citizenship action project

8/12/2019 Citizenship Action Project

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Citizenship Action

Projects

Kids can changethe world!

Copyright Susan Gelber Cannon

www.teachforpeace.org
http://www.teachforpeace.org/http://www.teachforpeace.org/


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Start with some inspiration:

The history of every

country

begins in the heart

of a man or a woman.Willa Cather (O Pioneers)


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If you dont like the waythe world is, you changeit one step at a time.

Marian Wright Edelman


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"It is from numberless, diverse

acts of courage and belief

that human history is shaped.

Each time a person stands up for an ideal

or acts to improve the lot of others

or strikes out against injustice,

he or she sends a tiny ripple of hope.

Robert F. Kennedy


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We must remember that onedetermined person

can make a significant

differenceand that a small group of

determined people

can change the course ofhistory.Sonia Johnson


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Service is the rent we payfor living.

Marian Wright Edelman


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Lifes most urgent

question is,what are you doing for

others?Martin Luther King, Jr.


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We sometimes feel thatwhat we do

is just a drop in the ocean,but the ocean would be less

because of the missingdrop.Mother Theresa of Calcutta


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Hundreds and thousandsof young people

around the worldcan break through

these walls.

You can change the world.Dr. Jane Goodall


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We overwhelm childrenwith all the suffering

and evil in the world,but do we enable them to

act?Sister Joan Magnetti,

cited in Thomas Lickonas Educating for Character


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A student asks.Mrs. Cannon,are we really

going to changethe world?

I always wantedto be one ofthose people

who change theworld.


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Citizenship Action Projects

Cannon History Classat the Episcopal Academy

As our final class project,

I ask my students to thinkabout areal-world problem they careaboutand actto change it for the better.


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Kids learn to:

prioritizesocial action energy

analyzeroot causes

emulateexperienced social activists

planlocal/global and individual orgroup projects

actas advocates, indirect helpers,hands-on social activists

Citizenship Action Projects


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Another student asks, What does theC.A.P.project have to do with history?

Great question! Heres one answer:

History was made by people like you.

They made a decision to take action onsomething they thought and cared

about.I want you to make history by taking action

to improve the lives of the people, plants,and animals around you.Be a thinking, caring, and active citizen, and

YOU will be making history of your own.


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Help your studentsput their dreams into action.

Sample directions for students arebelow:


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Goals

CAPoff our year studying AmericanHistory by making some historyyourself!

Goal: To see the positive effects ofyour own individual efforts on theworld around you.

To see the cumulative effects of thesincere efforts of many activecitizens.


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Problems & Possibilities

Home:

Lunch food is wasted. You start packingyour own lunches.

Someone in yourfamily is sick orhospitalized.

You schedule visits.You create postersfor their hospitalroom.

Children are notcleaning up at home.

You make a job chartfor you and yoursiblings to follow.


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School:

People feel left out atlunch.

Invite new people tosit with you each day.

Litter is all over thelocker area.

Remind yourclassmates to cleanup. Make signs.

Kids bully each otherwhen teachers arenot around.

Start a speak outcampaign. Do skits,make posters.


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CommunityElderly need transportto doctorsappointments.

Raise funds forElderNetor othersuch organizations.

Animals need

adopting and sheltersneed funds.

Walk for the SPCA.

Educate classmatesabout adoptinganimals.

Neighborhood parksare full of litter. Organize a weeklypark clean up in yourneighborhood.


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Country

Young people do notvote.

Start a register tovote campaign.Educate classmates

about voting rights.Oil prices are veryhigh. US relies on oiltoo much.

Educate classmatesabout hybrid cars,carpools, bus, train.

Obesity is a majorhealth problem.

Teach classmatesabout healthy eatinghabits and exercise.


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Timeline for project March 10 through April 19 : THINK! Gather ideas.

Talk to your teachers, family, and friends.

April 20: Tell me your idea for a CAP project.

FROM March 10 through May 24: Do the project at any

point during this time period!

DUE Wednesday, May 18: One paragraphprojectdescription (standard writing format).

Wednesday, May 25: Present projectto class (tell them

what you did @3 minutes).

Wednesday, May 25: Handmade or computer-madeposterdue when you talk to class. PROPS, posters, etc. forCAP Fair due.


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Kids Share Project Ideas About a month after making the assignment,

take a class period to have kids share CAPideas.

Lead the discussion and elaborate on theirthinking. Ask them why issues are important.

Help students understand why proposals may ormay not work. Present alternatives tofundraising.

Invite classmates to work together on similarprojects.

Allow students to change plans and projects.Student interest is key!


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Sample paragraph: book donations

When I first received this assignment I began tothink of ideas and right away I thought of donating booksto a hospital. My plan to collect books is to give out flyersto my friends and neighbors (which I have done). Then Iwill collect the books on May 20th and deliver them to

the hospital on May 23rd. So far I have given out theflyers and I have also collected some book donationsfrom a few people.* I feel that my donations will help thehospital patients get through their stay at the hospital alittle bit better and also help the hospital. This is agreat opportunity to meet your community.

* This student collected and donated 1000 books!


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Sample paragraph: save raptors

A problem I am trying to solve is the endangerment ofraptors, or birds of prey. This is a national problembecause most raptors are endangered. My plan is toeducate people about raptors, specifically a snowy owl Igave money to rehabilitate. Mostly, the people I am goingto talk to are the students at the C.A.P. Fair and in class. I

have collected all of my information about my owl andseveral interesting facts about raptor endangerment. I amplanning to make a small poster, along with the requiredone, that I can show some pictures of my owl and otherraptors. I feel that my actions will only interest somebird-lovers, but not that many people. I feel thisbecause many people dont usually think aboutsaving the animals.*

*This students project did interest his classmates. He continued towork at a raptor center in Vermont each summer.


