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LESSONPLAN 3

LivingCitizenship:TheCivicsScorecard
Subject:Government

LearningObjectives:

Topic:CitizenshipandCivicEngagement
Grade:11th

Studentswill:

Time:Oneortworegularblockclasses

Materials:

CopiesofCivicsScorecard(oneper
student)
25Sheetsofconstructionpaper
eachlabeledwithonetopicfrom
theCivicsScorecard
CopiesofCivicsScorecardActivity
RecordCards(@20perstudent)
Maskingtape

Evaluatethevalueofbeingactively
involvedcitizensintheir
communitybyparticipatinginand
recordingexamplesofgood
citizenship.

Understandthatgoodcitizenship
canbedemonstratedbyseemingly
smallactionssuchashelping
others,beingactivelyinvolvedin
communityactivitiesandmaking
themselvesinformedabout
importantissues.

Compellingquestion:HowwouldthequalityoflifeforeveryoneinConnecticutimproveif
residentsweremoreactivelyinvolvedcitizens?

Introduction:HandoutandintroducetheCivicsScorecard(below).Explainthatwehave
beendiscussingtheideathatsmallactsofcivicinvolvementbyindividualscanimprovethe
qualityoflifeforcitizensofourcommunity,stateandnation.Studentswillbetaking

informedactiononthisideabybeinginvolvedcitizensandrecordingtheiractivitiesfora
culminatingclassdiscussion/presentation.
Assignment:Forthenexttwoweeks,youwillbeanactivelyinvolvedcitizen(timeforthe

projectisflexible).Completeanddocument*asmanyexamplesofinvolvementfromtheCivic
Scorecardasyoucanforpresentation/discussioninclasson______________.

*Documentationcanbeaselfieofyouatanevent,apostingonsocialmediaaboutyourinvolvementinacommunityproject,
abriefdescriptionofyourparticipationinorattendanceatanevent,acopyofaletteryouwroteorapetitionyousigned,a

pamphletoragendafromaprogramyouattended,yourreflectionabouttheactivityoreventyouattended,oranother
creativewayofshowingyourcitizenshipinvolvement.Completing20ormoreearnsanAfortheassignment.(Again,
dependingonthecourse,timeandstudents,thegradingrequirementisflexible.)

CIVICSCORECARD
NOTE:thisCivicsScorecardusedinconnectionwiththislessonplanisadaptedfromtheCivicsScorecard
developedbytheDavidMathewsCenterforCivicLife,whichgranteduspermission.

Atedinnerwith
thepersonor
peopleIlive
with

Wroteanelected
officialaboutan
issueimportantto
me

Didafavorfora
neighbor
(without
him/herasking)

Attendedan
afterschoolclub
orgroup
meeting

Attendedor
Visitedalocal
Sharedthoughts Sharedanidea
participatedina park,stateparkor onapublicissue orperspective
peprallyor
wildliferefuge
inclass
(inpersonorin
athleticevent
writing)witha
community
leader

Watchedthe
Visitedafarmers
Appropriate
Volunteeredin
localornational marketorlocal
activityofyour thecommunity
newswitha
business
choice!!!!!
familymember

Signedapetition Attendedalocal
onlineorin
arts,museumor
person
culturalevent

Workedwith
otherstosolvea
community
problem

Discussed
politicswitha
friendorfamily
member

Sawsomething
thatneededto
bedoneat
homedidit
withoutbeing
askedortelling
anyone

Askanadultif
he/shethinksa
communityleader
(mayor/selectman)
isdoingagoodjob
andwhy?

Attendeda
meetingofa
local
government
boardor
committee

Pickeduplitter
andproperly
threwitaway

Encouraged
someone
youngerthan
myselftoget
involvedina
groupprogram

Readanarticle
aboutalocal
issueinthe
newspaperor
localnewsletter

Talkedwithan
adultabout
his/herrolein
civiclife

Attendeda
meetingofan
outofschool
clubor
organization.

Readabouta
presidential
candidate

Activity1:CivicsScorecardActivityRecordCards

Culminatingclasspresentation/discussion(oneblockclassortwoclassperiods):
Atthestartofclasstheteachertapes25sheetsofconstructionpapertothewall,eachlabeled
withoneitemfromtheCivicsScorecard.Theteacheralsodistributes20CivicsScorecard
ActivityRecordCardstoeachstudenttobecompletedatthestartofclass.
Givestudents1015minutestocompletetheirCivicsScorecardActivityRecordCards(onefor
eachactivity)andtapethemtotheappropriatesheetsofconstructionpaperaroundtheroom.
Ingroupsofthree,askstudentstotourthepostedexamplesofactivecitizenshiprepresented
bytheCivicsScorecardActivityRecordCardsfromstudentswhocompletedeachactivity.For
eachactivity,sharewithyourpartnerswhatyoudidandhowitwent.Howdidyourecordyour
completionofeachactivity?shareit.Whengroupshavecompletedsharingtheirexamplesof
activecitizenship,askthemtolookatthethingsotherclassmembersdidandtomakealistof
10questionstheywouldliketoaskmembersoftheclassabouttheiractivities.

CivicsScorecardActivityRecordCard

Action(Whatdidyoudo?)

Reaction(Howdiditgo?)

Name

Activity2:ClassDiscussion

Conductawholeclassdiscussionbasedonthequestionseachgroupcreatedaboutthe
activitiesotherclassmemberscompleted.Asindividualstudentsrespondtothesmallgroups
questions,askthemtoelaborateontheirexamplesofactivecitizenship.
Asculminatingquestions,theteachermightaskquestionssuchas:
Basedonwhatyouhavedoneforthepasttwoweeks,doyouagreeordisagreethatbeingan
activecitizencanbedoingaseriesofseeminglysmallactivities,notonlyvotingandservingas
anelectedofficial?
Hasyouractiveinvolvementasacitizenoverthepasttwoweeksimprovedthelivesofpeople
inourcommunity,state,nation?
Hasthisexperiencechangedyourthinkingaboutyourroleasacitizen?

Thislessonplan,developedbyMr.DanielCoughlin,wascommissionedbyEverydayDemocracyandmadepossible
throughaplanninggrantfromConnecticutHumanities.
EverydayDemocracy,October2015.

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