Welcome Teachers
Students Engage!
Description
Students brainstorm a list of local problems and action steps that they might take to solve these problems. After analyzing the concept of problem/solution alignment, students select a problem of their own and create an action plan to solve the problem. Ultimately, students are left with a deeper understanding of action steps they can take to address problems in their communities. This lesson follows “The Global You” and precedes Activate, but can be taught independently. For a follow up lesson, see “Up for Debate.”
Objectives
Students will be able to
- describe the ways that citizens can engage with their environment to affect political change through a brainstorming activity and the development of an action plan.
- model ways that citizens can engage with their environment to affect change by developing an action plan to solve a local problem and presenting their action plan to the class.
Lesson Prep
Step by Step
ANTICIPATE the lesson by asking “What problems in our school would you like to see changed?” Examples may include poor school lunches, safety issues, boring curriculum, lack of clubs, and early start and end times. Make a list on the board.
CREATE a list of action steps with your students that they can take to solve some of the problems on the board. Examples: letter writing, awareness campaigns, fundraising.
DISTRIBUTE the Engagement Review sheet and allow students to complete. Review orally.
** If using as a mini lesson to introduce the game Activism, stop here. You may assign the Reflection Sheet without completing the follow steps. **
DISTRIBUTE the Action Plan forms to your students. (Note that there are TWO versions of this that you can choose to use, depending on the writing abilities of your students).
REVIEW the Action Plan instructions carefully with students and allow students 20 minutes to complete.
CALL ON students to share out their “speeches.”
DISTRIBUTE the Reflection Sheet, reviewing the instructions as a class.
CLOSE the class by taking a vote on answers for questions 1-4 on the Reflection Sheet.
Recommended Sequence
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After:
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