to provide written private or anonymous feedback.  Mentors and teacher ask students numerous questions in a casual conversation style about how they see their own learning over the course of the semester including, but not limited to: a..1. What did you learn? a..2. How did you change over the course of the semester? a..3. What are some things you think you could do next with the things you learned in class?  Mentors and teacher ask students numerous questions in a casual conversation style about their experience with Generation Citizen, including, but not limited to:

122 a.i.1. What did you like about Generation Citizen? a.i.2. What could be improved? a.i.3. What suggestions would you give the next class of students who start doing GC?

CONCLUSION (5 minutes) a.i.4. Mentors and teacher should talk about opportunities to continue with GC or other organizations we can connect you to through our Ambassador, After-School or Pipeline options. We would like to connect you with other groups doing even more work like this to make change on any number of different topics. a.i.5. Mentors should say good-bye and thank-you to their students. a.i.6. Exit ticket: What is piece of advice you would give to your Mentors or students who do the Generation Program in the future?

ASSESSMENT  Exit Ticket  Post-surveys

STATE STANDARDS  Type out each of the aligned standards in their entirety

COMMON CORE STANDARDS  xxxx

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