Project Citizen Level 2 Teacher's Guide (2nd Edition)

A PORTFOLIO-BASED CIVIC EDUCATION PROGRAM

TEACHER’S GUIDE LEVEL 2

Administered by the Center for Civic Education in cooperation with the National Conference of State Legislatures

We the People: Project Citizen is directed by the Center for Civic Education and funded by the U.S. Department of Education under the Education for Democracy Act approved by the United States Congress.

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT

Project Citizen Center for Civic Education 5145 Douglas Fir Road, Calabasas, CA 91302

818.591.9321 FAX 818.591.9330 www.civiced.org

Project Citizen

National Conference of State Legislatures 7700 East First Place, Denver, CO 80230 303.364.7700 FAX 303.364.7800 www.ncsl.org

© 2010 Center for Civic Education 12 11 10 01 02 03

All rights reserved. Forms in this text may be reproduced for instructional purposes. Reproduction or transmittal of this work in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, and use of this work in any form in any information storage and retrieval system is forbidden without prior written permission of the copyright holder.

ISBN 100–89818–214–X

ISBN 13978–0– 89818–214–9

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

Project Citizen Program Director

Michael G. Fischer

Curriculum Developers

Charles N. Quigley

Michael G. Fischer

Kenneth Rodriguez

Charles F. Bahmueller

Editorial Director

Mark Gage

Editor

David Hargrove

Creative Director

Mark Stritzel

Design

Big Concepts Inc.

Mark Stritzel

Teacher’s Guide Developers

Ben Bohmfalk

Michael G. Fischer

Kenneth Rodriguez

NOTE TO READERS

Dear Students, Teachers, and Parents:

We at the Center for Civic Education welcome your participation in We the People: Project Citizen, a program in civic education. We hope you will find it interesting and worthwhile.

In the words of Abraham Lincoln, we have inherited a government that is “of the people, by the people, and for the people.” Our right to participate in governing ourselves in order to protect our rights and promote our common welfare carries certain responsibilities. Among these responsibilities are the need to develop the knowledge and skills to participate intelligently and the willingness to promote liberty and justice for all people.

We believe this program will add to students’ knowledge, enhance their skills, and deepen their understanding of how we can all work together to make our communities better.

We wish you well, and we hope that you find the program a stimulating and valuable experience.

Sincerely,

Charles N. Quigley Executive Director

OVERVIEW

AFORMAT OF THE TEACHER’S GUIDE

Suggested lesson plans for Steps 1 through 6 are presented in this guide. Teachers are encouraged to follow the lesson plans to the extent that they are useful in implementing We the People: Project Citizen and to adapt the suggestions as needed.

Each lesson plan starts with the “warm-up question.” These questions are designed to draw upon students’ background knowledge about a specific topic or preview a new concept that will be presented in the lesson. Teachers may write the warm-up question on the board or project it. Students should be asked to think about the question and write their answers to it during the first five minutes of class. Teachers should then lead a discussion of student responses to the warm-up question to get students focused and engaged.

The lessons in this guide also give the teacher suggestions for a “whole class project” and “small group projects.” The teacher may elect to have the entire class work on one public policy problem, or the teacher might want students to work in groups, each selecting a different public policy problem.

Several of the program’s steps include “extension activities” and “alternative activities” to help teachers use different approaches based on students’ needs. These are optional activities that may be substituted for, or used in addition to, the activities in the suggested lesson plans.

Extension Activities

Extension activities are designed for teachers who want to go into more depth on a topic.

Alternative Activities

Alternative activities are designed for teachers to use with English language learners, special education students, and learners who are more visual than verbal. These activities may be useful for the entire class because they are more visual and interactive than some of the suggested lesson plan activities.

Have students keep a journal of their work throughout Project Citizen. Their journal should include the following:

● Answers to each warm-up question

● Notes from each lesson, including class discussions, readings, and lectures (students should have notes on each)

● Completed worksheets and graphic organizers. These may include the following:

Student Book

• Form 2Creating Public Policy and Civil Society Solutions to Community Problems

Teacher’s Guide

• Appendix C3Triggering Mechanisms

• Appendix C4Analyzing the Importance of Your Problem

• Appendix C5Project Citizen Research Prompt

• Appendix C6Research Plan

• Appendix C9Portfolio Tasks Worksheet

• Appendix C14Self-Assessment Form

• Appendix C16Analyzing Alternative Policies

• Appendix C18Our Proposed Public Policy

Appendix A

Suggestions and lesson plans from teachers who have implemented Project Citizen in their classrooms. The section contains useful and practical suggestions for planning and using the program in high school classrooms.

Appendix B

Selection of materials for conducting showcase events to rate and evaluate students’ projects.

Appendix C

Supplemental and alternative activities, charts, worksheets, and assessments mentioned in the text of this guide.

Note

All forms are available in electronic format at www.civiced.org. Forms may be reproduced for instructional purposes.

BRATIONALE AND GOALS OF PROJECT CITIZEN

Because the United States is a democratic republic, most of the decision making and other work of government is accomplished by elected and appointed representatives. It has been recognized since the founding of our nation, however, that the preservation and healthy functioning of our democracy requires that citizens play an active role in what is ultimately a system of self-government. For citizens to play such a role requires, among other things, that they

● understand their system of government;

● have the knowledge, skills, and willingness to participate to an adequate degree; and

● participate in a way that is guided by an enlightened, reasoned commitment to the fundamental values and principles of American democracy.

The principal purpose of Project Citizen is to help students improve their capacity to participate competently and responsibly in the American political system. In addition to the requirements noted above, such participation requires that citizens have the capacity to keep track of, or monitor, what their government is doing and to influence it on matters of concern to them.

Project Citizen provides a practical, first-hand approach to learning about our complex system of government and how to monitor and influence it. Students will work together to conduct research in their community to discover problems that they think their governments are not handling at all or not handling well. Then students will select a problem from among those they have identified and work cooperatively to

● conduct research on the problem,

● identify alternative solutions to the problem and weigh their advantages and disadvantages,

● propose a solution to the problem that requires government action and does not violate provisions of their state and federal constitutions, and

● propose an action plan they could use to influence the appropriate governmental agencies to consider or adopt their solution to the problem.

C PROJECT CITIZEN AND SERVICE-LEARNING

Seven best practices for school-based service-learning: 1

1Meet a recognized need in the community

Project Citizen students explore a variety of real public policy problemsor issues. As a class, they select one problem for in-depth study. Students formulate a public policy to address the problem and develop an action plan for having their policy implemented by an appropriate governing body or agency.

2Achieve curricular objectives through service-learning

Project Citizen is an ideal project for an interdisciplinary core program or for social studies, language arts, or science classes. The content and instructional approach used in the program helps ground service-learning in the core curriculum.

3Reflect throughout the service-learning experience

As students complete the various tasks involved in developing a class portfolio, they must reflect upon the nature and extent of the public policy problem they are working on, the potential of their proposed policy to solve the problem, and the impact that their proposed policy would have on the community and themselves. Project Citizen culminates with students reflecting on the entire learning experience.

4Develop student responsibility

Throughout the instructional program, students are assigned specific individual and group responsibilities that they must fulfill to complete the portfolio and prepare for the simulated hearing. Working in teams helps prepare them for taking on responsibilities associated with service-learning assignments.

5Establish community partnerships

In researching their problem and preparing policy, students contact public officials, community leaders, and business people. These contacts help develop working relationships with government agencies, community groups, and other organizations that can assist schools with their service-learning program.

6Plan ahead for service-learning

The contacts that students make during their research enables them to select service-learning assignments that are consistent with the other characteristics of effective service-learning. Servicelearning assignments will not be random and haphazard if students participate in the identification of projects they want to undertake.

7Equip students with the knowledge and skills needed for service

In addition to teaching students how to monitor and influence public policy and increasing their knowledge about their community, Project Citizen helps students develop oral and written communication skills, research skills, and interpersonal skills. Project Citizen also helps students develop civic attitudes essential for participatory citizenship.

D RESEARCH AND EVALUATION ON PROJECT CITIZEN

Research on Project Citizen, both in the United States and in other countries, has shown that students who participate in the program become skilled at monitoring public policy and participating in its development. Students are better able to communicate effectively with local authorities, gather information from a wide variety of sources, and persuade others to support their positions. Students acquire participatory skills such as identifying, contacting, and influencing public officials and attending and making presentations at meetings of governmental agencies, such as city councils. Students come to conceive of themselves as participatory citizens. They express greater confidence in their knowledge about local government and test higher on levels of political knowledge. In more than one-half of classes, students have gone beyond the requirements of the program by attempting to get their governments to implement their proposals. Many local government officials have expressed appreciation of students’ efforts and see them as partners in improving the quality of life of their communities.

INSTRUCTION

CHAPTER 1

PURPOSE

INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT CITIZEN

This chapter provides brief descriptions of five concepts that are useful in describing and understanding the American political system. It also explains the goals of Project Citizen. When students have finished this chapter, they should be able to explain the five concepts and their implications. Students should also be able to explain the goals of Project Citizen.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

What form of government does the United States have?

Complete this sentence: Under British rule, the American colonies were part of a monarchy, a form of government headed by a king or queen. Today, the United States is no longer a monarchy; it is a_________________________.

Discuss student answers to the warm-up question. Students’ answers will probably include democracy and republic and possibly other terms they will be focusing on today. Ask students to explain their answers and their definitions of these terms. Tell students that today they will be learning five concepts that can be used to describe the U.S. government.

Students read the “Purpose” section for Chapter 1 on page 1 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students.

Students read and take notes on “A. What Five Concepts Are Useful in Describing and Understanding the American Political System?” on page 2 of the student book.

● liberalism

● constitutionalism

● democracy

● republic

● federalism

Alternative Activity

Students work with a partner to understand one of the five concepts. Students may use Appendix C1, “Alternative Activity Chart__Concepts of American Government,” to write their concept down, define it, draw a picture, and give an example to represent the concept. The teacher should help students as they work in pairs. When all students have completed their term in the chart, the teacher may assign each student to a cooperative-learning group of five students, each with a different concept. Students each explain their concept, share their picture with theircooperative-lear ning group, and complete their charts with all five terms. The teacher may want to model this ac tivity for the class before students begin. You could use the term “monarchy” as an example if you want to leave all five concepts for students to complete independently. Alternatively, the teacher could complete the chart, make copies of it, cut it up, and tell students to match the concepts with their definitions and pictures after reading the material.

Discuss the five concepts with the class and clarify the meaning of each.

Students work with partners or in small groups to complete “B. Class Activity—Demonstrating Understanding of Basic Concepts and Their Implications” on page 5 of the student book. Discuss student answers when they complete the questions.

Extension Activity

Students find articles in recent newspapers that provide examples of each concept. Students use these articles to further explain the meaning of each concept. Students may discuss their findings and evaluate the degree to which the U.S. government demonstrates each of these concepts. The teacher may discuss the difference between a “pure democracy” and a “democratic republic” with students. Discussion questions may include “Should the United States use modern technologies like the Internet to create a more pure form of democracy in which citizens vote on multiple government decisions, or should we remain a republic in which elected representatives make most of those decisions for us?” Some examples of issues of interest to students include the decision to go to war and change tax laws. “Participatory democracy” and “representative democracy” may also be discussed. Discuss the idea that most Americans accept the idea that they live in a representative democracy. Therefore, they expect elected officials to take responsibility for addressing the issues and problems that face their constituencies and proposing public policies to address those issues and problems. Project Citizen teaches students about the importance of engaging with their elected officials to monitor and influence the policymaking process at every level of government. Students learn that it is not only their right to do so, but that it may be their responsibility to do so to serve their own self-interest as well as the larger needs of the community.

Students read “C. What Are the Purposes of Project Citizen?” on pages 5–7 of the student book. Discuss and clarify when students finish reading.

Students complete Form 1: Participation in Democracy on pages 9–10 of the student book. This may be done as a homework assignment. These responses should be kept until the end of the project so that students can compare their answers before and after completing Project Citizen. This may be used as a pre- and post-test to demonstrate student growth and the development of civic dispositions.

CHAPTER 2

PURPOSE

AN INTRODUCTION TO PUBLIC POLICY

This chapter provides background information that is useful in understanding the meaningof the term “public policy” and the role of public policy in local, state, and national government. When students have completed this lesson, they should be able to identify the private sphere, civil society, and government as three parts of society. Students should also be able to evaluate, take, and defend positions on which parts of society may be best suited to deal with certain problems. Finally, students should be able to explain the role of public policy in dealing with common problems of society.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

1

Warm-up question

For the following issues, do you think government should make laws regulating the matter, or should people be able to make their own decisions with no intervention from government? Why or why not? (Note: Teachers may want to substitute less controversial topics in some communities. These examples are designed to spark student interest, debate, and awareness of the fine line between public and private issues.)

a How many children a person can have

b Whether a woman can have an abortion

c Whether adults are allowed to smoke cigarettes in restaurants

d How much fat is in hamburgers sold in fast-food restaurants

e Whether parents may hit their children as a form of punishment

2

Lead a discussion of student responses to the warm-up question. Most students will agree that the first example is a private matter, although in some countries the government has regulated this. The last example is within the government’s sphere, although it was considered a private issue in eighteenthand nineteenth-century America. There will likely be debate over abortion, food, and smoking. Keep the discussion focused on the public/private

domain issue, not on students’ personal views or the ethics of abortion. Teachers may want to write the words “private” and “public” on different sides of the board, and write student responses under those headings. Abortion and smoking will likely end up between these headings, which allows the teacher to explain that one of the reasons abortion is such a controversial issue is because there is legitimate debate about whether it should be within the government’s sphere of influence or not. Emphasize that practically all Americans agree that we need government to regulate some things, but the limits on government’s power are debatable.

Alternative Activity

Take a stand on whether each issue should be a public or private matter.

a Write the words “private” and “public” on different sides of the board at the front of the classroom.

b Read an issue and tell all students to stand on the side of either “private” or “public” based on their answer to the warm-up question.

c Ask students to explain why they think the issue is a private or public matter. Discuss.

d Read the next issue. Emphasize that differing opinions and discussion are important parts of our democracy. This activity should not be viewed as a competitive debate or a divisive exercise.

Students read the “Purpose” section for Chapter 2 on page 11 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students.

Students read and take notes on “A. What Are the Private Sphere, Civil Society, and Government?” on page 12 of the student book. Discuss these and clarify after students read the text.

Students work individually or in small groups to complete “B. Class Activity—Distinguishing Among Areas or Spheres of Society” on page 13 of the student book. Answers:

Students read “C. Which Areas of Society Should Deal with Certain Problems?” on page 14 of the student book. Ask students to think about the types of problems that might cause reasonable people to have different opinions about the sphere of society that should be responsible for dealingwith them. Have students give examples of these types of problems,such as affordable housing, environmental protection, gun ownership, health care, drug and alcohol use, and homelessness.

This is a good opportunity for a brief consideration of comparative government;people in other countries have very different ideas about the role of government. For example, in most European countries, health care is widely expected to be a service the government must provide for all citizens, whereas in the United States we have a largely private health-care system.

Extension Activity

Encourage students to read the Op-Ed section of the Sunday newspaper to find examples of debates about the role of government in solving problems.Point/counterpoint columns often illustrate legitimate debate over the role ofgovernment in a specific issue. Students may also be encouraged to research the platforms of various political parties to gain insight into different political philosophies about the role of government in solving social problems.

Students work individually or in small groups to complete “D. Class Activity— Taking Positions on Which Area or Areas of Society Should Take Primary Responsibility for Dealing with Common Problems” on pages 14–15 of the student book. Some students may find a graphic organizer useful for this activity. They could write each problem under one heading or in a box labeled “private sphere,” “civil society,” or “government.” Differences among students in their responses to these questions should be respected. Student responses should be evaluated on the basis of the reasoning and evidence they give to support their positions.

Tell students that while working on Project Citizen, they will be focusing on problems that the government is responsible for dealing with. These are issues that are in the “public” rather than “private” domain. The government develops “policies,” which can be laws, rules, regulations, orders, plans, or actions to deal with these problems. Therefore, we will use the phrase “public policy” to refer to government’s responses to these types of problems.

Students read, take notes on, and discuss the three sections of “E. What Is Public Policy?” on pages 15–18 of the student book.

•Definition and function of public policy. Discuss and clarify the definition of public policy when students finish reading.

•Implementation of public policies. Discuss and clarify the four alternative ways public policy might be implemented.

•Procedural justice and the development and implementation of public policy. Discuss and clarify the meaning of the term “procedural justice,” or due process of law, its goals, and the considerations to take into account in determining whether procedures used by government are fair.

Students work individually or in small groups to complete “F. Class Activity— Applying the Definition of Public Policy” on page 19 in the student book. Answers: 1. b 2. c 3. d 4. a 5. d 6. b 7. c 8. d 9. b 10. b

Students read “G. Focusing on Public Policy Problems” on page 20 of the student book. Discuss and clarify the reasons for Project Citizen’s focus on public policy problems.

