Unit 1: Identifying Our Issue

The Generation Citizen curriculum is laid out in a series of lessons, designed to organize the progression of work but intended to be used flexibly depending on the preferences of Democracy Coaches and teachers, as well as the demands of the specific focus issue students choose.

Curriculum Framework

Unit 1: Identifying our Issue

·  Lesson 0: Before Unit 1 begins, Democracy Coaches will attend a class to observe and briefly introduce themselves and the program (“Lesson 0”). They will introduce Generation Citizen, the movement of thousands of students working on issues, and what the class will do during the semester. They will also introduce themselves personally and briefly explain why they are part of the program.

·  Lesson 1: The first lesson begins by exposing students to examples of how government and politics affect their lives. By considering the extent to which they knowingly or unknowingly depend upon governmental decision-making everyday, they are prompted to think about how they can play a role in this process, and why it’s important for them to do so. They are then introduced to GC’s framework for advocacy, which will provide a map for the rest of the semester’s planning and action.

·  Lesson 2: In this lesson, students utilize small groups to generate, prioritize, and discuss issues they face in their own communities and lives that they want to address.

·  Lesson 3: At this point, students marshal evidence to argue for their preferred issue. After narrowing down the number of issues, students employ a consensus-building process to decide upon one “focus issue” as an entire class.

·  Lessons 4 and 5: Students turn to researching and gathering evidence of the root causes of their focus issue by examining print and online materials and hearing from an issue or community expert speaker in class. After identifying the most important root cause that is also feasible to address in the semester timeframe, students craft a goal statement to connect addressing that root cause to their desired impact on the overall focus issue.

Unit 2: Planning our Action

·  Lesson 6: Students use their goal statement to identify a decision-maker – someone who could, by themself, effect the desired change. Students then look at the specific powers that decision-maker has and draft an “ask” they will make of him or her. Students then turn to other targets, considering individuals and groups whose help they will need to enlist (“influencers” or “targets”) who can also influence the decision-maker.

·  Lesson 7: The students determine how they will reach their targets, examining and choosing from a diverse array of tactics, from writing editorials to phone-banking to holding a meeting with a decision-maker.

·  Lesson 8: Students create a timeline for the semester and begin working in small groups to create work plans to identify tasks, assign roles, and organize their action.

Unit 3: Taking Action

After selecting tactics to employ, students carry out their action plan within project teams. Democracy Coaches and teachers select mini-lessons on advocacy tactics as they become relevant. Students practice and employ persuasive writing and speaking, group collaboration, and research skills to achieve their goal. During this unit, a “Lobbying 101” lesson teaches students to develop compelling, personal, and focused arguments to build into their conversations with decision-makers and influencers.

Unit 4: Taking the Next Step

Students prepare for and then present their work at Civics Day, an event where GC students from across the city share their projects with other students, community members, and public officials, who serve as judges to provide feedback so that students can continue their efforts. The final lesson of the curriculum gives students an opportunity to critically reflect upon their work and discuss avenues for continued active civic engagement.