Constitutional Rights Foundation: Civil Action Project

Details

Activity Description

Civic Action Project (CAP) is a project-based learning model for civics and government courses. It offers a practicum for high school students in effective and engaged citizenship and uses blended learning to engage students in civic activities both in and out of the traditional U.S. government classroom. By using Web-based technology and civics-based instruction and activities, students exercise important 21st-century skills in digital literacy, critical thinking, collaboration, self-direction, and learning to be an engaged and effective citizen in a democracy.

Students also see how the content of a government course can apply to the real world. By taking civic actions, they practice what real citizens do when they go about trying to solve a real policy-related problem. CAP fulfills best practices in service learning with an emphasis on public policy.

 

Preparation

The CAP curriculum consists of lessons connected to the civic action process. (Summary of Lessons PDF) Review the CAP Lessons [www] in the following order:

• Lessons 1-5 are key to helping students identify an issue, problem, or policy and to begin taking civic actions.
• Lessons 6-14 provide specific examples of ways citizens impact public policy and help students develop civic skills such as persuasion, presenting to audiences, and deeper policy analysis.

How-To

How Do I Get Started? You can create your CAP classroom in three easy steps:

1. Register yourself for the CAP Web site.
2. Enroll your students. To enroll your class, download and complete the Excel spreadsheet and send it to crf@crf-usa.org. They will need an e-mail address for each student. (Some teachers arrange g-mail addresses for students.) As soon as your class is registered, they will send you a confirmation e-mail. Your CAP program is now in session! NOTE: Students’ information will not be shared by CAP or Constitutional Rights Foundation. They encourage students not to use their full name on the Blog or Discuss features.
3. Engage your students in the CAP process and its many resources.
   - Teach Lessons 1–3. At the end of Lesson 3, your students are ready to choose their issue and complete their CAP Proposal form; post on the Web site; and share their ideas and civic actions with other CAP students on the Web site on the Discuss and Blog forums.
   -Teach Lessons 4 and 5. These lessons will prepare them to pursue their civic actions; critically examine their policy issues; and submit their Thinking It Through and Civic Action forms.
   - CAP lessons 6–14 anticipate some of the challenges students may encounter as they work on their CAPs. You can pick and choose from these lessons that include:
   -Law & Policy
   -Persuasive Speaking
   -Building Constituencies
   -Using the Media

Teacher Tips

Tips from CAP teachers:

• For best results, plan to teach Lesson 3: Problems, Policy, and Civic Actions early since it is the lesson that assigns students to select and start addressing their issues. I think my students could have actually impacted public policy had I given them more time.
• Make sure students are focusing on the POLICY part of CAP to ensure curriculum connections.
• Groups of 2-6 students worked well.
• Facilitate rather than direct.

Program Areas

• ASE: High School Diploma

Documents

• Civil Action.doc - Screenshot of Lessons Index page
• Civil Action 2.doc - Screenshot of current project examples (Apr 2012)
• Civil Action Lesson Plans.png - Screenshot of Civil Action Lesson Plans

Subjects

• Social Studies
  • American Government
  • Economics
  • Social Studies Electives
  • U.S. History

Standards

• Reading
  • CCR Anchor 3 - Analyze how and why individuals, events, and ideas develop and interact over the course of a text.
  • CCR Anchor 7 - Integrate and evaluate content presented in diverse media and formats, including visually and quantitatively, as well as in words.
  • CCR Anchor 8 - Delineate and evaluate the argument and specific claims in a text, including the validity of the reasoning as well as the relevance and sufficiency of the evidence.
  • CCR Anchor 10 - Read and comprehend complex literary and informational texts independently and proficiently.
• Writing
  • CCR Anchor 1 - Write arguments to support claims in an analysis of substantive topics or texts, using valid reasoning and relevant and sufficient evidence.
  • CCR Anchor 4 - Produce clear and coherent writing in which the development, organization, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • CCR Anchor 5 - Develop and strengthen writing as needed by planning, revising, editing, rewriting, or trying a new approach.
  • CCR Anchor 6 - Use technology, including the Internet, to produce and publish writing and to interact and collaborate with others.
  • CCR Anchor 7 - Conduct short as well as more sustained research projects based on focused questions, demonstrating understanding of the subject under investigation.
• Speaking and Listening
  • CCR Anchor 4 - Present information, findings, and supporting evidence such that listeners can follow the line of reasoning and the organization, development, and style are appropriate to task, purpose, and audience.
  • CCR Anchor 5 - Make strategic use of digital media and visual displays of data to express information and enhance understanding of presentations.

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