In this lesson, learners identify different levels of participation in a democracy. Each student writes a statement describing what type of citizen he or she would like to be. In groups of 4-6 students, the learners create an audio or visual presentation advocating for civic responsibility. They share their presentations with an outside audience. Students also reflect on their personal role in "writing history."

 The learner will:

• identify characteristics of participatory citizenship.
• work in a small production group of 5-8 students to create a presentation as a piece of advocacy.
• view the presentations of all the learners.
• reflect on the impact of the project.

• copies of Attachment One: Three Types of Citizen or teacher printout for projecting on the wall screen
• learner copies of Attachment Two: Rubric
• group copies of Attachment Three: Guidelines for Project
• computer and Internet access to show an online video (see Bibliographical References)
• various equipment/supplies for audio/visual project based on available resources (e.g., Flip video, audio recording device, cell phone with video capability, computers, paper, markers, etc.)

Day One:

Anticipatory Set:

Write the following question on the board: What does ideal participatory citizenship look like? Ask the students to brainstorm examples of participatory citizenship (e.g., voting, following the laws, sharing and helping others, etc.). Write their ideas on the board.

• Present to the students the three types of democratic citizenship as described by Joel Westheimer. (See Attachment One: Three Types of Citizen.)
• Ask the students to categorize their brainstormed list on the board into these three categories. Then ask them to decide for themselves what type of citizen they want to be. Have each student write a statement describing their own citizenship and what they wish for a better world/country/community. Have them include the following information: What type of citizen they want to be, what issues do they care about, what their personal goals are, how they want to impact others to make the world a better place. Give the students 10-15 minutes to write.
• Pair up the students for peer editing. Give them time to help each other give feedback, revise, edit, and write a final version of their statements. They should hand in their statements by the end of the class period. Teacher Note: Before the next class period, group the students' statements by common interests and goals. Use these as a guide to form groups of 4-6 students for the final project of the unit.

 Day Two:

Anticipatory Set:

Show the students an example of a video that makes a statement of advocacy. "The Girl Effect" (see Bibliographical References) is a good example because it makes the viewer think about an issue and suggests a way to take action for the common good. After the video, discuss the main message of the video and how viewers can take action to address the featured issue.

• Tell the learners that they will be working in groups to create videos (or other approved presentations) to share statements of democratic responsibility. These presentations will give information and inspire viewers to take action toward an issue as responsible citizens.
• Give the learners copies of Attachment Two: Rubric. Go over the expectations and possible formats. Find out what resources the students already have (video cameras, audio devises, software, etc.). Describe your expectations for each format and brainstorm possible audiences for the presentations.
• Return the students' statements from the previous class period. Tell them these statements may be the starting point for their group discussions. Assign learners to groups of 4-6 (based on the common interests expressed in the statements). Each group discusses what they would like to communicate about civic responsibility, the nature of democracy, and the importance of taking action for the common good in a democratic society. In their groups, they should start to determine the following: issue to address/main idea, audience, presentation format, and initial responsibilities.
• The student groups may work in class and/or outside of class over several days to complete their project. Set a deadline for presenting the projects to the class. Guide the students as they work on the projects. Give each group a copy of Attachment Three: Guidelines for Planning.

• Make sure you have all the media required for students to show their presentations to the whole class.
• Allow time for each group to present their project and discuss the impact of the project on themselves and their intended audience.
• After all presentations, discuss what they should do next. Guide the students as they discuss who else might be interested in their presentations and what they could do next to advocate for their issue. This may spark a discussion of organizing an event to address a featured issue. See Next Steps and Extension for creating a student-led service-learning project. 
• Final reflection, show the same quote as in Lesson Two. Have the learners write a reflection about their personal responsibility to form and "write" history.
  • "History is yours to make. It is not owned or written by someone else for you to learn. History is not just the story you read; it is the one you write. It is the one you remember or denounce or relate to others. It is not predetermined. Every action, every decision, however small, is relevant to its course. History is filled with horror and replete with hope. You shape the balance." (inscribed on the exit of the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa as noted by Joel Westheimer.) 

Next Steps:

• Continue to reflect and guide the students as they publish their presentations. Help them find venues, community partners, and publishing options. Have the learners collect data and measure impact, if available. After the presentations are public, have each student write a reflection about their learning.
• Work with the learners to design an appropriate demonstration to a group of students, families, and/or community members. The demonstration includes a presentaion and communicates the impact the learners have made on themselves and others.