Extension Activity

Students read newspapers and cut out at least one article about a public policy issue for homework. Students could also be asked to bring in one article about an issue in the private sphere, one in civil society, and one being dealt with by government.

Extension Activity

The range of reasonable views on issues in both the public and private spheres provides an opportunity to teach students about different political parties and political views. Students may conduct online research to learn about the philosophies of some major political parties and how each party differs in its views about issues in the public and private spheres. An enlightening contrast is provided by the Libertarian and Green Party platforms,as well as the platforms of the Republican and Democratic parties. Students could complete a graphic organizer and discuss their findings in class.

Extension Activity

Students read Chapter 1 in Gerston, Larry. Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society: A Guide to Civic Engagement. Armonk, NY: M.E. Sharpe, 2002.1 The chapter provides an excellent introduction to public policy.

Students should answer these questions as they read:

1 Give three examples (of your own, not from the reading) of public issues and three examples of private issues. What is the defining difference between these types of issues?

2 Give one example of an issue that is on the border between the public and private spheres. Do you think the government should be involved in this issue?

3 Give two examples each of local, state, and national public policy issues. Which level of public policy seems most important to you? Which level do you think you could have the most effect on? Why?

4 Which model of citizenship discussed in this reading do you agree with most? Why? What do you see as your responsibilities in society based on one of these types of citizenship?

Extension Activity

You may need to teach a lesson on the levels and branches of U.S. government at this point if your students are not well aware of its fundamental structure.

Extension Activity

You may give students Appendix C2, “Public Policy Quiz,” on page 118 of this guide to assess their understanding of the definition of public policy.

Students work individually or in small groups to complete “H. Class Activity— Creating Public Policy and Civil Society Solutions to Community Problems” on page 20 of the student book. Students should use Form 2: Creating Public Policy and Civil Society Solutions to Community Problems on page 21 of the student book to complete the activity. Ask students to share their responses with their group or with the entire class.

CHAPTER 3 THE PROJECT

CITIZEN PROCESS

PURPOSE

In this chapter your students will conduct an investigation into problems that face their community. They will be focusing on problems that are most likely to require some degree of government action in order for there to be a successful resolution.

Students will follow a six-step process that will enable them to identify and study one significant problem, recommend a solution in the form of a public policy proposal, and present their research and proposal in the form of a portfolio and public hearing.

STEPS

The six steps of the Project Citizen process, which are described in this chapter, are as follows:

Identifying Problems to Be Dealt with by Public Policy

Selecting a Problem or Problems for Your Class to Study

Gathering Information on the Problem You Will Study

Developing a Portfolio to Present Your Research Presenting Your Portfolio in a Simulated Public Hearing

STEP1

IDENTIFYING PROBLEMS TO BE DEALT WITH BY PUBLIC POLICY

PURPOSE

In this step, students will identify a number of problems in their community or state that they think should be dealt with primarily by government or by government and civil society acting cooperatively. These can be problems that students might have experienced or they might be problems that students have heard discussed by others, read about in the newspaper, or learned about from radio, television, or the Internet.

Students also will learn something about each of the problems they have identified and which governmental agencies at the local, state, or national levels might be responsible for dealing with those types of problems.

The purpose of this lesson is to prepare students for Step 2, when the class or groups will select one problem to investigate further and propose a public policy solution to the problem as part of their participation in Project Citizen.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

Students read the “Purpose” for Chapter 3 on page 23 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students. 1 2 3

If you were king or queen for a day and could solve one problem in your community, what problem would you attempt to solve? Why?

Lead a discussion of student responses to the warm-up question. Start a list of problems on the board. Challenge students to defend their problems as public policy problems, based on the definition of public policy from Chapter 2 on pages 15–16 of the student book.

Students read and complete “A. Small Group Activity—Identifying Problems in Your Community Requiring Public Policy Solutions” on page 26 of the student book.

a When each small group has generated a list of problems and has selected one for further study, allow each group to share its problem with the rest of the class.

b Make a list on chart paper or on the board of the problem each group selected. This list may be useful in directing students toward appropriate problems later in the project, if necessary.

c Allow each group to explain the problem it has chosen to the rest of the class. Each group should answer the following questions about its problem while sharing its work with the class:

i What is the problem? Why do you think this is an important problem?

ii Should this problem be dealt with by government, civil society, the private sphere, or a combination of these groups? Why?

iii Is this an appropriate problem for further study? (Emphasize that students will be interviewing adults about this problem, conducting research, and may present their findings at a public hearing in front of their parents, community leaders, and other students. This is a good time to encourage students to select appropriate topics for their age group and community standards. Ask students if they would be proud to stand in front of their parents and community leaders and have a serious discussion of the problem they have selected. The teacher must use discretion and good judgment to help students select an appropriate problem.)

Extension Activity

Teachers should be sure that multiple political perspectives on controversial issues are presented to students. Invite members of organizations that represent different perspectives on each issue to speak to your class. Membersfrom local politically active organizations may be willing to talk to your students about problems they are concerned about. This can help raise student awareness of a range of problems from which to choose. Keep these presentations focused on the problems the organizations are concerned about. These organizations could be invited back or contacted by students in later parts of Project Citizen.

Appropriate politically active groups might include local chapters of political parties, environmental organizations, public land access groups, civil rights advocacy groups, gun rights and gun control groups, immigration groups, education groups, transportation groups, health care and substance abuse groups, etc.

Students should complete “B. Individual Activity—Conducting Survey Research in Your Community to Determine Public Opinion about the Problem You Have Selected” on pages 26–27 of the student book. The teacher may divide this work in a number of ways, depending on classroom environment and goals. Some suggested methods are as follows:

a Every student may be assigned to complete Section B individually by interviewing someone and completing Form 3: Interview Report Form on pages 28–30 of the student book. Students should be free to choose any problem about which to conduct interviews. After completing the interviews, students should meet in small groups during the next class period and share their findings with other students. Groups could be formed based on similar problems (all students with environmental problems together, etc.) or groups could contain students with different types of problems so they can learn about other problems before choosing one to study.

b Small groups of students who are interested in the same problem divide up the research work in Section B. Some students conduct interviews, whereas other students research online and printed

sources. Students share their findings with their group members during the next class period.

c Every student completes an interview and one other type of research (online or printed sources) about a problem of interest to them.

d Students should use Form 4: Publications and/or Websites Report Form on pages 31–33 of the student book to record information from those sources.

Students meet in small groups to complete “C. Small Group Activity— Learning More about the Problems the Class Has Identified” on page 34 of the student book. The formation of these groups will depend on the method chosen for the research in Section B, above.

Extension Activity___Newspaper Scan for Public Policy Issues

Students read recent newspapers and select articles about local or state problems that are in the realm of public policy. Students may collect and compile multiple public policy articles to demonstrate their understanding and awareness of current problems under public discussion. Alternatively, students could make posters of one article to share with the class. Students need to be conversant about what is under discussion in their communities before selecting an issue. The teacher should select a few key issues that are under debate for consideration by the entire class. Students may be given the following directions:

a Read the newspaper and select an article about a public policy problem.

b Quote the headline and include bibliographic information (source, date, author).

c State the problem in your own words. This may be as a question beginning with “Should” (e.g., “Should a new traffic light be installed on Main Street?”).

d List policy issues, questions, or solutions that are proposed in the article.

e List questions you have about the article (terms that need definition, concepts you do not understand, background knowledge you need, etc.).

f Name the level, branch, and agency of government most directly responsible for dealing with this problem.

g Rate the importance of this problem on a scale of 1–5 (1 is least important, 5 is most important).

STEP2

SELECTING A PROBLEM OR PROBLEMS FOR YOUR CLASS TO STUDY

INTRODUCTORY NOTE

In this step, students will select a problem to study that will become the central focus of their Project Citizen experience from this point forward. This is a very important step for the teacher to monitor to ensure that students select appropriate problems to study. Selecting a problem may be a quick and easy process with some classes if the students have already become interested in a small number of problems during the previous steps of Project Citizen and can reach consensus on one problem without extensive debate. In other classes this may be one of the more time-consuming steps of Project Citizen, because students debate and discuss the merits of selecting from among a wide range of problems they are interested in. The teacher must guide the class through this step by providing the level of structure the students need in their particular circumstances.

Finally, the teacher must exercise an appropriate level of control over the problems students are allowed to select for further study. Teachers may maintain veto power over student-selected problems, if necessary, in order to ensure that students study problems the teacher and the community deem appropriate for students to research in great depth. Furthermore, teachers may choose to direct students toward problems at the level of government (federal, state, local, or school) they want students to learn most about, depending on the goal they want to accomplish by using Project Citizen. A teacher could allow students a great deal of freedom in selecting problems by allowing students to research any problems that interest them. It is important to note that research has shown that students are more motivated and learn more when they are allowed to choose the problem they will work on.

PURPOSE

In this step, the entire class will discuss the problems the study groups have researched. When there is enough information to select a single problem (or for each small group to select its own problem) for further study, the students will be asked to conduct in-depth research into the problem selected. By the end of this step, students should have selected a problem that they will focus on for the remainder of their Project Citizen experience.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

Allow each group to report to the rest of the class on its problem. Each group must address the four criteria listed under “B. Selecting a Problem for the Class to Study” on page 36 of the student book. Each study group should make a recommendation for or against the class taking on the problem it has researched. Be sure it is a problem that ● should be addressed or resolved by government acting alone or by government acting in cooperation with civil society or the private sphere; 1 2 3 4

Which problem do you want to select as our class problem for Project Citizen? Write a brief statement explaining why you think this problem is the most important and appropriate problem for the class to study for the next few weeks.

Students read the “Purpose” section for Step 2 on page 35 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students.

Explain the directions for “A. Sharing Information on Community Problems and Recommending a Problem to Study” on page 36 of the student book. Students should sit with the group members with whom they researched problems in Step 1.

● is important to students and their communities;

● students can gather enough information about to develop a good project; and

● students might actually be able to address or resolve by proposing a public policy to officials of their community, state, or federal government.

After each group has explained its problem and made a recommendation for or against the class selecting its problem as the class problem for Project Citizen, the teacher should lead the class in a discussion and consensus-building activity to select one problem. It is also important that teachers do not use this process to advance their own agenda.

Step 2 provides an opportunity for students to learn about lobbying and persuasive speaking. The teacher may allow students to lobby other students to build support for the problem they want the class to select. Students who want to study different problems could berequired to conduct more research and present persuasive speeches to the class to garner support for their problem.

When the students think they are ready to make a decision, have them reach consensus on a problem for class study. Although conducting a simple majority vote is one way to do this, it may not always be the most conducive to successful completion of the project. An important goal of Project Citizen is to help students learn that in a democracy, it is not always possible to get everything you want. Learning that negotiation and compromise are vital parts of the policymaking process is underscored by conducting an open, deliberative process where each student has a chance to express his or her view and to have his or her concerns aired. If well conducted, this consensus-building process can help movethose students who are not interested in or are reluctant to undertake the Project Citizen approach to a particular problem to see its significance, and convince them to join willingly with students to work on the problem that is ultimately agreed upon.

Ideally, everyone in the class will be working on the same problem. Thus, it is very important that everyone reach some level of agreement about the problem and their willingness to participate with the rest of the class. When a group reaches consensus, it means several things. First, it means that everyone has had a chance to express his or her ideas freely. It means that there is a sharing of different opinions and different points of view about the problems being considered. No one should feel forced to make a choice because of pressure from other students or the teacher. Finally, there should be some effort to combine different ideas and opinions into the final agreement.

One method of reaching consensus is for the class to discuss various problems until several stand out and are supported by most students and opposed by few. To reach a final agreement on one problem for study, each student may be allowed to voice his or her level of support for a particular problem using the following scale: Level 3—I’m all for working on this problem; Level 2—I’m willing to provide support for work on this problem; Level 1—I’d prefer not to work on this problem. Each student indicates his or her level of support for the proposed problem by using their fingers to show a number, one through three, indicating a low (one finger) to high (three fingers) level of support for choosing the problem. This method ensures that every studenthas had an opportunity to be heard regarding the problem under discussion. If a problem does not gain widespread support at the second and third levels, it may be wise either to continue discussing the problem or to move on to another problem on which there is greater agreement.

Extension Activity

Students could also rate their problems based on Appendix C3, the “Triggering Mechanisms” chart on page 119 of this guide. See the extension activity on page 28 of this guide for a full description of triggering mechanisms. This activity provides a framework for students to analyze the importance of various problems and select a problem that is more likely to gain the attention of public policymakers.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

● students might actually be able to address or resolve by proposing a public policy to government officials in their community, state, or federal government. 1 2 3 4

What problem do you want to select for your group to study for Project Citizen? Write a brief statement explaining why you think this problem is the most important and appropriate problem for a small group within the class to study for the next few weeks.

Students read the “Purpose” section for Step 2 on page 35 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students. Clarify that students will be able to form small groups based on the problems they are interested in studying. The entire class will not be studying the same problem. Emphasize that today is the day to make a final decision about what problem students will study for the rest of Project Citizen.

Put students in small groups based on the types of problems they have been researching. Groups could form around broad topics like education, health, environment, crime, transportation, etc.

Allow each student in each group to explain his or her problem to the rest of the small group. The student should address each of the four criteria listed under “B. Selecting a Problem for the Class to Study” on page 36 of the student book. Each student should make a recommendation for or against the group’s taking on the problem he or she has researched. Be sure it is a problem that

● should be addressed or resolved by government acting alone or by government acting in cooperation with civil society or the private sphere;

● is important to the students and their community;

● students can gather enough information on to develop a good project; and

Students in each small group should select one problem for their group to focus on for Project Citizen. See the recommended methods for selecting a problem in Step 2 (this section) of the teachers guide, page 24,number five under “Suggested Lesson Plan: Whole Class Project.” The consensus-building method discussed on page 25 works well in small groups.

Extension Activity___Triggering Mechanisms

This activity provides a framework for students to analyze the importance of various problems and select a problem that is more likely to gain the attention of public policymakers. It is based on Larry Gerston’s definition of four “triggering mechanisms”— factors that help determine if a problem has enough strength to capture the attention of public policymakers or if it is a problem that is likely to be ignored by those with the power to enact public policies addressing it. Gerston points out that our public policymakers have limited time, energy, and resources to commit to solving the multitude of problems that people perceive. Therefore, policymakers prioritize the problems and implement policies to address only the most pressing of problems before them. This realization helps students select problems that are most likely to gain attention from policymakers and to avoid those that are likely to remain low on policymakers’ agendas.

Students read pages 31–41 in Public Policymaking in a Democratic Society1. Define “scope,” “intensity,” “duration,” and “resources.” If a copy of this book is unavailable, the teacher may use the following definitions of the triggering mechanisms:

● Scope

How widespread is the problem? How many people are affected by it? Problems that affect a large percentage of people in an area are more likely to gain the attention of policymakers than are problems that only affect a tiny fragment of the population.

● Intensity

How troublesome is the problem? How concerned are people about this problem? How worked up, passionate, and intense are people about this problem? Problems that people care deeply about are more likely to gain the attention of public policymakers than are problems that people are apathetic about.

● Duration

How long has this been a problem? Gerston argues that “the longer that an issue attracts the interest of an affected population, the more likely that sizable numbers of that group will demand change from public policymakers” (p. 35).

● Resources

What is at stake because of this problem? What might people gain or lose, depending on public policymakers’ responses? Resources include financial costs, personal values, ideals, and loyalties that are affected by choosing to address or ignore the problem.

To help students understand the importance of these triggering mechanisms in selecting public policy issues, discuss these issues with students and help them analyze problems using each triggering mechanism.

When students have a good working understanding of each triggering mechanism, they should rate the following examples according to each triggering mechanism, using Appendix C3, the “Triggering Mechanisms” chart on page 119 of this guide to organize their thoughts:

a racial segregation in the South in the 1950s

b terrorism in the United States before September 11, 2001

c terrorism in the United States after September 11, 2001

d abortion

e global warming

These examples help students understand that triggering mechanisms help determine whether policymakers will focus on a problem. In the case of racial segregation in the South in the 1950s, students should give very high ratings to all triggering mechanisms, indicating that the issue was ripe for policymakers to address, which eventually happened after much citizen activism. Emphasize the duration of this issue and the boiling point that was finally reached before policymakers addressed it in a serious way. In the example of terrorism before and after September 11, 2001, students should see that the intensity of an issue might be the key factor that determines its priority level for policymakers. Students should give terrorism much lower ratings to most triggering mechanisms before September 11, 2001, than after. Discuss with students the resources policymakers have devoted to fighting terrorism since 2001, compared with before the attacks. New laws have been passed, government agencies have been created, and billions of dollars have been spent on this issue after all its triggering mechanisms became highly rated. Discuss the importance of policymakers’ perceptions of citizens’ views of these triggering mechanisms. Abortion provides an example of an issue that is constantly on the public agenda and receives lots of attention from policymakers, because it is highly rated on all triggering mechanisms, especially intensity.

