How do average citizens solve civic problems?
In this lesson, students will learn about the rights and responsibilities they have as citizens of a democracy. Then, they will discover the many ways that they can take civic action to solve community problems.
Supporting Question #1
Supporting Question #2
Supporting Question #3
Supporting Question #1
What are my responsibilities as a citizen?
- Consider the value of a single vote
- Discover and discuss the importance of being an informed voter
- Collectively define “good citizenship” beyond voting
Supporting Question #2
In what ways can I address a civic problem?
- Learn about and practice identifying the basic parts of a problem
- Analyze different categories of civic action (spreading awareness, promoting policy change, and completing an outreach project)
- Practice prescribing different types of civic action solutions to various community problems
- Learn how to fill out a problem-solving diagram, and then collectively fill one out for the students’ chosen problem
- Consider which general type of civic action will work best for solving the students’ chosen problem
Supporting Question #3
What civic actions can I take to accomplish my goals?
- Brainstorm civic action ideas for the students’ chosen problem
- Learn more about specific civic action options
- Create a best practices guide for completing a civic action project based on the stories of other young citizens.
Discipline: Social Studies
Sub-discipline(s): Civics
Grade level: 9-12
Summative Performance Task
Description: The students will work together to create a collection of case files for different types of civic action; they will reference these case files when the time comes for them to decide which civic action(s) they will prescribe for their chosen problem.
Assessment method(s): case files (i.e. handouts)
Assessment criteria:
- Can the student correctly categorize a civic action by general “type”?
- Can the student break down a civic action into steps?
- Can the student identify the skills required for a civic action?
- Can the student identify challenges associated with a specific civic action (both in general and in relation to their personal circumstances)?
- Can the student identify personal interests that correspond to a specific action?
- Can the student identify which target audiences are most appropriate for a specific civic action and explain why.
- Can the student explain how performing this civic action would represent a fulfillment of their responsibilities as a citizen? And do the student’s answers state (or imply) an adequate definition of what it means to be a good citizen?
- Did the student do adequate internet research to be able to fill out their case files?
- Did the student correctly cite all sources used?
Taking Informed Action
Description: The students will critique and add to each other’s civic action case files.
Assessment method(s): add-on templates (i.e. handouts)
Assessment criteria:
- Can the students generate questions (clarifying and/or investigative) about a topic?
- Can the students conduct internet research to answer their own questions?
- Can the students identify areas of further research?
- Can the students check the accuracy of information (with help from internet research)?
- Can the students search for and identify articles and/or videos that are relevant to their research topic?
- Did the students correctly cite all sources used?
Types of activities featured in this lesson plan...
C3 Standards
- D2.Civ.12.9-12 Analyze how people use and challenge local, state, national, and international laws to address a variety of public issues.
- D2.Civ.14.9-12 Analyze historical, contemporary, and emerging means of changing societies, promoting the common good, and protecting rights.
- D3.3.9-12 Identify evidence that draws information directly and substantively from multiple sources to detect inconsistencies in evidence in order to revise or strengthen claims.
- D4.4.9-12 Critique the use of claims and evidence in arguments for credibility.
- D4.7.9-12 Assess options for individual and collective action to address local, regional, and global problems by engaging in self-reflection, strategy identification, and complex causal reasoning.
Interdisciplinary Connections
Give your students a more integrated educational experience
Overlapping standards and skills
- History: When debating the definition of “good” citizenship in the first section of this lesson, consider diving deeper into the unique perspectives of American immigrants from different parts of the world. Ask your students the following question: How do American immigrants from different parts of the world define citizenship, both in the past and today? This would allow you to fulfill standards related to teaching perspective-taking skills through historical lenses. You could also incorporate primary source analysis skills into such an activity.
- History: When you discuss the value of a citizen’s right to vote, you could also cover the history of suffrage movements throughout American and/or world history. In this way, you could fulfill history standards related to studying societal changes over time and exploring the perspectives of marginalized groups.
- History: When you discuss the students’ civic action options, you can also have them explore historical examples of civic action (e.g. the civil rights bus boycott, the women’s suffrage convention at Seneca Falls, the AIDS memorial quilt, or even local examples).
- Social studies: This lesson features many opportunities for you (or another teacher) to incorporate current events related to civic action. Keep an eye on news stories about local problem-solving, as well as stories related to youth civic engagement.
- English: In the second section of this lesson, the students write an essay about which type of civic action will best address their chosen problem. This activity offers an opportunity for you to collaborate with an English teacher.
- Science: Many state science standards require students to “design a solution” to some sort of scientific problem. You can fulfill such standards through this lesson by having the students examine civic action projects that directly involve scientific exploration.
Relevant lessons from other disciplines
English Lesson: What does it mean to be a researcher?
Science Lesson: Why is water important?
Part of the "Basics of Civic Action" collection
Civics Lesson: How do citizens solve problems democratically?
Civics Lesson: How do different levels of government solve problems democratically?
Civics Lesson: How will I take action to address a civic problem?