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Sample paragraph: recycling

I think that the problem in this community isrecycling. People may see the recycling bins and everyonce in a while put a bottle or piece of paper in them, buttheir hearts are not in it. To help out this cause, Idecided to make signs all over the school to support

recycling. With creative and colorful signs I plan to getmore people into recycling.

Next time at lunch, instead of putting that VitaminWater in the trash, a student could save it for the

recycling bin for bottles. My actions are prominent toschool because Im promoting recycling in a funway.


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Sample paragraph: park cleanup

Have you ever gone to your local park to play basketballor football? If you have, you probably have heard and feltthe crunch you hear and feel when you step on trash. Allover Gladwyne Park there was trash. My plan was to pick upall the trash in Gladwyne Park. As of now I have cleaned upthe park and made it look better overall. Next, I hope to

pick up trash every time I go there. When there was trash allover the ground it made the community seem irresponsible,now they dont look like that. I think my actions made amedium-sized impact in my community; its anoticeable but not stunning difference. I would

have made a bigger dent if I got people all over thetownship to clean their parks, but I feel as if I havedone a good deed. Overall, I feel good about this projectand the things I have done.


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Sample paragraph: fund a

schoolchild in ColombiaFor the C.A.P. project my friends and I raised money

and awareness for a school in Colombia, South America. Theschool is basically for anyone, however it is especially forchildren whose guardians cannot afford much. We had abake sale in order to raise money in order to send one child

to school. Next, we plan to send the money to the school.I feel very good about what we have done and am veryproud to be sending a child to school. I also think that whatwe have done is important for many reasons. First is thatwe saw we have much more than many people, andI have learned to appreciate what I have even more.Second is that I saw that by just doing somethinglittle and fun you can make a big difference. Lastlyis that if I know I have just sent a child to school itfeels like I have made a huge difference in the worldbecause I am basically giving someone an

education.


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Poster Instructions:

Poster Components: Use this as a checklistfor your poster.

8 by 11-inch sheet. Colorful headline naming project or problem. Your name and class.

Two-sentence description of problem. List or paragraph describing the action you took. Picture (at least one!): hand-drawn, photograph, or clip-

art. A motto, original or borrowed (with citation if borrowed),

expressing your feelings about completing this project.The motto should serve as inspiration to all whoread your poster.


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StudentF BlockMrs. Canon


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Students take pride in sharing their

projects with visitors.


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Think and act globally.

One of the childrenhas an aunt whoruns a school inColombia. She

inspired herclassmates to joinher in fundraisingfor school tuition.


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Think and act locally.

Clean-up of historic mansion wasinspired by a grandmother onthe mansion board of trustees.

Family adopts ahighway, inspired by a

childs project.


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Help animals or people.

Students buy plasticbracelets to support

animal shelters.

Students order hand-madebracelets to support cancer

research.


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Charity begins at.

A student raises recyclingawareness in our school.

A granddaughter paints and plantsflowerpots for the residents of hergrandmothers nursing home.


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Kids Evaluations:

If two people you loved were diagnosed with breast cancer (as wereboth of my grandmothers), wouldnt you want to try and help the restof the people who have this horrible disease? I am proud that Iraised so much money for breast cancer research by selling myone-of-a-kind pink-beaded bracelets. I donated 100% of my sales tohelp research breast cancer treatment. -Student

It was fun working with my friends for a good cause. We could havebeen sitting at home watching television that Saturday, but instead wewere out in the cold having a lot of fun. Picking up trash wasdisgusting, but we helped the environment around us. - Student

I gave serious thought to what I am passionate about. My conclusionwas I am a huge animal lover. I designed my bracelets atreminderband.com to raise money for the Fund for Animals. We arenot just talking dogs and cats here! They help animal protection andrescue all around the world. I am feeling very good about myselfbecause I am helping abandoned, lonely, injured, orphaned,and unloved animals.- Student


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More Kids Evaluations I think it is great to turn something I love to do into

a commitment for society. I would normally think aproject like this is boring, and I did until my friendsuggested making comics. I think its helpful for both usand the children at the shelter that we are working togetherfor the greater good.- Student

I personally feel great about what I am doing. I think thisis important because America is the fattest country in theworld, and if I can help educate people over the years thepercentages will drop. - Student

When I think about the fact that I sent a child to school, Ifeel amazed. I gave a child an education. I gave thatchild a part of their future. - Student

Who knows, they can be the future leaders of the world.One thing Id like to change is for more people tohave life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. -Student


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Discuss: How many of you feel

you have made a positive difference?

I felt proudto help mycommunity.

Kids canchangethe world onedose at a time.

It washard, but Imade adifference.

It was funworking

with myfriends onsomethingwe allcaredabout.

This shoulddefinitely be partof the curriculum.


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C f


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Contact information:

Susan Gelber Cannon

[email protected]

Visit my website for more resources:

www.teachforpeace.org

Read more about teaching

for peace and justice in my book:

Think , Care, Act:

Teach ing fo r a Peacefu l Fu tu re
mailto:[email protected]://www.teachforpeace.org/http://www.infoagepub.com/products/Think-Care-Acthttp://www.infoagepub.com/products/Think-Care-Acthttp://www.infoagepub.com/products/Think-Care-Acthttp://www.infoagepub.com/products/Think-Care-Acthttp://www.infoagepub.com/products/Think-Care-Acthttp://www.teachforpeace.org/mailto:[email protected]

citizenship action project

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