After studying the triggering mechanisms, students may be asked to show that the problem they want to study has high rankings for each triggering mechanism. Appendix C4, “Analyzing the Importance of Your Problem,” on pages 120–121 of this guide has been provided to assist students in demonstrating that their problem has scope, intensity, duration, and that resources are at stake, and therefore the problem is likely to gain the attention of policymakers. You may require each student to complete this chart for homework before making a final decision on which problem to study. This form gets students to think about how they can demonstrate that this problem is important enough to go forward with.

STEP3

PURPOSE

GATHERING INFORMATION ON THE PROBLEM YOU WILL STUDY

Now that the class has selected a problem or problems, students must decide where to get additional information. Students already have some information on problems in their community that they gathered in Step 1.

In this lesson, students will collect additional information on the problem or problems the class is studying. Students will use a variety of resources, including media sources, printed material, the Internet, and individuals with special knowledge related to the problem.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

Students read “A. Why It Is Important to Gather Information from a Variety of Sources” on page 38 of the student book. Discuss. 1 2 3 4

How could you find out more about the problem you selected during the last class? List five sources where you could learn more about this problem.

Discuss student answers to the warm-up question. Make a list of sources of information on the board as students answer. Ask probing questions to get students to think about specific sources of information (“the Internet” is too broad; how will you find out more about the problem on the Internet? Specific sites, searches, keywords, organizations?).

Students read the “Purpose” section for Step 3 on page 37 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students. Emphasize that the main purpose of this step is to gather facts, statistics, articles, and information from experts that will demonstrate that students have selected a serious problem that deserves the attention of policymakers.

Students read “B. Class Activity—Identifying Sources of Information” on pages 38–40 of the student book. Discuss the list of sources, adding to the list generated by the class from the warm-up question. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of each source relative to the problem the class has selected. Teachers should help students decide which types of research are most likely to yield valuable information about the problem and which sources are realistically available to their students.

Divide students into research groups. Teachers may choose to follow the guidelines in the student book under “Guidelines for Obtaining and Documenting Information” on pages 40–41. Or each group may conduct only one type of research and then report back to the class with its findings. At a minimum, a class should be divided into research groups that will focus on the following:

● Library books and magazines

● Internet sources

● Newspapers

● Professors and scholars

● Lawyers and judges

● Interest groups and other community organizations

● Legislative offices

● Administrative offices

● Other personal contacts (government officials, surveys of the public, etc.)

Teachers may decide to allow students to choose their research groups based on their individual skills and interests (e.g., students who like working on computers would join the Internet group, students who are very outgoing would join the personal contacts group, etc.). Or teachers may assign students to specific groups to enhance students’ experience in different research areas or in working with different students. Students should use Forms 5–8 on pages 42–51 of the student book to document the information they have gathered.

Alternatively, research groups may be formed around each of the triggering mechanisms described in Step 2 of this guide. Each group would be responsible for researching one triggering mechanism (scope, intensity, duration, or

resources) and reporting back to the class with evidence that proves that the class problem has a high ranking for each criterion. Each group would decide on the best methods for finding answers, and each group would likely need to do some research online, in the library, and with personal contacts.

Students prepare to conduct their research. Each individual student should have a task to complete before the next class meeting. The teacher may have each student complete Appendix C5, the “Project Citizen Research Prompt” form on page 122 of this guide. As an alternative, the teacher may ask each student to write down exactly what he or she is going to research. This will ensure that each student is individually accountable for some part of the research effort. Research groups may spend some class time preparing for their research before conducting it, interview groups should write their questions down and identify who they are going to interview, Internet groups should complete Appendix C6, the “Research Plan” form on page 123 of this guide, to identify the specific search words they will use. Internet groups can use Appendix C7, “Website Note Cards,” on page 124 of this guide to quickly gather information from a large number of websites. Students can then use Form 8: Documentation of Information from the Internet on pages 50–51 of the student book to record detailed information on the websites they eventually choose to include in their documentation binder.

Students conduct their research during allocated class time or for homework.

Extension Activities

This research phase provides a good opportunity to teach students about primary and secondary sources, fact and opinion, and the reliability of different types of resources. General research skills, Web search skills, surveys, and interviewing skills may also be taught as needed during this step.

•Teachers may teach a mini-lesson on phone skills by requiring students to practice their phone calls by role-playing the call in front of the class with another student. Students should use Form 7: Documentation of Information from Interviews or Letters on pages 46–48 of the student book as a guide for the role-play and the actual call. This activity prepares students for making

professional-sounding phone calls and shows students the importance of being prepared with questions before making a call. Encourage students to ask questions of their own as well as those on Form 7. Stress the importance of coordinating the research tasks so that no more than one student calls each contact.

•Interview skills may also be taught through role-plays.

•If students plan on conducting a survey, which may be useful in determining the scope of the problem, the teacher should teach students the basic principles of conducting surveys before they write one. Explain to students that surveys are useful to find out a small amount of information from a large number of people; interviews are good for finding out a large amount of information from a small number of people. Students should conduct both interviews and surveys in researching their problem. The “Survey Writing Guide,” Appendix C8 on page 125 of this guide, has been included to help students write reliable surveys.

•Your school librarian may be able to teach lessons on research skills, plagiarism, and citations. You should give students guidance on the format you want them to use for their bibliographies and citations.

•Teach the importance of good note-taking and documenting sources of information.

Read the directions for “C. Analyzing the Information You Have Gathered” with the class on page 52 of the student book. Distribute Form 9: Organizing Information about the Problem to each student (pages 53–54). Conduct a class discussion in which students contribute information helpful in filling out this form as each student completes the form individually.

Extension Activity

Some teachers have each student write a one- to two-page “Problem Summary” based on the information in Form 9. This helps keep students individually accountable during this group-oriented project.

Alternative Activity

For classes with multiple projects: Each small group should complete Form 9 in their group.

When students have completed Form 9, the teacher should refer them to “B. Developing a Portfolio and Presentation” on page 52 of the student book and introduce the four tasks that must be completed in every Project Citizen portfolio. Students have already completed most of the work for Task 1, “Explain the Problem.” The teacher may also use the illustration on page vi of the student book to help explain the four tasks of a Project Citizen portfolio. Explain that these are simply the steps that any group must take when it wants to have a public policy implemented to address a problem that concerns it.

Read the directions to “B. Developing a Portfolio and Presentation” with students on page 52 of the student book. Then, lead students in a discussion of each task as it relates to the class problem, or use examples from each group if the class is studying multiple problems in small groups. It may help to write the heading of each task in large print on the board or on posters at the front of the room, and fill in information as the class discusses each one.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

SMALL GROUP PROJECTS

Follow the lesson plan described above, except in the formation of research groups. Because your students are already in small groups of 3–8 people, they should decide among themselves what sources of information will yield the most reliable information about their problem. The teacher may circulate around the class and listen in on each group’s discussion. Each group should create a research plan that addresses all the issues on the “Analyzing the Importance of Your Problem” form, Appendix C4on pages 120–121 of this guide. Each individual student should have a clear task to complete for his or her homework assignment.

Alternative Activity

Students work in small groups to complete the activity on the “Portfolio Tasks Worksheet,” Appendix C9 on page 126 of this guide.

Alternative Activity

Students could be asked to read a current newspaper and select an article that describes a public policy debate currently going on. Students may then complete the “Portfolio Tasks Worksheet,” Appendix C9, using the public policy debate they read about as an example. You should help students identify the problem, the alternative policies, the proposed policy, and the action plan that would be necessary for implementation of the policy.

Alternative Activity

To help students understand the differences among the tasks in creating a Project Citizen portfolio, students should be asked to place the statements given in Appendix C10, “Alternative Activity Directions,” on page 127 of this guide on the correct task panels of a sample portfolio. The teacher may copy this page and have students cut out the statements so that they can manually place them in the correct task panel, or students may simply indicate the correct task panel by writing it next to each statement. The answers have been provided in Appendix C11, “Answers to Portfolio Tasks Worksheet,” on page 128 of this guide.

STEP4

DEVELOPING A PORTFOLIOTOPRESENT YOUR RESEARCH

OVERVIEW

Step 4 is the most labor-intensive step of Project Citizen. It is in this step that students will conduct the remainder of their research and create a four-part portfolio that explains their project.

There are many ways to structure your classroom during this phase of the project. It is important for all students to learn about each task in the public policymaking process. Therefore, all students should learn about alternative policies, writing a p olicy, and creating an action plan before dividing into small groups tocomplete one of these tasks for the final portfolio. These suggested lesson plans provide ideas for teachers to use when teaching about each of the tasks in the policymaking process.

If your class is following the small group projects model, you should follow the same lesson plan suggested here. However, instead of dividing your class into small groups to complete the tasks for the portfolio, the small groups will divide up the portfolio task completion work among the people in the group. Each small group will complete an entire portfolio consisting of the four tasks described in this lesson.

PURPOSE

Now that the class has completed Step 3, it is ready to begin to develop a portfolio. The portfolio should contain two basic elements: a visual display section and a document folder. These elements will each contain four parts corresponding to the four tasks completed at the end of Step 3. The class should be divided into four groups. Each group will be responsible for creating one of the four parts of the portfolio.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Students read the “Purpose” section for Step 4 on page 55 of the student book. Discuss the purpose and the activities with students.

Review “C. Portfolio Evaluation Criteria” with students on pages 57–59 of the student book. Emphasize that grades for student work will be based on the criteria listed here and that evaluators or policymakers will also assess the portfolio using these criteria. The criteria should be used by the students as a guide throughout the creation of the portfolio. 1 2 3 4

Review section “A. Portfolio Development Tasks” on page 56 of the student book. Make sure students are clear about the four tasks they will complete to develop the portfolio.

Allow students time to read, then discuss, section “B. Specifications for Portfolios” on page 57 of the student book. Emphasize that students should keep all the information they use during research and organize this information into the documentation section. The documentation section provides an opportunity for students to show the depth of their research and have studies, articles, interviews, survey results, etc., accessible even if some of this research is not included in the display section of their portfolio. The teacher should decide which format options the students will be able to choose from. If you choose to allow students to construct portfolios in one of the alternative formats (computer-based presentation, website, videotape, or other format), you should explain these alternatives to students at this time.

Note on alternative formats

Regardless of the format a group of students uses for its portfolio, the students are required to follow the same basic structure of the four tasks (Problem, Alternative Policies, Our Policy, Action Plan). Teachers may provide guidance in adapting this project to many different formats using the four tasks as the basic framework for every portfolio. For example, if students create a website to present their findings, the website should contain a page for each of the four tasks, with navigation tabs on the homepage that allow viewers to access each task by clicking on it.

Alternative Activity

To teach students what their finished portfolios should look like, and to get students to assess the quality of other students’ work before they begin creating their own portfolios, students can evaluate previously completed Project Citizen portfolios at this point. If you have portfolios from past years, or if your Project Citizen congressional district coordinator is able to provide these for you, you can set these four-panel portfolios up in your classroom and allow students to circulate around and rate them. Provide students with the rubric that you will use to assess their portfolios, and tell students to use this rubric to assess past portfolios.

Divide students into portfolio task groups. You may choose to assign students to specific groups or allow them to choose their groups based on their skills, interests, and group members. You may want to give each group a copy of Appendix C13, the “Sharing the Work__Small Group Projects” worksheet on page 130 of this guide. This helps hold students individually accountable for work within their groups, and the teacher may keep a copy for reference when a group does not complete its work or has other problems.

Give each small group a copy of Appendix C13, the “Sharing the Work__Small Group Projects” handout on page 130 of this guide. You may want to make a copy of this chart to show on an overhead projector, and model for students how to divide up the work for creating their portfolios. This helps in holding students individually accountable for work within their groups. The teacher may keep a copy for reference when a group does not complete its work or has other problems.

SMALL GROUP PROJECTS

At this point, the teacher should begin a series of lessons, interspersed with class time for students to conduct research, to teach students about each step in the porfolio-making process (see pages 60–71of the student book). The pacing and timing of these lessons will vary by teacher, but it is recommended that all teachers teach some of these basic skills and require every student to take part in each of the tasks before putting together their final portfolios.

Appendix C14, the “Self-Assessment Form” on page 131 of this guide, is to be completed by each student whenever the teacher finds it is appropriate during the group-work process. It is designed to assist students in assessing their own attitudes, level of participation, and contributions to their group using three criteria: participation, completion of assignments, and working with group members.

PORTFOLIO GROUP 1

EXPLAINING THE PROBLEM

NOTE

Most tasks for Portfolio Group 1 were completed in Steps 1–3.

You may have each student write a summary of the problem following the directions in Appendix C8, the “Survey Writing Guide” on page 125 of this guide. After reviewing these, you may give them to the students in Portfolio Group 1 for use in their final written summary and portfolio creation.

You may have each student write a summary of the problem.After reviewing these, return them to the students who are responsible for writing their groups’ final written summaries for Task 1 (see Appendix C13, “Sharing the Work__Small Group Projects” on page 130 of this guide to clarify who is the writer for Task 1 in each group).

You could also allow students some time to complete the first task of their portfolios at this time. After completing the form “Sharing the Work,” students should have a clear division of labor and each individual student should have a job to do for Task 1, “Portfolio Group 1: Explaining the Problem,” on page 60 of the student book. This isa good time to get students to decide on the format of their portfolios(display boards, video, etc.) and make some tangible progress toward putting it all together.

At this time, you may ask students to present their completed Task 1 to the class, including both the display and documentation sections. This encourages students to avoid procrastinating until the end of the entire process, and gives them a deadline for completing the first major task. Also, in-class presentations of each task allow the teacher to give students constructive feedback and monitor their progress. These initial presentations will reveal whether a student is doing his or her part in the group and enable the teacher to intervene early in the process. Initial presentations are also productive in allowing students to see the work of other groups, provide constructive feedback, and learn about the problems that other groups are studying.

PORTFOLIO GROUP 2

EXAMINING ALTERNATIVE POLICIES

PURPOSE

The goal of Portfolio Group 2 is to research and analyze different ways a problem could be addressed through public policy. Alternative policies may include the following:

•Proposals advanced by different political parties, interest groups, elected officials, or citizens

•Current policies in other towns, cities, counties, states, or countries

•Proposals generated by students

•Alternatives from sources other than these

It may help students to understand this step if the teacher discusses alternative policies that have been proposed to address a current problem other than the problem students selected for this project. Ongoing problems like poverty, drug abuse, illegal immigration, and violent crime all provide good examples of problems for which there are wide ranges of reasonable alternative policy proposals advanced by different groups and individuals.

It is important to teach students the value of researching, discussing, and debating the advantages and disadvantages of alternative policies before deciding which one is the best way to address a problem. You may want to show students excerpts of a congressional debate on C-SPAN or have students identify articles in the newspaper that demonstrate the importance of alternative policy debate to American democracy.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

Write on the board “Problem: Drug Abuse. Write three different ways the government could or does address this problem.” (Choose another problem for this activity if some of your students are studying drug abuse as their Project Citizen problem.)

Discuss student answers and write them on the board under the heading “Alternative Policies.” Answers should include laws criminalizing possession and distribution of drugs in the United States, anti-drug ad campaigns and education, foreign policy that attempts to control the production of drugs in other countries, rehabilitation centers and therapy for addicts, etc. Discuss student opinions about the advantages and disadvantages of each of these policy proposals and the importance of ongoing debate about policy solutions to America’s drug abuse problem.

Students conduct research to identify alternative policies that address their chosen problem. You may ask students to formulate a plan for finding these alternatives before they begin researching. As in Task 1, research groups may focus on different types of research (Internet, newspapers, interviews, etc.), or you may structure this research in a different way. Each student should be asked to find at least one alternative policy individually before the next class meeting. Appendix C15, the “Alternative Policy Summary” worksheet on page 132 of this guide, provides structure for students who need it.

When all students have found at least one alternative policy and analyzed it according to the “Alternative Policy Summary” worksheet, they should meet in groups to discuss their findings.

Students may form groups based on the alternative policies they have found. They could do a “jigsaw”-style cooperative learning activity in which students first form groupswith others who found the same policy, and then discuss and analyze the policy until all group members understand it well. Students then move into groups with students who found other policies.

In these groups, each student explains the alternative policy he or she discussed in the first group to the rest of this new group while all students take notes in Appendix C16, the “Analyzing Alternative Policies” chart provided on page 133 of this guide. Remind students that the goal of this activity is for students in each group to discuss all the known alternatives, analyze them, and choose the three best alternative policies to include in Section 2 of their portfolio.

Give each group a copy of Appendix C16, “Analyzing Alternative Policies,” on page 133 of this guide. Have students complete this chart by discussing the alternative policies each student in the group has found. Have them allow each student in the group to explain the alternatives he or she has found and written about so far while one student in the group writes this information on the chart. The goal of this activity is for each group to discuss all the known alternatives, analyze them, and choose the three best alternative policies to include in Section 2 of their portfolio.

