Project Citizen
How Project Citizen Works in the Classroom:
Frequently
Asked Questions
What’s the best class fit for Project
Citizen?
Project Citizen is designed for students in grades 5-8 who are in social
studies or language arts classes. It can also be adapted into an after-school
club or organization. High school sets of Project Citizen books are also available
as well.
How much time does Project Citizen take to complete?
Project Citizen can be used in the classroom once to several times per week,
even every day. It usually takes at least a month to complete a project in the
classroom.
What does Project Citizen do?
Project Citizen provides students the opportunity to examine public policy and
work cooperatively on a student-driven project where they take steps to address
a problem they identify in their community.
Where do I start?
Through the Constitutional Rights Foundation Chicago, teachers in Illinois can
order a free set of Project Citizen textbooks, including one
teacher’s edition, for their class. The textbooks lead the class through the
steps of the project. Contact CRFC for training in how to use the program in
your class. CRFC offers workshops either at or out of school. To order a
set of books email your request to Jessica Chethik at chethik@crfc.org.
What are the
steps of Project Citizen?
- Identifying public policy problems in the community
Project Citizen lessons introduce the concept of public policy and help
students identify a variety of public policies and their general purposes.
Teachers lead students in identifying problems in their community that could be
affected or amended by a change in public policy.
- Gathering information on the problem and examining possible solutions
Students use materials provided in the text and other recommended resources to
gather information and conduct interviews in order to evaluate a variety of
possible solutions.
- Selecting or developing a public policy
Students examine the causes of a problem, anticipate potential obstacles in
enacting solutions and establish a public policy that will best address and
amend the chosen problem. Using activities from the text, students learn how to
write an explanation and justification for a policy that will persuade others
to see how it might improve the problem
- Implementing an action plan or project that promotes the public policy
Using the text as a guide on how to make professional phone calls, write
effective letters, and structure meetings, students make appointments with the
appropriate community leaders and carry out the steps to generate publicity,
gain community support and obtain the necessary endorsements for their plan of
action.
- Reflecting on their learning experience
An important part of the Project Citizen reflection process comes as students
look back on what they learned and accomplished during the project in order to
create a of a 4-panel portfolio. In groups, students assemble data,
create graphics and a bibliography and summarize each of the Project Citizen steps,
all to be placed on the portfolio panels. Students are encouraged to discover
ways they can transfer the knowledge of public policy and tools for effecting
change they gained from Project Citizen, to other situations.
What else can my students do?
After completing their project, students may take part in a noncompetitive
regional
Simulated Legislative
Hearing during the spring of 2011. At the hearing, students use their
portfolios and other resources to make an oral presentation on their community
project to representatives.
What is the Illinois Portfolio Competition?
Teachers may enter their class portfolio in the
Illinois Portfolio Competition held in June of 2011 and co-sponsored by Secretary of State Jesse White’s
Office and held in the
Capitol
Building in
Springfield.
Portfolios are judged without students present. One portfolio will be chosen to
represent Illinois at the national Project Citizen Competition, sponsored by
the Center for Civic Education and co-sponsored by the National Conference of
State Legislatures, to be held next summer. Only projects that come from
rostered classes are eligible to go on to the national showcase.
