The New Active Citizens, by Mary Ellen Bafumo

Your classroom holds the next generation of activists who need to be encouraged and nurtured

Is there a park, community garden or open space where you live? Do you have a senior citizens center or a playground nearby? Do you enjoy summer concerts or art shows in your town? Is there a children's museum in your community? If so, there were activists – active citizens – in your community who saw a need, created public awareness around it and expended time and effort to mobilize community and political bureaucracies to meet that need.

A better place for all
Active citizens are a hallmark of our nation from the founding fathers and the suffragettes to civil rights workers and environmentalists, and many others in between. These American dreamers had the idealism, passion and perseverance to bring their visions to reality in the face of resistance. The rights, equality and laws that we take for granted today were hard won for us by the sacrifices of those who spent their lives, reputations and resources to make this nation a better place for all citizens.

Lead by example
Where does activism originate? We know from national assessment results in civics that it is not inborn. It needs to be taught overtly through example, participation and consistent practice. Active citizenship can be integrated into content teaching by creating awareness of issues and action on them in appropriate topics of study. Try the following ideas.

Reading
In units focusing on communities, regions, state or national government, students can use newspapers, headlines or news magazine articles for reading exercises. Teach comprehension, main idea and reading for details to your class. Ask the following discussion questions:

• How does this issue effect you today?

• What does it mean for the future?

• What action can you take to influence this issue?

Writing
Ask your students to write letters or send e-mails to newspapers, magazines, legislators, foundations, community organizations and leaders. Teach formats for business and formal letters, grammar, punctuation, usage and ways to find contact information. Propose the following discussion questions:

• What is the best approach you've found when trying to influence a person's opinion?

• What tone do your want your letter to convey in order to make your point?

Math
Ask your students to research and calculate the cost of a community project. Use a park as an example: clearing land, landscaping, creating walking paths, parking areas, rest rooms, signs, etc. Teach calculating percentages and word problem strategies. Ask your students to come up with their own word problems around the park project. Examples are:

• What percent of annual city tax dollars does the full cost of a park represent? Have the city budget available.

• If admission to the new park is $2.50 per car and 630 cars are expected weekly, how much income will the community earn from parking over 52 weeks?

Social Studies
Students research and compile a list of major 21st century activists and their issues in order to learn about changes they influenced. Then, teach your class research skills (using Google, Yahoo, etc.) and how to use charts to collect and report information. Ask your students the following questions for reporting to the class:

• Which activists were successful?

• What strategies did they use to pursue their issue?

• How did their efforts change the community, state or nation?

• Which of today's issues is most important to you?

• What will you do to begin to address an issue?

• What is your goal and timetable?

Science
Ask your students to examine the current environmental issues at the local, state and national level. Examples of these types of issues are global warming, preservation of wetlands, beach erosion, logging old-growth forests, oil exploration offshore and in Alaskan wilderness preserves and whale or seal hunting. Be sure to teach both sides of issues on which students should focus so that they use a big-picture approach to them. Propose the following questions:

• What is the current impact of the issue in question?

• What is its future impact?

• Which issue is most important to you?

• How do you plan to address this issue?

Concerned citizens work to improve our nation. The next generation of active citizens needs to be taught, encouraged and nurtured in today's classrooms. By consistent modeling and activities that promote awareness about civic issues, you'll help make participation in social and political processes second nature to your students. Our future and progress as a nation depend on it.

Mary Ellen Bafumo is a Program Director for the Council on Educational Change, an Annenberg legacy group.