As student groups discuss alternatives and complete the chart in groups, walk around the room and make sure groups are completing the chart and allowing each student to share his or her alternative policies. This is a good time to check for individual accountability by checking that each student has found and analyzed an alternative policy.

You may ask each student to write an alternative policy summary individually after this activity. These may be used as assessments of individual students’ understanding of alternative policies. Students may give their summaries to the group or the individuals who are responsible for writing the final summary for Section 2 of the portfolio. Appendix C17, the “Task Contribution Form,” has been provided on page 134 of this guide for assessing students’ written summaries.

SMALL

You may want to allow students some time to complete the second task of their portfolios at this time. Students should refer to Appendix C13, “Sharing the Work__Small Group Projects” to see what their roles are for Task 2, “Portfolio Group 2: Examining Alternative Policies to Deal with the Problem,” on page 62 of the student book.

You may also have students present their completed Task 2 to the class at this time. This encourages students to avoid procrastinating until the end of the entire process, and gives them a deadline for completing the second major task. Also, in-class presentations of each task allow the teacher to give students constructive feedback and monitor their progress. These initial presentations will reveal whether a student is doing his or her part in the group and enable the teacher to intervene early in the process. Initial presentations are also productive in allowing students to see the work of other groups, provide constructive feedback, and learn about the problems that other groups are studying.

Move on to Task 3 when all students have completed their research and analysis of alternative policies.

PORTFOLIO GROUP 3

PURPOSE

For this section, Portfolio Group 3 will propose a public policy that addresses the problem identified by the class. A majority of the class, or the small group, must agree that this is the best policy to address the problem. This task also provides an opportunity for the teacher to teach about the limits placed on government in our state and federal constitutions. Students must propose a policy that does not violate the U.S. Constitution or their state’s constitution. In creating their policy proposal, students may choose to

•support one of the alternative policies identified by Portfolio Group 2,

•modify one of those policies,

•combine aspects of several of the alternatives, or

•develop their own public policy.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

1 2 3 4

Warm-up question

Based on your research and analysis of alternative policies, what policy do you think would best address the problem? Write a few sentences to explain exactly what you think the best policy would say.

Discuss students’ answers to the warm-up question. If the entire class is working on one problem, start a list of students’ policy ideas on the board.

Review the instructions “Portfolio Group 3: Proposing a Public Policy to Deal with the Problem,” on page 64 of the student book.

At this point, students need to reach consensus on a policy proposal that most students agree is the best way to address the problem. The degree of difficulty

in reaching consensus will vary based on the dynamics of your class and how much agreement or disagreement already exists over how to address the problem. The following suggestions may be adapted and used as necessary to help a class identify one policy that will best address the problem:

a As a class, discuss some of the best ideas from the warm-up question. Challenge students by asking them exactly how their proposals would work, how much they might cost, and who might not support the policy.

b Narrow the field of policy proposals through this discussion.

c Have each student write an individual policy proposal that explains the policy he or she thinks best addresses the problem. Students should follow the guidelines on pages 70–71 of their book. The form “Our Proposed Public Policy” has been provided as Appendix C18 (page 135 of this guide) for students who need more structure.

d When all students have written their individual policy proposals (this may be a homework assignment), put students in groups with others who proposed the same basic policy. In these groups, students should discuss their policy proposals and agree on the specifics of their policies.

e Allow each group to propose its policy to the class, explaining all the advantages and disadvantages in detail. Each group of students should tell the rest of the class if they really think their group’s policy proposal is the best way to address the problem.

f After all groups have presented, conduct a class discussion about the policy proposals, ending in a decision-making process to select one policy or combine elements of various groups’ policies. Two ideas for decision making are voting and the consensus-building method described on page 25 of this guide.

g Once students have agreed on a policy, they should evaluate its constitutionality. This step provides an opportunity to teach about the details of your state’s constitution and the U.S. Constitution. At a minimum, students should each read Form 10: Instructions for Constitutional Opinion Form and complete Form 11: Constitutional Opinion Form on pages 66–68 of the student book.

h Students’ policy proposals and the Constitutional Opinion Form should be reviewed and given to the students in Portfolio Group 3 for later use in constructing their part of the portfolio.

1 Follow the same basic lesson plan as suggested for whole class projects, but adapt the activity so that each small group is deliberating and discussing various policy proposals instead of the entire class doing it together. It is usually easier for small groups to quickly reach consensus on their policy proposals than it would be for an entire class. The key to success with small groups is for the teacher to maintain adequate oversight so that students propose realistic, detailed, and thoughtful policies. You may want to give each group a large sheet of chart paper on which they can write the key elements of each student’s policy proposal.

2 When students have finished their individual policy proposals and summary statements, they should work on their assigned responsibility for completing Task 3. Remind students to refer to Appendix C13, the “Sharing the Work” form, to see who does what. Completing this task may take at least one class period after the completion of the above activities.

3 You may also have students present their completed Task 3 to the class at this time. This encourages students to avoid procrastinating until the end of the entire process and gives them a deadline for completing the third major task. Also, in-class presentations of each task allow the teacher to give students constructive feedback and monitor their progress. These initial presentations will reveal whether a student isdoing his or her part in the group and enable the teacher to intervene early in the process. Initial presentations are also productive in allowing students to see the work of other groups, provide constructive feedback, and learn about the problems that other groups are studying. The teacher should ask challenging questions about students’ policy proposal, the Constitutional Opinion Form, the level and branch of government involved, and the cost and feasibility of proposed policies. Encourage students to change some details of their policy proposals if necessary.

SMALL GROUP PROJECTS

Extension Activity

For a more in-depth analysis of the U.S. Constitution, students could work in small “constitutional expert groups” to find out about one or two of the following parts of the Constitution listed below. Groups may explain their part of the Constitution to the rest of the class, focusing on what this clause prohibits the government from doing, how it has been interpreted over time, and citing Supreme Court cases in which the government’s power under this part of the Constitution has been explained. Finally, each group must decide if the class policy proposal violates its part of the Constitution and how challenges to the policy’s constitutionality could be answered.

Some limits on government power in addition to those on the Constitutional Opinion Form include the following:

•ex post facto, habeas corpus, and no bill of attainder clauses,

•the Second Amendment,

•the rights of the accused in the Fourth through Eighth Amendments,

•the Ninth Amendment, and

•the Tenth Amendment.

Students may also be expected to explain where the government gets its power to enact the proposed policy. For federal policies, students should identify the specific clause in the Constitution that grants the federal government the power to enact this policy. Some places to look in the Constitution include

•enumerated powers (Article 1, Section 8),

•the commerce clause,

•the general welfare clause, and

•the necessary and proper clause.

For state policies, students should examine their state’s constitution to identify the clause that grants the state government the power to enact the proposed policy. For local, county, and school district or building policies, students should access the governing document for that level of government and identify the clause that grants the government the power to enact the proposed policy.

Extension Activity

You may invite policymakers into your classroom at this point to discuss with students how policies are written at their level of government. School board members, city council members, state and federal congressional staff members, and other policymakers should be invited to come to class, explain how they write policies, and share examples of real policies they have recently written or voted on. Lessons on the specific structure of policy writing may be emphasized, as well as the lesson that “the devil is in the details” when writing policy. This will help students understand that they may have a good idea for a policy, but that it must be written in a specific way in order to have a real chance of being implemented.

The National Conference of State Legislatures sponsors the America’s Legislators Back to School Program. This program enables teachers to invite participating state legislators to their classrooms to discuss the role of legislators and to assist the students in understanding policymaking processes.

To participate in this program, contact your legislature’s coordinators by visiting the America’s Legislators Back to School program website at www.ncsl.org/public/trust/contacts_bsw.htm.

OUR POLICY OUTLINE

Level of government that will best deal with the problem (school, school district, state, county, or national government?)

This level of government can best deal with the problem because

We propose that __________________________(level of government) adopt these specific details in its new _______________________________policy: 1 2 3 The advantages of this policy are 1 2 3

The disadvantages of this policy are 1 2 3

PORTFOLIO GROUP 4

DEVELOPING AN ACTION PLAN

PURPOSE

For this section, Portfolio Group 4 will develop an action plan for gaining support among individuals, groups, and the government that will make it possible to get the proposed public policy adopted and implemented by government. The plan should include all the steps that would be necessary. Students will explain the action plan in the display section and in the documentation section of their portfolio as described on pages 70–71 of the student book.

This task provides an opportunity to teach students many useful and authentic skills, including writing formal letters, petitions, press releases, and advertising copy. The teacher should decide how much time and what priority level to give to each of these skills. Guidelines may be found online, through local professionals, or provided in class as necessary. Just remember that if you want the students to produce professional results in these areas, you must teach them how.

It is important to emphasize the authenticity of this task. Groups and individuals who want specific public policies implemented actually develop actionplans very similar to what students develop in completing this task. Furthermore, theteacher must decide what level of authenticity he or she expects of students in the action plan task. You may have students draft a plan that could gain the support and attention of public policymakers, but not expect students to actually carry out any of the actions. As an alternative, you may suggest that students carry out the steps they explain in their action plans. This option is especially useful if your goal is for students to interact with the public and potentially achieve success in getting their policy implemented. This takes more time, but also provides students with a more empowering experience than simply proposing the action but not acting on it.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Warm-up question

Make a list of three to five actions you could take to get your policy implemented by the government. Think about how you could gain the support of influential people and groups, and how you could get the attention of policymakers and convince them to devote some of their limited time and resources to implementing this policy.

Make a list of three to five actions you could take to get your policy implemented by the government.

Discuss student answers to the warm-up question. Write a list of student ideas for gaining support on the board.

Explain the purpose of Task 4 to students.

Review “Portfolio Group 4: Developing an Action Plan” directions with students (pages 70–71 of the student book).

Have students develop a specific action plan following the guidelines of Portfolio Group 4. Each student should write an action plan individually, which the teacher may grade and use as a tool to keep students individually accountable.

In order to carry out some of the steps in their action plans, students may need mini-lessons on writing formal letters, petitioning, writing press releases, etc. Lessons for these activities may be found online. If students include a press release as part of their action plan, they may use real press releases found online as a model.

Have each student write an individual action plan summary that will be graded and given to the students who are finishing Task 4 for the portfolio.

Now that all students have learned about the four tasks of Project Citizen, you should allow students ample time to work in their assigned portfolio groups to complete their part of the final class portfolio and prepare to present their findings in public. The time needed for portfolio task groups to complete the portfolio will depend on how much work they have completed during the previous steps. You may need to allow a lot of time for students to work in these groups.

1

SMALL GROUP PROJECTS

Give students time to work on completing Task 4 in their small groups, including all the components of the portfolio as explained on pages 70–71 of the student book. When students have finished this task, they have completed their portfolios and are ready to present their findings in public. You may stage in-class presentations of Task 4 or the entire portfolio at this time. Students may need some time to complete their final portfolios at a high level of quality.

Extension Activity___Stakeholders1

For this activity, “stakeholders” are entities that are affected by the policy in question. This activity is good for deepening students’ understanding of the various people who may be affected by their policy proposal and who may therefore either support or oppose the policy. It is important for students to identify the stakeholders before drafting their action plan so that they may effectively target the groups who are most likely to support or oppose their policy proposal.

1 Work with students to help them develop an understanding of the four types of stakeholders. This is the important first step in the action plan. Students need to identify stakeholders so they can get their support before presenting their policy to policymakers. Stakeholders are entities who have a direct interest in, or who are in any way affected by, the policy in question, either directly or indirectly. Solutions to social problems are often found in compromise between legitimate competing interests. Types of stakeholders are listed below.

•Direct beneficiaries are people or groups who gain something as a direct result of a policy. Examples include children in school and retirees who benefit from Social Security.

•Profiteers are people or groups who stand to make a financial profit through legitimate business associated with the policy. Examples include defense contractors or construction companies hired to build a new school.

Adapted from Drexler, Kateri M., and Gwen Garcelon, Strategies for Active Citizenship (Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005), p. 34.

•Indirect beneficiaries are people or groups who may enjoy some benefit from the policy, but are not the direct targets of the policy. Employers, for example, benefit from public schools because they have an educated workforce.

•Opponents are people or groups who may be against the policy for any number of reasons, including philosophical or ideological differences, financial impacts of the policy, etc.

2 Ask students for examples of each type of stakeholder. Discuss until students understand. You may use examples from recent policy proposals to teach students that every policy proposal has stakeholders in each category. Ongoing examples include Medicare reform and increased funding for public education.

3 Ask students to make a list of each type of stakeholder who will be affected by their policy. They should identify at least one group or individual in each category.

4 Ask students to develop an action plan that addresses to some extent the concerns of each group of stakeholders. If working with the whole class on one project, you may want to divide students into small groups to develop an action plan for each type of stakeholder. If each group in your class is studying a different problem, then each group may divide the types of stakeholders among the students in each group so that all are addressed in the group’s action plan.

Extension Activity

Students develop a continuum of actions taken by citizen groups to generate public support for a policy. This activity will help students create an appropriate action plan that begins with reasonable actions to gain the government’s attention and build support for their policy proposal. Students should learn that civil disobedience and other protest-oriented actions have an important place in American democracy, but that these activities should be considered only when other actions have failed to achieve results.

1 Write the following list of actions on the board. Students should read about the various actions and be prepared to explain one action to the rest of the class. Students may need to research

these actions using the Internet, dictionaries, textbooks, and other sources. The teacher should assign each small group of students an action they will explain to the class.

•Writing letters to public officials

•Attending public meetings and proposing policy changes

•Contacting the media and writing press releases

•Lobbying public officials in person

•Holding public meetings to gain support for a policy proposal

•Asking citizens to sign petitions

•Boycotting specific businesses or government agencies

•Staging protests and demonstrations against specific government policies or actions

•Practicing civil disobedience

2 Write the words “First Steps” on the left side of the board at the front of the room, and “Last Resorts” on the right side.

3 Once students have read about some strategies in their group, tell each group to come to the board, write its strategy on the board, and explain how the group could use its strategy to get support for its policy. Students should decide where to place the strategy on the continuum line between “First Steps” and “Last Resorts” (see “Continuum of Strategies” below). Draw this line on the board, and emphasize that things like letter writing and lobbying should be done early on, whereas civil disobedience and protest are only used as last resorts if all else fails. This is a good opportunity for a history lesson: discuss the American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s. Emphasize that African Americans in the South had gone through all the first steps to no avail for almost one hundred years before they resorted to the acts of civil disobedience and protest that most Americans associate with that movement today.

4 Have the groups work together to develop a solid action plan based on the stakeholders they have identified and the strategies they have learned about today.

Continuum of Strategies for Gaining Support for Your Policy

First Steps

•Letters

•Petitions

•Public meetings

•Lobbying

•Media contacts and press releases

Last Resorts

•Protests

•Demonstrations

•Civil disobedience

•Boycotts

Extension Activity

Invite local policymakers to your classroom to answer student questions about what actions are most effective in gaining their attention. Students should generate a list of ideas for their action plans before policymakers come to class. When policymakers visit, students should ask whether their ideas are likely to get the attention of policymakers and get their policy implemented. You may ask policymakers to discuss specific examples of citizen groups that successfully gained policymakers’ attention and proposed policies that were actually implemented. These groups may be used as models for developing a successful action plan for the class or group policy proposals.

STEP5 PRESENTING YOUR

PORTFOLIO IN A SIMULATED PUBLIC HEARING

PURPOSE

When students’ portfolios are completed, they should prepare to present their work before an audience in a public hearing. This final presentation is often the most memorable and empowering part of a student’s Project Citizen experience. As the teacher, you must decide what type of hearing students will present. Your decision should depend on your goals for student learning and the options you have available in your community. Regardless of the hearing format you choose, it should provide students with an authentic experience of how citizens can participate in public hearings. The structure of simulated hearings should be basedon the structure of public meetings, where speakers and expert witnesses testifybefore committees or boards composed of members of the legislative and executive branches of government.

The guidelines for the simulated public hearings explained in the student text, including the 10-minute limit on presentations, are intended to assist teachers in organizing final hearings in a manageable way. These guidelines should be viewed as suggestions, not requirements, and should be adapted to fit your situation as necessary. No teacher should feel constrained by any of the presentation guidelines or suggestions presented here. Do what is best for you and your students in your unique circumstances.

This step provides an opportunity to teach students many valuable lessons, including public speaking skills. Teachers may also want to teach students when and where their local policymakers meet and remind students that these meetings are open to the public. A lesson on the First Amendment’s protection of our right to “petition the government for redress of grievances” could also fit in here.

A “Community Leader Letter” has been included as Appendix A7 on page 83 of this guide for your use in soliciting volunteer participation. The letter asks whether the community leader would be able to (a) assist in student research, (b) provide information about a current topic of interest to the students, (c) listen to student presentations, or (d) visit the classroom to help students understand an aspect of public policy or government. You may alter the letter as needed.

