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.