An “Evaluator Letter” has been included as Appendix B6 on page 112 of this guide. This letter may be given to policymakers or other individuals who have agreed to serve as evaluators for a Project Citizen showcase.

Some suggestions for final presentation hearings include the following:

Simulated Hearing

Teachers invite community members to hear student presentations and give feedback. These people could be any local civic-minded individuals willing to play the role of policymaker. Actual policymakers who have expertise or authority over the students’ issues make excellent choices. The hearing could be held at school or in a local community or government facility and should be open to the public. This format is most useful for a small number of portfolios, given the time required for each presentation.

Authentic Hearings

The teacher or students request time on the agenda of an actual government meeting—a regularly scheduled meeting of the school board, city council, county commission, state legislative committee, or other policymaking body. Students should present their portfolios at the meeting of the policymakers who have jurisdiction over their policy proposal so that there is a real possibility that their policy will be adopted.

Showcase of Student Work

Students present their portfolios to members of the public or roving evaluators and policymakers in a History Day–type setting. Students engage in multiple conversations about their portfolios but do not present in front of a large audience. Students’ portfolios could be set up around school or in the library, for example, and the public would be invited to discuss students’ work at a specified time. This method is especially useful if one teacher has multiple groups presenting many different problems.

Alternative Formats

Students publish a website and elicit comments from policymakers or community members who visit the site. Students have a teleconference with policymakers who are unable to meet with students in person. This format is especially useful for schools in remote areas and for policy proposals at the federal level of government.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

1 2 3 4 5

Warm-up question

What group of policymakers should you present your portfolio to in order to get your proposed policy implemented? How can you get this group of policymakers to actually allow you to present your portfolio to them? Discuss student answers to warm-up question. Discuss the importance of contacting local policymakers and the right of Americans to “petition the government for redress of grievances.”

Overview the goals of the hearing in “A. What Are the Goals of the Simulated Public Hearing?” on page 74 of the student book.

Overview both “B. Opening Oral Presentation” and “C. Follow-up Questions” (pages 74–75 of the student book). Explain the format students will be using for their hearings if you have chosen a different format or time limits. Remind students that it is a good idea to keep their presentations brief and to the point, regardless of the hearing format, so that they do not lose their audience’s attention or confuse them.

Overview parts D, E, F, and G with students (pages 75–76 of the student book) so that they have a clear understanding of the hearings at which they will be presenting. If you have a video of past student presentations, it is useful to show to students at this time. Students may be encouraged to assess the past presentations using the evaluation criteria on the rubric so that they realize what will be assessed during their presentations.

Allow students ample time to practice presenting their portfolios. You may want to conduct multiple practice hearings in class, giving constructive feedback each time, before students are expected to present in public.

STEP6

PURPOSE

REFLECTING ON YOUR EXPERIENCE

At first glance, it might appear that Project Citizen is almost entirely about procedures or process and that there is very little content to be gained by taking part in the program. By the time students have reached this step in the program, they should be aware that much of the content of Project Citizen is implicit and much is gained from the experiences students have had in fulfilling the tasks of the program.

The value of the knowledge and experience gained may become more apparent if students are called on to reflect on their experiences. By doing so, students should realize, for example, that they have been exercising many of the rights and fulfilling many of the responsibilities of citizens in a democracy. Students have also been expecting public officials to act in accordance with democratic principles, learning about the importance of civil society, and learning the roles and responsibilities of governmental agencies at local, state, or federal levels. This step calls on students to reflect on and record such knowledge and experience in a report in the final section of their documentation binder, labeled “Part 5.”

Warm-up question

What is the most important thing you learned from Project Citizen?

Discuss student answers to the warm-up question. Write a list of things students learned on the board.

Students read the “Purpose” section for Step 6 on page 77 of the student book. Discuss.

Discuss the directions for “A. Critical Thinking Exercise— Identifying Some of the Content of Project Citizen” on pages 78–80 of the student book. Divide students into four groups to complete this exercise.

You may want to have each student write a thoughtful “Reflection Paper” based on this class discussion. Students should follow the guidelines from Section A for writing this paper.

CHAPTER 4

PURPOSE

WHY IS CITIZEN PARTICIPATION IMPORTANT TO DEMOCRACY?

The purpose of this final step is to help students understand why citizen participation is important to democracy. Students will discuss the importance of participation, how people can participate, and the possible consequences of low participation in a democracy.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

1

Warm-up question

Do you think it is important for citizens to participate in our government? Why or why not? Would our country be better off if more people participated in the way we have during Project Citizen? Explain.

Discuss student answers to the warm-up question. Encourage students to consider the consequences of refusing to participate in a democratic system of government.

2

3

Students read the “Purpose” section for Step 4 on page 81 of the student book. Discuss.

Review with students “A. Group Activity – Examining the Roles and Responsibilities of Citizens in a Democracy” on page 82 of the student book. Divide the class into three groups or multiple small groups, each assigned one question, to complete this activity.

Alternative Format

Use a cooperative learning format for this activity instead of a whole-class discussion. Each student would first join a small “expert group” assigned

4

one of the quotations and sets of questions in Section A. After answering the questions, students should move into new groups in which there is one student from each of the three expert groups. In these new groups, students each explain their quote and the questions they answered, leading to a full understanding of all three quotes by all students in the class.

Extension Activity

Students could be assigned to write a brief paper explaining which of these quotes they agreed with most, and why. They could also compare and contrast the three quotes.

Overview with students “B. What Are the Roles of Citizens in a Democracy?”on page 84 of the student book. Ask students to reflect on their experience with Project Citizen in preparation for completing “C. Critical Thinking Exercise.”

5 6

Read with students “C. Critical Thinking Exercise” on page 84 of the student text. Students should complete this activity using the form “What Do You Think?” on page 85 of the student text. Ask students to compare their answers to those they provided during Step 1 at the beginning of their Project Citizen experience.

Read the conclusion with students on page 84. Congratulate students on completing such a difficult and intensive study of policymaking. Emphasize the importance of the skills and knowledge they have acquired for their future lives as citizens in a democracy.

APPENDICES

Suggestions

A

C

Note

Permission is granted to reproduce forms and handouts in the Appendices for the purpose of implementing the program. Forms and handouts are also available at www.civiced.org.

APPENDICES A

Teachers’ Suggestions

Suggestions for Group Work and Cooperative Learning

Project Citizen provides an opportunity for students to improve their civic participation skills by working in groups to accomplish a common goal. How you structure the groups within your class will depend on factors such as total class size, academic achievement level of the students, and specific group dynamics. The following models are suggestions that have worked well for many teachers in the past. You may adapt these to fit your specific circumstances and to create a productive cooperative learning environment for all students.

Regardless which of the following group models you choose, you should guide all students through Chapters 1 and 2, and Chapter 3, Steps 1–3 of Project Citizen together before they break into portfolio task groups to create the portfolio. It is important that each student participate in developing each of the four main tasks—explaining a problem, evaluating alternative policies dealing with the problem, developing a policy to deal with the problem, and developing an action plan designed to influencepolicy makers to adopt the proposed policy. Only after students have worked together on each of these tasks should they be divided into four portfolio groups— each assigned to develop one part of the class portfolio addressing one of the four main tasks identified above.

Whole class project

In this model, all students in a class work on the same problem. Work is divided up among portfolio groups to create the final class portfolio. This model emphasizes consensus-building and teamwork. This model is ideal for small classes and groups with lower-level research and writing skills (e.g., ninth-graders, English language learners, and special needs students).

Benefits

● Strong team spirit develops

● Multiple opportunities for whole class discussion, instruction, and debate

● Teacher is able to make more specific suggestions, help with research, etc.

● Higher-level research is produced when all students research the same topic

● Easy to schedule simulated hearings or authentic presentations

● Teaches priniciples and values associated with citizen participation in a representative democracy

Drawbacks

● Difficult to reach consensus on problem to study and class policy proposal

● Difficult to keep all students actively involved and individually accountable for work

● Coordinating responsibilities may become teacher’s role, rather than students leading themselves

● Large classes (more than twenty students) end up with large portfolio task groups (more than five students per group)

If you choose this model, look for tips throughout this guide under the heading “Whole Class Project.”

Small group projects

In this model, a large class is divided into small groups that each study a different problem and produce their own portfolios. This model is best suited for more academically advanced students and larger classes. This model emphasizes individual accountability and student choice.

Groups may be formed in a number of ways

A recommended method for creating productive groups is to have students work individually on Chapters 1 and 2, and Step 1 in Chapter 3. This encourages students to monitor public policy issues that they individually care about before choosing their group members. In “Step 2: Selecting a Problem or Problems for Your Class to Study” on page 35 of the student book, you help students find others in the class who have similar policy interests. Students are encouraged to form groups based on common policy interests rather than previous friendships.

Alternatively, you may assign students to work in heterogeneous groups to ensure that all groupshave members with various strengths to contribute. Or you may allow students to choose their groups first, then require each group to reach consensus on a problem to study.

Benefits

● Individual students are able to choose the problem they study, whom they work with, and many elements of the project—this creates buy-in for most students

● Individual student accountability

● Students learn about a number of policy issues from other students’ presentations

● Manageable group sizes in classrooms of any size

Drawbacks

● Less teacher oversight of each group’s progress, and little room for teacher suggestions on specific research sources

● Difficult to schedule hearings and presentations for many groups

● Less depth of research with fewer students researching the same topic

● Entire class does not form team spirit together, although small groups do

If you choose this model, look for tips throughout this guide under the heading “Small Group Projects.”

Establishing a Timeline and Planning for Classroom Implementation

In a traditional high school classroom setting, with a class that meets approximately four to five hours per week and requires approximately four hours of homework per week, it takes at least four weeks to successfully complete Project Citizen. Teachers who feel that they do not have time in their year for another project of this scale should remember that Project Citizen is a comprehensive curriculum on civic engagement. Therefore, it may be used in place of, not in addition to, other curricula on this topic. Because of the depth of research and the authenticity of the final presentation, students and teachers invariably comment that they would have liked to spend more time than they did on this project. However, a six- to nine-week block of class time is adequate for a rewarding Project Citizen experience.

Sample timelines

The following sample timelines are based on a traditional high school classroom setting, with classes meetingapproximately four to five hours per week and requiring approximately four hours of homework per week. These plans may be adapted for other settings in which students have more or less time to devote to this project each week. If you have different amounts of time than those listed here, you may adapt these suggestions to fit your situation.

Teachers should note that Step 3 is often the most time-consuming element of the program. This step includes the lengthy process of gathering relevant and appropriate information from multiple sources, analyzing and organizing the information gathered, and the physical construction of the four components of the portfolio display and documentation binder. These three steps constitute the “heart” of Project Citizen and must be given adequate time to ensure success.

If you have four weeks

Week 1___Chapters 1–2, and Step 1 in Chapter 3 (introduction to Project Citizen and public policy, and the selection of a problem for study)

Week 2___Steps 3–4 (problem research, analysis and organization of information, and planning the portfolio)

Week 3___Step 4 (completion of the four portfolio task)

Week 4___Steps 5–6 in Chapter 3, and Chapter 4 (presenting in a public hearing and reflecting on the learning and experience)

If you have eight weeks

Week 1___Chapters 1–2 (introduction to Project Citizen and public policy)

Week 2___Chapter 3, Steps 1–2 (identifying public policy problems in the community and selecting a problem for class study)

Week 3___Step 3 (gathering information on the problem from multiple sources)

Week 4___Step 3 (continue to gather, analyze, and organize the information)

Week 5___Step 4 (whole class discussion and planning of the four components of the portfolio)

Week 6___Step 4 (small group work for completion of the four components of the portfolio)

Week 7___Step 5 (practice and presentation of the portfolio in a simulated or actual public hearing)

Week 8___Chapter 3, Step 6, and Chapter 4 (reflection on the learning and experience)

Project Citizen To-Do List

1 Align Project Citizen to your standards or objectives and identify your main goal

For example, civic education, teamwork, research and presentation skills, social change, and service-learning. You should identify your main goal before beginning this project. For example, if your main goal is civic education, you will plan to spend more time on the introductory lessons about the U.S. political system and public policy than on teamwork. Or if your main goal is for students to enhance their research and writing skills, you will spend more time in those areas and less on teaching about government.

2 Set a timeline

See the suggested timelines on the previous page, adapt them to your situation, or make your own.

3 Contact community leaders

Use the “Community Leader Letter” provided as Appendix A7, page 83 in this guide to solicit the participation of community leaders. You may also alter the letter or write your own letter to ask community leaders to participate in your students’ Project Citizen experience. This is a good way to gain support from the community. It is important to circulate this letter early in the process to allow interested leaders enough time to arrange their schedules so they can be available at the appropriate time.

4 Schedule final presentations

You should set an end date for the project and schedule the final presentation in the form of a simulated public hearing. This can serve as a powerful motivator. Also, it is important to get on the agendas of public meetings or reserve space in hearing rooms and schedule evaluators early in the process.

5 Plan daily lessons

Plan mini-lessons to teach students the specific skills and knowledge they need at each step in the project. Lesson plans are provided in this guide, which you may need to adapt or supplement to meet your students’ unique needs.

Establishing Student Grades for Project Citizen Work

There are many ways to assess students’ mastery of the knowledge and skills you want them to gain during Project Citizen. You should create a list of requirements that each student must meet and that you will assess. These requirements will vary based on the environment in which you are using Project Citizen. The following pages contain suggestions for grading students in a traditional high school setting. You may select the assignments that you will expect of each student, alter Appendix A5, the “Student Grading and Timeline Worksheet,” (pages 78–81of this guide) to fit your needs, and give a copy to students when you start the project. Students may refer to this worksheet when they have questions about grading, due dates, and what they will individually be accountable for during Project Citizen. Students may also record their grades on this worksheet.

Teachers should check student work for completion each day during Project Citizen. This ensures that students are contributing productively to the group effort.

Appendix B3, the “Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet,” pages 104–105 of this guide, is designed for use with individuals who will assist you in evaluating students’ work and presentation. The rating sheets contain the evaluation criteria for each task group of the portfolio and each presentation group in the hearing. You may use these as guidelines for what each student must master in each task of the project. You might want to create individual rubrics for each task from this general outline.

Student Grading and Timeline Worksheet

This worksheet can help teachers to ensure that each student understands the steps in the public policymaking process. Each student will be individually graded on the following:

1 Journal of Project Citizen notes

Directions

Keep a journal of your work. Your journal should include the following: Answers to each warm-up question

Notes from each lesson, including class discussions, readings, and lectures (students should have notes on each)

Completed worksheets and graphic organizers, these may include the following:

Form2Creating Public Policy and Civil Society Solutions to Community Problems

AppendixC3Triggering Mechanisms

AppendixC4Analyzing the Importance of Your Problem

AppendixC5Project Citizen Research Prompt

AppendixC6Research Plan

AppendixC9Portfolio Tasks Worksheet

Appendix C14Self-Assessment Form

Appendix C15Analyzing Alternative Policies

Appendix C18Our Proposed Public Policy

2 Extension Activity

Written summary of articles as examples of the five concepts of American government (Chapter 1, page 10 of this guide)

3 Form 1: Participation in Democracy (Chapter 1, pages 9–10 ofthe student book)

4 Form 2: Creating Public Policy and Civil Society Solutions to Community Problems (Chapter 2, page 21 of the student book)

5 Portfolio of Public Policy Articles (Chapter 3, Step 1)

Directions

Turn in a written or typed report on four articles concerning public policy issues. Include a cover sheet that defines “public policy” and explains which of these four articles is the most important public policy problem based on its “triggering mechanisms”—scope, intensity, duration, and resources—as presented in Step IV. Also explain what news sources you used and which you preferred and why. Each article must be outlined with critical information including the date, author, source, title, main idea, and questions you have about it. Each article must be analyzed according to the four triggering mechanisms.

DUE DATE GRADE

6 Problem Summary (Chapter 3, Step 2)

Directions

Write a summary of the problem your group will study. Include the following: The issue, stated as a “should” question (e.g., “Should ice cream vendors be allowed to sell toy pellet guns to children from their trucks?”)

A summary of what you already know about this issue and how you found out about it

A thorough explanation of the scope, intensity, duration, and resources involved in the problem

An explanation of why this is a public policy issue, and why the government should be involved in solving the problem. Explain what the purpose of government is, and why this is part of the government’s job.

A detailed explanation of the current policy, the level of government involved, and the problems with this policy. If there is no policy or if the current policy is adequate but is not being enforced, state and explain this. Supporters and opponents of the current policy or groups and individuals taking sides on the problem

DUE DATE GRADE

7 Contribution to Task 1, “The Problem” (Chapter 3, Steps 3 and 4)

Directions

Turn in evidence of what you contributed to Task 1.

DUE DATE GRADE

8 Analysis of alternative policies (Chapter 3, Step 4)

Directions

Write a summary (at least one paragraph per policy) for three different alternative policies. For each policy, include the following:

A summary of the policy: exactly how does this policy address the problem?

The level and branch of government most involved with the policy

The advantages of the policy for solving the problem

The disadvantages of the policy for solving the problem

9 Contribution to Task 2, “Alternative Policies” (Chapter 3, Step 4)

Directions: Turn in evidence of what you contributed to Task 2.

DUE DATE

10 Your policy proposal (Chapter 3, Step 4)

Directions

Write a summary (about one page) of your proposed policy. Include the following: A summary of your policy, including details about exactly how this policy will address the problem

The level, branch, and agency of government that will implement this policy

The advantages and disadvantages of your policy

DUE DATE

11 Form 11: Constitutional Opinion Form (Chapter 3, Step 4, pages 67–68, student book)

Directions

Write a statement explaining why your policy does not violate your state constitution and the U.S. Constitution. Include the following:

At least two references to specific articles or Amendments of the U.S. Constitution and an explanation of why your policy does not violate these articles or amendments. Focus on clauses that relate to your policy or that could potentially be violated by your policy. If you have proposed a federal policy, explain which clause of the U.S. Constitution gives the federal government the power to enact your policy.

At least two references to specific articles or amendments of your state’s constitution and an explanation of why your policy does not violate these. Focus on clauses that relate to your policy or that could potentially be violated by your policy. If you have proposed a state policy, explain which clause of your state’s constitution gives the state government the power to enact your policy.

DUE DATE

12 Task 4, “Action Plan” (Chapter 3, Step 4)

Directions

Write a summary of how your group plans to get your policy implemented. Include the following:

Your plan for developing support among individuals and groups in the community, including specific supporters and potential opponents of your policy

Your plan for developing support from the government for your policy, including specific government officials and agencies that would support, and others who may oppose, your policy

The process by which your proposed policy could become public policy. Include specific details of how you might get the appropriate level and branch of government to enact this policy and what steps must be taken for your proposal to become public policy.

13 Final Presentation of Project Citizen (Chapter 3, Step 5)

Directions

Present your project to policymakers who have the authority to implement your proposal or to members of your school and community.

14 Reflection paper (Chapter 3, Step 6)

Directions

Write a paper identifying the rights and obligations of U.S. citizens and noncitizens and of members of government and governmental institutions that were involved in fulfilling the tasks of Project Citizen.

Using Volunteers and Community Resources

Using volunteers

It is recommended that you ask volunteers to assist students with the tasks necessary to develop the class portfolio. Volunteers may be parents, senior citizens, teacher aides, youth organization leaders, or other civic-minded people. Volunteers may share real-life experiences in application of the ideas under consideration, enrich field experiences by serving as guides and responding to questions, and establish ongoing relationships with the class. Volunteers should be available regularly, by phone or in person, to respond to questions or issues that may arise during the program.

Analyzing public policy problems of local concern

Volunteers who are members of local politically active groups can help raise student awareness of public policy problems that are being debated in your community. Invite members from politically active groups to talk to your students in the early stages of the policy analysis process (in Chapter 3, Step 1 or 2) to help raise student awareness of the range of problems from which they could choose a problem to study.

Members of your state’s legislature

The National Conference of State Legislatures sponsors the America’s Legislators Back to School Program. This program enables teachers to invite participating state legislators to their classrooms to discuss the role of legislators and to assist students in understanding policymaking processes.

To participate in this program, contact your legislature’s coordinators by visiting the America’s Legislators Back to School Program website at www.ncsl.org/public/trust/contacts_bsw.htm.

Community Leader Letter

Dear Community Leader:

I am writing to inform you about and to invite you to participate in an exciting civic education project being undertaken by our students. Project Citizen is a curricular program that promotes competent and responsible participation in local, state, and federal government. The program helps young people learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, young people develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy.

Small groups of students work cooperatively to identify a public policy problem in their community. They then research the problem, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and create a political action plan to enlist local, state, or federal authorities to adopt their proposed policy. Participants develop a portfolio of their work and present their project in a hearing showcase before a panel of civic-minded community members or policymakers.

This is where you come in! As students research their issue and search for alternative solutions, they may contact you with questions. If contacted by one of my students, please assist them in obtaining the information they need, while keeping in mind that the students are learning how to research and communicate effectively. Students are required to identify real, current public policy problems. Therefore, they may question you about a controversial topic or one about which you have strong views. Please remember that the focus of this project is to instill the civic skills and responsibilities our democracy requires of its citizens by getting them to participate in their own governance. As leaders and role models for these students, we must support, encourage, and teach them how to be active citizens, even if that requires us to consider challenges to our current policies.

When their research and analysis is complete, students identify the level and branch of government that has the authority to implement their proposed policy. They then make a presentation to that group of policymakers. This is the most memorable and influential stage in this project. Students never forget the time they presented their ideas to a school board, city council, or other civic body. In the interest of efficiency, I would like to schedule a time when multiple groups of students can present their policy proposals to you at the same meeting or a time when a representative from your organization can listen to student presentations at our school. I will contact you with more details about this request as the projects develop.

Finally, I would like to invite you to visit my classroom as students work on Project Citizen . If you have time to tell students about your job, discuss current public policy problems, explain how policy is made, explain the structure of your agency or government body, or assist students in their research, please contact me. Your participation in this effort is invaluable to its success. I look forward to working with you soon! For more information about Project Citizen , visit http://www.civiced.org/project_citizen.php.

Sincerely, [Your Name]

Implementing Project Citizen in High School Classrooms

Five Tips for Success

1 Create structure and individual accountability for students

● Give students a timeline at the beginning of the project and stick to it.

● Have daily mini-lessons and daily debriefings.

● Let students know that their grade depends on their mastery of each step in Project Citizen; check for completion of daily assignments.

2 Provide ample choices for students

● Group members

● Problem they study

● Format they use for their portfolios

● Whom they present to

3 Provide an opportunity for a public hearing

This will help motivate students to produce high-quality work of which they can be proud. This is the most memorable, empowering, and rewarding part of the whole experience.

4 Schedule enough time for the project

● Provide at least one week per task, plus the introduction to public policy and practice for presentations.

● Practice, practice, practice the presentation!

● Debrief, provide closure, and give the students ownership of their projects.

5 Words of caution

● Approach local issues with sensitivity.

● Teach students how to propose policy changes without making individuals feel attacked.

● Avoid deluging public officials with multiple requests for the same information.

Narrowing Our Public Policy Problem

Introduction

In choosing a public policy problem, students often decide on one that is large and abstract. This can make it difficult to stay on topic and sort through the information collected. The most effective policy issues are those that can be connected to students’ communities or that directly impact their lives. The more tangible an issue is, the more likely students are to find relevant information and follow through with their action plan.

Objectives

At the conclusion of this lesson, students will be able to see that their public policy problem may have multiple components, identify the cause and effects of their policy problem, and narrow the class problem to a manageable topic.

Time Required

One class period

Materials

● Class copies of Appendix A10 “Narrowing Our Public Policy Problem__ Worksheet”on page 88 of this guide

● Poster-size paper—one sheet per pair or group of students

● Supplies to illustrate the poster

Procedure

1 Introduce the idea of narrowing the public policy problem the students have chosen. Explain that many of the issues we deal with come from a larger dilemma, which affects many people. The goal is to look at all the parts of the problem and choose one of these parts that the students feel closest to. For example, if students choose obesity as their policy problem they may find it hard to focus their research. By making the problem more specific, such as students in elementary school are eating too much junk food and their health is at risk or young children are not exercising enough, your class will be able to focus their work more effectively.

2 Have the students fill out Appendix A10,“Narrowing Our Public Policy Problem__ Worksheet.”1 In the worksheet, students need to list their policy problem and identify its causes, subproblems, and effects. Refer to the following example:

This appendix was contributed by Tobi Dattilo, a teacher at Joaquin Miller Elementary School in Burbank, California.

Problem__Crime

CAUSES

Alcohol

Robbery

Guns Drugs

Poverty

RELATED PROBLEMS

Injuries

Burglary Death

Child abuse

Theft

Shoplifting

Carjacking

EFFECTS

Fear of going outside

Hospital costs

Lack of values

Rise in insurance rates

Peer pressure

Vandalism in school

Fear of going to some areas of town

Mental illness

Business failure

Failure in school

3 After students have completed the worksheet, ask them to report their ideas. Record these ideas on a poster, the chalkboard, or an overhead projector so that everyone can see them.

4 Next, have the students work with a partner or in a small group and choose one cause, effect, or subproblem to further narrow down their options.

5 Each group of students will develop a collaborative worksheet on a poster that can be hung in the room. They can illustrate their poster to make it more visually appealing. Refer to the example of a narrowed-down issue of the larger “Crime” problem illustrated above.

Problem__Vandalism in Our School

CAUSES

Gangs

Poor behavior

Lack of adult supervision

RELATED PROBLEMS

Alcohol Robbery Guns Drugs

Bullying

EFFECTS

Lack of pride in the school

Low student morale

Incarceration

Low attendance

Fear of going to school

Repair costs

Reduced funding for education

Lack of values

Rise in insurance rates

Peer pressure

Fear of going to some areas of town

Failure in school

6 When students are finished with their posters, have each group share their work with the class.

7 Post these posters and have the students select which idea they think will be the best problem for the class to choose. This can be done the next day, after students have had a chance to think over their choices. Students should be allowed to speak for or against a specific problem as part of a consensus-building activity.

Debriefing Questions

1 Do you feel this public policy problem will be easier or harder to investigate than the larger problem we started with? Why or why not?

2 Was there more than one possibility we could have chosen? If so, what does this tell you?

3 As a result of doing the two activities, what is different about how you think about the problem?

Narrowing Our Public Policy Problem__Worksheet

Instructions

In Project Citizen, a public policy problem that is too complex can be difficult to address with a single policy proposal. To prevent this from happening,you should narrow the problem. On this sheet, you will analyze the policy problemyour class has decided to undertake. You need to decide the causes of the problem, the effects it has on other people, and the components of the problem. Be prepared to share some of your ideas with your class.

Identify the problem in the box.

CAUSES

Writing a Legislative Bill

Writing the appropriate language for a public policy or a bill can be tricky. Sometimes even the people who serve as state legislators need help. The following guidelines are taken from the Montana State Legislature’s website.1 It provides state legislators with a series of questions they need to answer so that the people in the bill-drafting office of the legislature can turn their ideas into a bill, and if passed by the legislature, a law.

Review the ten questions that the legislators need to answer. They can help you as you prepare the class policy that you need when you are working on the third task of portfolio development— proposing a public policy. Although you may not be writing actual legislation for your policy, the questions will help you clarify your thinking about what you should be addressing.

A Legislative Services bill drafter must translate objectives and policies of the legislator requesting a bill into clear, concise language meeting the requirements of the Bill Drafting Manual. To do this, the drafter needs complete information from the requesting legislator. Legislative Council rules say that “All bill drafting requests must be specific as to what the legislator wishes to accomplish and must also outline the method which will achieve that end. A drafter, with the concurrence of the Executive Director, is authorized to return a bill drafting request to a legislator for more information.” A legislator requesting a bill should be able to answer as many of the following questions as possible. Please use the followingquestion to help you do so.

1 What exactly is the problem that needs to be solved?

2 Who has experienced the problem—is it perceived as widespread or local in nature?

3 What is the proposed solution to the problem?

4 How should the solution be achieved, i.e., what action should government take to intervene in the problem?

5 What results are desired; if the bill passes, what results would show that the solution had been achieved?

6 Who should the drafter contact for information? (Be sure to give a copy of this form to each person you name indicating they should be prepared to answer these questions.)

7 Do you know of specific existing statutes that should be changed to achieve your proposed solution?

8 Is there specific legislation from another state, organization, lobbyist, agency, or other source that should serve as a model for your bill? If you think you heard or read about something somewhere, try to find as specific a reference as possible on it, i.e., specifically where you learned of it. If you have a copy, please provide it.

9 Does the solution require additional money? How should the money be raised or from what existing source should it come? (Mandates to local governments must authorize a source of funding.)

10 What alternatives to legislation have been considered to solve the problem? How have they failed?

1 Source: Adapted from the Montana State Legislature’s website at http//leg.state.mt.us/css/research/information/draftques.asp.

APPENDICES B

Materials for a Project Citizen Showcase

Guidelines and Procedures for Conducting a Showcase Event

These guidelines and procedures represent an effort to provide a consistent structure for national implementation of Project Citizen showcase events. We have attempted to make these guidelines and procedures as clear, concise, and useful as possible. We believe that everyone who participates in the various showcase events at the local, state, and national level will appreciate clearly defined guidelines and uniform procedures and criteria for rating the portfolios and simulated hearing.

Participation

A major objective of Project Citizen is to encourage the widest possible participation from a broad range of students in various types of class settings and with members of youth groups sponsored by community organizations.

Showcase events

There are two types of events that comprise a showcase. Both of these events involve members of the community rating the students’ level of achievement using the guidelines and rating instruments provided in this guide.

Portfolio display and evaluation

This event involves members of the community in reading, analyzing, and evaluating the portfolios produced by the students in a class or youth group. Typically, the portfolios are displayed in a prominent public venue and the rating takes place without students being present.

Simulated hearing

This event involves all the students or youth group members who developed the portfolio. Each of the four groups of students who worked on the four sections of the portfolio are given an opportunity to make oral presentations and respond to follow-up questions from a panel of community members.

Showcase Procedure

Portfolios

The standard format for a portfolio, as described in the student book on pages 60–71, consists of two major components—a four-panel display and a documentation binder . If students are using an alternative format for presenting their work, it should still include the basic components described below.

Display

The display consists of the following elements:

● Four display panels of poster board or foam-core board or the equivalent, with each panel being no larger than 32 inches wide by 40 inches high. Each of four portfolio groups in the class will have one panel to display its work. Each panel should include the following:

● A written summary of the required topics

● A variety of graphic illustrations

● An identification of the sources used to gather information

Documentation binder

The documentation binder consists of the following elements:

● Five sections, each separated by a divider and labeled on the tab, placed in a single three-ring binder no larger than 2 inches thick

● An overall table of contents as well as a table of contents for each section

● Copies of the best supporting documentation or research evidence that each group has gathered for its section

● The fifth section should have the class’s evaluation and reflection on their experience

Simulated hearings

Oral presentations by participating students, in the form of a simulated hearing, are an essential part of the Project Citizen learning experience. Teachers are encouraged to include a simulated hearing before a panel of community members. These oral presentations might be made to other classes, parents, or community groups such as the PTA, Rotary Club, etc. This activity will provide students with valuable experience in presenting ideas to others and in convincing an audience of a position on a vital public policy issue. “Chapter 3, Step 5— Presenting Your Portfolio in a Simulated Public Hearing,” on pages 73–76 of the student book, outlines the goals and procedures for the class to use when making oral presentations.

Goals

● Explain the importance of the problem students have studied.

● Explain and evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of alternative polices designed to deal with the problem students have selected.

● Explain why students’ proposed public policy is the best way to deal with the problem and make the case for adoption and implementation of their proposed policy. In doing so, students should explain why their proposed policy does not violate federal or state constitutions.

● Explain how students’ proposed action plan is designed to get governmental officials to adopt and implement their policy.

Procedures

In developing its portfolio and in preparing for the simulated hearing, each class or youth group is divided into four portfolio groups—one for each section of the portfolio. Each of the four portfolio groups will present a prepared four-minute statement about its research on the problem it studied. Students will then respond for six minutes to follow-up questions from the panel of community members.

A volunteer serving as a timer will indicate when one minute remains in the prepared testimony and again when one minute remains in the follow-up questioning. Students may use written notes for the four-minute prepared testimony but not for the follow-up questioning period. Students may refer to their portfolio display to emphasize a point at any time during either part of the oral presentation.

Timers

For each simulated hearing showcase, there should be a volunteer who serves as a timer. He or she should not be one of the panel members who will be rating the students’ oral presentations. The timer should keep strictly to the ten-minute framework for each portfolio group presentation: four minutes for prepared testimony and six minutes for the follow-up questioning. Timers will notify the students of the time remaining by holding up a card when they have one minute left in the prepared statement time and again when there is one minute left in the follow-up questioning period. When the full ten minutes has expired, the timer will stop the presentation by announcing “Time!”

Selecting evaluators

The following points will be helpful as you undertake the task of selecting members of the community to serve as evaluators to rate the students’ level of achievement on the portfolios and in the simulated hearing.

For every three portfolios in the showcase event there should be a panel of three volunteers who will rate the students’ achievements. These panels should be made up of individuals who are knowledgeable about the policymaking processes, current public policy issues, and the link between civic education and civic participation. Evaluators should include prominent and knowledgeable community members from both the public and private sectors. A wide variety of individuals would be ideal to serve as evaluators. Think about inviting the following people:

● active and retired teachers (social studies, language arts, science, etc.)

● college professors

● elected and appointed public officials

● journalists

● lawyers, judges, and law enforcement personnel

● members of community organizations (League of Women Voters, Kiwanis Club, Veterans of Foreign Wars)

● high school students who have participated in the Center for Civic Education’s We the People: The Citizen and the Constitution congressional hearing program

Materials

You will need to provide each evaluator with a copy of the Project Citizen textbook and photocopies of the following materials:

● Appendix B2, “Evaluator Guidelines for the Portfolio Showcase” (page 98 of this guide)

● Appendix B3, “Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet” (page 104 of this guide)

If the students are making oral presentations, the evaluators will need the following:

● Appendix B4, “Evaluator Guidelines for the Simulated Hearing” (page 106 of this guide)

● Appendix B5, “Project Citizen Hearing Evaluation Rating Sheet” (page 110 of this guide)

Evaluation

Conduct a briefing meeting with the individuals who will serve as evaluators of the students’ work. Carefully review the overall goals of Project Citizen. Pay particular attention to the nature of middle school students and the expectations that evaluators should reasonably have for them.

Review each of the following with the portfolio evaluators:

● Appendix B2, “Evaluator Guidelines for the Portfolio Showcase” (page 98 of this guide)

● Appendix B3, “Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet” (page 104 of this guide)

If students will be making oral presentations, review each of the following with the hearing evaluators:

● Appendix B4, “Evaluator Guidelines for the Simulated Hearing” (page 106 of this guide)

● Appendix B5, “Project Citizen Hearing Evaluation Rating Sheet” (page 110 of this guide)

Emphasize that evaluators need to give students some positive feedback and offer some constructive suggestions on how students might improve their portfolio and oral presentations.

As a general guideline, you will need one panel of three evaluators for every three portfolios being evaluated. Each portfolio will take approximately 45 minutes to thoroughly review and rate. Each oral presentation will take approximately one hour. For example, if there are fifteen portfolios to be evaluated, you will need at least five panels of three evaluators— fifteen ratings total. Each panel of evaluators will rate three different portfolios or rate three different oral presentations. The ideal scenario is to have each portfolio evaluated by two different panels of evaluators (six different individuals). And, if possible, have two different panels hear each simulated hearing presentation.

Collect all the judges’ rating sheets at the conclusion of the portfolio or hearing evaluation. To determine the level of achievement for each portfolio or simulated hearing, combine individual evaluators’ ratings then divide by the number of individual judges. This average rating will give you a number that you can use for determining different levels of achievement for the classes participating in the portfolio showcase or simulated hearing.

The Center for Civic Education recommends the following rating ranges for determining the level of achievement:

For example, a portfolio or hearing might be rated as follows:

After the Evaluations

Hold an assembly of all participants, their teachers, family, and friends to notify them of the showcase results.

Give each participating student a Certificate of Achievement with his or her name on it and have it signed by a school administrator or elected public official. Your Project Citizen congressional district coordinator can obtain these certificates for you from the Center for Civic Education. If possible, arrange for a small trophy or plaque for each class that participated, showing the level of achievement they attained.

If possible, arrange for a prominent community leader to present the Certificates of Achievement and give a brief address about the importance of the students’ contributions and their policymaking achievement, a necessary step in maintaining a healthy democracy.

Evaluator Guidelines for the Portfolio Showcase

The Project Citizen portfolio showcase is the culmination of an interactive civic education program designed to actively engage adolescents in the civic life of their communities. In Project Citizen, a group of participating young people identifies and analyzes issues and problems facing their community (i.e., school, neighborhood, town, city, or state).

As a group, students select one of these issues or problems for detailed study. After studentscomplete their research, they propose a public policy to deal with that issue or problem. Finally, they develop an action plan specifying the steps to take to have their public policy proposal adopted by the appropriate government authorities.

To develop the Project Citizen portfolio, the students or youth organization members are subdivided into four groups, one group for each section of the portfolio. Each group has responsibility for the following primary task:

Portfolio Group 1___Explaining the Problem

Portfolio Group 2___Examining Alternative Policies to Deal with the Problem

Portfolio Group 3___Proposing a Public Policy to Deal with the Problem

Portfolio Group 4___Developing an Action Plan

The class developed a portfolio based on their research. The portfolio has two components— a display component and a documentation component. The two components taken together constitute the portfolio that you will evaluate using the “Portfolio Criteria Checklist” on pages 58–59 of the student book and the five sections of Appendix B3, “Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet”—one section for each of the four sections of the display and binder, and one for an overall evaluation of the students’ work.

The following information corresponds to the four major sections that comprise the display component and the documentation binder.

Portfolio Group 1__Explaining the Problem

The first display section should provide a detailed explanation of the issue or problem chosen and why the class selected it. A one- to two-page written summary should include a clear description of the issue or problem and what the class learned about it. Relevant graphs, photos, illustrations, or cartoons should be included. The students should cite all sources they used.

The written summary should be posted on the display and should include the following information:

● A clear statement of the nature of the issue or problem the students chose to research

● The degree of seriousness and scope of the issue or problem

● The levels of government or the government agencies that have responsibility for handling the issue or problem

● An indication of individuals or groups that might share responsibility for dealing with the issue or problem

● An indication of disagreements about the issue or problem in the community

● If a policy exists to deal with the problem, is it adequate? Why or why not?

Documentation Binder

In the first section of the documentation binder, the students must document their research, including a selection of the best supporting material. In addition to a table of contents, this section should include evidence that supports the group’s work. Examples:

● A completed Form 2: Creating Public Policy and Civil Society Solutions to Community Problems (page 21 of the student book)

● A summary of the completed interview forms (or representative examples)

● Relevant newspaper or magazine articles

● Completed Internet or printed sources forms (if applicable)

● Other relevant supporting articles, reports, etc.

Portfolio Group 2__Examining Alternative Policies to Deal with the Problem

The second display section should provide a detailed explanation and evaluation of two or three alternative public policy proposals from various groups or individuals. If an existing policy is in place, it should be included with an explanation of its effectiveness. Relevant graphs, photos, illustrations, or cartoons should be included. The students should cite all sources used.

The display should include a one-page written summary for each alternative public policy presented. Each summary should include the following information:

● An explanation of the current public policy, if one exists, and an evaluation of its effectiveness (advantages and disadvantages)

● A detailed explanation of each alternative public policy solution and its strengths and weaknesses (advantages and disadvantages) with supporting data

● Identification of the source of each proposed public policy (e.g., individual citizens, special interest groups, legislature, or city council)

Documentation Binder

In the second section of the documentation binder, the students must document their research, including a selection of the best supporting material. In addition to a table of contents, this section should include evidence that supports the group’s work. Examples:

● A copy of the full text of the policy (if one is currently in place)

● Letters or memos from special interest groups or individuals

● Publicity circulating in the community

● Other relevant supporting articles, reports, etc.

Portfolio Group 3__Proposing a Public Policy to Deal with the Problem

The third display section should clearly explain a specific public policy proposal to address the issue or problem and the reasons that the class has agreed to support it. The class may choose to support an existing policy, modify an existing policy, create a new policy, or support one of the alternative policies described in the second display panel. Graphs, photos, illustrations, or cartoons should be displayed. The students should cite all sources used.

The display should contain a one- to two-page written summary that includes the following:

● An explanation of the public policy the class is proposing and a justification for how that public policy will best deal with the issue or problem

● The advantages and disadvantages of the public policy supported with current data, including identification of individuals or groups that may be affected by the policy and a description of its possible impact

● A statement of rationale that also identifies the appropriate branch of government or governmental agency that would be responsible for implementing the proposed public policy

● An opinion statement on why the proposed public policy does not violate the U.S. Constitution or state constitutions

Documentation Binder

In the third section of the documentation binder, students must document their research, including a selection of the best supporting material. In addition to a table of contents, this section should include evidence that supports the group’s work. Examples:

● A completed copy of Form 11, the Constitutional Opinion Form (pages 67–68 of the student book)

● Any laws, regulations, or rules that may apply

● A copy of an existing policy or law, or models of new or modified laws or policies

● Other relevant supporting articles, reports, etc.

Portfolio Group 4__Developing an Action Plan

The fourth display section of the portfolio should provide a detailed description of the process necessary to get the proposed public policy adopted and implemented by the appropriate governmental branch or agency. The plan should include steps for developing community support for the proposed policy. There should also be a detailed plan for overall implementation of the proposed public policy. Graphs, photos, illustrations, or cartoons should be displayed. The students should cite all sources they used.

The following information should be included in the written summary:

● A clear explanation of how the class would seek to gain support from governmental officials for the proposed public policy

● A clear explanation of how the class would seek to gain support from special interest groups, community groups, businesses, or influential individuals for the proposed public policy and action plan

● Identification of influential individuals, businesses, special interest groups, or governmental agencies that might oppose the proposed public policy and action plan and an explanation of their opposition

● An explanation of steps to be taken to implement the action plan and the plan’s benefits

● When possible, the action plan should include estimated costs and a timeline for implementation

Documentation Binder

In the fourth section of the documentation binder, the students must document their research, including a selection of the best supporting material. In addition to a table of contents, this section should include evidence that supports the group’s work. Examples:

● Written statements of support or opposition

● Publicity

● Letters from influential individuals or public officials

● Other relevant supporting articles, reports, etc.

Reflections__Part 5

This component is included only in the documentation binder. The final step of the curriculum asks students to reflect on their learning experience. The fifth section of the documentation binder should contain brief statements or letters from students describing what they learned from Project Citizen. This should include reflection on what they learned about public policy and the policymaking process. It should tell how Project Citizen helped them to better understand the role of governmental officials and citizens. Finally, the reflection should address how they would approach the project differently if they did it again. If the students have had an opportunity to present their portfolio to an audience in a simulated public hearing, they should include their thoughts of this experience in the reflection.

Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet

A Project Citizen portfolio consists of two components: a four-panel display and a five-section documentation binder. When evaluating the portfolio, the following criteria should be applied to both the display and the corresponding section in the documentation binder. Use the rating scale below to evaluate the portfolio. Give only one whole numeric rating (1–10) for each of the five sections in the Criteria for Evaluation.

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet

SCHOOL NAME

TEACHER

EVALUATOR

Understanding of the Problem

•States and explains the problem and its causes and presents evidence that there is a problem

•Demonstrates an understanding of issues involved in the problem

•Demonstrates an understanding of existing or proposed public policies

•Explains disagreements about the problem that may exist in the community

•Explains why government should be involved in the solution

Analysis of Alternative Policies

•Presents two or three alternative public policies to address the problem

•Explains advantages and disadvantages of each alternative policy presented

•Identifies controversies and conflicts that may need to be addressed for each alternative

Public Policy Development and Persuasiveness

•States a public policy that addresses the problem and identifies the governmental branch or agency responsible for enacting the proposed public policy

•Supports their proposed public policy with reasoning and evidence

•Identifies and explains advantages and disadvantages of the proposed public policy

•Explains and supports the reasons why the proposed public policy is constitutional

Implementation of an Action Plan

•Identifies individuals and groups, both supporters and opponents, who will need to be influenced

•Identifies government officials, both supporters and opponents, who will need to be influenced

•Outlines and explains an action plan for getting the proposed public policy enacted

•Proposes action that builds and expands on evidence presented in previous panels

Overall

Portfolio

•Presents material in the display and binder that is mutually supportive

•Constructs a clear and convincing sequence from one panel or section to the next

•Uses and documents research from multiple sources and provides appropriate notation for the sources and research evidence used

•Uses standards of good writing

•Uses relevant and appropriate graphics and written information

•Is visually appealing

•Includes evidence of student reflection that states what students havelearned (this appears in Section 5 of the documentation binder only) SECTION 1 2 3 4

RATINGCOMMENTS

Evaluator Guidelines for the Simulated Hearing

The Project Citizen simulated hearing is the culmination of an interactive civic education program designed to actively engage adolescents in the civic life of their communities. In Project Citizen, a group of participating young people identifies and analyzes issues and problems facing their community (i.e., school, neighborhood, town, city, or state). As a group, students select one of these issues or problems for detailed study. After students complete their research, they propose a public policy to deal with that issue or problem. Finally, they develop an action plan specifying the steps to take to have their public policy proposal adopted by the appropriate government authorities.

The purpose of the simulated hearing (the oral presentation component) is to teach students to present and defend reasoned opinions related to influencing public policy decision making in their communities.

For the simulated hearing, the class or youth organization members are subdivided into four groups, one group for each section of the portfolio. Each group has responsibility for the following primary task:

Portfolio Group 1___Explaining the Problem

Portfolio Group 2___Examining Alternative Policies to Deal with the Problem

Portfolio Group 3___Proposing a Public Policy to Deal with the Problem

Portfolio Group 4___Developing an Action Plan

Each group will make a prepared four-minute presentation. The group will then respond for six minutes to follow-up questions posed by you and the other members of the evaluator panel. Each of the four groups will address your panel for a total of ten minutes. At the conclusion of each presentation, you and the other panel members should provide constructive feedback (see page 109, “Feedback” section below for details).

The following information has been prepared to assist you in asking follow-up questions to each of the four groups. Please remember that these questions are suggested only as a guide to help you elicit additional information or elaborate on information presented in the testimony.

The goals of the follow-up period and guiding questions are to help you determine how much the students have learned about the problem they have investigated as well as the information-gathering and problem-solving process they have used. The more you learn about what the students have studied and proposed, the better you will be able to evaluate their presentation.

The following information has been prepared to assist you in evaluating the presentation of each of the four portfolio groups. The portfolio has two components—a display component and a documentation component. The two components taken together constitute the portfolio. The prepared statements and answers to your follow-up questions will be based on the portfolio. You will evaluate the student presentation using the five sections of

Appendix B5—the “Project Citizen Hearing Evaluation Rating Sheet” (pages 110–111 of this guide)—one for each of the four sections of the portfolio and one for an overall evaluation of the students’ presentations.

Portfolio Group 1___Explaining the Problem

Portfolio Group 1 should provide a detailed explanation of the issue or problem chosen by the class and why that particular issue or problem was selected. During the prepared testimony phase, the group should be able to provide a detailed description of the problem’s scope and impact on the community. Possible follow-up questions might include the following:

● How widespread is this issue or problem in your community?

● Is this an issue or problem that people in your community think is important? How do you know?

● What has public reaction to the issue or problem been?

● What sources of information did you use to research the issue or problem?

● What more did you learn about the issue or problem as a result of your research?

● What branch of government do you think should be dealing with the issue or problem and why?

● Are there policies, regulations, ordinances, or rules in place now that address the issue or problem? Do you believe they are adequate to deal with the issue or problem? Why or why not?

Portfolio Group 2___Examining Alternative Policies to Deal with the Problem

Portfolio Group 2 should focus on explaining present or alternative policies designed to solve the problem or address the issue. In some instances, no policy exists, so students are expected to develop public policy alternatives to address the problem.

Testimony should include strengths and weaknesses of existing or proposed policies. Where no policy exists, students should explain what alternative policy proposals may be pending or recommended by their classmates, community groups, special interest groups, formal boards, the legislature, or city councils. Advantages and disadvantages of each policy or proposal should be presented and discussed. Possible follow-up questions might include the following:

● What sources did you use to locate existing or proposed policies?

● What more did you learn about the issue or problem after you examined alternative policies?

● If a public policy currently exists, why does it need to be changed?

● Which groups or individuals support the existing policy or proposed new policy and what are the reasons for their support?

● Which groups or individuals oppose changing the policy or proposed new policy and what are the reasons for their opposition?

● Were there other policies or solutions that you did not include in your portfolio or in your presentation? If so, what were they?

Portfolio Group 3___Proposing a Public Policy to Deal with the Problem

Portfolio Group 3 should focus on the policy or solution being proposed by the class. The group’s explanation should include a clear rationale for making changes to existing policy, eliminating existing policy, or implementing new policy. If appropriate, students should present a cost analysis. The group must include an explanation of why its proposed policy does not violate the federal or state constitutions. Possible follow-up questions might include the following:

● What branch or agency of government is the proposed policy directed toward and why?

● Have you considered the total cost of implementing your policy? Why or why not? If you have, what is the total cost and what does it include?

● Where would the funds come from? What other resources besides money might be needed?

● Does the civil community or private sector (business) have any responsibility to correct the problem or to assist in carrying out the proposed public policy?

Portfolio Group 4___Developing an Action Plan

Portfolio Group 4 should focus on giving a detailed explanation of the steps needed to have the proposed policy adopted by the appropriate government officials. Testimony should include a statement on how long it might realistically take to get the proposed policy adopted and implemented. Possible follow-up questions might include the following:

● How could the groups or individuals who support your proposal help to influence or convince government officials to adopt your proposal?

● Are there other individuals or groups who might support your recommended solution or policy? Why would they support your recommended solution or policy?

● What individuals or groups oppose your recommended solution or policy and what are the reasons for their opposition?

● How would you respond to the arguments of the individuals or groups that are opposed to your policy?

● How long would it take to implement the proposal?

● What results would you expect if you carried out your action plan?

● What do you think might happen if your proposal were not adopted?

General Questions

If appropriate, these generic questions might be asked of any of the four groups: How does the [law or legal case] you mentioned in your testimony support your position? What did you learn about the role of government officials by participating in Project Citizen? What did you learn about the issues or problems facing your community by participating in Project Citizen?

Feedback

The simulated hearing component of Project Citizen is an extension of classroom learning. As such, it presents another opportunity for you to help students understand the complexity of the public policymaking process. After each group presents its section of the portfolio, you are expected to provide the students with feedback on their presentation. These remarks should be short but constructive. You should commend the students for their work and help them learn from the process.

Always begin with positive remarks and add helpful examples of how the students might improve their presentation. For example, you might say, “I liked the way in which you explained the problem. I would like to suggest that you include more data on the number of people affected by this serious problem.”

Some students will undoubtedly make errors in their presentation. During the feedback session, please make the correction in a tactful, sensitive, and diplomatic manner. For example, “Your presentation included an important reference to the Supreme Court’s ruling in New Jersey v. T.L.O. That case relates to the Fourth Amendment’s prohibition of unlawful search and seizure. Because your presentation focused on free speech, you might think about using the Tinker v. Des Moines case instead.”

Project Citizen Hearing Evaluation Rating Sheet

A Project Citizen hearing provides an opportunity for students to share, in a public forum, what they have learned about a public policy problem and how they are proposing to solve it through the public policymaking process. The presentation will be made by four different groups of students, each presenting a different aspect of the entire group’s research and its recommendation for a public policy. When evaluating each group, consider the Criteria for Evaluation below for that group of students, and then use the following rating scale. Give only one whole numeric rating (1–10) for each of the five sections of the Criteria for Evaluation.

Average Rating Level of Achievement

SCHOOL NAME TEACHER EVALUATOR

CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION

Understanding of the Problem

•Stated and explained the problem and its causes and presented evidence that there is a problem

•Demonstrated an understanding of issues involved in the problem

•Demonstrated an understanding of existing or proposed public policies

•Explained disagreements about the problem that may exist in the community

•Explained why government should be involved in the solution

Analysis of Alternative Policies

•Presented two or three alternative policies to address the problem

•Explained advantages and disadvantages of each alternative policy presented

•Identified controversies and conflicts that need to be addressed for each alternative

Public Policy Development and Persuasiveness

•Stated a public policy that addresses the problem and identified the government branch or agency responsible for enacting the proposed public policy

•Supported the proposed public policy with reasoning and evidence

•Identified advantages and disadvantages of the proposed public policy

•Explained and supported the reasons why the proposed public policy is constitutional

Implementation of an Action Plan

•Identified individuals and groups, both supporters and opponents, who will need to be influenced

•Identified government officials, both supporters and opponents, who will need to be influenced

•Outlined and explained an action plan for getting the proposed public policy enacted

•Proposed actions that build and expand on presentations by previous groups

Overall Hearing

•Constructed a clear and convincing sequence from one group to the next

•Used and documented research from multiple sources and made reference to sources and research evidence used

•Referenced relevant and appropriate graphics and written information

•Used standards of good oral presentation (pace, projection, articulation, poise, eye contact)

•Shared speaking responsibility while making the presentation

•Included evidence of reflection that states what the students learned GROUP 1 2 3 4

RATINGCOMMENTS

Evaluator Letter

Dear [Name],

Thank you for your willingness to participate in the Project Citizen showcase. Your presence at the event will demonstrate the characteristics associated with civic duty and publiccommitment that is the desired outcome of the program. Project Citizen is designed to help promote competent and responsible participation in local, state, and federal government. The program helps young people learn how to monitor and influence public policy. In the process, they develop support for democratic values and principles, tolerance, and feelings of political efficacy.

Small groups of students work cooperatively to identify a public policy problem or issue in their community. They then research the problem, evaluate alternative solutions, develop their own solution in the form of a public policy, and create a political action plan to enlist government authorities to adopt their proposed policy. In the showcase event, you will see and hear the work that students have undertaken to address a public policy issue facing their community.

There are two components of the showcase: (1) a review of the portfolio that the class has developed to present its research on the problem it is addressing and (2) a simulated hearing that is intended to represent the atmosphere of a public hearing before the governmental body or agency that would normally deal with the specific problem the students are addressing.

We have included two documents that will help you with your assignment for the showcase. If you will be evaluating the student portfolio, you will have

Evaluator Guidelines for the Portfolio Showcase

Project Citizen Portfolio Evaluation Rating Sheet

If you will be evaluating the oral presentation, you will have

Evaluator Guidelines for the Simulated Hearing

Project Citizen Hearing Evaluation Rating Sheet

Please review these materials before the event. We will hold a briefing session just prior to the start of the evaluation process to explain procedures for the event and to answer any questions that you may have about your task.

Please remember that the focus of this project is to instill the civic skills and responsibilities our democracy requires of its citizens by getting them to participate in their own governance. As leaders and role models for these students, we must support, encourage, and teach them how to be active citizens, even if that requires us to consider challenges to our current policies.

Component parts of the Project Citizen display and oral presentations:

● The Problem explains a current public policy problem or issue, the policy currently in place for dealing with this problem, and why the current policy should be changed.

● Alternative Policies analyzes two or three different policies or proposals for solving the problem. Explains advantages and disadvantages of each.

● Our Policy outlines the group’s chosen policy that it believes will best solve the problem; justifies this policy as realistic, economically feasible, and constitutional.

● Action Plan identifies specific stakeholders (supporters and opponents) who will be affected by this policy, and proposes actions the group will take to gain their support or persuade them that this is a sound policy choice.

Yours truly,

[Teacher’s Name]

For more information about Project Citizen, visit www.civiced.org/project_citizen.php

APPENDICES C

Supplementary Material

Alternative Activity Chart__Concepts of American Government

Public Policy Quiz

Directions

For each of the following examples, indicate whether the action taken was a public policy approach to solving a problem. Explain your answer.

1 A car insurance company raises insurance premiums for drivers who get speeding tickets. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

2 The state legislature passes a new law raising the driving age to 18. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

3 A local environmental group organizes a river clean-up day, and volunteers pick up trash along the river. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

4 The school board changes the graduation requirements to require four years of math. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

5 The math club at a school requires students to pass calculus before joining the club. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

6 Gas prices rise across the country because of high demand and low supply. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

7 The Bureau of Land Management issues permits for increased drilling for oil in the United States. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

8 Blue Skies Airlines raises all its ticket prices by $100. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

9 A local church provides counseling for young people who want to talk to someone about relationships, drug and alcohol use, or personal issues. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

10 The National Basketball Association requires all its players to dress in business clothes when attending public events. Is this a public policy? Why or why not?

Triggering Mechanisms

PROBLEM

Trigger12345

Scope

Intensity

Duration

Resources

PROBLEM

Trigger12345

Scope

Intensity

Duration

Resources

PROBLEM

Trigger12345

Scope Intensity

Duration Resources

PROBLEM

Trigger12345

Scope Intensity

Duration

Why did you give it this score?

Why did you give it this score?

Why did you give it this score?

Why did you give it this score?

Analyzing the Importance of Your Problem

1 What is the public policy problem you have identified? Explain in detail.

2 Attach an article or summary of an interview that relates to this problem. Explain the main points of the article or interview and how it helps demonstrate that there is a problem.

3 Rate this problem according to the triggering mechanisms below.

RATING SCALE 1 = very low/very few 5 = very high/very many

PROBLEM

Trigger12345

Scope

Intensity

Duration

Resources

Why did you give it this score?

4 What additional information would serve as evidence to policymakers of the severity of the problem in each triggering mechanism?

Scope

Intensity

Duration

Resources

5 Do you need to do a survey?

If so, who would be surveyed?

What would you ask the people you survey?

6 Who can you interview to help demonstrate that this is an important problem? a b c

7 What groups, agencies, news organizations, or other sources of information would have good information about this problem? a b c

8 What are you going to do today, in class, to demonstrate that this is an important problem?

9 What are you going to do by the next class?

Project Citizen Research Prompt

I will come to class with During the next class, your group will have to report to the class the following:

1 A clear explanation of the problem. What are the negative effects of the current situation?

2 The scope of the problem. Include statistics on how many people, and in what areas (local, state, regional, national, or international), are affected by it. How are they affected?

3 The intensity or duration of the problem. Who is passionate about this problem, or who is most severely affected by it? How long has it been going on?

4 Is there a current policy? What is it? What resources (money, people, time, space, etc.) are currently dedicated to this problem?

Research Plan

QUESTION

Date

Key Words and Phrases

Website Note Cards

Instructions

Complete one note card for each website that provides you with information.

QUESTION

Site name

URL1

Type of site 2

Title of article

Author of article

Site rating

Quotes4 Not trustworthyMay be reliableGood information and reliable

Notes3

1For example, www.cnn.com

2For example, magazine, newspaper, personal, business, government, television station, school, other group, etc.

3In your own words

4Cut and paste

Survey Writing Guide

Good surveys can be difficult to write. Follow these steps to improve your chances of yielding accurate information that answers the questions you need answered.

1 Set a main goal that you want the survey to accomplish. What is the main thing you want to know?

2 Write five questions that directly relate to your main goal. Each question should be brief, clear, and unbiased (it should not lead participants to choose one answer over another).

3 Create responses that participants can choose from for each of your questions. Think about how you will tabulate your results into a presentable form as you create your questions and responses. Responses should be multiple choice or rating scale. Some common rating scales are “disagree—agree,” “never— always,” “poor—excellent,” etc. If using a numeric scale, higher numbers should represent a more positive or agreeing answer. For each question, include a response option of “don’t know,” “not sure,” “don’t care,” “prefer not to answer,” or another way for participants to opt out of the question. Add a “comments” section at the end of the survey.

4 Proofread your survey, and then test it by giving it to a few of your classmates before making multiple copies. As your test group takes the survey, make notes on any questions that were confusing and on response options that were not adequate for the participants’ true opinions to be explained. Talk to your test group when they complete the survey, and make notes on improvements you need to make.

5 Edit your survey based on the test group’s experiences. Write a final draft, and then make enough copies to survey a large enough group of people to gain reliable results.

6 Distribute the surveys to your target population. You will gain more responses if participants can complete the survey and return it to you as soon as they are finished. If you leave surveys with participants and ask them to return the completed forms later, you will usually not get many back.

7 Tabulate your results.

8 Present your results in chart, graph, or text form. Choose only the most impressive, conclusive, or relevant results to include in Task 1, “Explain the Problem,” on page 52 of the student book.

Portfolio Tasks Worksheet

Problem

Describe the problem, its importance, and the need for a solution.

Alternative Policies

List the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative policy.

Proposed Public Policy

Develop a public policy solution, list its advantages and disadvantages, and suggest what levels of government or agencies should be responsible for implementing the policy. Explain why the proposed policy does not violate the U.S. Constitution or your state’s constitution.

Action Plan

List the steps your class should take to get government to accept the policy you are proposing.

Alternative Activity Directions

Have students place each statement below on the correct task panel.

● There are frequent car accidents at the corner of 5th St. and Main St.

● A neighborhood association does not want another stoplight in their neighborhood. They think a roundabout should be installed.

● The city council has the power to implement our policy by passing a resolution to install a roundabout at 5th St. and Main St.

● We will attend a city council meeting and present our proposal along with letters of support from area business owners, commuters, and police officers.

● During an interview, the owner of a business at the intersection said she loses business because drivers cannot safely turn into her parking lot.

● A city council member has proposed adding a stoplight at the intersection.

● Many commuters do not want anything installed that will slow down their daily commute through this area.

● Our class proposes adding a roundabout to the intersection.

● A roundabout does not slow traffic down as much as a stoplight, but it makes the intersection safer for cross traffic.

● Police reports show that there is an average of one auto accident a month at this intersection.

C11

Answers to Portfolio Tasks Worksheet

Problem

Describe the problem, its importance, and the need for a solution.

1 There are frequent car accidents at the corner of 5th St. and Main St.

2 Police reports show that there is an average of one auto accident a month at this intersection.

3 During an interview, the owner of a business at the intersection said she loses business because drivers cannot safely turn into her parking lot.

Alternative Policies

List the advantages and disadvantages of each alternative policy.

1 A city council member has proposed adding a stoplight at the intersection.

2 A neighborhood association does not want another stoplight in their neighborhood. They think a roundabout should be installed.

3 Many commuters do not want anything installed that will slow down their daily commute through this area.

Proposed Public Policy

Develop a public policy solution, list its advantages and disadvantages, and suggest what levels of government or agencies should be responsible for implementing the policy. Explain why the proposed policy does not violate the U.S. Constitution or your state’s constitution.

1 Our class proposes adding a roundabout to the intersection.

2 A roundabout does not slow traffic down as much as a stoplight, but it makes the intersection safer for cross traffic.

3 The city council has the power to implement our policy by passing a resolution to install a roundabout at 5th St. and Main St.

Action Plan

List the steps your class should take to get government to accept the policy you are proposing.

1 We will attend a city council meeting and present our proposal along with letters of support from area business owners, commuters, and police officers.

Group Work for Tasks__Whole Class Projects

Task Number Group Members

Each panel must have the following:

1 Final written summary

Who will do this step?

1–2 pages, typed, double spaced

Include ideas from many students’ papers

Explain where you got the information

2 Visuals

Who will do this step?

Visuals help people understand your points.

Photographs or graphics

Charts

Headlines from newspapers or newsmagazines

Statistics

Quotes from people

Examples of surveys, petitions, etc.

3 Construction

Who will do this step?

Information must be displayed on the panels in a neat, organized way.

Title

Captions to explain each visual

4 Construction of bibliography and documentation binder

Who will do this step?

All information must be organized and placed in a three-ring binder.

Sources of information used on each portfolio panel must be cited in bibliographic format.

Bibliography on panel

Well-organized documentation binder

C13

Sharing the Work__Small Group Projects

Problem/Portfolio Title

Format of final portfolio Group Members

Who is doing what in your group? Fill in your names below, keep a copy for your group, and return a copy to your teacher.

ProblemAlternative PoliciesClass PolicyAction Plan

Written Summary Graphics

Bibliography and Documentation Binder Construction

Your final group project must include

Four tasks

1 The Problem

2 Alternative Policies

3 Proposed Public Policy

4 Action Plan

Four requirements for each panel or step

1 Written summary

2 Graphics

3 Bibliography and documentation binder

4 Construction

Your group may divide up the work in one of three ways

1 Each student is responsible for a different requirement on each panel. Each student will have an opportunity to do each of the four requirements once.

2 Each student is responsible for the same requirement on each panel. Each student will be in charge of one of the requirements, but he or she will complete this requirement for all four panels.

3 Each student is responsible for the entire final product of one panel. Each student will complete all four requirements for only one of the four panels.

Self-Assessment Form

Use this form to assess your Project Citizen participation. Use the three criteria below for guidelines. Rate yourself on a scale of one to five, with five being the highest score.

Name

Participation

I participate without being asked. I share my strengths and offer to do things I am good at. I am willing to contribute to the group’s success. Circle the most appropriate number.

Completion of Assignments

I complete my assignments on time. I come to class prepared every day, and do more than expected outside of class. I find solutions to problems and always accomplish my part. I look for things that need to be done and do them. Circle the most appropriate number.

Working with Group Members

I work well with every member of the group. I help the entire group plan and accomplish goals. I do not boss others around. I express my opinion but do not argue or fight with others. I always work toward group goals. Circle the most appropriate number.

Comments

Alternative Policy Summary

1 Source (where you found this information, author, article title, date, etc.)

2 What is the policy? Does it have a title or name?

3 How does it help solve the problem? Specifically, what does the policy do?

4 Where is this policy being used or proposed? What level of government is involved?

5 Who created this policy? Who supports this policy?

6 What are the advantages of this policy?

7 Who opposes this policy?

8 What are the disadvantages of this policy?

9 Do you think this policy would help us solve our problem? Why or why not?

Analyzing Alternative Policies

Type of Policy Alternative

Advantages

Disadvantages

Supporters/ Opponents

Things We Need to Find Out about This Policy

Type of Policy Alternative

Advantages

Disadvantages

Supporters/ Opponents

Things We Need to Find Out about This Policy

Type of Policy Alternative Advantages

Disadvantages

Supporters/ Opponents

Things We Need to Find Out about This Policy

Task Contribution Form

Explain in detail what you did for Task # in each of the following categories.

Research

Construction

Writing

Interviews, phone calls, etc.

Other

Our Proposed Public Policy

1 Level of government that will best deal with the problem— (school, school district, state, county, or national government):

2 This level of government can best deal with the problem because

3 We propose that (level of government) adopt these specific details in its new policy:

c

4 The advantages of this policy are

5 The disadvantages of this policy might be